Master's Entry Program in Nursing Program Curriculum | Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, UC Davis

SUMMER 1st YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 221	Biophysical Concepts: This course is an introduction to concept-based learning. In this course, students learn pathophysiological processes that contribute to different disease states across the lifespan and human responses to those processes. Students will explore authentic case studies in order to learn to make selective clinical decisions using current, reliable sources of pathophysiology information.	3
NRS 234V	Research and Evidence-Based Practice for Healthcare: This graduate-level core course provides an introduction to evidence-based practice in healthcare and research methods used to produce evidence to support clinical decision making. This course serves as a foundation for developing, interpreting, and applying research, health, and systems data to answer clinical, systems, or policy questions. The emphasis will be on the reading, interpretation, and potential application of research, rather than the design and implementation of research.	3
NRS 272	Foundations of Pharmacology: This course introduces the theoretical background that enables students to provide safe and effective care related to drugs and natural products to persons throughout the lifespan. It includes the foundational concepts of principles of pharmacology and additional classes of drugs. Students will learn to make selected clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of information, understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, developmental physiologic considerations, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of drug therapy, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding safe and effective use of drugs and natural products, intervening to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects and communicating appropriately with other health professionals regarding drug therapy. Drugs are studied by therapeutic or pharmacological class using an organized framework.	2
NRS 420	Foundations of Clinical Nursing Practice: This foundational course introduces students to core concepts of clinical nursing, including clinical reasoning, professional ethics, therapeutic communication and activities of daily living. Students will begin to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for the provision of safe, high quality, culturally-sensitive, person-centered care across the lifespan. Students will also develop beginning competency in fundamental psychomotor and technological skills used by nurses in a variety of health care settings to promote patient health and independence.	5
NRS 421	Health Assessment Across the Lifespan: This course prepares students to conduct a health history assessment using developmentally and culturally appropriate approaches for individuals across the lifespan. Students will acquire the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to perform, interpret and communicate a health history using motivational interviewing and physical exam, identifying obvious deviations from normal in adult, elderly and pediatric populations.	3
TOTAL		16

FALL 1st YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 273	Pharmacology Concepts in Nursing: This course builds on foundational concepts of pharmacology and helps students learn how to apply those principles for safe and effective use of medications and natural products. Students will learn to use current, reliable information regarding pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and developmental physiology in order to make selected clinical decisions. They will also learn how to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of drug therapy, teaching patients from diverse populations regarding safe and effective use of medications and natural products, how to intervene to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects and communicate appropriately with other health professionals regarding drug therapy. The course is organized by therapeutic or pharmacological class of drugs.	2
NRS 422	Care of Adults with Chronic Conditions: This combined theory and clinical nursing course introduces students to concepts central to the effective management of a variety of common chronic illness and disabling conditions across the lifespan in a variety of different settings. Students will practice using motivational interviewing techniques in order to conduct an in-depth health assessment of individuals with chronic conditions that is person-centered and both developmentally and culturally appropriate. They will also learn how to partner with individuals, their families and other health professionals in order to manage chronic conditions and make desired changes in health behavior to reduce the long-term risks.	6
NRS 423	Psychosocial Wellness and Illness: This combined theory and clinical nursing course explores the biological, psychological, cultural, societal and environmental factors that affect psychological wellness and illness. Students will develop beginning competencies in providing nursing care to individuals and families experiencing disruptions in mental health secondary to physical or psychiatric illness, trauma or loss.	5
NRS 429A	Collaborative Practice A: This interprofessional course series focuses on the art of nursing and collaborative practice. Each course in the series uses a variety of experiential learning activities including simulation, role play and case studies to integrate and extend key concepts, applied through the lens of caring for a specific population.	1
TOTAL		14

WINTER 1st YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 220	Social, Cultural and Behavioral Determinants of Health: Health is not merely the absence of disease but instead represents a state of physical, mental and social well-being. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries. The purpose of this course is to help students understand and synthesize the impact of these circumstances on population health and the well-being of individuals across the lifespan. The effect of globalization, social, economic and political systems, local and global economies, culture, race, class, gender and sexuality on population health will be examined. Bio-psycho-social factors associated with personal health across the life span will be assessed.	3
NRS 425	Family Focused Nursing: This combined nursing theory and clinical course will focus on the family as the unit of nursing and interprofessional care. Content includes the roles and influences of family on health and illness, reproductive and gender/sexuality issues across the lifespan, pregnancy, birth and child-rearing, as well as the health and illness in children and youth.	9
NRS 429B	Collaborative Practice B: This interprofessional course series focuses on the art of nursing and collaborative practice. Each course in the series uses a variety of experiential learning activities including simulation, role play and case studies to integrate and extend key concepts, applied through the lens of caring for a specific population.	1
TOTAL		13

SPRING 1st YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 223	Quality and Safety Education in Health care: This theory course builds on the important foundational knowledge and skills needed in order to provide safe, competent and compassionate care in a highly technical and digital environment. Students will enhance their capacity to apply concepts related to safety, quality and research to clinical practice.	3
NRS 224	Developing Future Nurse Leaders: The focus of this theory course is on the development of skills necessary for effective decision making, fiscal and environmental stewardship, initiating and maintaining effective working relationships, using mutually respectful communication and collaboration, care coordination, delegation and supervision and conflict resolution.	3
NRS 426	Nursing Care of Adults with Complex Illness or Injury: The combined theory and clinical nursing course prepares the student to provide comprehensive, patient-centered nursing care for patients with acute or complex illness and injury. Building on a foundation from the natural and behavioral sciences as well as content from previous MEPN courses, the theory part of this course will focus on concepts associated with complex physiological alterations. In addition, students will have an opportunity to address a variety of psychosocial and professional concepts through the use of case studies and in the clinical setting.	8
NRS 429C	Collaborative Practice C: This interprofessional course series focuses on the art of nursing and collaborative practice. Each course in the series uses a variety of experiential learning activities including simulation, role play and case studies to integrate and extend key concepts, applied through the lens of caring for a specific population.	1
TOTAL		15

SUMMER 2nd YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 233V	Leadership and Innovation in Healthcare: This course is a critical examination of leadership using theoretical and philosophical perspectives. Focus is placed on specific challenges in health care and leadership in various levels, as well as in a variety of organizational settings and environments. Small and large group discussions, individual reflection, shared experiences and case studies will be used to explore the complexity of leadership styles in both highly successful and less successful leaders. The goal of this class is for students to form a foundation for building their own leadership skills and style.	3
NRS 240V	Applied Health Informatics: Health informatics, the study of data and technology to understand and improve health and healthcare, is important knowledge for all health professionals. Health information technology is ubiquitous throughout health delivery systems and is applied in clinical practice, patient engagement, program planning and evaluation. There are numerous opportunities to apply health informatics skills and technologies to accomplish the goals of improved health care access, quality, cost, and satisfaction. A skilled health professional workforce that is knowledgeable about health informatics can understand where technology offers value, how best to implement information systems, and how to use data to make the best decision about health and healthcare delivery. This introductory course includes foundational knowledge about the health informatics field and provides practical applications that health professionals are likely to encounter in practice or in development and management of health programs.	3
NRS 424	Nursing Care of Older Adults: This combined theory and clinical nursing course will use a combination of case-based learning, simulation and clinical in order to help build skills in the management of complex clinical situations involving older adults. Students will also build skills in administering and interpreting standardized assessment tools used with older adults. Working individually and in groups, students will develop plans of care for older adults experiencing a variety of geriatric syndromes.	3
NRS 427	Fostering Healthy Communities: The focus of this combined nursing theory and clinical course is on populations/communities as the unit of nursing and interprofessional care, with an emphasis on working with diverse communities in providing health promotion, chronic disease management, transitional support and crisis intervention. The course emphasizes the development of skills needed to critically analyze and shape health policy and develop accessible community resources based on a culturally-sensitive assessment of need in order to promote health equity.	7
TOTAL		16

FALL 2nd YEAR


COURSE	COURSE TITLE and TOPIC	UNITS
NRS 225	Professional Nursing Role Formation: This seminar is designed to facilitate the transition from nursing student to professional nurse. Concepts include ethical comportment, professional values of social justice, autonomy, advocacy, altruism, human dignity and integrity. Students will be required to pass a mastery exit examination in nursing and to complete a graduate level capstone project.	3
NRS 428	Capstone Clinical Nursing Practicum: This practicum experience is designed to facilitate transition to professional practice. Students are placed in a healthcare setting with a preceptor with expertise in that area. The majority of student placements are on adult acute care units however their may be limited opportunities for specialty preceptorships including pediatrics, OB, critical care, community/ambulatory care, public health, rural health and mental health. Emphasis is on the synthesis of previous and concurrent learning, development of independence in nursing practice, skill in clinical decision-making and application of nursing leadership and management theory and skills.	8
NRS 429D	Collaborative Practice D: This interprofessional course series focuses on the art of nursing and collaborative practice. Each course in the series uses a variety of experiential learning activities including simulation, role play and case studies to integrate and extend key concepts, applied through the lens of caring for a specific population.	1
TOTAL		11