Course Descriptions 

NURS 515 The Healthcare Delivery System (3)
This course provides a conceptual model of the American healthcare system and the governmental system of developing and implementing health policy. This includes a theoretical framework as well as a delineation of the functions and roles of the major sectors of the U.S. healthcare system.

NURS 516 Application of Legal & Ethical Principles to Healthcare (3)
This course examines legal and ethical issues nursing and other healthcare managers negotiate as they manage the delivery of healthcare. Themes throughout the course include the manager as the steward of ethics and the importance of ethical awareness for all staff and staff inclusion in ethical decision making. The use of an organizational ethics committee will be practiced utilizing an ethical decision-making model which focuses on the importance of organizational values/mission, personal ethics, professional standards, and evidence-based decision-making. The influence of faith-based values on ethical decision-making will be outlined with students expected to identify and reflect how their own personal values shape their ethical positions. The context of the ethical response of management to medical errors and malpractice claims also will be examined. Multiple case studies that reflect these issues will be used to engage the students in decision-making regarding an appropriate managerial response.

OLS 540 Managerial Finance and Accounting I (3)
Managers, executives and boards carry fiduciary responsibility for their organizations. It is therefore imperative that they know how to read financial statements, analyze financial health, and communicate this knowledge effectively to others. This course teaches how financial data is generated and reported, as well as how it is used at the managerial level for decision-making, analysis and valuation. Topics include: understanding and reading financial statements, financial statement analysis, ratio analysis – what the numbers really mean, budgeting, and organizational governance.

NURS 626 Managing in a Complex Healthcare Environment (3)
This course examines the dynamics of leading the healthcare organization in times of rapid change during the 21st century. That change can be used to leverage effective organizational performance. The premise for leading healthcare organizations will be examined to include understanding the stakeholders, fulfilling the goals of the mission statement, utilization of evidence-based decision making to achieve goals, and sharing the rewards of improvement. The development of a culturally competent workforce that is focused on the delivery of care that exceeds expectations of a culturally diverse client base will be explored. The manager’s role in shaping the organization for effective leadership will be a major theme throughout the course. Theories of servant leadership and transformational leadership will be examined.

OLS 530 Organizational Behavior (3)
All organizations are organic, interconnected systems that take on a life of their own regardless of the individuals that occupy various roles in the system. Leaders need to understand their organizational systems and the behavior of those systems if they hope to effectively lead or change them. This course will explore organizational behavior and organizational development from a systems perspective, including concepts of change and conflict. It will rely heavily on case studies and student participation.

OLS 515 Introduction to Leadership Studies (3)
The course is an overview of various leadership theories, examining models of leadership, philosophies of leadership and different leadership styles. The advantages and disadvantages of various approaches will be studied.

NURS 702 Health Information Technology (3)
This course covers key topics in changes in technology, policies, and innovations that have occurred, historically and recently. Topics also include health informatics (HI) overview, electronic health records, healthcare data analytics, health information exchange, architecture of information systems, evidence based practice, consumer health informatics, HI ethics, and quality improvement strategies for HI.

OLS 555 Human Resource Management (3)
Properly managing human resources should be a critical part of any organization’s overall strategy for success. This course will provide the student with a comprehensive introduction to Human Resource Management (HRM) by exploring today’s Human Resource (HR) environment including current trends in HRM. The course examines the principles of employee recruitment and selection, job design and job analysis, employment law, employee compensation, training and development, and safety and health. 

 NURS 503 Practice Skills for Conflict Transformation (3)
This course focuses on understanding conflict, and on the roles, skills, strategies, processes and personal awareness needed for reflective leaders/practitioners facilitating conflict transformation in interpersonal and small group settings. Participants will be asked to consider their personal responses to conflict and their professional roles and responsibilities in relation to conflict. The course will include an overview of basic processes of conflict transformation including negotiation, mediation, group facilitation, and circle processes among others. Students will practice/evaluate the skills of listening, issue identification, appreciative inquiry, nonviolent communication, methods for structuring conversation in group settings, and awareness of the impact of self on others. The course is delivered through online discussions, reading, case studies, and an on-campus component with interactive activities and role plays. This course also includes a 3-day residency on the Harrisonburg, Va campus in early fall semester. Specific dates will in be announced by the MSN Program.