Nursing Education (MSN)

Department of Nursing Mission

The mission of the Department of Nursing is to prepare knowledgeable, merciful, compassionate, creative, accountable, and respectful nurses who embody a passion for excellence, lifelong learning, and true caring for all they encounter. This will be accomplished through a united faculty that will foster consistency, communication, teamwork in decision-making, and use of evidence-based practices in classroom and clinical settings.

MSN Program Philosophy

The Nursing Education graduate program provides a transformative education, preparing intellectually creative, collaborative, resilient, and merciful nurse educators and leaders whose relationship-based practice is informed by the evidence with a focus on facilitating learning and professional development within academic and healthcare environments.

During this course, the student will be introduced to a model of human caring that includes the arts and humanities, as well as science. Watson’s Theory of Human Caring provides a philosophical and ethical foundation for a nurse leader’s professional practice. An exploration of Complexity Science and Systems Theory, along with the principles of Integrative Nursing, will further the student’s ability to transform theory into safe, quality nursing practice that improves the health of the public and supports the profession of nursing.

This course introduces the student to the interconnected processes of creativity and innovation, emphasizing their essential roles in healthcare. Students will learn the creative process and traits that makeup creativity. In addition, students will be introduced to the concept of innovation and how organizations can foster and support creativity and innovation through culture. This course lays the groundwork for how creativity and innovation can be used for healthcare workers and organizations to address the needed change in healthcare in the U.S. By integrating these concepts, the course prepares students to generate novel solutions to healthcare challenges to help create change within healthcare organizations and enhance patient outcomes.

Graduate nursing students build upon previous learning of nursing research and evidence-based practice to develop mastery in critiquing and translating research evidence into practice. With an inquiring attitude toward their practice and care environment, students work with faculty to identify a research question, analyze research findings for evidence-based practice, and disseminate results to advance nursing knowledge.

In this course, the student studies various mind-body techniques, such as biofeedback and mindfulness, as well as applies them in a program of self-care to foster resilience. An exploration of an individual’s strengths, accomplishments, and what matters most in their life can lead to growth and flourishing. Students will cultivate self-awareness and compassion for oneself, allowing for compassion and mercy to be extended to others.

This course engages the student in the assessment of a healthcare organization’s culture of safety with the goal of decreasing and preventing inadvertent harm to patients as a result of their care. The student will analyze and interpret patient safety data and present this evidence to support a specific patient safety initiative. A critical appraisal of the evidence and compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements is conducted during the design of a process improvement initiative. The student collaborates with nurse leaders and clinical experts, under guidance of faculty, on this assessment.

This graduate-level course prepares healthcare leaders and educators to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and leverage its potential to enhance decision-making, teaching, and professional development. Participants will explore foundational AI concepts, adaptive learning technologies, and ethical considerations, including bias, data privacy, and the responsible use of AI in healthcare settings. Emphasizing AI as both a thought partner and an innovative tool, the course will guide students in crafting effective prompts and using AI to creatively forage for insights, strategies, and solutions in leadership and education. Through critical reflection, participants will evaluate AI’s capabilities and challenges, ensuring thoughtful and responsible integration into their practice. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to drive innovation and improve learning outcomes in healthcare.

This course focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating effective teaching and learning strategies in both academic and clinical environments. Grounded in educational and change theories, as well as evidence-informed practice, the course explores active learning methods, simulation, technology-enhanced instruction, and online learning strategies. Emphasis is placed on fostering learner-centered, inclusive environments that promote critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and professional development. Educators will also examine strategies for effective clinical teaching, providing meaningful feedback, and supporting the transition from theory to practice for nurses and allied health professionals at all levels.

This course prepares educators in academic and clinical healthcare settings to implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies that support learner success. Participants will explore principles of measurement, reliability, and validity while applying diverse assessment methods, including formative and summative evaluations, performance-based assessments, and reflective practices. Emphasis is placed on using assessment data to guide instructional decisions, align with learning objectives, and improve outcomes. Learners will develop skills in writing measurable learning outcomes, designing reliable assessment tools, and analyzing results to enhance teaching and learning. By the end of the course, participants will be prepared to apply assessment and evaluation strategies that foster continuous improvement in healthcare education.

This graduate-level course is designed to enhance the clinical expertise, leadership abilities, and critical thinking of nurse leaders and educators by providing a comprehensive, integrative approach to the core components of clinical practice: pathophysiology, physical assessment, and pharmacology—the "3 Ps." Through an advanced exploration of these interconnected elements, students will gain the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to improve patient outcomes, educate future nurses, and lead evidence-based clinical practice in a variety of healthcare settings.

This course will explore the various aspects of Emotional Intelligence (EI), their importance, and how students score on each. The goal of this course is to understand what EI is, the importance of EI in professional and personal life, and to gain an understanding of how to further develop it.

The fast pace of economic, political, social, ideological, and technical globalization requires organizations to develop a high level of cultural literacy. A diversity of perspectives and experiences in employees and leadership allows an organization to more nimbly respond to the needs of its customers, clients, and communities. Leadership that can embrace the value of that diversity by creating work environments that promote inclusivity, equity, and justice will be able to recruit and retain staff that reflects the diversity of the communities in which the organization functions. Leadership that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion begins in humility; recognizing what is not known and possessing a willingness to learn and grow. By valuing and promoting cultural literacy, a sense of belonging is created that can allow all members of the organization to thrive. This course will provide a foundational literacy in areas such as racial, ethnic, religious, gender, neurological, and overall cultural diversity. Upon completion of this course, students will not only have a better understanding of these issues and the importance of intersectionality in our understanding of others but also a basis for life-long learning and the ability to develop training within their organizations.

In this course, students complete a 45-hour practicum with a preceptor, under faculty guidance, to enhance their educator skills in academic or clinical settings. They will design an evidence-informed, learner-centered educational program for a targeted group of nurses or nursing students. The didactic component covers key competencies in curriculum and program planning, including needs assessment, goal setting, instructional delivery, and creating engaging learning experiences. The course emphasizes the development of educational programs that align with institutional goals and accreditation standards, ensuring they are evidence-informed and designed to enhance learner knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Through experiential learning and reflective practice, students will be prepared to play a leading role in program planning that fosters improved learner competency, ultimately contributing to enhanced healthcare delivery.

In this capstone course, students complete a 45-hour practicum with a preceptor, under faculty guidance, to enhance their educator skills in academic or clinical settings. They will implement and evaluate an evidence-informed, learner-centered educational program for a targeted group of nurses or nursing students developed in Practicum I. The didactic component explores the educator’s role in supporting the transition of nurses into professional practice through mentorship, preceptorship, and structured onboarding. Students will examine strategies for fostering professional growth, creating professional development plans, addressing practice gaps, and promoting continuous learning in clinical and academic settings. Leadership in advancing nursing practice, mentoring novice nurses, and driving positive outcomes in healthcare will be emphasized. Students will develop a personalized professional development plan that reflects their commitment to excellence and equips them to serve as change agents, leaders, and clinical experts in nursing education and practice.