Nursing and Health (NRHL)
NRHL 5501 Health Promotion and Interprofessional Collaboration. (Formerly 501) This course provides an in-depth review of approaches to health promotion as well as effective collaboration among members of the healthcare community. Students explore the problems and issues in using behavioral and social science theories, concepts and data to inform health promotion and health education research and interventions. The course emphasizes developing appreciation for the diversity of expertise in interprofessional collaborative teams as well as establishing basic concepts of effective teamwork. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 5502 Ethical and Culturally Competent Healthcare Professional. (Formerly 502) "This course draws upon philosophy, ethics, and the social sciences to examine key concepts of professional practice that form the foundations for leadership, including professional obligations, duties, rights, and cultural competence. Coursework leads to an increased understanding of interplay among socio-cultural contexts, ethics, and cultural beliefs about health and illness. Basic principles of epidemiology, community-based assessment and evaluation, issues of equity, and the risks to vulnerable populations are explored. Students also study the role of the educator, administrator, and social change agent to explore what it means to be a culturally competent, ethical healthcare professional and leader in health systems or education. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 5503 Evidence-based Nursing Practice: Research and Process Improvement. (Formerly 503) This course provides students with skills required to systematically research and evaluate current nursing knowledge to promote evidence-based nursing practice. Coursework emphasizes critical analysis of the current literature and proposed research methods, including quantitative and/or qualitative approaches to research, sampling procedures, data collection methods and data analysis planning. Research topics such as ethical and cultural issues, methodological procedures associated with scientific investigation, and potential barriers to evidence-based practice are also course themes. Students are encouraged to critically analyze differing research paradigms as well as current issues surrounding evidence-based research. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 5505 Healthcare Policy and Advocacy. (Formerly 505) This course provides an overview of healthcare policy, organization, and financing with emphasis on current industry trends. Students assess the atmosphere in which policy is created and how compromise and bargaining shape policy decisions. Current policy initiatives involving healthcare delivery as well as nursing are analyzed. Coursework emphasizes the role of the nurse as a healthcare leader and advocate in the healthcare policy formation process. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 5506 Quality Improvement and Safety in Healthcare Systems. (Formerly 506) This course analyzes problems caused by the varying levels of healthcare quality and strategies for improving them using models of evaluation and process improvement. Students learn to apply principles of quality and regulatory management with an emphasis on defining, measuring, and evaluating outcomes within organizations and systems to become effective leaders and change agents. Students are expected to participate in the development of actual quality measures and explain how such measures could be used in a defined health or educational system. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. Prerequisite: NRHL 5503. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 5700 The Scope of Nursing Practice. Provides the context for understanding nursing as a scientific discipline and profession. Incorporates theories from the arts and humanities to expand the scope of the profession. Students will engage with other disciplines, using current evidence to implement innovative approaches to address complex professional and clinical issues. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5702 Research and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing. Engages in the use of research and evidence to improve outcomes for patients, families and communities. Students will differentiate research studies from quality improvement projects and determine which is best to implement to address a practice issue. Students will explore the use of models to guide a project and evaluate the MSN leader’s role in research and evidence-based practice. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5704 Informatics and Technology for Healthcare. Analyzes the best evidence and practices for the application of information and communication technologies to provide cost effective safe care and improve outcomes. Students will evaluate the use of informatics and technology to address educational needs, policy development, clinical assessment and gaps in care provided. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5706 Leading an Environment of Quality and Safety. Leads team-based change initiatives grounded in quality and process improvement methods. Based on the integration of outcomes metrics students will initiate recommendations for policy change. Leading the dissemination of outcomes, students will have the opportunity to advance quality improvement practices. Students assume an advocacy role for initiatives that support a culture of work environment safety. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5720 Financial Management in Healthcare Systems. Analyzes essential budget and financial knowledge for nurse leaders. Evaluates the cost of care and reimbursement, space needs, staffing costs, and the financial impact of adverse events on the organization. Students will evaluate the need for interprofessional collaboration to provide safe quality care and control costs. Students will examine the role of the MSN leader as a financial steward, collaborator, mentor, and advocate for safe quality care to improve outcomes. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5722 Promoting Accountability for Person-Centered Care. Advocates for nursing’s professional responsibility to ensure optimal care outcomes. As a servant leader the student fosters a practice environment that promotes social justice and health equity. Students model behaviors that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their practice. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5724 Organizational and Community Partnerships to Improve Population Health. Collaborates within the organization and with community partners address population healthcare needs. Students create opportunities for individuals and organizations to improve population health and address the needs of the vulnerable within the community. Students develop a plan to provide education to vulnerable population within the communities they serve and contribute to decision-making, and evaluation for disasters and public health emergencies. Students analyze policy and advocacy to secure resources and optimize cost-effective healthcare for populations. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 5726 Professionalism and Leadership in Nursing. Utilizes self-reflection to advance personal and professional leadership development. Analyzes the nurses’ role in accountability and commitment to developing and conveying professional identity. Demonstrates leadership in advancing the profession of nursing by being a role model, promoting lifelong learning, personal health and wellbeing, and becoming a mentor. Prerequisite: Admission to the MSN program. This is a foundational course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 6507 Advanced Health Assessment. (Formerly 507) This course builds upon the student’s previous health assessment experience to provide the foundation for advanced roles in nursing. The course emphasizes physical, psychosocial, spiritual and functional assessment among diverse populations. Advanced assessment topics include focused health histories, advanced physical assessment techniques, differentiation of assessment findings and health assessment documentation standards. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505 and NRHL 5506. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6508 Advanced Pathophysiology. (Formerly 508) The course focuses on the application of advanced knowledge of the complex physiological functions and pathophysiological processes to the care of individuals with healthcare problems. Course content examines alterations in function as well as adaptive, integrative and regulatory mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, organ and system levels. The course is designed to enable the graduate nursing student to recognize and analyze these physiological changes and to apply this knowledge in a wide variety of clinical settings. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505, and NRHL 5506. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6509 Advanced Pharmacology. (Formerly 509) This course provides the graduate nursing student with the necessary knowledge to develop a greater understanding of pharmacology and application. The course content builds upon the student’s current understanding of pharmacology. Students will explore the principles of pharmacology as they apply to various disease processes with consideration of medication selection factors, client adherence and ethical implications. Clinical application of pharmacological management, adverse reactions and patient education implications are presented through case studies and scenarios. Prerequisite: NRHL 6508. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6600 Advanced Nursing Practice I. Focuses on integrating newly acquired knowledge into clinical practice and collaborating with interprofessional team members to design and implement an evidence-based quality improvement project to enhance health outcomes. As part of the preceptor-guided practicum, students develop advanced nursing practice competence and grow in their capacity for leadership. A minimum of 250 clock hours of planned clinical practice experiences are completed. Prerequisites: NRHL 5700, NRHL 5702, NRHL 5704, NRHL 5706, NRHL 5720, NRHL 5722, NRHL 5724, NRHL 5726. This is a practicum course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 6602 Advanced Nursing Practice II. Builds upon NRHL 6600 Advanced Nursing Practice I to complete implementation of the quality improvement project, evaluate its outcomes, address sustainability, and disseminate results to relevant stakeholders. Students demonstrate advanced nursing practice competence and identify strategies to promote life-long personal, professional, and leadership growth. A minimum of 250 clock hours of planned clinical practice experiences are completed. Prerequisites: NRHL 6600. This is a practicum course requiring a minimum letter grade of “B”. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
NRHL 6620 Building Effective Communication and Relationships. (Formerly 620) This course covers knowledge and skills related to effective communication and relationship-building across various healthcare settings. Students study communication strategies to address nursing and organizational issues and conflicts, as well as advanced communication skills related to diversity in the workplace, generational benefits, recruitment and retention, collaborative decision-making and shared governance. Building trust and credible organizational relationships with key stakeholders is also emphasized. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505 and NRHL 5506 or acceptance into the Post Master's Nurse Executive Leader Certificate program. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6622 Professionalism and Executive Career Development. (Formerly 622) Students focus on the knowledge, skills and tools to effectively coach and further the professional development of others within the healthcare organization. Coursework emphasizes the concepts of professionalism, personal and professional accountability, transparency, advocacy and ethical standards. Students complete a comprehensive executive leadership career assessment, conduct a gap analysis and develop an executive career plan for the future. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505, and NRHL 5506. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6624 Advanced Knowledge of Healthcare Systems. (Formerly 624) This course explores the skills and knowledge nurse executives need to effectively lead in a variety of healthcare systems. Students study the unique needs of healthcare settings such as hospitals, ambulatory facilities, community-based services, long-term care and private practice as well as financial, operational, regulatory and clinical aspects of management specific to a range of healthcare systems. Factors such as reimbursement, technology, staffing, leadership, organizational design and complexity and for-profit and not-for-profit aspects of the system will also be addressed in the context of nursing leadership strategies. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505 and NRHL 5506. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6641 Instructional Strategies. (Formerly 641) This course focuses on teaching and learning strategies in nursing education. Students examine frameworks for analyzing pedagogical philosophies, adult learning theories, ethical issues and professional values related to nursing education, as well as the integration of new technology in instructional design and delivery. The course emphasizes best teaching practices for nurse educators. Prerequisites: NRHL 5501, NRHL 5502, NRHL 5505, and NRHL 5506 or acceptance into the Post Master's Nurse Educator Certificate program 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6645 Curriculum Development. (Formerly 645) This course focuses on the role of the nurse educator in the development of innovative curricula and instructional design in a variety of settings. The student examines conceptual frameworks and key curriculum components of course development. Trends in curriculum, technology, program evaluation, and regulatory and accreditation standards are explored. Prerequisite: NRHL 6641. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6646 Leadership and Systems Thinking. (Formerly 646) This course explores principles of nursing leadership and the skills required for nurse managers and executives to function effectively in complex healthcare environments. The student develops leadership self-awareness in order to effectively lead change, build strong cultures and effective teams, and resolve conflicts. Pre-requisites: NRHL 6620, NRHL 6622, NRHL 6624 or acceptance into the Post Master's Nurse Executive Leader Certificate program. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6647 Evaluation Strategies and Methods. (Formerly 647) This course focuses on the role of the nurse educator in the assessment and evaluation of learning. The student applies key strategies to effectively measure achievement of learning outcomes in a variety of settings. Legal, ethical, regulatory issues and the importance of evaluating personal teaching effectiveness are explored. Prerequisite: NRHL 6645. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6648 Financial Management and Resource Allocation. (Formerly 648) This course advances student knowledge regarding financial accounting, budgeting, cost analysis, planning and control, and management of financial resources. The role of nurse manager and executive leader as it relates to responsible financial management in healthcare is explored. Pre-requisites: NRHL 6646 or acceptance into the Post Master's Nurse Executive Leader Certificate program. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6653 Advanced Nursing Practice: Clinical Immersion. (Formerly 653) This course builds upon the synthesis of prior knowledge and skills that promote the advancement of professional clinical nursing practice. The student applies nursing research and evidence-based practice to develop advanced clinical competency in a defined area of nursing practice. The course requires 70 practicum clock hours of clinical learning experience in the practice setting and the development of a nursing project proposal. Prerequisites: NRHL 6507, NRHL 6509, and NRHL 6647 (Nurse Educator Concentration) or NRHL 6648 (Nurse Executive Leader Concentration). 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
NRHL 6655 Advanced Nursing Practice: Capstone Project Implementation. (Formerly 655) This course provides opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills learned throughout the program into nursing practice. Under the direction of the faculty and guidance from the preceptor, students complete a nursing project that demonstrates their cumulative learning, nursing practice abilities, and professional growth that reflects master’s nursing practice. The project validates students' ability to synthesize and apply new knowledge and skills to real-world clinical issues and problems. The course requires 70 practicum clock hours of clinical learning experiences in the practice setting. Pre-requisites: NRHL 6653. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE