RN to MSN Track: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Nursing Education

In this course, students are provided with an overview of the evolution of nursing as a profession and introduced to their new role as scholar-practitioners. They examine changes in the U.S. healthcare delivery system, the importance of information technology, and measures that promote quality, safety, and better health outcomes in patient care. Students consider major issues and trends in contemporary nursing and healthcare practice, including the influence of socioeconomic, ethical, legal, and political variables and professional values. Through weekly discussions and assignments, students explore and share personal experiences in the context of contemporary nursing issues, such as the nursing shortage, workforce challenges, healthcare financing, professional organizations, and diversity. They are challenged to examine and propose solutions to these nursing issues in addition to those in their workplace. Students reflect on Walden's mission of social change and its impact on their future nursing practice as a scholar-practitioner. Because this is the first nursing course within the RN/BSN program, students learn to use Walden University's resources to enhance writing skills. Students are also introduced to the tools essential to success at Walden.

Nurses must understand research in order to effectively participate in the provision of evidence-based nursing care. Students in this course learn the foundational elements of the research process, refine information-literacy skills, and develop an understanding of ethical research. Students investigate each step of the research process and complete a critical examination of quantitative and qualitative research relevant to their nursing practice. Students are given the tools to analyze nurse-sensitive indicators and clinical practice guidelines.

Nurses play a critical role in the care of patients with major acute and chronic health problems. They are accountable for clinical outcomes and for promoting quality and safety in patient care through the use of information technology. Students in this course will examine their role in the evaluation of nurse-sensitive indicators, standards, and core measures to develop an evidence-based practice approach to care. Students explore the relationship of genetics and genomics to health and illness as well as infection-control issues. The nurse's role in palliative and end-of-life care and complementary and alternative therapies is also explored. Students apply course concepts and demonstrate an understanding of nursing interventions and agency policy to improve nursing practice.

The focus of this course is on application of theories and concepts from nursing and public health sciences in assessing health status, preventing and controlling disease, and promoting a healthier population by working with families, aggregates, communities, and health care systems. Students apply system thinking by using epidemiological and community assessment techniques to examine populations at risk, health promotion, and levels of prevention with special emphasis on ethnically diverse and vulnerable populations are incorporated. Major local, state, and national health issues are considered including communicable disease, chronic illness, environmental and occupational health, bioterrorism, emergency and disaster preparedness and response. Practice experiences provide learning experiences in population-based health promotion by collaborating with interdisciplinary public health partners in a local community. (1 credit of practicum equates to 72 clock hours of student practice experience hours.)

Contemporary nurses who wish to influence the current healthcare system must equip themselves with the knowledge and competencies to lead in times of pressure, constant change, and innovation. Quality Improvement science provides a rich set of tools and techniques and has been adopted by most nursing leaders. Nurses are expected to lead with quality improvement knowledge and competencies. Students in this course work toward gaining these skills by focusing on real practice problems and developing evidence-based solutions. They also learn skills and techniques in team building; strengthening interpersonal, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration; promoting meaningful use of data to gauge improvements and problem solving; translating day to day practice problems to long term strategy for organizational growth; and identify strategies to manage organizational change. Students apply course concepts through case studies. Through this practice experience, students gain professional knowledge from nursing leaders in practice the application of quality improvement science. (1 credit of practicum equates to 72 clock hours of student practice experience hours.)

In today's rapidly changing healthcare delivery system, decisions made within the political arena impact the future of healthcare systems and the populations that healthcare professionals serve. In this course, students examine healthcare reform and its impact on healthcare delivery, population health, and nursing practice. They evaluate policies that influence the structure, financing, and quality in healthcare and examine healthcare delivery from a global perspective. Through discussions, case studies, and other activities, students examine the effects of legal and regulatory processes on nursing practice, healthcare delivery, and population health outcomes. Students also examine ways to advocate for promotion and preservation of population health and gain the necessary skills to influence policy and support changes effected by the passing of new healthcare reform legislation.

Evidence-based practice is an essential nurse competency that supports the provision of effective and efficient care. Through team projects and individual applications, students learn how to organize, evaluate, and use health information and knowledge to critically appraise and use information technology to enhance evidence-based practice. Students also apply evidence-based practice to improve advanced nursing practice and healthcare outcomes across organization, public-health, and consumer-health settings.

Nurses base practice on sound and tested evidence to ensure the safety, high quality, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. Students have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the development and relationship of nursing theory, research, and practice in this course. Through a variety of online activities and coursework, students explore the role of nursing theory in both research and practice. They examine research literature to differentiate and critique various research designs, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method models; appraise statistical data; and analyze evidence. Acquired knowledge helps students evaluate research critically to make decisions about use of findings to enhance practice.

Students in this course prepare to exercise leadership through which they can help to ensure their organization is able to adapt and flourish in the ever-changing world of healthcare. Students explore the impact of healthcare system changes on transforming the nursing profession. They examine and discuss theories related to leadership and management and learn about empowerment strategies that assist master's-prepared nurses to assume and succeed in leadership roles. Students engage in course assignments that focus on real-world nursing practice applications of theory.

Nurse educators must have advanced knowledge of the concepts and principles of pathophysiology and drug therapy that relate to the nursing care of a variety of patient groups. In this course, students integrate concepts of pathophysiological processes and pharmacologic treatment as a foundation for advanced nursing practice. Students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained to specific real-world clinical cases.

The physical and emotional well-being of patients and families can be complex and multifaceted. Advanced practice nurses need to have the knowledge and ability to provide safe, competent, and comprehensive physical health assessments. Students in this course focus on concepts and skills to assess patients across the lifespan. They learn to use diagnostic reasoning, advanced communication, and physical assessment skills to identify changes in health patterns. Students also use a systematic approach through which they focus on the assessment of patients with acute and chronic health problems. The advanced skills of suturing, reading 12 Lead EKGs, and interpreting X-rays will be covered. Students engage in course assignments that emphasize risk assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and evidence-based assessment across the lifespan.

The educational environment is influenced by social, economic, regulatory, and technological transformations. Students in this course learn the theoretical processes that drive curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation. They also focus on curriculum components, which include societal, professional, and educational trends that affect nursing education curricula in the current environment.

In this course, students explore ways to use technology successfully and design effective teaching strategies to meet diverse learning needs. Students engage in producing innovative teaching approaches that use a variety of teaching methods, including adapting technology for multiples learning styles. Students write learning objectives using Bloom’s Taxonomy that meet unique needs of nontraditional, international, educationally disadvantaged, and physically challenged learners.

In today’s complex healthcare arena there is increased patient acuity and a growing need for better-educated nurses at the bedside. Nurse educators must possess advanced clinical knowledge to teach complex clinical content effectively, including selecting a focus to advance their knowledge in a clinical specialty. Students advance their clinical knowledge in a selected specialty to prepare them to fulfill the role of the nurse educator.

Nursing education students in this course explore the roles of the nurse educator, including providers of care, staff developers, clinical educators, and academic educators. Through the practicum experience, students translate and apply theoretical principles from their advanced clinical specialty of providing direct care to patients as well as in their practice of teaching. Students work toward solving real-world problems, with the assistance of their preceptors, in a clinical setting as well as with teaching projects in a classroom setting, patient setting, and staff-development setting. They also present the results of their project in the workplace and in the online classroom.