MN-NP GRADUATE COURSES Course Descriptions & Objectives NURS 504 RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED PRACTICE (3) The purpose of this course is to build foundational knowledge and skills in searching the literature, critically analyzing research and synthesizing evidence, and applying this evidence to issues of relevance to nursing practice. 1. Describe the nature of evidence and its contribution to knowledge development in nursing. 2. Identify research that is relevant to a particular problem or topic area in nursing. 3. Systematically assess and evaluate the quality of this research and the usefulness of the evidence it provides. 4. Synthesize and interpret this evidence to develop justifiable conclusions and identify knowledge gaps. 5. Apply strategies for using this evidence to address specific nursing practice goals and issues. NURS 505 STATISTICAL LITERACY IN NURSING (3) Statistics, a perplexing subject for many students, is an important means of communication in science and in much of everyday life. Statistics arise in everything from opinion polls, to survey results, to the latest nursing and health-related research. Understanding the fundamental concepts that underlie statistics is critical to success in the everyday world of nursing. This course is designed, not as a primer in data manipulation, but as an introduction to a scientific approach to thinking. It is aimed at beginners with limited mathematical skill. The goal here is to promote appreciation and comprehension of statistical information rather than competence in statistical techniques, per se. Some computational techniques will be addressed to facilitate understanding of the underlying concepts. The course is constructed to meet several objectives. Of concern is the development of comprehension of statistical thinking and basic quantitative data analysis. Upon completion, students should be able to better cope with the flow of information and claims commonly encountered by nurses with advanced standing. Such competence is necessary for making informed choices, for assessing the opinions of others, and for making reasonable suppositions about good nursing practice. The focus on evidence-based, or evidence-informed, nursing practice rests, in part, on knowledge of statistics. 1. Demonstrate working knowledge of basic statistical terms and notation 2. Demonstrate working knowledge of graphics (tables, graphs, figures) commonly used to 1
communicate in nursing. 3. Interpret statistical information commonly presented in nursing and other relevant health research literature 4. Critically evaluate nursing research claims 5. Detect some misuses of statistics 6. Enhance interpersonal collaborative skills in order to perform and critique health research using statistics. NURS 506 HEALTH PROMOTION IN PRACTICE (3) Nurses, nurse practitioners and other clinicians can be highly influential in fostering health promotion in clinical and community practice settings. Nursing 506 examines the role of health promotion in diverse practice contexts. Class members will explore various health promotion strategies, approaches and interventions. Emphasis is on how to adapt health promotion strategies, approaches and interventions in ways that take the social and economic contexts of peoples lives into account 1. Identify assumptions and values that underpin various conceptualizations of health promotion 2. Critically analyze current recommendations for health promotion, harm reduction, and illness prevention 3. Discuss the social and economic contexts that influence people s engagement with health promotion 4. Describe how health promotion interventions, strategies and approaches can be implemented in clinical practice 5. Discuss the role of advanced practice nurses in integrating health promotion to clinical and community practice settings NURS 507 PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS IN PRIMARY CARE (3) This course will examine the clinical application of drug therapy with an emphasis on the drugs commonly used in primary care settings. Mechanisms of drug actions will be reviewed with the goal of understanding therapeutic and adverse effects, drug interactions and relevant considerations for illness management and patient education. Emphasis will be on clinical decision-making and on applying evidence-based information to case studies that span a variety of age groups and clinical conditions. Legal and ethical considerations of prescriptive authority and practices will also be examined 2
1. I Describe the major pharmacological indications an differences for specific categories of drugs 2. Compare and contrast drugs within a given category 3. Discuss the components of clinically important drug interactions in terms of absorption, metabolism, and pharmacodynamics 4. Identify significant adverse drug interactions and the appropriate interventions 5. Develop a framework to evaluate and integrate current research findings into therapeutic decision-making 6. Using clinical case studies, demonstrate the application of principles of decision-making to identify, analyze and provide a rationale for appropriate therapies 7. Determine correct dosages, dosage form, route and frequency of administration of medications based on relevant individual characteristics including gender, age and illness 8. List strategies for monitoring and managing therapeutic and non-therapeutic effects of drugs across the life span 9. Identify essential client education issues regarding expected effects, potential adverse effects, symptom management, proper administration and costs of medications 10. Describe how to involve the client in the decision-making process concerning therapeutic intervention, including self-treatment for acute and chronic illnesses 11. Using clinical case studies, identify factors contributing to polypharmacy and the associated implications for primary care management of health and illness conditions 12. Demonstrate knowledge of current legislative and ethical issues surrounding prescriptive practice for nurse practitioners working in Canada NURS 508 PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC PROCESSES IN ILLNESS (3) The purpose of this course is to provide the learner with the theory and knowledge necessary to understand human physiological responses in health and illness. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the normal anatomy and physiology, the pathophysiology and the adaptive responses underlying common acute and chronic conditions found in the Canadian population. In addition, the influence of age, gender, ethnic background and socioeconomic status will be reviewed for the selected illnesses. The course will involve classroom instruction, clinical case study discussions and take-home assignments. Lecture topics and case studies are chosen on the basis of common causes of mortality and morbidity for Canadians. 1. Describe the normal anatomy, physiology and physiological alternations in relation to specific clinical conditions and disease processes that affect Canadians 2. Describe the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of specific disease processes 3. Describe the influence of gender, ethnicity, age and individual characteristics on the course of selected clinical conditions and disease processes 3
NURS 509 CLINICAL PROCEDURES IN PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS (2) An overview of common office procedures used in primary care practice by a Nurse Practitioner (NP). Primary care diagnostic and treatment procedures such as x-ray interpretation, ECG interpretation, IUD insertion, suturing, shave and punch biopsies and administration of local anesthesia. 1. Understand principles foundational to selected diagnostic tests 2. Describe indications for ordering specific diagnostic tests 3. Understand principles underlying immunizations 4. Demonstrate the ability to interpret selected diagnostic tests, including ECG, x-ray, ultrasound, Doppler, CT scan and PEFR/screening spirometry 5. Perform common minor office procedures safely and in a manner that ensures client comfort NURS 510 ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT (6) This course builds on basic health assessment skills to provide a solid foundation for integrating advanced health assessment with diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making. The primary focus of the course is on history taking, physical assessment, and the process of formulating differential diagnoses in a primary care context. A secondary focus emphasizes prevention and health maintenance strategies with individuals and families across the lifespan. 1. Conduct a comprehensive history and physical examination of infants, children, adults and older adults 2. Conduct a symptom-specific health history and physical examination for individuals across the lifespan 3. Analyze relevant lab data and diagnostic tests as a basis for developing a differential diagnosis 4. Analyze assessment findings to differentiate abnormal pathology and develop relevant differential diagnoses 5. Communicate findings of the health history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests using accurate, concise recording and reporting 6. Analyze the sensitivity and specificity of health screening measures commonly used in primary care 7. Develop health promotion, prevention, and health maintenance plans for individuals and families in the context of primary care. 4
NURS 511 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NURSING PRACTICE (3) This course provides students with the opportunity to explore the evolution of nursing knowledge and the processes of theoretical and analytical reasoning as they apply to nursing. In the context of the course students will apply critical thinking to the understanding and resolution of nursing problems. 1. Describe the ways in which nursing theory has evolved historically 2. Identify important social and theoretical influences on the development of nursing knowledge 3. Discuss the relevance of explorations of nursing knowledge to the advancement of the nursing profession and one's own nursing practice 4. Explore various assumptions that underlie nursing knowledge development 5. Apply critical reasoning to clinical nursing problems 6. Propose possible resolutions to key conceptual issues facing nurses 7. Analyze ontological, epistemological, and methodological presuppositions and implications of various nursing theories 8. Explore the significance for nursing practice of various ways of thinking about nursing knowledge 9. Explore various approaches to the development of nursing knowledge 10. Analyze concepts relevant to nursing from a variety of theoretical perspectives 11. Synthesize ways of conceptualizing nursing knowledge 12. Examine, interpret and synthesize findings from the literature in a scholarly written format NURS 570 PRIMARY CARE I (6) The focus of this course is on the primary care management of common episodic health and illness conditions across the life span. Emphasis is on health promotion and illness/injury prevention strategies. Didactic and clinically based learning occurs in classroom and clinical settings. 1. Identify patient and family needs across the life span including physiological and psychosocial needs and cultural safety 2. Develop and knowledge base regarding common and predictable conditions seen in primary care 3. Based on knowledge of human development and pathophysiology, analyze with assistance, stable chronic health and illness conditions affecting the health of individuals and families across the lifespan a. Obtain and appropriate history from patients with uncomplicated conditions b. Perform appropriate compete and focused physical examinations relevant to the 5
patient s chief complaint c. Interpret findings from the physical exam with some help from the Preceptor d. Create an appropriate list of possible differential diagnoses e. Select the most likely diagnoses f. Order, with some Preceptor guidance, appropriate diagnostic tests for each clinical problem g. For each clinical problem, develop a plan of action that includes patient education, health maintenance, health promotion and follow-up care 4. Begin to develop strategies for collaboration and consultation with patients, families, Preceptor and members of the health care team in planning the delivery of primary care 5. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own actions: a. Chart appropriately using problem oriented charting b. Maintain logs c. Present patient data to Faculty and Preceptor in a logical and accurate manner d. Demonstrate professional behavior at all times e. Evaluate care provided in a systematic fashion f. Provide comprehensive care including referral consultation with some assistance from Preceptor g. Identify own learning needs and take action to meet them 6. Begin to incorporate research findings appropriately 7. Advocate for the nurse practitioner role and the nursing profession NURS 571 PRIMARY CARE II (6) The focus of this course is on the primary care management of common acute chronic conditions across the life span. Health promotion and illness/injury prevention strategies are integrated throughout. Didactic and clinically based learning occurs in the classroom and clinical settings. 1. Identify patient and family needs across the life span including physiological and psychosocial needs and cultural safety. 2. Continue to develop a knowledge base regarding common and predictable conditions seen in primary care. 3. Based on knowledge of human development and pathophysiology, analyze, with some assistance, stable chronic health and illness conditions affecting the health of individuals and families across the life span. a. Obtain an appropriate history from patients with uncomplicated conditions. b. Perform appropriate complete and focused physical examinations relevant to the patient s chief complaint. c. Interpret findings from the physical exam with some help from Preceptor. d. Create an appropriate list of possible differential diagnoses. e. Select the most likely diagnoses. f. Order, with some Preceptor guidance, appropriate diagnostic tests for each clinical 6
problem. g. For each clinical problem, develop a plan of action that includes patient education, health maintenance, health promotion and follow-up care. 4. Continue to develop strategies for collaboration and consultation with patients, families, preceptor and members of the health care team in planning the delivery of primary care. 5. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own actions: a. Chart appropriately using problem oriented charting. b. Maintain logs. c. Present patient data to Faculty and Preceptor in a logical and accurate manner. d. Demonstrate professional behavior at all times. e. Evaluate care provided in a systematic fashion. f. Provide comprehensive care including referral and consultation with some assistance from Preceptor. g. Identify own learning needs and take action to meet them. 6. Begin to incorporate research findings appropriately. NURS 572 PRIMARY CARE III (6) The focus of this course is on the primary care management of common acute and chronic conditions across the life span. Health promotion and illness/injury prevention strategies are integrated throughout. Didactic and clinically based learning occurs in the classroom and clinical settings. 1. Identify patient and family needs across the life span including physiological and psychosocial needs and cultural safety 2. Develop and knowledge base regarding common and predictable conditions seen in primary care 3. Based on knowledge of human development and pathophysiology, analyze with assistance, stable chronic health and illness conditions affecting the health of individuals and families across the lifespan a. Obtain and appropriate history from patients with uncomplicated conditions b. Perform appropriate compete and focused physical examinations relevant to the patient s chief complaint c. Interpret findings from the physical exam with some help from the Preceptor d. Create an appropriate list of possible differential diagnoses e. Select the most likely diagnoses f. Order, with some Preceptor guidance, appropriate diagnostic tests for each clinical problem g. For each clinical problem, develop a plan of action that includes patient education, health maintenance, health promotion and follow-up care 4. Begin to develop strategies for collaboration and consultation with patients, families, Preceptor and members of the health care team in planning the delivery of primary care 7
5. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own actions: a. Chart appropriately using problem oriented charting b. Maintain logs c. Present patient data to Faculty and Preceptor in a logical and accurate manner d. Demonstrate professional behavior at all times e. Evaluate care provided in a systematic fashion f. Provide comprehensive care including referral consultation with some assistance from Preceptor g. Identify own learning needs and take action to meet them 6. Incorporate research findings appropriately 7. Advocate for the nurse practitioner role and the nursing profession NURS 578 CONSOLIDATED PRACTICUM (6) The Consolidated Practicum is a clinically based course in which nurse practitioner students integrate and consolidate their knowledge, skills and experiences gained in all previous courses of the nurse practitioner program. It is a time to combine all of these aspects of learning and practice the nurse practitioner role under the supervision of a physician or a nurse practitioner. Students are expected to be self-directed learners and to identify their learning needs, articulate how they could meet their needs and develop a plan to meet those needs within their practicum time. The course involves 7 weeks of full time practice. Although many students will practice far from campus and may be the only student in a practice site, communication with faculty will be maintained on an ongoing basis through emails, telephone, Connect discussion and face to face contact with a clinical site visitor. Communication with student peers will be maintained through Connect discussions. The aim of NURS 578 is to integrate the CRNBC Nurse Practitioner Competencies into practice while under the supervision of a physician or nurse practitioner preceptor. As the goal is to achieve entry to practice (as a nurse practitioner, family) level competence, the course objectives are the CRNBC competencies. Students are expected to know their scope of practice and to practice within their scope as articulated in the document, Scope of Practice for Nurse Practitioners (Family) Standards Limits and Conditions, available on line, at CRBNC, www.crnbc.ca. NURS 591 PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN NURSE PRACTITIONER PRACTICE (3) This course provides students the opportunity to expand their understanding of the Family Nurse Practitioner role in the larger context of the British Columbia healthcare system. The goal of the course is to identify and discuss current social, educational, economic, political, legal, ethical, 8
regulatory and organizational factors and trends that influence Family Nurse Practitioner practice in British Columbia, and the implications of these factors on professional practice. Critical leadership and professional skills for sustainable practice will also be discussed. 1. Describe historical factors leading to the development of advance nursing practice and the role of the nurse practitioner within BC, and national and international contexts 2. Articulate the NP(F) role clearly and concisely within the dynamic and complex healthcare system in BC 3. Interpret and interrelate relevant theories and concepts to form a basis for advanced practice nursing 4. Describe current social, educational, economic, legal, political, and regulatory issues and trends impacting advanced nursing practice in British Columbia 5. Articulate basic principles of the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia s Reserved Acts, Health Professions Act and Standards, Scope of Practice, Limits and Conditions, and Competencies, as they relate to the NP role (Family) 6. Identify barriers and facilitators to successful NP practice, and strategies to promote advanced nursing practice and demonstrate the effectiveness of advanced nursing practice roles across health care settings. 7. Develop understanding of the purpose and value of professional organizations at the level of Advanced Practice, and the unique role they occupy in advocating for issues directly related to practice and sustainability of NP role 8. Articulate a basic understanding of concepts related to ethical practice, and their role and application in the healthcare system as related to NP practice 9. Articulate the concept of cultural safety and its linkage to quality care and ethical NP practice, and issues specific to care of Aboriginal populations 10. Apply principles and theories of ethics: analyze cases from primary care practice for ethical, risk management and legal issues 11. Articulate the range of issues relative to collaborative and inter-professional practice involving the NP role, physicians, other advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and other health care professionals, and strategies for maximizing team outcomes 12. Articulate stages of transition from novice to expert and environmental elements and resources for successful transformation 13. Identify resources and strategies for ongoing professional growth, advanced knowledge and skills, strategies for maintaining personal health and balance as a primary care provider and ways to contribute to the growth of the NP profession as a whole 9
NURS 596 PRIMARY CARE / CULMINATING PROJECT (3) This course is a project that addresses a focus area for nurse practitioners. The focus may be, but is not limited to the following: improving an area of NP practice; work with a patient population receiving NP care; an innovation in NP practice; exploration and clarification of an issue affecting NPs; an aspect of interdisciplinary practice or a political activity that impacts NP practice. The project will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the topic, use of the literature, and an evidence-based approach. Students are encouraged to begin thinking about the project in the first term of the program. OUTCOMES: The project may take the form of program or policy development, a presentation to a target group or professional conference, the design of innovative techniques for the delivery of patient care, a paper for publication, or a collaborative interdisciplinary effort that affects practice. Other possibilities will be considered on an individual basis. 10