Content on this page is provided as a quick reference for planning. All official course descriptions/degree requirements/admission standards/program learning outcomes/etc. are published on the Undergraduate Catalog site.
Course Topics and Descriptions
NURS-RN 402 Aging and Vulnerability
Course Length: 7 weeks
Credits: 2
Description: This two-credit course focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities in caring for the aging population, emphasizing professional roles in promoting independence and health. Topics include ageism, advance directives, and using physical and cognitive assessment tools (e.g. mobility, nutrition, cognition, depression). Students will complete a home safety assessment, review a book or movie with an Elderquest theme, and reflect on how these insights apply to patient care. With a focus on relevant and applicable concepts, this course prepares professionals to effectively support older patients.
NURS-RN 402 Child Maltreatment
Course Length: 5 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: Explore the vital topic of child maltreatment in this engaging course that offers a thorough overview of child abuse and neglect. Students will be equipped with practical skills to care for vulnerable children, understand the lifelong impact of maltreatment, navigate ethical and legal responsibilities, and advocate for safe, nurturing environments for youth.
NURS-RN 402 Critical Issues in Obstetrics
Course Length: 7 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: This one-credit course explores key challenges in obstetric care, emphasizing ethical decision-making, maternal mental health, substance use during pregnancy, and a professional’s role in advocacy and leadership. Students will explore approaches to promoting quality care and navigating complex clinical situations, equipping them with practical skills to improve individual-centered outcomes in obstetric settings.
NURS-RN 402 Health Literacy
Course Length: 7 weeks
Credits: 1
Description:This one-credit course provides the opportunity to explore the impact of individual and family literacy skills on health outcomes. Focused assignments include determining the reading level of education materials, analyzing a screening tool designed to identify low numeracy skills of individuals, and assessing an environment through someone else’s eyes to identify areas for improvement in health literacy.
NURS-RN 402 Palliative Care
Course Length: 5 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: This one-credit course provides an in-depth exploration of palliative care, including concepts, cultural considerations, and ethical/legal issues related to end-of-life care. Students will differentiate between palliative and hospice care, examine the role of family-centered care, and learn strategies for pain and symptom management. Topics include addressing grief, loss, and bereavement, embracing spiritual and cultural preferences, and analyzing social determinants of health in palliative care settings. Assignments include case studies, discussions, a self-reflection on palliative and hospice care across the lifespan, and a position paper.
NURS-RN 402 Pediatric Ethical Issues
Course Length: 5 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: The purpose of this interprofessional course is to explore ethical issues that professionals
may encounter when working with the pediatric population. Emphasis is placed on connecting ethical
principles and professional codes of ethics to pediatric ethical issues. This course will focus on ethical
principles, legislation and laws designed to protect children, pediatric digital safety and ethical
responsibilities, pediatric wellness and mental health and contemporary pediatric ethical issues.
NURS-RN 402 Substance Use
Course Length: 7 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: This one-credit course explores key aspects of substance use in vulnerable populations, focusing on tools and strategies that can be immediately applied to practice. Topics include exploring the impact of language on care, substance use across age groups, stigma and its influence on care delivery, ethical considerations, and substance use within various populations. Students will also complete an SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) training, equipping them with evidence-based skills to support patients effectively.
NURS-RN 402 Wellbeing and Resilience for Professionals
Course Length: 5 weeks
Credits: 1
Description: This course provides an interprofessional overview of topics related to well-being
and resilience. Topics include self-reflection, recognizing future challenges, implementing well-
being and resilience in practice, developing a resilience and well-being plan, and reflecting on
one’s strengths.