Curriculum

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

A foundation for the application of pharmacology relevant to advanced nursing practice is provided throughout this course by examining pharmacotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics of broad categories of pharmacologic agents. The process involving medication selection by advanced practice nurses for various diseases states and patient populations is discussed and applied, as well as considerations pertaining to potential risks and benefits associated with pharmacotherapy. Expected adverse effects, monitoring parameters, drug interactions, and consideration of needs of special populations for specific medication classes will be reviewed.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A 

This course examines the professional, legal, and ethical aspects impacting the clinical practice of nurse anesthetists. Issues such as accountability, moral distress, challenging situations, personal wellness/healthy lifestyles, and legal issues surrounding the delivery of anesthesia, surgery, and procedural practice as well as ethical concerns for health care will be examined. Identification of substance use disorders and appropriate response based on the COAs five key conceptual components are included.

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course presents an introduction to anesthesia practice and techniques. Its topics are a foundation upon which future anesthesia courses are built. It is complimentary to the Simulation in Anesthesia Practice and Professional, Legal, and Ethical Aspects of Anesthesia Practice. Anesthesia terminology, techniques, medical math, pertinent anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, anesthesia-based patient assessment and management will be addressed.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This simulation course provides the anesthesia student the opportunity to demonstrate entry-level patient care skills for anesthesia practice in the simulation lab. The simulation sessions will include repetitive practice and confirmation of knowledge by student demonstration. These sessions will include a variety of trainers from basic models to high-fidelity mannequins that are able to simulate physiology and support procedures.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course is designed to aid the student nurse anesthetist in the application of human gross anatomy. Both the classroom and virtual components will be part of learning. The course provides a focus on the relationship between structures and systems in the human body. The course is structured to study the human body in a regional approach, while emphasizing the relationship between form and function. Key organ systems will be covered, with emphasis placed on those most relevant to the field of nurse anesthesia. Special emphasis will include the head, neck, and airway, followed by multi organ systems including the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: GPNG 533 & 534

The focus of this course is on the pharmacology of medications used in clinical anesthesia practice. Major content will include the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of general anesthetic agents, analgesics, opioids, muscle relaxants, local anesthetics and adjuvant agents used in anesthesia. Emphasis is on uptake, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and elimination of anesthetics. Drug dosage, side effects, and usual effects of anesthetic agents on various body systems will also be presented, along with fluid & electrolyte balance. The course incorporates gas laws and principles of flow in delivering inhalation anesthetic agents.  Pharmacogenomics, and the importance of safety, individual patient variations, age, cultural context, and current evidence-based practice principles will be emphasized when considering the use of various pharmacologic therapies in the treatment of individual patients.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course focuses on evidence-based practice and policy development by addressing the value of scientific evidence and nursing research in providing high quality health care that is also culturally responsive and appropriate. Content focuses on the need for evidence-based practice (EBP), the research process, high performance inter-professional teams, systematic EBP using an EBP Model, ethical issues, and use of organizational leadership techniques to promote evidence-based practice. The goal of this course is to prepare nurses in advanced practice who are proficient in using a systematic EBP model to identify and address clinical problems with inter-professional teams and collaborations. Additionally, the nurse is well- prepared to lead EBP efforts, implementation projects, and make policy recommendations.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 817 & 818

This course provides the opportunity for students to synthesize, present, and critique anesthesia management plans (to include co-morbidities, pathophysiology, pharmacology, 12 lead electrocardiogram (EKG) interpretation, and advanced decision making) of select patients for whom they have cared. Critique of select clinical experiences will serve as a vehicle for increasing understanding of anesthesia practice and a review of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and disease processes.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This is a course of general principles and knowledge required to care for patients who will be treated by operative procedures.  The instructor will provide the role, responsibilities, and duties of the members of the surgical team in detail.  The fundamentals of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care will be presented.  Common complications, both their prevention and management will be presented.  Selected topics will include commonly performed procedures and the interface of surgery with other disciplines. 

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 819

Application of ultrasound techniques for identifying sononatomy in performing ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks and neuraxial blocks, along with considerations of administration of local anesthetic, analgesic, and adjuvant mediations will be explored.  Lastly, the requirements associated with pain management encounters and needs will be examined.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course will focus on pathophysiological concepts that provide the foundation for assessment, evaluation, and management of selected health conditions for the advanced practice nurse (APN). This approach will enhance the APNs ability to evaluate if the desired outcomes related to care and treatment are attained. The etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations of major disease processes in all body systems will be presented within the framework of the Synergy Model. The interaction between genetics, environment, behavior, culture, and patient specific risk factors will be explored in major pathophysiological conditions throughout the lifespan.

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: HLTS 517

This course is designed to focus on the regional anatomy of the human: the anterolateral neck, deep back, & spine, thoracic cavity and its contents, abdominal wall and inguinal canal, abdominal cavity and its contents, the pelvic cavity and its contents, and the head. In addition to regional gross human anatomy, the course will also cover selected topics in the areas of histology and embryology related to the structures of the selected regions. The course consists of both a lecture and a laboratory component. Lecture sessions will present information pertaining to the gross anatomy, and the organization and relationships of the various structures found in the above-listed regions of the body as well as basic histology and embryology where appropriate. A human cadaver dissection laboratory is a required component of the course. In the dissection lab the student, under the direction of faculty, will dissect and study human cadavers. Efforts will be made to assist course participants to utilize the information presented in both lecture and laboratory sessions to analyze and solve medically/clinically relevant questions

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course highlights the principles of biochemistry and physics as they relate to the practice of administering anesthesia. Organic compounds, including amino and nucleic acids, and their interactions will be reviewed along with the regulation of major metabolic pathways.  The study of fluids, gas laws, forces, acid/base balance, electrical circuits, and radiation will prepare the nurse anesthesia student for clinical practice. This course is essential in preparation for subsequent pharmacologic instruction including the metabolism and excretion of medications in clinical practice.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: GPNG 533 & 534

This advanced course is designed to provide graduate Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) students with the specialized knowledge and skills necessary for comprehensive physical assessment in the context of anesthesia care. Building upon foundational assessment techniques, this course highlights advanced assessment methods, diagnostic reasoning, and critical thinking skills required of all advanced practice nurses.  Theoretical frameworks from nursing and other disciplines, as well as concepts from the Synergy Model, will be incorporated throughout the course.  The course emphasizes comprehensive history taking, data collection, synthesizing assessment findings, written documentation, and effective communication of assessment data to interdisciplinary team members.  Comprehensive physical assessment skills are taught, which will allow the learner to conduct a methodical physical exam, differentiating normal anatomy and physiological variants on patients across the lifespan as well as considering social determinants of health and vulnerable population groups. Differential diagnoses, critical thinking, and sharpened physical assessment skills will be enhanced through didactic coursework and required campus residency.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This 2-credit online course will focus on perioperative genomics and the underlying genetic and epigenetic variability that influences a person’s response to anesthesia and surgery. This course will cover topics on the role of genetic and epigenetic variables along with patient risk assessment, disease characterization, and outcome prediction. Additionally, the basics of pharmacogenomics will be introduced and applied to specific medications and conditions.

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 820

This course analyzes the disease processes, surgical procedures, and anesthesia management for the patient requiring pulmonary, cardiac, neuro, major vascular, and thoracic surgeries. Pathophysiology and anesthesia components and techniques for the patient requiring heart-lung transplantation will be examined.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course focuses on quality and safety as core values of advanced practice nursing. This course presents quality improvement and patient safety science, and their related processes, that support improved quality of care and reduced risk of harm to patients and providers. Strategies to support the development of a culture of safety within healthcare systems for patients and providers will be presented utilizing national resources. These strategies are extended to include collaborations with communities to establish safer communities and emergency preparedness. Specific analytical methods will be presented that utilize healthcare systems and population data. Methods of monitoring healthcare system performance will be discussed including national quality indicators and benchmarks.  Students will apply epidemiology and quality improvement principles, research, and methods to conduct community health assessments that investigate factors leading to specific clinical problems.  Population health concepts and measures used to determine risk, association and community health outcomes will be discussed. Students will engage in case studies to create quality improvement strategies with elements of business plans that will support sustainable healthcare improvements at the practice, organizational, and policy levels.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course provides an emphasis on a scholarly approach to problem solving based on critical appraisal, synthesis and application of research evidence, clinical practice guidelines and policies. Students will utilize an evidence-based practice paradigm to appraise, synthesize, and evaluate the best evidence related to the identified topic of interest.

The use of theory and research from the perspective of clinical nursing and other disciplines is emphasized as the foundation for advancing the nursing profession and affecting changes in the healthcare continuum.

Credits: 4 

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 821

This course analyzes the disease processes, surgical procedures, and anesthesia management for the patient requiring liver or renal transplantation, trauma, and burns. Blood products available to the practitioner as well as the clotting cascade will be analyzed. Brain death determination and organ donation will be examined.

Credits: 4

Pre-Requisite: GPNS 948 & 969

This course examines contemporary major health issues to determine their relationship to and impact upon health policy and financing in the United States and around the world. Students will demonstrate their competencies in analyzing, evaluating, and leading policy changes that focus on the role of nurses advocating for equitable policy that impacts patients, populations, and the profession through the lens of social justice and health equity. This includes becoming engaged in the policy process at multiple levels including the healthcare environment, community, nationally and globally. In addition to health policy issues students will follow the healthcare continuum to learn how to analyze and evaluate outcomes of programs that have been created through health policies to address population healthcare needs. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the DNP in evaluating clinical quality and safety initiatives through the identification and utilization of appropriate measurement strategies and evaluation instruments, including financial analysis.

Credits: 1

Pre-Requisite: N/A

In this course, students will incorporate patient cases to interpret the results of common diagnostic tests. Based on the patient presentation and laboratory testing, students will be challenged to propose a plan of care based on the laboratory abnormalities that exist.  

Credits: 1

Pre-Requisite: HLTS 519

This course provides a foundation for diagnostic and therapeutic radiology. Diagnostic instruction on interpretation of radiographs in a variety of methods including theory, rationale, images and interpretation. Radiographic anatomy and positioning of the extremities, chest, abdomen, pelvis, vertebral column, and routine fluoroscopic procedures will be stressed. Therapeutic instruction on the use of ultrasound guided techniques for administration of peripheral nerve blocks will be included.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 822

During this course the students will present the pathophysiology, anesthesia management plans, and co-morbidities of their patients seen over the semester. Appraisal of clinical experiences students have encountered will serve as a vehicle for demonstrating increased proficiency in anesthesia practice, and the opportunity to review pathophysiology, disease processes, and co-morbidities.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: N/A

This course prepares advanced practice nurses as part of interdisciplinary teams to utilize health information technologies and informatics processes to provide care, gather data, and support evidence-based clinical decision making and healthcare management systems management. The course will provide socio-technical models and tools to identify the impact of health information technology on people, processes, and policies and evaluate the intended and unintended consequences on patient safety, workflow processes and healthcare outcomes. The course will explore health information technology innovations and enhancements that support the provisions of healthcare services and clinical practice throughout hospitals, healthcare systems, and communities, including clinical decision support, data repositories, health information exchanges, artificial intelligence, telehealth and mobile health, and continuum of care management and patient engagement. The course will examine approaches to data management and analytics that can be used to evaluate and improve patient care and safety, health care delivery, cost of care, care management, and population health initiatives.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: GPNS 971

This course builds on the foundational principles of evidence-based practice to enhance the understanding and practice of cost-effective evidence-based nursing care and translation research at an advanced level. The DNP student will learn to contribute to the expansion of knowledge underlying advanced professional nursing practice through the translation of research into practice based on a distinct population’s critical needs. Students will develop and refine competencies and skills in translating nursing research using a collaborative, culturally sensitive approach when dealing with stakeholders in a variety of settings. Students’ enhanced understanding and proficiency in translating evidence will guide them in transforming the evidence-based approaches used in practice keeping in mind safety, affordability and accessibility. Students will formulate methods to evaluate outcomes of clinical practice changes that affect all members of the healthcare/patient team. Human subjects’ research will be discussed with a focus on ethical principles. Finally, dissemination of clinical practice scholarship will be examined as a critical element of DNP practice.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 823

During this course the students will present anesthesia management plans incorporating pathophysiology, pharmacology, and co-morbidities of their patients seen over the semester. Appraisal of clinical experiences students have encountered will serve as a vehicle for demonstrating increased proficiency in anesthesia practice, and the opportunity to review pathophysiology, disease processes, and co-morbidities. The National Certification Exam (NCE) map will be applied to patient case discussions.

Credits: 6

Pre-Requisite: GPNS 906 & 908

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practicum for the CRNA is a comprehensive, progressive experience that spans multiple facets of advanced practice within healthcare organizations or communities. Anchored in the core tenets of the DNP CRNA program, this course is divided into two phases to guide students through the completion of their DNP CRNA Project. In the initial phase, students immerse themselves in practicum experiences under the guidance of a Residency Preceptor. Through meaningful engagement with nursing and interdisciplinary teams, students collaborate to design, implement, and/or evaluate evidence-based initiatives aimed at improving outcomes and elevating the quality of anesthesia care. Working alongside clinical and leadership staff, students address ethical, legal, and organizational considerations while navigating the change process. This experience provides students with opportunities to actively advocate for identified healthcare concerns, especially with vulnerable populations, and facilitate education among leaders and staff within the organization. Moreover, they implement data collection and management plans in collaboration with Health Information Technology (HIT) support, fostering a comprehensive understanding of leveraging data in anesthesia care improvement initiatives.

The second phase focuses on the continued integration of students within the organizational setting to culminate their DNP CRNA Project. Students engage deeply with nursing and interdisciplinary experts, refining leadership and practice goals. Additionally, they assess their progression against the AACN Advanced-Level Nursing Education Competencies and Sub Competencies, reflecting on their professional impact and growth. As part of the graduation requirements, students diligently track their DNP competencies, fulfill the required DNP Practicum hours, curate a comprehensive DNP Portfolio, and complete their DNP Project and beginning sections of their Manuscript. This final phase underscores the synthesis of their learning, leadership development, and substantive contribution to the field of nurse anesthesia. Ultimately, this integrated course equips Nurse Anesthetist students with the advanced leadership, clinical, and scholarly skills necessary to navigate complex healthcare environments, drive innovative anesthesia care initiatives, and make impactful contributions to the nursing profession.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 824

This course will synthesize role theory, professional practice issues, and malpractice liability for those preparing for transition to APRN CRNA practice. Exploration of federal legislation and state level licensure, models of health care delivery and reform related to evolving health care along with quality improvement and safety within APRN CRNA practice will take place.

The pathophysiology of key systems will be reviewed, along with general and advanced core science concepts. Test taking strategies, management of test anxiety, and other test preparation activities will be reviewed in preparation for the National Certification Exam (NCE).  Concepts of the Synergy Model that address patient resiliency, vulnerability, and stability will be incorporated throughout the course.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 972

This seminar experience provides an interactive opportunity for students to finalize their scholarly project, prepare their manuscript for submission, and presentation of their DNP project.

Credits: 3

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 825

During this course the students will present anesthesia management plans incorporating pathophysiology, pharmacology, and co-morbidities of their patients seen over the semester. Students will differentiate between a single patient’s various co-morbidities and how they will impact an anesthetic plan. Specialized surgeries will be explored for the anesthetic complexity they require. Some examples are: open heart surgeries and semi-invasive cardiac procedures; pulmonary wedge resections; hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion procedures; awake craniotomies; multi-level spinal surgeries; Whipple procedures; liver resections; transplantations (heart-lung, liver, bowel); and various trauma and burns across the lifespan. Associations between the impact of surgical procedures, anesthetic techniques, and pre-operative co-morbidities will be examined.

Credits: 2

Pre-Requisite: GPNA 825

During this course the students will present anesthesia management plans incorporating pathophysiology, pharmacology, and co-morbidities of their patients seen over the semester. Students will appraise experiences that are complex and highly acute in nature, serving as a vehicle for demonstrating increased proficiency in anesthesia practice. A review of pathophysiology, disease processes, and co-morbidities will be included. The students will be assisted with their plans for final preparation for National Certification Exam (NCE).