Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia (DNP)

This course is the application of statistical knowledge in reading, evaluating, and utilizing research findings. Students will know and understand the advanced statistical methods applied in the health sciences, and the students will develop the skills required to critique research, especially nursing research, and to have an understanding of the fundamental requirements of conducting their own research studies.

Full course description for Advanced Biostatistics in Health Research

Scientific and anesthetic principles, evidence-based practice and safety & quality guidelines provide the frameworks for development of psychomotor skills, critical thinking and decision-making for the "novice" nurse anesthesia student in simulated and structured perioperative learning experiences. Learning experiences will begin with simulated encounters and will evolve to structured immersion in a clinical setting. Competence Statement: Knows the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement a basic anesthetic care plan, at a novice level, under total supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum I

The course focus is a comprehensive study of pharmacologic principles of non-anesthesia prescription and non-prescription medications encountered by the nurse anesthetist during provision of care. Emphasis is placed on physiologic actions, therapeutic decision making, and medication management for application in clinical practice. Biotransformation, elimination and molecular mechanisms knowledge will be used to build a scientific foundation for clinical decision-making across the lifespan. Competence Statement: Knows the pharmacologic principles of non-anesthesia medications well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice.

Full course description for Advanced Pharmacology for DNP Anesthesia I

The course focus is an in-depth exploration of specific human normal and abnormal physiology for application in nurse anesthesia practice across the lifespan. Students examine advanced physiologic concepts and the complex relationships with clinical correlation across the lifespan. Competence Statement: Knows the fundamental physiology and pathophysiology of cell physiology, the nervous system, pulmonary, and the cardiovascular system well enough to apply these principles to nurse anesthesia practice

Full course description for Advanced Lifespan Physiology and Pathophysiology for Anesthesia I

The course focus is an in-depth exploration of specific human normal and abnormal physiology for health promotion and clinical correlation across the lifespan. Competence Statement: Knows the fundamental physiology and pathophysiology of cell physiology, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system.

Full course description for Advanced Lifespan Physiology and Pathophysiology for Anesthesia II

The course reviews human gross anatomy in relationship to biological function and clinical correlation. Students utilize anatomy simulation to explore anatomical structure and function. Pro-section and learning activities aid the holistic knowledge of the human body's structure for future clinical correlation in practice. Competence Statement: Knows the fundamental human anatomy and its arrangement for normal and abnormal presentation.

Full course description for Anatomy for Nurse Anesthesia

The course focuses on the study of applied science, biomedical equipment, and foundational principles for safe, evidence-based quality perioperative care. Focus areas will include decision-making and problem solving in perioperative preparation, management and evaluation of anesthesia delivery equipment, monitoring, basic airway management, pharmacological selection, patient risk stratification, and patient care transitions. Competence Statement: Knows and applies the science related to biomedical equipment, anesthesia delivery systems and foundational principles well enough to apply these principles to nurse anesthesia practice.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice I

The course focus is on scientific principles found in chemistry and physics upon which mechanical, pharmacological and physiologic systems are explained. Students examine physics and general, organic and biochemistry concepts for clinical correlation in nurse anesthesia practice. Specific content areas include measurement, chemical and physical properties of matter, atomic and molecular structures, chemical equations and stoichiometry, reactions, energy relationships, periodicity, bonding, gas laws and solutions. Competence Statement Knows the scientific principles found in chemistry and physics as they apply to mechanical, pharmacological and physiologic systems in nurse anesthesia well enough to apply these principles in nurse anesthesia practice.

Full course description for Science Principles of Anesthesia

The course focus is a comprehensive study of pharmacologic principles of anesthetic medications used by the nurse anesthetist during provision of care. Emphasis is placed on physiologic actions, therapeutic decision making, and medication management for application in clinical practice. Biotransformation, elimination and molecular mechanisms knowledge will be used to build a scientific foundation for clinical decision-making across the lifespan. Competence Statement: Knows the pharmacologic principles of anesthetic medications well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice.

Full course description for Advanced Pharmacology for DNP Anesthesia II

Students build on skills developed in practicum I to further develop integration of scientific and anesthetic principles. "Novice" nurse anesthesia students apply evidence-based practice and safety and quality guidelines for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) or Physical Status (PS) I and II. Students apply evidence-based practice, safety and quality guidelines in psychomotor skills, critical thinking and decision-making as "novice" nurse anesthesia students. Students gain clinical experience caring for the patient with minimal to mild physiological derangements. Competence Statement: Knows the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement an anesthetic care plan for patients with advancing complex physical status, at a novice level, under total supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum II

Students build on skills developed in practicum II to further develop integration of scientific and anesthetic principles. "Advanced beginner'' nurse anesthesia students apply evidence- based practice and safety & quality guidelines for PS I & II patients. Students gain clinical experience in caring for the patient with minimal to mild physiological derangement's who presents for emergency surgical or medical care (PS IE and IIE). Competence Statement: Applies the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement an anesthetic care plan, at an advanced beginner level, under moderate supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum III

Students build on skills developed in practicum Ill to further develop integration of scientific and anesthetic principles. "Competent" nurse anesthesia students apply scientific and anesthetic principles, evidence-based practice and safety & quality guidelines to psychomotor skills, critical thinking and decision-making. Students gain clinical experience in caring for the more complex patient who may present emergently (PS Ill & IIIE). Competence Statement: Applies the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement an anesthetic care plan, at a "competent" level, under moderate supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum IV

Students build on skills developed in practicum IV to further develop integration of scientific and anesthetic principles. Competent nurse anesthesia students apply scientific and anesthetic principles, evidence-based practice and safety & quality guidelines to psychomotor skills, critical thinking and decision-making. Students gain clinical experience in caring for the functionally incapacitated patient who may present emergently (PS IV & IVE). Competence Statement: Applies the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement an anesthetic care plan, at a competent level, under minimal supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider for the PS IV & IVE patient.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum V

Students build on skills developed in practicum V to further develop integration of scientific and anesthetic principles. Proficient nurse anesthesia students apply scientific and anesthetic principles, evidence-based practice and safety & quality guidelines to psychomotor skills, critical thinking and decision-making. Students gain clinical experience in caring for the patient who is moribund and may present emergently, as well as the organ donor patient. (PS V, VE and VI). Competency Statement: Applies the principles and practice of nurse anesthesia care well enough to assess, plan, and implement an anesthetic care plan, at a proficient level, under some supervision of a licensed/certified anesthesia provider of the PS V, VE and VI patient.

Full course description for DNP Anesthesia Practicum VI

This course focuses on building the structure of the student¿s DNP project. Students begin the DNP project-focused literature review and critique. Students also establish a community site that serves as the location for the DNP scholarship project. This course applies prior program content in application to a DNP scholarship project. Students may accrue up to 10 scholarship hours. Competence Statement: Know concepts from previous DNP program courses well enough to initiate a DNP scholarship project.

Full course description for Pre-Scholarship

This course focuses on conducting a needs assessment and defining the scope of a problem at a community site that will serve as the location for the DNP scholarship project. Students accrue 40 - 50 required hours for their scholarship projects. Competence Statement: Know concepts of needs assessment well enough to identify a practice problem and the scope of a scholarship project.

Full course description for DNP Scholarship Project Assessment

The course focuses on the study of safe, evidence based nurse anesthesia care management in normal human physiologic and pathophysiologic states. Anesthesia care will range from preoperative evaluation through completion of anesthesia services, including preop evaluation, deep sedation and PACU, basic regional techniques, ambulatory and office-based complications, hepatic and endocrine system. Topics of discussion include care management strategies based on ethical, scientific and pharmacologic principles, safety, quality and evidence based guidelines and cost effectiveness.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice II

The course focuses on the study of safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management in normal human physiologic and pathophysiologic states, including cardiac, respiratory, endocrine, renal, genitourinary, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal, and associated medical and surgical procedures for selected human anatomical systems. Students will formulate care management strategies based on ethical, scientific and pharmacologic principles, safety, quality and evidence-based guidelines and cost effectiveness. Competence Statement: Knows safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice for patients with various pathophysiologic disease states.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice III

The course focuses on the study of safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management in normal human physiologic and pathophysiologic states including skin, musculoskeletal, metabolic, neurologic, cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, as well as difficult airway and otolaryngology diseases, and associated medical and surgical procedures for selected human anatomical systems. Students will formulate care management strategies based on ethical, scientific and pharmacologic principles, safety, quality and evidence-based guidelines and cost effectiveness. Competence Statement: Knows safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice for patients with various pathophysiologic disease states.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice IV

The course focuses on the study of safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management in special populations. The course concentrate on normal human physiologic and pathophysiologic states. Age-related populations included are gerontology, obstetrics, neonatal and pediatric patients. Anesthesia care covering traumatic injuries and other specific conditions is included. Students formulate care management strategies based on ethical, scientific and pharmacologic principles, safety, quality and evidence-based guidelines and cost effectiveness. Competence Statement: Knows safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice for patients across the lifespan with and without various pathophysiologic disease states.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice V

This course focuses on developing a proposal for a scholarship project designed to positively influence processes, systems, communities, or policies impacting health. Students will identify theoretical underpinnings, analyze scientific evidence, and evaluate the literature applicable to the scholarship project. Students must successfully present the scholarship proposal. Students accrue 75 clinical hours related to the scholarship project. Competence Statement: Knows concepts of project design well enough to develop and successfully present a scholarship project proposal.

Full course description for DNP Scholarship I

The course focuses on the study of safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management in acute and chronic pain, radiological principles, and safe practices in non-operating room anesthesia experiences. Competence Statement: Knows safe, evidence-based nurse anesthesia care management well enough to apply to nurse anesthesia practice for patients with various pathophysiologic disease states and pain clinic management.

Full course description for Principles of DNP Nurse Anesthesia Practice VI

This course focuses on implementing a scholarship project designed to positively influence processes, systems, communities, or policies impacting health. Students will guide the scholarship project while collaborating with stakeholders, the scholarship project mentor, and the scholarship project faculty adviser. Students accrue 75 clinical hours related to the scholarship project. Competence Statement: Knows concepts of project management well enough to implement the scholarship project.

Full course description for DNP Scholarship II

This course focuses on the evaluation of a scholarship project designed to positively influence processes, systems, communities, or policies impacting health and the dissemination of the results. Students will evaluate the entire project process, present a plan for sustainability, reflect on his/her role leading the project, and demonstrate accomplishment of program objectives. Students must successfully present the final scholarship project. Students will accrue 75 clinical hours related to the scholarship project. Competence Statement: Knows concepts of project management well enough to evaluate the scholarship project and disseminate the results.

Full course description for DNP Scholarship III

This course is the first in a series of two synthesis courses aimed to prepare the nurse anesthesia student for the National Certification Exam (NCE). It is based on directed self-study of textbook materials. This course focuses on the synthesis and integration of critical nurse anesthesia concepts into knowledge necessary for transition into nurse anesthesia practice. Competence Statement: Knows critical nurse anesthesia concepts well enough to complete the concept information sheets and SEE exam at a satisfactory level.

Full course description for Synthesis of Essential Anesthesia Concepts I

This course is the second in a series of two synthesis courses aimed to prepare the nurse anesthesia student for the National Certification Exam (NCE). It is based on directed self-study review of Anesthesia Practice Exam (APEX) Anesthesia Modules. The focus of this course is application of critical nurse anesthesia concepts necessary for transition into nurse anesthesia independent practice. Competence Statement: Knows critical nurse anesthesia concepts well enough to successfully complete the APEX anesthesia review modules at 75%.

Full course description for Synthesis of Essential Anesthesia Concepts II

This course focuses on the advanced, comprehensive assessment of individuals across the lifespan. A holistic, nursing theoretical framework provides the structure for the course. The course builds on the students' knowledge and skills of basic physical assessment, anatomy and physiology, and provides a foundation for the advance practice nurse to evaluate the health of individuals across the life span. The course emphasizes documentation, and practice skills necessary for advanced communication, biopsychosocial and physical assessment, critical diagnostic reasoning, and clinical decision-making. Students acquire advanced knowledge and skills through a case based, problem focused learning framework that integrates theoretical, empirical, and experience-based practical knowledge. Competence Statement: Knows the principles of holistic health assessment well enough to apply these skills and techniques in a simulated setting.

Full course description for Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice

This laboratory experience focuses on the application of skills taught in N616. Students will practice interview skills, physical exam techniques and assessments across the lifespan. Demonstration of complete physical exam is required for course completion. Competence Statement: Knows the skills and techniques of a holistic assessment well enough to obtain a complete health history perform an age appropriate complete physical exam and problem focused physical exam, and provide age appropriate health promotion and anticipatory guidance across the lifespan.

Full course description for Health Assessment for Advanced Nursing Practice Lab

This course focuses on the use of health care informatics and technology in advanced nursing practice. The development of the science of informatics and information systems is reviewed. The use of information systems to communicate, document and bill for patient care is explored. Information systems are used to analyze practice outcomes at the individual and practice group levels compared to national standards and critique the systems. Challenges and opportunities to improve health through the use of information systems and technology are explored. Competence Statement: Knows information systems and technology well enough to be utilized to improve patient care outcomes and health care systems.

Full course description for Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice

This course focuses on the theoretical foundations necessary to provide leadership within teams/groups/systems related to continuous improvement of quality and safety influencing health outcomes. Leadership and quality improvement philosophies, approaches, models, and methods are analyzed. Students apply relevant leadership techniques and strategies which emphasize ethical and critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration and communication, and systems based analysis.

Full course description for Leadership in Health Care Systems

This course focuses on the application of evidence based practice and the synthesis of evidence. Quantitative, qualitative research approaches, methodologies and data analysis techniques are addressed. Client concerns, clinical expertise, and clinical judgement are integrated while critically appraising scientific literature in the understanding of evidence based nursing practice.

Full course description for Research Methodology and Advanced Evidence-Based Practice

This course focuses on analyzing epidemiological, biostatistical, environmental, and other appropriate scientific data related to population health. The student applies this knowledge to develop a plan to improve population health status. The intervention plan addresses health promotion and disease prevention efforts related to health inequity for diverse populations. A global perspective of population health is incorporated into advanced nursing practice roles. This course includes 50 practicum hours in population health assessment and intervention planning. Competence Statement: Knows the concepts and principles of epidemiology, prevention, and population health well enough to develop a evidence based intervention for a vulnerable population related health issue.

Full course description for Epidemiology and Population Health

This course focuses on developing and leading people toward the accomplishment of organizational goals and managing project resources within health systems. Process improvement methodologies and implementation science frameworks are applied to strengthen students' ability to design and manage projects. Application of concepts related to project planning, resource management, and project oversight within the health care environment are applied to a quality improvement project.

Full course description for Resource Management and Finance for Health Care

This course focuses on the analysis of regulations and policies that impact health and health care. Students analyze health issues and the social, economic, and political implications of current and proposed policies. Students compare health policies and health outcomes to evaluate alternative approaches to advancing health equity. Students learn to develop and pursue appropriate strategies to influence policymakers and educate others. Competence Statement: Knows the principles and concepts of health policy well enough to provide leadership to design, implement, and advocate for policies that advance health.

Full course description for Health Policy and Advocacy