Nursing (NURS)
College of Nursing and Health Science
305 Application of Basic Nursing Technologies (1:0:2)Prerequisite: acceptance into accelerated second degree pathway. To be taken fall semester of accelerated second degree program. Introduces basic nursing technologies, and provides opportunities to apply these skills in simulated technology lab.
309 Introduction to Basic Nursing Care (3:3:0) Corequisite: N310. Enrollment restricted to second-degree students only. Introduces basic fundamentals of nursing care across the life span. Emphasis on nursing process, critical thinking, and foundational technologies and skills required to practice in the healthcare setting.
310 Application of Basic Nursing Care (3:0:9) Prerequisite: acceptance into accelerated second degree program. Application of basic nursing care in acute care settings utilizing the nursing process.
317 Introduction to Evidenced Based Practice (2:2:0) Prerequisites: statistics, junior standing. Introduces current knowledge, theory, and research. Emphasizes acquiring skills to access and utilize nursing and other health care research.
318 Concepts of Health, Groups, and Family (3:3:0)Enrollment restricted to second-degree international students only. Corequisites: NURS 309 and 310. Focuses on small groups and families as participants in healthcare. Cultural and religious differences and family crises are discussed. Legal and ethical dimensions of nursing practice are also introduced. f
319 Pathophysiological Basis for Nursing Care of Individuals and Small Groups (4:4:0)Prerequisite: acceptance into second degree program. Focuses on pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction factors related to nursing care for clients with psychiatric conditions, as well as for child-bearing women, infants, children, and adolescents with acute healthcare needs.
325 Application of Nursing Care for Individuals and Small Groups II (5:0:15) Enrollment restricted to second-degree international students only. Prerequisites: NURS 309, 310, 318, 328, 329, and 428; corequisites: 426, 440, 430, and 455. Seven weeks of clinical with focus on obstetric and family nursing, and seven weeks of pediatric nursing. Students may also follow selected clients in clinics or home situations. Clinical consists of two full days at acute care clinical agencies. s
326 Pathophysiological Basis for Nursing Care of Individuals and Small Groups II (3:3:0) Enrollment restricted to second-degree international students only. Prerequisites: NURS 309, 310, 318, 328, 329, and 425; corequisites: NURS 325, 436, 440, and 455. Focuses on pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction factors related to nursing care of adult clients experiencing acute and chronic medical or surgical conditions. s
328 Pathophysiological Basis of Nursing Care for Individuals and Small Groups I (4:4:0) Enrollment restricted to second degree international students only; corequisites: NURS 309 and 310. Focuses on pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction factors related to nursing care for clients with acute medical-surgical and psychopathological conditions. f
329 Application of Nursing Care for Individuals and Small Groups (6:0:18) Prerequisites: NURS 309, 310, 328, 334, 425, and 436; corequisite: NURS 326. Enrollment restricted to second-degree international students only. Clinical consists of two full days in clinical areas. Prior to onset, selected technologies presented in campus labs. Students may also have the opportunity to follow clients into the clinic or home environment. Course divided into three, five-week clinical areas: maternity and women’s health, pediatrics, and psychiatric nursing.
330 Nursing Fundamentals and Health Assessment (3:3:0)Prerequisite: junior standing; corequisite: NURS 331. Introduces nursing process and communication skills as the foundation for beginning health assessment and fundamental nursing care for culturally diverse individuals throughout the life span. f
331 Nursing as a Process for Health Practicum (4:0:12)Prerequisite: junior standing; corequisite: NURS 330. Opportunity to practice health assessment and fundamental nursing technologies while using communication skills with culturally diverse and vulnerable populations in a variety of settings. Includes agency and campus labs. f
332 Concepts of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention throughout the Lifespan (3:3:0) Prerequisite: junior standing. Introduces epidemiology, health promotion, and disease prevention; and the impact on health status of culturally diverse and vulnerable individuals, families, small groups, and communities. Focuses on health problems and potential interventions throughout life span, and incorporates principles of teaching, learning as they apply to nursing.
334 Nursing as a Health Profession and Discipline (3:3:0)Prerequisite: open only to RNs, LPNs, and second-degree students; corequisite: NURS 309 and 310 for second- degree students only. Introduces nursing as a dynamic and caring health profession, the impact of epidemiology, health promotion, and disease prevention on health status of culturally diverse and vulnerable individuals, families, small groups, and communities throughout life span. Incorporates nursing and critical thinking processes as they apply to the art and science of nursing. Historical perspectives on ethical, legal, political, and social issues are included. f,s
335 Mental Health and Maternal/Newborn Nursing (3:3:0) Focuses on the nursing care, pathophysiological and psychological, social-cultural, and risk reduction implications of health problems in mental health and obstetrics.
337 Applied Nursing Fundamentals and Health Assessment (1:0:2)Prerequisite: junior standing; corequisites: NURS 330 and 331. Opportunity to practice health assessment and fundamental nursing technologies while using communication skills with culturally diverse and vulnerable populations in a variety of settings.
339 The Nursing Process through Case Studies (1:1:0) Prerequisite: admission to traditional or LPN to BSN pathway. Corequisites: NURS 330, 331, and 347; and 348 or 349. Meets every other week for two hours. Provides opportunities to use nursing process while examining health conditions of clients in geriatric, maternal and infant, pediatric, or medical and surgical settings. Particular attention to assessing health needs of clients and their families through using case studies.
340 Nursing Care of Clients with Pathological Conditions I (4:4:0) Prerequisite: successful completion of NURS 330, 331, 332, or 333; or permission of associate dean. Introduces changing health needs of culturally diverse and vulnerable populations throughout the life span. Focuses on nursing care, pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction implications of frequently experienced health problems. s
341 Applied Health Promotion and Disease Prevention to Individuals and Families (4:0:12) Prerequisites: successful completion of NURS 330, 331, 332, and 333; corequisites: NURS 342, NURS 344. Opportunity to provide collaborative nursing care to culturally diverse and vulnerable populations experiencing frequently occurring physiological, psychological, and social health problems in a variety of settings throughout the life span. s
342 Case Studies in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (1:1:0) Prerequisites: successful completion of NURS 330, 331, 332, and 333; corequisite: NURS 341. Meets every other week for two hours. Opportunity to integrate nursing care with healthcare needs of culturally diverse and vulnerable populations throughout the life span. s
343/HSCI 343 Pharmacology (3:3:0) Covers principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmadynamics of selected drug classifications, and nursing responsibilities related to drug administration to individuals throughout life span.
344 Intermediate Nursing Technologies (1:0:2)Prerequisites: successful completion of NURS 330, 331, 332, and 333; corequisite: NURS 341. Laboratory course to assist students in acquiring therapeutic nursing interventions. Technologies presented are asepsis and wound care, administration of medications including dosage calculations, and management of intravenous therapy. s
345 Nursing of Clients in an Acute Care Setting (5:0:15)Prerequisite: successful completion of fall and spring junior nursing courses; corequisite: NURS 346. Concentrated clinical course in an acute care setting. Opportunity to provide collaborative nursing care to culturally diverse adults experiencing acute or chronic health problems. sum
346 Case Studies in Medical Surgical Nursing (1:1:0)Corequisite: NURS 345. Meets every week for two hours. Explores in-depth nursing care related to culturally diverse adults experiencing acute and chronic health problems. Uses case presentations dealing with adult family members with health problems. sum
347 Adult Pathophysiology and Nursing Care (2:2:0) Introduces changing health needs of culturally diverse and vulnerable populations. Focuses on nursing care; and pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction implications of frequently experienced health problems in the adult population.
348 Maternal-Newborn Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Nursing Care (2:2:0) Introduces normal and abnormal processes with maternal-infant clients including cultural diversity and vulnerable populations. Focuses on normal physiological, pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, risk reduction, and nursing care of these clients.
349 Pediatric Pathophysiology and Nursing Care (2:2:0) Focuses onchanging health needs of culturally diverse and vulnerable populations. Includes nursing care, pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction implications of frequently experienced health problems in pediatric population.
350 Application of Nursing Care for Individuals and Small Groups (5:0:15) Prerequisite: all fall semester courses in second degree program, or permission of instructor; corequisites: NURS 351, 419, and 353. Includes five weeks of clinical experience in each specialty area, with focus on obstetric and family nursing, pediatric, and psychiatric mental heath nursing. Students may also follow selected clients in clinics or home situations. Clinical consists of two full days per week in acute-care agencies.
351 Application of Intermediate Nursing Technologies (1:0:2)Prerequisite: all fall semester courses in second degree program, or permission of instructor. Introduces intermediate nursing technologies, and provides opportunities to apply these skills in simulated technology lab.
380/NCLC 410 Contemporary Health (6:6:0) Course must be taken as NURS 380, 3 credits; and BIOL 226, 3 credits, or WMST 300, 3 credits. Looks at a variety of health and healthcare issues. Explores the biology and medical implications of diseases, and examines who is making decisions on allocation of research funds and prevention of diseases.
400 Clinical Nursing Elective (3:0:9) Prerequisite: NURS 301, 302, 314, 315, 324, or 325, or equivalent. Allows students to synthesize previously learned knowledge and skills, acquire additional clinical experience, and observe and participate in nursing practice.
410 Nursing Care of Clients with Pathological Conditions II (3:3:0) Prerequisite: junior year; corequisite: completion of computer NCLEX review required to fulfill course requirements. Encompasses complex health problems of culturally diverse and vulnerable populations throughout the life span. Focuses on nursing care needs and pathophysiological, psychological, and sociocultural implications of complicated health problems. f
419 Pathophysiological Basis for Nursing Care of Individuals and Small Groups II (3:3:0) Prerequisites: completion of NURS 305, 309, 310, 319, and 334. Enrollment restricted to second degree students only. Focuses on pathophysiological, psychological, sociocultural, and risk-reduction factors related to nursing care of child-bearing women, infants, children, and adolescents experiencing acute healthcare problems.
423/HSCI 423 Nutrition and Chronic Illness (3:3:0)Examines nutrient needs related to specific chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Focuses on principles of nutritional therapy and prevention.
425 Comprehensive Health Assessment (3:2:2) Open only to RNs and LPNs. Introduces systematic health assessment across the life span, and expands that knowledge base to include knowledge and skills necessary to perform comprehensive health assessments with culturally diverse and vulnerable populations. f,s
427 Advanced Technologies for the Accelerated pathway (1:1:2) Prerequisites: NURS 310, 320, and 343. Advanced technology course developing knowledge base related to acquisition of advanced skills in nursing practice. Refinement of assessment skills associated with selected advanced technologies integrated into this laboratory course.
428 Community Health Clinical for the Accelerated Pathway (2:0:6)Prerequisites: NURS 436 and 440. Clinical experience with a focus on collaborative nursing care with individuals, families, and large groups in the community. Emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention for well populations, and community-based care for individuals and families with acute and chronic illness.
429 Preceptorship for the Accelerated Pathway (3:0:9)Prerequisites: NURS 309, 310, 320, 343, 419, and 436. Opportunity to deliver collaborative nursing care to culturally diverse and vulnerable populations. Concentrated clinical experiences available in selected institutional settings.
436/HSCI 436 Leadership and Management of Healthcare (3:3:0) Introductory course in the leadership and management of health-related organizations. Reviews administrative issues in health-related services with particular emphasis on developing organizational strategies for effective interfacing of medical, nursing, allied health, and administrative staff. f,s,sum
440/HSCI 440 Community Health and Epidemiology (3:3:0)Prerequisite: completion of junior year. Addresses population-focused healthcare. Emphasis is on primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of health problems. Concepts of community, public health, and health policy affecting culturally diverse and vulnerable populations are examined. f,s
441 Nursing of Clients in Communities and Large Groups (5:0:15) Prerequisites or corequisites: NURS 410, 436, and 440; corequisite: NURS 442. Provides clinical experience with a focus on collaborative nursing care with individuals, families, and large groups in the community. Emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention for well populations, and community-based care for individuals and families with acute and chronic illnesses. f,s
442 Case Studies in Community Health Nursing (1:1:0) Corequisite NURS 441. Examines the application of nursing care related to vulnerable and culturally diverse populations. Emphasis is on case studies, which include health promotion, disease prevention, cultural, political, ethical, and legal issues. Primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive concepts are applied. Seminar meets every other week for two hours.
451 Advanced Clinical Preceptorship (5:0:15) Prerequisites or corequisites: NURS 410 and 436; corequisite: NURS 452, 455. Opportunity to provide complex, collaborative nursing care to culturally diverse and vulnerable populations. Concentrated clinicals available in selected institutional settings. f,s
453/HSCI 453 Research in Nursing and Health Science (3:3:0)Prerequisite: statistics. Introductory research course designed to present basic concepts and methods of research. The research process is examined as a foundation for scholarship. Emphasis on critique and use of current nursing and health science research in clinical practice.
455 Advanced Nursing Technologies (2:0:4) Corequisite: NURS 451. Opportunity to acquire advanced skills in nursing practice. Refinement of assessment skills associated with selected advanced technologies integrated into this laboratory course.
465/HSCI465 Examination and Integration of Professional and Healthcare Issues (3:3:0) Additional corequisite for nursing majors: satisfactory completion of NCLEX review testing and study plan for LPN, traditional, and second-degree pathways, other general education requirements, and ENG 302. Course meets Mason requirement as a synthesis course. Capstone seminar course synthesizing varied dimensions of health professional’s role in global society. Examines issues in healthcare through reflection on natural and behavioral sciences, humanities, and other prerequisite course work. Selected topics examined through reading, writing, and discussion. Content builds on knowledge and skills acquired through course work, and field experience in major and general education, as well as through life experience. Application of literature in professional practice and related disciplines expected in formal, informal writings. Student writings and presentations receive written self-evaluation and formal review by peers and multiple faculty members involved in teaching course. Writing-intensive.
475 Grand Rounds Complex Case Presentations (3:3:0)Enrollment restricted to second degree students only. Prerequisites: NURS 254, 262, 318, 319, 320, 419, 426, 430, 450, and 455. Examines nursing implications of selected major health problems that significantly affect individuals throughout the life span. Focus is on complex health problems. Class meets once a week in the format of group presentations in the clinical setting. sum
480/HSCI 480 Health Aspects of Aging (3:3:0) Studies physiological and psychological factors that influence health and have implications for preventive measures in disease and health disorders in the aging. Nutrition, the nature of health problems, and methods of assessing physical and psychological needs are examined.
481/NCLC 380/BIOL 226 Alternative Therapies in Health and Illness: New Age Meets Hippocrates (6:5:1) Explores philosophical underpinnings and rationale for the use of alternative therapies in health and illness in various cultures. A variety of alternative health therapies are explored, with opportunities for experiential and service learning with an alternative healthcare practitioner.
487 Principles, Concepts and Techniques of Operating Room Nursing (3:3:0) Prerequisites: RN licensure, one year clinical experience, and letter of acceptance to six-month operating room clinical preceptorship. Prepares the registered nurse in basic principles and skills of operating room nursing. Learning environment is provided for registered nurse with no previous operating room experience to apply fundamental skills and knowledge of operating room nursing in clinical practice. Based on the Association of Operating Room Nurses Standards and Recommended Practices and Guidelines.
491 Critical Thinking and Analysis of Test Taking Strategies (2:2:0) Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Increases test-taking abilities and improves critical-thinking skills related to nursing situations. Also guides the student to analyze and organize content to assist in decision making about nursing interventions. With faculty supervision, students work independently based on their learning needs.
495 Directed Reading in Nursing (1-2:0:0) Prerequisite: permission of college. Examines literature on specialized topic in nursing practice, education, or scholar-ship. Readings conducted in consultation with faculty. May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credits.
496/HSCI 496 Violence in Society (3:3:0) Examines magnitude of problem of violence globally and more specifically within the United States. Discussion and reflective activities engage students in the learning process.
499 Independent Study in Nursing (1-3:0:0) Prerequisite: permission of college. Provides individual study of a particular problem area in nursing research, theory development, or education under the direction of faculty. Clinical practice may be arranged. May be repeated for maximum 6 credits.
505/HSCI 402/HSCI 505 Case Management (3:3:0) Prerequisite: bachelor’s degree, or permission of instructor. Open to seniors. Survey course on state of case management programs and practice for health and human service professionals. Special emphasis on comparing the nature, process, and outcomes for baccalaureate and graduate students guided by the objectives.
508/HSCI 508 Psychopharmacology (3:3:0) Surveys therapeutic effects and side effect profiles of psychopharmacological drugs including psychotropic and recreational drugs. Emphasizes understanding mechanisms of actions, drug interactions, and subject variables influencing drug effects.
509 Introduction to Emergency Nursing (3:3:0) Introduces emergency care nursing, focusing on relevant pathophysiological disease processes, diagnostics, medical therapeutics and relevant technology as applied to emergency nursing. Focuses on care of multicultural clients across the life span, as well as the patient-family unit of care. Addresses collaboration and triage, as well as legal, ethical, and psychosocial issues. Course based on core curriculum of the Emergency Nursing Association (ENA)
513 Advanced Pharmacology in Nursing (3:3:0) Does not meet requirements for nurse practitioner majors, but may be taken as an elective. Provides knowledge of physiologic responses and pharmacokinetic principles of pharmacologic agents that will undergird the student’s learning of advanced pharmacologic concepts. Topics include advanced pharmacokinetic principles, pharmacotherapeutics of single and multiple drug regimens, client education needs, special population needs, and legal requirements for prescriptive authority.
514 Application of Advanced Health Assessment Methods in Advanced Clinical Nursing (1:2:0) Prerequisite: undergraduate-level health assessment course for degree credit or approved CEU course. Expands on undergraduate skills in systematic health assessment across the life span. Teaches application of advanced health assessment skills in specialty advanced nursing practice setting. Integration of skills and techniques in collecting health assessment data towards appropriate decision making, clinical assessments, and therapeutic interventions in select population emphasized.
520/HSCI 520 Rehabilitation Theory and Practice (3:3:0)Explores rehabilitation theory and research and their application to the practice of today’s healthcare professional and care of specific client populations. Rehabilitation theory evaluated as a new paradigm for healthcare delivery.
530 Nurses as Writers (3:3:0) Focuses on theories and practices related to writing in nursing. Researching, composing, revising, and editing practiced in a variety of writing styles.
534/HSCI 530 Nutrition: A Global Perspective (3:3:0)Directed at students from a variety of disciplines. Examines malnutrition is and how it occurs by looking at several situations from around the world. Explores impact of how nutrition can affect a society and community, and examines the benefits of a well-nourished population.
540/HSCI 540/ Introduction to Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery for Health Care Professionals (3:2:1) Introduction to emergency preparedness and disaster recovery issues for health and human service professionals, using blended learning methods. Introduces policy guiding public and private sector emergency preparedness activities, and provides overview of issues in emergency preparedness infrastructure, needs assessment, and interdisciplinary roles in emergency response operations. Utilizes learning from recent state and federal responses to disasters.
542/HSCI 542 Health Policy (3:2:1) Explores issues surrounding the development of public health policy and the influence of policy of healthcare delivery, nursing, and other health professions. Classroom and field experience.
543/HSCI 543 Global Health: Trends and Policies (3:3:0)General survey course covers today’s health challenges; their various social, economic, and epidemiological causes; the role and likely success of information and technology transfer, primary preventive healthcare, social awareness, and intervention in alleviating the problems. Lecture and discussion.
544/HSCI 544 The Washington Internship in Health Policy (1:0:2) Prerequisite: annual Health Policy Institute. Undergraduate requires permission of instructor. One-week (40 hours) exposure to an organization with a public policy agenda in health. Placements may be in a Capitol Hill office, federal health agency, national association, or other policy organization. Interns engage in a variety of field experiences related to the legislative process, including network development of policy-interested contacts and skill development to expand a student’s ability to impact the health policymaking process.
546/HSCI 546 Leadership Strategies in Health Policy (3:3:0) Examines leadership process from a policy, personal, and organizational perspective to expand ability to impact the health policy-making process.
547 Pharmacology (3:3:0) Prerequisite: undergraduate physiology course. Admission to NP program or permission of instructor. Discusses drugs and their actions. Principles of pharmacology and drugs, including their therapeutic and toxic action and their fate in the body are studied.
548 Pharmacology (1:1:0) Admission by permission of instructor. Corequisite: NURS 554. Discusses drugs and their application to advanced pathophysiology, including therapeutic responses to health and health deviations.
550 Pathophysiologic Bases for Major Health Deviations of Individuals (3:3:0) Examines health deviations occurring in people in the United States that require long-term or terminal healthcare interventions. Deviations are presented within a developmental framework as they influence physiologic integrity at the cellular level. Focus is on man as a whole, open system. Complex health programs from the perspective of maintaining homeodynamics are examined.
552 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (5:4:1)Prerequisites: NURS 554 and 557. Corequisite: NURS 561, admission to NP program, or permission of instructor. System-focused advanced physiology and pathophysiology analyzing health deviations across life span. Knowledge is applied to interpret changes in normal function that results in symptoms indicative of illness. This systematic assessment is foundational to clinical decision-making and management of health deviations. Lecture, clinical laboratory, and practicum are presented. Taught at George Washington University campus.
554 Practicum in Advanced Health Assessment (1:0:3) Prerequisites: NURS 547 and admission to NP program, or permission of instructor. Applies advanced health assessment skills and clinical decision making with adults of all ages in primary care settings. Skills and techniques needed to collect data for comprehensive health assessment are emphasized in this supervised practicum by nurse practitioner faculty preceptors. Taught at GWU campus.
557/HSCI 557 Introduction to Clinical Genetics in Healthcare (3:3:0) Focuses on human clinical genetics including basic Mendel genetics; cytogenetics; molecular genetics; genetic disease, diagnosis, testing, and screening. Discusses central principles and impact of Human Genome Project on healthcare practice in terms of ethical and legal issues, including genetic testing and counseling.
561 Clinical Decision Making (2:2:0) Corequisite: NURS 552, admission to NP program, or permission of instructor. Analyzes various cases using student participation in decision-making formulation. Students learn to correlate pathophysiology with symptom manifestation. Emphasizes historical and physical examination data, laboratory data, and radiographic studies relevant to health promotion problems discussed. Appropriate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies discussed in conjunction with theoretical basis for selecting specific therapies. Taught at GWU campus.
570 Cultural Dimension of Aging (3:3:0) Examines the impact of cultural definitions of aging, research methodologies, and findings of crosscultural studies. Implications for healthcare and nursing are explored.
571/HSCI 571 HIV/AIDS: Concepts, Principles, and Interventions (3:3:0) Provides overview of all aspects of HIV disease to include retrospective and current concepts and analyses of the epidemic, global, and societal impact, and cutting-edge research. Examines development of therapeutic tools and skills to educate, reduce risks, control infection, and affect care and healing of client, family, and community; and issues of increasing dilemma for healthcare professionals.
577/HSCI 577 Comparative Healthcare Systems in the World (3:3:0) Comprehensive review of selected national healthcare systems within the World Health Organization’s designated regions. Healthcare systems are analyzed, compared, and contrasted. Issues are discussed in relationship to national governments and global health.
578/HSCI 578 Cultural Competence and Diversity in Healthcare (3:3:0) Examines cultural competence and diversity in healthcare, and explores theories and models. Topics include culture as a system, health and illness beliefs, and practices of various cultures.
580 Operating Room—RN First Assistant (3:3:0) Prepares the experienced operating room nurse to become a registered nurse first assistant. Modeled after the official AORN RNFA core curriculum. Student receives hands-on practice in knot tying and suturing, as well as experience with microscope and endoscopy labs.
581 Operating Room—RN First Assistant Clinical Practicum (3:1:2)Prerequisite: NURS 580, and operating room nursing experience. Practicum course that prepares the RNFA to practice in an expanded clinical nursing role in the operating room. Based on the core curriculum of AORN. Individually designed practicum is taken after completion of NURS 580 to give the experienced operating room nurse 120 hours of practicum experience as a surgical first assistant working under the supervision of a surgeon preceptor.
582 Nursing Care of Infants and Children (3:3:0) Prerequisite: junior nursing courses. Corequisites: NURS 451 and 455. Senior elective nursing course for students with specific interests in the field of pediatric nursing. Focuses on impact of illness and hospitalization on infants, children, and adolescents with emphasis on the family unit. Content builds on previous knowledge of pathophysiological, sociocultural, and risk reduction factors related to nursing care of infants, children, and adolescents.
583/HSCI 583 Food and Culture: Biocultural Perspectives on Food and Nutrition (3:3:0) Examines food and eating behaviors, diet, and nutrition from crosscultural perspective. Focuses on how and why people choose what to eat, the range and significance of crosscultural variability in diet, how diets have changed, and health and social implications of those changes. Lecture, discussion, guest lecturers, video presentations, audiovisual aids, student presentations, case study analyses.
585/HSCI 550 Entrepreneurship in Healthcare (3:3:0)Overview of models of entrepreneurship in healthcare. Provides opportunities for collaborative problem solving to support business development, entrepreneurial behavior, and leadership. Explores innovative approaches to and alternatives for nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
586 Parish Nursing I (3:3:0) Students must be registered nurses. Introduces parish nursing as a developing specialty practice for professional nurses. Identifies basic skills for ministry in a faith community. Emphasizes scope of practice, various theological concepts for health ministry, and application of assessment skills to the faith community. Examines processes of case consultation and spiritual formation.
587 Parish Nursing II (3:3:0) Students must be registered nurses. Focuses on skill development in spiritual assessment, ethical decision making, and effective use of prayer. Emphasizes health promotion, working with volunteers, and utilizing community resources. Self-care and professional identity for the parish nurse are addressed. Students continue the processes of case consultation and spiritual formation.
588/HSCI 586 Process Improvement for Health Services (3:3:0)Examines how improved work processes lead to quality improvement. Explores operations research and quality management to improve delivery and production of health services and business processes from the perspective of healthcare managers.
594 Special Topics in Nursing (3:3:0) Presents selected topics analyzing specialized areas in nursing. Content varies. Lecture, seminar, laboratory, workshop.
595 RN to MSN Transition: Evidence Based Community Health Nursing (3:2:1) Initial course in RN to MSN Pathway. Introduces concepts of community health nursing with evidence-based focus. Students apply concepts to selected communities; demonstrate an understanding of health promotion and disease prevention; explore role of master’s prepared nurses; and complete 45 hours of clinical practicum to achieve course objectives.
597/HSCI 597 Approaches to Quantitative Data Analysis in Healthcare Research (3:3:0) Examines univariate and bivariate statistical procedures for analyzing quantitative healthcare research data. Emphasis on selecting, applying, and interpreting data analysis procedures.
610 Curriculum Development (3:3:0) Uses seminar and discussion forums to analyze and apply theory and principles for planning, developing, and evaluating curriculum. Examines curriculum as technical, political, and social action process.
611 Anthropology of Health (3:3:0) Explores cross- cultural issues of health and illness from medical anthropology theory. Discusses cultural dimensions of developmental cycle and healthcare systems.
620 Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (3:3:0)Build on basic psychiatric and mental health nursing knowledge and skills in assessment, diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and management. Focuses on enhancing fundamental roles of psychiatric or mental health advanced practice nurse, including practice, teaching, consultation, supervision, and research in relation to clients and their families.
621/HSCI 621 Management of Health Service Organizations (3:3:0) Prerequisite: admission to graduate health science/nursing program, or permission of instructor. Introductory course in applying organizational and management theory relating to management of health service organizations. Emphasizes leadership and trends in organizational structure that affect performance effectiveness, quality and inter-organizational relations, and values and principles of health management as a professional. Explores challenges of managing health professionals’ decision-making, power gradients, change, and other issues that affect function and performance of health service organizations. Introduces strategies utilized by learning organizations.
623 Clinical Concepts in Community-Oriented Primary Care (3:2:3) Theoretical and clinical application of community oriented primary care concepts with focus on health promotion and disease prevention. Examines scope of practice of advanced practice nurse practitioner. Students work with interdisciplinary groups to improve health indictors for populations.
630 Acute Care Nursing for Advanced Practice (3:3:0)Focuses on acute-care nursing for advanced practice with individuals and their families diagnosed with potentially life-threatening alterations in health. Emphasizes risk factors, physical symptoms, evidence-based interventions, functional capacity, and patient and family dynamics; and psychosocial, economic, and cultural factors and their impact on care.
640/HSCI 640 Dimensions of Communication in a Technologically Enhanced Health System (3:3:0) Examines effects of technological innovation on the communication and interdisciplinary collaboration of stakeholders in healthcare systems of the new millennium.
645 Gerontological Nursing 1 (3:3:0) Prerequisites: NURS 660, 755, and 794. Provides content related to nursing care of older adults with emphasis on advanced practice and issues relevant to improved healthcare of the elderly. Focuses on biological, psychological, and sociocultural elements that influence the aging process, and onset of age-related illnesses.
646 Gerontological Nursing 2 (3:3:0) Prerequisite: NURS 645. Builds on content in NURS 645, and focuses on healthcare deviations and nursing interventions in advanced gerontological nursing practice. Age-related illnesses and common disorders are discussed in the context of health behaviors, healthy adaptation, cultural sensitivity, developing appropriate coping strategies, and family, community and nursing supports.
654 Nursing Administration Financial Management (3:3:0)Investigates managerial technologies related to financial planning and control functions of midlevel nurse administrators. Content develops knowledge and skills necessary for effective participation in financial management as related to business plan development, program budget planning, and control. s
657 Perspectives in Nursing Education (3:3:0) Prerequisite: admission to graduate nursing program or post-master’s studies. Provides overview of nursing education topics including the U.S. university, hallmarks of nursing education, educational philosophies, learning theory and principles, issues and trends in nursing education, and current research.
658 Practicum and Seminar in Nursing Education (3:6:2:7)Prerequisite: admission to graduate nursing program or post-master’s status; NURS 657 and 610; or EDCI 701. Utilizes seminars, discussion, and practicum experience to analyze role and functions of the nurse educator. Emphasizes application of teaching strategies, and legal and ethical issues in nursing education.
660/PHIL 510 Seminar in the Ethics of Healthcare (3:3:0)Examines moral dilemmas in the healthcare profession, with special emphasis on patients’ rights, professionals’ obligations to other professionals, and issues of social justice in healthcare. Methods of moral deliberation based on ethical knowledge and justification are applied to ethical dilemmas in healthcare.
662 Oncology Nursing: Clinical Concepts in Advanced Practice (3:3:0) Focuses on advanced nursing practice for persons diagnosed with cancer and their families. Emphasizes physical symptoms, functional capacities, psychosocial disruptions, and knowledge deficits. Lecture.
668 Practicum and Seminar in Nursing Education II (3:2:6) Uses seminar/discussion approach and practicum experience to analyze role, functions of nurse educator in clinical setting. Emphasizes applying research-based teaching and evaluation strategies in clinical setting.
680 Theoretical Foundations Related to Nursing (2:2:0)Examination and evaluation of assumptions, concepts, and propositions inherent in selected nursing and related discipline theories.
685 Advanced Nursing Research Methods (3:3:0) Prerequisite: admission to graduate nursing program; corequisite: NURS 755 and a graduate-level bivariate statistics course. Examines principles and methods of research in problem identification, theoretical framework, design, data collection, and analysis. Students develop a nursing research proposal.
686 Projects in Nursing Research (2:2:0) Prerequisite: NURS 685. Applies knowledge gained in NURS 790 to implement research proposal designed in NURS 790.
688 Organization of Nursing and Healthcare Delivery Systems (3:3:0) Prerequisite: admission to graduate nursing program. Provides foundational overview of U.S. nursing and healthcare delivery systems. Surveys key concepts, frameworks, processes, and structures related to healthcare delivery organizations. Lecture, discussion.
690 Independent Study in Nursing (1-3:0:0) Prerequisites: admission to graduate nursing program, and permission of associate dean for academic programs. Studies in-depth a selected area of nursing theory, research, or practice under direction of faculty. May be repeated; maximum 6 total credits.
720 Practicum in Family Primary Care Nursing I (4:2:6)Prerequisites: NURS 547, 552, 554, and 561. Performance of beginning-level nurse practitioner clinical decision- making skills in assessment and management of families and individuals across the life span, with emphasis on health maintenance and health promotion. Seminar, lab, and clinical practicum.
721 Practicum in Assessment and Management of the Developing Family (8:3:15) Prerequisite: NURS 720. Theoretical and clinical application of health assessment, health maintenance and promotion, anticipatory guidance, diagnosis, and management of common primary healthcare concerns through clinical decision-making skills focused on childrearing and childbearing families. Seminar, lab, clinical practicum.
722 Practicum in Family Primary Care Nursing II (8:3:5)Prerequisite: NURS 721. Students perform advanced clinical decision making in the role of family nurse practitioner. Family primary care problems throughout the life span are assessed and managed, particularly families with elderly and medically underserved members. Seminar, lab, and clinical practicum.
725/HSCI 725 Hermeneutic Research Methodologies in Healthcare (3:3:0) Uses seminar/discussion for in-depth exploration of interpretive phenomenology, philosophical background for hermeneutics, and hermeneutics as method in context of conducting research in health care. Uses readings from philosophers such as Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Gadamer to situate hermeneutical methodologies in philosophy of science.
730 Leadership Strategies for the Clinical Nurse Leader (2:2:0) Prerequisites or corequisites: NURS 597 and 685. Explores aspects of horizontal and vertical leadership central to clinical nurse leader (CNL) role. Emphasizes quality management and improvement, communication processes, evidenced-bases practice initiatives in microsystem, and strategies for efficient use of resources while maintaining safe and effective patient care.
731 Clinical Nurse Leader Role Integration (2:0:6) Explores roles, functions of clinical nurse leader in microsystem in health care arena. Uses seminar and clinical approaches to develop competence in clinical decision-making, critical thinking, problem identification, and outcome measurement for select client population at point of care.
732 Practicum - Clinical Nurse Leader (7:0:21) Guided implementation of clinical nurse leader role in selected health care microsystem. Uses clinical and seminar approaches to acquire in-depth skills related to design, implementation, and evaluation of patient care. Focuses on accountability for coordination, delegation, and supervision of care provided by unit-based health care team.
746 Practicum in Adult Primary Care Nursing (6:2:12)Prerequisite: NURS 547, 548, 552, 554, and 561. Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 623. Demonstration of the ability to function at a beginning level in the role of the nurse practitioner. Performance of advanced skills in assessment and the development of plans for health maintenance and promotion for adults.
748 Practicum in Adult Primary Care Nursing II (8:2:16)Prerequisite: NURS 746. Enables nurse practitioner student to assume increased responsibility in the delivery of primary care to adults. Special emphasis on primary care needs of elderly and medically underserved groups.
750/HSCI 750 Legal Issues Relevant to Healthcare Administration (3:3:0) Prepares health professionals to understand legal principles, statutes, regulations, and case law related to managing health care organizations and health professionals’ practice. May compare legal health care issues from domestic, international perspectives.
751 Primary Care of the Developing Family (5:5:0)Prerequisites: national certification as adult nurse practitioner; and graduate-level advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Taught through George Washington University Distance Learning. Post-master nurse practitioner course to introduce primary care nurse practitioner to knowledge and skills necessary to practice as a family nurse practitioner. Combines clinical experiences with instructional and informative family content, which focuses on primary care needs of the developing family. Provides theoretical and practical foundation for primary care nurse practitioners to expand their scope of practice to encompass family-based nursing. Participants collaborate with other students in group projects and web-based group discussions. Students broaden their knowledge through clinical experiences and clinical logs.
752 Advanced Family Primary Care (8:8:0) Taught through George Washington University Distance Learning. Seminar and clinical practicum that focuses on the integration of the family nurse practitioner role through the application of family theory and concepts in primary care settings. Application of advanced critical thinking and decision making of family care needs and family systems is emphasized. For advanced students in the Post Master Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner Program.
753 Diagnosis and Management of the Developing Family (4:2:6)Corequisite: NURS 751. Taught through George Washington University Distance Learning. Didactic and laboratory course focused on primary care needs of families. Integration of advanced health assessment, health maintenance and promotion, anticipatory guidance, and diagnosis and management of common primary care health concerns to advance the knowledge and skills of primary care nurse practitioner needs of family care as provided by family nurse practitioners. For students in the Post Master Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner Program.
754 Advanced Adult Primary Care (4:1:9) Prerequisites: PHARM 207; and HCS 205, 206, and 207. Enables the post-master nurse practitioner student to develop and assume increased responsibility in delivery of primary care to adults. Clinical preceptorship and instructional and informative didactic material in primary care enable students to demonstrate advanced skills in the assessment, clinical diagnostic, and clinical management of common acute and chronic primary care problems. Special emphasis to the development of community-based health promotion and disease prevention strategies with adults and with medically underserved populations.
762 Managed Care Concepts for Primary Care Practice (1-4:1-4:3-12) Prerequisites: acceptance into nurse practitioner track, and permission of instructor. Presents managed care concepts specific to primary care practice through self-paced learning modules, seminars, and selected nondirect care internship experiences in managed care settings.
763 Administrative Theory in Nursing (3:3:0) Prerequisite: admission to graduate nursing program. Prerequisites or corequisites: NURS 680 and Management/Organizational Theory. Uses administrative theory and management principles and processes as related to roles and functions of the nurse in management in health-related agencies. f
765 Practicum in Nursing Administration I (3:1:8)Prerequisites: admission to graduate nursing program, and NURS 680. Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 763. Applies administrative theory and management principles and processes in a selected health-related agency. Roles and functions of the nurse in management are explored. Lab arranged. f
766 Administrative Strategies in Nursing (3:3:0)Prerequisite: NURS 763. Explores roles and functions of the nurse in management as the nurse manager develops patterns of nursing care, articulating nursing education, and nursing service. s
768 Practicum in Nursing Administration II (3:1:8)Prerequisites: NURS 763 and 765. Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 766. Implements and integrates roles and functions of the nurse in management. Emphasizes using appropriate management principles and processes in a selected health-related agency. Lab arranged. s
773 Advanced Clinical Nursing I (3:3:0) Prerequisite or corequisite: NURS 550 and 680. Foundational theory relevant to the emerging roles in advanced clinical nursing, focusing on therapeutic nursing interventions in a variety of clinical specialties, with attention to health-illness continuum of individuals, families, and communities.
775 Advanced Specialty Practice I (3-6:2-6:7:14)Prerequisites: admission to graduate program, and NURS 680. Corequisite: NURS 773. Focuses on clinical application of theory from NURS 773 to a selected clinical specialty with attention to the health illness continuum of individuals, families, and communities.
776 Advanced Clinical Nursing II (3:3:0) Prerequisite: NURS 773. Expansion of selected content included in NURS 773 for the delivery of advanced nursing care in a variety of settings. Emphasizes development and evaluation of the advanced practice nursing role in complex healthcare systems.
778 Advanced Specialty Practice II (3-6:2-6:7:14)Prerequisites: NURS 773 and 775. Corequisite: NURS 776. Applies concepts of the advanced practice nursing role from NURS 776 to a selected clinical specialty.
780 Practicum in Gerontological Nursing I (3:0:3)Prerequisites: NURS 547, 552, 554, and 561. Corequisite: NURS 746. Demonstrates the ability to function at a beginning level in the role of the gerontological nurse practitioner. Performance of advanced skill in geriatric assessment with a special emphasis on the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention services (practicum of at least 100 clinical hours and case analysis conferences).
781 Practicum in Gerontological Nursing II (3:0:3)Prerequisite: NURS 780; corequisite: NURS 748. Demonstrates the ability to function at an advanced level in the role of the gerontological nurse practitioner in varied settings, including primary care, long-term care, and sub-cute care (practicum of at least 100 clinical hours and case analysis conferences).
799/HSCI 799 Advanced Quantitative Analysis for Healthcare Research I (3:3:0) Prerequisite: graduate-level course in statistics. Examines factorial ANOVA, factorial ANCOVA, repeated measures ANOVA< ANOVA, ANCOVA via regression approach, and multiway frequency analysis. Students apply mathematical calculations and interpret SPSS outputs using healthcare research data.
800/HSCI 800 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis for Healthcare Research II (3:3:0) Prerequisite: NURS 799, or an equivalent statistics course. Examines multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), and multiple regression (ordinary least squares) and logistic regression. Students apply mathematical calculations, and utilize linear combinations for multivariate tests in healthcare research.
801/HSCI 801 Advanced Multivariate Statistics and Data Analysis in Healthcare Research (3:3:0) Prerequisite: NURS 800, or equivalent multivariate statistical course. Examines canonical correlation, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, and causal analysis (path models and structural equation modeling.) Students analyze and interpret data utilizing these statistical techniques.
802/HSCI 802 Measurement Theories and Applications in Healthcare Research (3:3:0) Prerequisite: doctoral-level course in research design and statistics. Completion of HSCI 800 or 801 highly recommended. Theories, principles, and techniques presented as foundation for the development and evaluation of instruments for use in healthcare research. Includes review of statistical techniques required for understanding measurement theory, reliability, validity, item, analysis, and instrument construction. Students required to design, construct, administer, analyze, and evaluate an instrument in healthcare research.
810 Evaluation Research in Nursing Education (3:3:0) Prerequisites or co-requisites: NURS 920 and 930. Uses seminar/discussion to analyze and apply theoretical models for implementing evaluation research in nursing education. Examines quantitative approaches for evaluating process and outcomes of domestic or international nursing education programs, including role of accreditation guidelines.
811 Nurse as Educator and Scholar (2:2:0) Prerequisites: NURS 920 and 930. Uses seminar/discussion to explore role of nurse educator in meeting research and scholarship expectations of college, university, or service setting. Addresses approaches to scholarship in relation to types of evidence appropriate for various scholarly expectations in academic setting.
866 Public Health Policy (3:2:1) Considers structure and process of public health policy formulation, policy analysis, and research methods within scholarship framework of discovery, integration, and application. Examines contextual factors influencing policy development, with particular emphasis on political dynamics, application of ethical principles, and health services research. Analyzes selected state and federal policy issues, and delineates implications for health professionals, health organizations, and the public. Lecture, field experience.
870 Nursing and Healthcare Administration I (3:3:0)Prerequisites: organization behavior course such as MGMT 600, PUAD 620, LRNG 700, or equivalent; and NURS 955. Examines the theoretical basis of scholarship and practice in leadership and management of health systems and nursing organizations. Includes discovery of concepts and forces influencing the organization and performance of healthcare systems.
871 Nursing and Healthcare Administration II (2:2:0)Prerequisite: NURS 870. Analyzes and applies selected concepts related to nursing and health system leaders and managers as well as factors influencing the performance of health systems and organizations.
874 Internship in Healthcare Administration/Policy/Education (4:1:9) Prerequisite: at the end of course work and before NURS 994; written advanced application and permission of instructor by due dates (April/November 1) in advance of semester. Internship experience of at least 210 hours with leader in field of nursing, health care administration, policy, or education. Participatory activities require integration and application of principles, frameworks, and science related to executive preceptor role.
875 Research Internship (1:0:1) Provides guided research experience of 45 hours, during which students participate as a member of a research team engaged in scientific inquiry. Designed to enhance professional socialization in research scholarship at the doctoral level.
920/HSCI 920 Qualitative Research in Nursing and Healthcare (3:3:0) Corequisites or prerequisites: NURS 955/HSCI 960; familiarity with e-mail and computers. Philosophical foundations and approaches to qualitative research in nursing and healthcare administration, healthcare policy, and healthcare ethics analyzed within scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Computer analysis required. Lecture, discussion.
925/HSCI 925 Methodological Issues in Nursing and Healthcare Qualitative Research (3:3:0) Prerequisites: NURS 920/HSCI 920 or equivalent course, and permission of instructor. Explores, analyzes, and synthesizes conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues in qualitative research within the scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Seminar.
930/HSCI 930 Quantitative Methods in Nursing and Healthcare (3:3:0) Prerequisite: NURS 955/HSCI 960, and multivariate statistics course such as HSCI 800 or equivalent. Examines advanced principles and special problems in quantitative research methodology. Emphasizes measurement as it relates to nursing and healthcare administration, healthcare ethics, and health policy research. Computer analysis required.
955/HSCI 960 Philosophical Bases of Inquiry (3:3:0)Prerequisite: admission to nursing doctoral program, or permission of instructor. Philosophical bases of discipline and practice of health-related disciplines are examined within scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Compares nursing and health science philosophy with relevant related discipline philosophies.
994 Nursing Research Seminar (3:3:0) Prerequisite: completion of all course work except NURS 999. Must be taken before NUR 998. Seminar for doctoral students to accompany the development of research proposal. Development of the research problem with analysis and critique of methodology is discussed. s
998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal (1-6:0:0)Prerequisite: completion of all course work except NURS 999. Provides faculty assistance on an individual basis to complete research proposal planned in NURS 999. Final research proposal forms basis for the doctoral dissertation. May be repeated up to four times.
999 Doctoral Dissertation (12:0:0) Prerequisite: NURS 994. Provides continued faculty assistance on an individual basis toward completion of approved dissertation.
George Washington University Courses:
PHARM 207 Pharmacology (4:4:0) Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Discusses drugs and their actions: principles of pharmacology and drugs, including their therapeutic and toxic action, and their fate in the body.
552/NURS 552 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (5:4:1)System-focused advanced physiology and pathophysiology analyzing health deviations across life span. Knowledge is applied to interpret changes in normal function that results in symptoms indicative of illness. This systematic assessment is foundational to clinical decision-making and management of health deviations. Lecture, clinical laboratory, practicum.
HCS 206 Clinical Decision Making (2:2:0) Corequisite: NURS 552. Analyzes varied cases using student participation in decision-making formulation. Students learn to correlate pathophysiology with symptom manifestation. Emphasizes interpreting historical and physical examination data, laboratory data, and radiographic studies relevant to health problems. Discusses appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies in conjunction with the theoretical basis for selecting specific therapies.