/ Division of Nursing
7500 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504-9652
(701) 255-7500
  1. Mission Statement Updated

The Nursing Division Mission Statement was updated to reflect new university wide graduate competencies that were developed by an interdisciplinary body of professional disciplines from across all four schools of the University of Mary during the 2014-2016 academic years. Disciplines are now in the process of infusing these updated graduate competencies into programmatic offerings.

Below illustrates the change to the Nursing Division Mission Statement reflective of these updated graduate competencies. This revised Nursing Division Mission Statement will be published in the 2016-2017 University Catalog.

Nursing Division Mission Statement: The Nursing Division prepares nurses to provide safe, quality, patient-centered healthcare to the people in the region and beyond without regard to race, religion, cultural background, or gender. By fostering a Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine learning environment, the Division supports the University mission to prepare leaders in the service of truth and to be competent in spirituality and ethics, communication, critical thinking, and global stewardship. Academic preparation and nursing practice opportunities in a variety of health-care settings along the continuum of care will prepare students to achieve competence in the areas of professionalism, environmental contexts, valuing, and scholarshipprofessional distinction, scholarship, communication, and moral courage.

  1. Replacement of NUR 570 as program requirement

NUR 570 Primary Care of Women and Children (8cr) has been a long standing course in the FNP curriculum. This course currently includes both didactic and clinical components. The challenge our program experienced is related to the timing of course content in relationship to clinical experiences. Given the need to accommodate the schedule of clinical preceptors, it is not uncommon for at least a few students to have some clinical experiences prior to delivery of associated didactic material important to the preparation of students entering clinical experiences.

To address this challenge NUR 570 (8cr) wassplit into two distinct 4 credit courses: NUR 620 Care of Women and Children and NUR 720 Care of Women and Children Practicum. These courses are offered in contiguous semesters with NUR 620 Care of Women and Children as a prerequisite to NUR 720 Care of Women and Children Practicum. NUR 620 Care of Women and Children provides didactic content related to this population and NUR 720 Care of Women and Children Practicum requires the application of that knowledge in a practical setting. The course descriptions and outcomes for each course are listed below.

NUR 620 Care of Women and Children Course Description

Engages students in focused study of health promotion, disease prevention, and management of health problems in the population of women and children in the primary care setting. Students will develop information literacy through analysis of primary research and clinical practice guidelines commonly applied to this population. Reflection of the interdependence between practice and special issues, such as social factors, diversity, ethics, and health policy will occur.

NUR 620 Care of Women and Children Course Objectives:

1.Integrate concepts from supporting courses to health care issues of women, children and families.

2.Develop diagnostic and management plans based on current clinical research for well women and children with common, chronic and acute health problems.

3.Examine research findings applied to the delivery of advanced practice nursing care for women and children.

4.Demonstrate ethical/legal accountability in decision making particular to advanced practice nursing care of women and children.

NUR 720 Care of Women and Children Practicum Course Description

This course focuses on participation in the management of common episodic and chronic conditions, which promote and support the health of women and children through advanced practice interventions. Current theory and research on social issues, which have an impact on individuals, families and communities are incorporated into the course.

NUR 720 Care of Women and Children Practicum Course Objectives:

  1. Formulate anticipatory guidance that is age, developmentally, and culturally appropriate to assist the client in assuming responsibilities for self-care and health-promotion.
  2. Deliver holistic, patient-centered care that is evidence-based primary care to women and children.
  3. Compose documentation for health records of patient care encounters that evidence appropriate, critical medical decision making and contribute to effective communication across the healthcare team.
  1. Change in credit assignment to NUR 601 and NUR 611 with creation of NUR 613 Leadership and the Future of Nursing

NUR 601 Evidenced Based Practice and Healthcare Decision Making and NUR 611 Influential Nursing Leadership hada total of 80 hours of associated clinical hours in leadership experiences.

NUR 601 and NUR 611 were decreased from 3 credit offerings to 2 credit offerings. Thepractical leadership experience hourspreviously associated with these courses was removed. NUR 613 Leadership and the Future of Nursing(2 credits)was developed and includes 80 practical hours of leadership experiences (course number yet to be assigned by University Registrar). This change resultedin a net neutral effect on total credit and clinical hour requirements.

The stimulus for this change wasto address fragmented clinical placements across these two courses and to increase the rigor of practical experiences in leadership environments.

  1. DNP Project Course Revisions

Currently, there are 8 courses and a total of 12 credits that comprise DNP Project work and integrated scholarship content meant to address many of the DNP Essentials.

Presently, our program has had one set of students who have progressed through the entire DNP Project curriculum and a second class of students entering their final semester of project work. Through program assessment, student report, and faculty evaluation it has been established that revisions to the DNP Project coursework could improve not only the organization, but also the experience of the students and faculty in these courses.

DNP Project course credits are equally distributed among 8 courses in 4 semesters. It has been found that students struggle with DNP Project progress when they must enroll in both a rigorous clinical course in conjunction with a DNP Project course. Secondly, spreading the DNP project work between two courses each semester has led to confusion among students and faculty related to how assignments are intended to coalesce with one another at the conclusion of the term.

To address these concerns it is proposed that the 12 credits of DNP Project be condensed into 4 courses and be front loaded in the first semester of DNP Project work. The table below outlines the current and revised DNP Project courses. Attached is a program of study illustrating how these changes intersect with the remainder of required courses.

DNP Project Related Courses / Proposed DNP Project
Course Retire Date / Course Implementation Date
NUR 810 Scholarship in Clinical Practice I (2cr) / Immediately / NUR 830 DNP Project & Nursing Scholarship I (7cr) / Spring 2017
NUR 835 DNP Project I (1cr) / Immediately / NUR 840 DNP Project & Nursing Scholarship II (1cr) / Summer 2017
NUR 820 Scholarship in Clinical Practice II (2cr) / Immediately / NUR 930 DNP Project & Nursing Scholarship III (1cr) / Fall 2017
NUR 845 DNP Project II (1cr) / Immediately / NUR 940 DNP Project & Nursing Scholarship IV (3cr) / Spring 2018
NUR 910 Scholarship in Clinical Practice III (2cr) / Fall 2017
NUR 935 DNP Project III(1cr) / Fall 2017
NUR 920 Scholarship in Clinical Practice IV (2cr) / Spring 2018
NUR 945 DNP Project IV (1cr) / Spring 2018
  1. Statistics Pre-requisite

The current program requirements have a graduate level statistics course as a pre-requisite to program acceptance. Requiring successful completion of a statistics course prior to acceptance to a graduate program may be a barrier to students’ inquiry, application, or advancement to enrollment.

Therefore, statistics will no longer be a pre-requisite but rather a graduation requirement or transfer course equivalent. This change does not remove the requirement of students to complete a statistics course prior graduate degree completion but rather simply removes it as a requirement before students can enroll in graduate coursework. The advantage of this change is the flexibility it offers in enrollment of students in a statistics course closer to the timeframe they will need this knowledge for completion of their DNP Project outcome measurement plan and reporting.

  1. Split of NUR 568 (8 credit course) into two courses

This programmatic revision splits NUR 568 (8cr) into two parts: NUR 589 Common & Chronic Health Management (4cr) and NUR 690 Common & Chronic Healthcare Practicum (4cr). These courses are offered in contiguous semesters with NUR 589 Common & Chronic Health Management as a prerequisite to NUR 690 Common & Chronic Healthcare Practicum.

NUR 568 Common Health Conditions of the Maturing Adult (8cr) has been a long standing course in the FNP curriculum. This course currently includes both didactic and clinical components. As we are revising the Doctoral Project courses to better address workload of the DNP Project, there is need to move other courses in the program of study to best balance clinical/ didactic components across the curriculum. Another compelling force for this change is to set the timing of these courses in such a way that students would gain the benefit of didactic content prior to entering their clinical experiences.

Course descriptions and outcomes for each of the new courses are listed below.

NUR 5XX Common & Chronic Health Management

Course Description: In this course, knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and comprehensive physical assessment is integrated with principles of health promotion as well as management of common and chronic health problems seen in maturing adults. Collaboration models of practice within the rural and urban health settings are introduced. Evidence-based practice protocols are examined and utilized in the primary care setting.

Course Objectives:

  • Integrate concepts from supporting courses to health care management issues of adults.
  • Develop health management plans based on current clinical research for both well adults and adults with common, chronic and acute health problems across varying geographic and cultural demographics.
  • Examine research findings related to advanced practice nursing care across populations along the continuum of health.
  • Demonstrate ethical/legal accountability in decision making particular to advanced practice nursing care of adults.

NUR 6XX Common & Chronic Health Practicum

Course Description: This course focuses on the application of health promotion and management of common and chronic health conditions for maturing adults through advanced practice interventions. Current theory and research on social issues, which have an impact on individuals, families and communities are incorporated into the course. Rural and urban health collaboration models of practice are continued.

Course Objectives:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the advanced practice nurse including patient advocacy, collaboration and referral, planning, implementation and development of health care activities among diverse populations.
  • Provide holistic, evidence-based primary care to well adults and adults with common health problems.
  • Incorporate strategies of risk analysis and reduction, screening, life-style changes, disease detection and prevention, and ethical decision-making into primary care practice.
  • Utilize critical thinking skills to formulate appropriate clinical decisions in primary care populations.
  1. Change to Orientation Course Requirement

Each graduate nursing program requires all students complete HUM 506 New Graduate Student Orientation (0 cr) after acceptance and prior to enrollment in their first graduate course. Currently, this orientation course is part of the degree plan and culminates with a letter grade on the student transcript.

Through program assessment this orientation has been documented to be largely successful in preparing students for the online learning environment and familiarizing them with University and program specific mission statements, policies and procedures. Evidence suggests best practices for orientation to the online learning environment is best when accomplished prior to the student’s enrollment in coursework (Carruth, Broussard, Waldmeier, Gauthier, and Mixon, 2010; Gazza and Hunker, 2014; Hullinger and Hogan, 2014). These researchers have documented positive outcomes in reducing student anxiety and promoting student retention when the orientation course is completed prior to enrollment in coursework.

However, it is recognized that the level of academic restrictions set forth with having this orientation established as a program requirement that is ultimately transcribed creates difficulties in complying with Title IV funding laws. Courses that are requirements of a degree must begin and end within the academic dates set forth by the academic calendar. With recent changes to the University of Mary’s academic calendar there will now be a 2 week interval between each semester. This interval of time between semesters will create a scenario complicating the onboarding of students in a timely fashion if they are unable to be enrolled in the orientation during this break.

Therefore, it is proposed that HUM 506 New Graduate Student Orientation be removed as a degree requirement, while still setting the expectation that this orientation occur prior to the first day of class. The Graduate Nursing Office will establish a process for entering newly accepted graduate nursing students to HUM 506 New Graduate Student Orientation within Canvas and no longer require students to register for the course.

To maintain the incentive for students to complete the orientation and reap the anxiety reduction and student retention benefits documented by research, graduate nursing faculty will draw upon a strategy described by Carruth, Broussard, Waldmeier, Gauthier, and Mixon (2010) and seek approval to offer continuing education credit to students who successfully complete the orientation.

Carruth, A., Broussard, P., Waldmeier, V., Gauthier, D., & Mixon, G. (2010). Graduate nursing online orientation course: Transitioning for success. Journal of Nursing Education. doi.10.3928/01484834-20100831-06

Gazza, E., & Hunker, D. (2014, July). Facilitating student retention in online graduate nursing education programs: A review of the literature. Nurse Education Today, 34(7), 1125-1129. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2014.01.010

Hullinger, M. & Hogan, R. L. (2014). Student Anxiety: Effects of a new graduate student orientation program. Administrative Issues Journal: Education, Practice, and Research, 4(2), 27-34.

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