Outcomes

Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist MSN

Upon graduation, students will demonstrate mastery of the 3 Spheres of Influence: 5 Roles of the CNS:

Sphere of Influence: Client

AG­CNS as an Advanced Practitioner

• Demonstrate critical thinking and sound scientific reasoning skills in clinical decision-making for the adult-gerontology population.
• Improve patient outcomes through application of advanced cognitive, psychomotor, cultural, and physiological principles in assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, management and evaluation of human response to acute and chronic illness, surgical intervention or the wellness continuum related to changes in life processes.
• Develop comprehensive nursing care plans/critical pathways based on current theories, evidence based practice, safety, efficacy, standards of care, and advanced clinical knowledge and expertise processes.

Sphere of Influence: Nurse and Nursing Practice

AG­CNS as an Educator

• Identify and implement process/system interventions to decrease risk of iatrogenic injuries.
• Apply adult learning theory/principles to enhance practice skills and knowledge of clinical staff.
• Provide anticipatory guidance for expected and potential rapidly changing and complex situational events.
• Develop, coordinate, implement and evaluate an educational program for clinical staff and/or patient education.

AGCNS as a Scholar (Evidence-Based Practice)

• Expand the scientific base of nursing practice by utilizing, facilitating, and conducting research-based/evidence-based clinical projects.
• Explore practice protocols, ensuring ethical and legal practices are maintained throughout the process.
• Apply a theory-based conceptual framework to guide practice.
• Critically analyze the literature and apply evidence-based concepts in the management of the adult-gerontology population in the clinical setting.
• Contribute to the scientific nursing literature by presenting and publishing scholarly works.
• Disseminate recent innovations and evidence-based practice findings that are relevant to practice and patient outcomes.

Sphere of Influence: Organization/System

AG­CNS as a Consultant

• Utilize clinical expertise to collaborate and/or consult with members of the health care team regarding patient outcome variations.
• Serve as nursing expert in support of an inter-professional team in planning care for the adult-gerontology population.
• Incorporate the role of clinical expert, educator, scholar (EBP/researcher), and manager in the application of change theory during the consultation process.

AG­CNS as a Manager/Leader

• Perform departmental systems review to identify, develop, implement and evaluate programs in support of patient safety, patient outcomes, efficiency and/or productivity.
• Provide leadership in building an inter-professional team for collaborative relationships and innovative partnering practices in support of program development.
• Utilize financial and resource principles to formulate budgetary, staffing, supply, capital equipment management, and cost containment strategies.
• Evaluate implications of federal health care policy as they relate to health care professionals, clients, ethics and the delivery of care within the practice setting.

  *“client” represents patient, family, community, group, and population

AG-CNS MSN Program outcome requirements

• Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
  • 24 months of full time study
  • Complete required number of program credits and clinical hours
  • Complete the EBP proposal
• Comply with program requirements for graduation.
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Achieve the minimum grade required in each course
  • Obtain a minimum of 500 clinical hours in the population/role of the AG-CNS and over 900 total clinical hours
  • Complete all practicum requirements
  • Maintain specialty certification (e.g., CNOR, CCRN, CEN)
  • Maintain certification in BLS and ACLS (PALS, NRP optional) throughout the program
• Meet the mission of the Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program.
  • Meets the GSN and AG-CNS program’s terminal competencies/expected outcomes
  • Recommended for graduation by the AG-CNS Program Director

Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP

AGCNS DNP Program–Specific Terminal Competencies

Upon completion of the AG-CNS DNP program the graduate will demonstrate mastery of the CNS Spheres of Influence and Roles of the CNS:

• Client: AG-CNS as an Advanced Practitioner
  • Use advanced clinical judgment and critical thinking skills to diagnose client conditions related to disease, health and illness within cultural, ethnic, behavioral and other contexts across the lifespan.
  • Implement client assessment strategies to improve patient outcomes through application of advanced cognitive, psychomotor, cultural, and physiological principles in assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, management and evaluation of human response to illness, surgical intervention or changes in life processes
  • Conduct evidence-based, comprehensive specialty focused assessment of client health care needs, integrating data from multiple sources which could include the client and inter-professional team members with consideration given to safety, efficacy, standards of care, and advanced clinical knowledge and expertise.
  • Design, implement and evaluate a broad range of evidence-based interventions for clients, which may include prescribing and administering pharmacologic and/or other therapeutic interventions.
  • Advocate for the integration of client preferences and rights including consultation for complex health care needs utilizing a broad range of scientific and humanistic theories in support of health care decision-making among the interprofessional team.
• Nurse and Nursing Practice: AG-CNS as an Educator
  • Identify and implement process/system interventions to decrease risk of iatrogenic injuries.
  • Provide leadership to the inter-professional team to enhance practice skills and clinical knowledge in translating evidence to practice.
  • Promote professional growth and develop inter-professional teams through the enhancement of direct care competencies including decisive responses to rapidly changing and complex situations.
  • Apply principles of teaching/learning and health literacy to design, provide, and evaluate client and inter-professional education.
• Nurse and Nursing Practice: AG-CNS as a Scholar (Evidence-Based Practice)
  • Integrate evidence-based principles/concepts from databases, benchmarks, and epidemiologic data to evaluate and improve system level programs and outcomes.
  • Explore practice protocols, ensuring ethical and legal practices are maintained throughout the process.
  • Apply theory based conceptual frameworks to guide practice.
  • Critically analyze, synthesize and disseminate evidence supporting best practice to advance client care and health care delivery to improve the health of populations.
  • Translate and disseminate evidence-based practice findings to guide clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.
• Organization/System: AG-CNS as a Consultant
  • Utilize clinical expertise to collaborate and/or consult with members of the health care team regarding patient outcomes variations.
  • Serve as nursing/subject matter expert and/or member of an inter-professional team in planning care for the adult-gerontology population.
  • Incorporate the role of clinical expert, educator, scholar, and manager/leader in the application of change theory during the consultation process.
• Organization/System: AG-CNS as a Manager/Leader
  • Design entrepreneurial programs of care that improve(s) delivery and outcomes of health care.
  • Direct the analysis and dissemination of outcomes of client care programs and/or departmental systems to enhance patient outcomes and promote patient safety, quality of care, efficiency and/or productivity while considering epidemiologic, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors.
  • Provide leadership in building an inter-professional team and facilitate collaboration in support of innovative partnering practices that incorporate ethical principles in health care planning and delivery.
  • Identify fiscal and other resources needed to evaluate interventions, products and services for system-level programs with consideration given to budgetary, logistical and staffing requirements needed to enhance clinical and fiscal outcomes.
  • Use organizational and system theory to analyze health care policy and facilitate and create clinical environments that promote care delivery at the local, regional, and national level that is evidence-based, outcome-focused, collaborative, cost-effective, and ethical.
  • Use information technology to promote safety, quality of care, and facilitate resource management in support of population health, improving the patients' experiences, and decreasing the cost of care.
  • Demonstrate leadership by advocating for the profession of nursing through participating in professional organizations, boards and task forces at the institutional, local, state, national, and international levels.

    *“client” represents patient, family, community, group, and population

AG-CNS DNP Program outcome requirements

• Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
  • 36 months of full time study
  • Complete the required number of semester credits and clinical hours outlined for the program
  • DNP portfolio
  • Scholarly project
• Comply with program requirements for graduation.
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Achieve the minimum grade required in each course
  • Obtain a minimum of 1000 clinical hours in the population/role of the AG-CNS and over 1600 total clinical hours
  • Complete all practicum requirements
  • Maintain specialty certification (e.g., CNOR, CCRN, CEN)
  • Maintain certification in BLS and ACLS (PALS, NRP optional) throughout the program
  • Complete ePortfolio
• Meet the mission of the Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program.
  • Meets the GSN and AG-CNS program’s terminal competency outcomes
  • Recommended for graduation by the AG-CNS Program Director

Family Nurse Practitioner and Women's Health Nurse Practitioner DNP

Upon completion of the program, the DNP FNP, WHNP or FNP/WHNP dual track graduate will be prepared to meet all of the NONPF Core, Family Nurse Practitioner, and/or Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner population competencies and will also be prepared to:

• Manage the unique healthcare needs of Federal beneficiaries including active duty service members and their families, retirees, and other directed populations.
• Provide adaptive leadership in joint service environments within multidisciplinary teams.
• Deliver healthcare in unique and dynamic settings including military operational, austere, disaster, humanitarian and civic aid environments.

FNP/WHNP Program Terminal Competencies/Expected Outcomes

• Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
  • 36 months of full time study
  • Complete required number of program courses, credits and clinical hours
  • Complete the DNP Portfolio
• Comply with program requirements for graduation.
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or above and in good academic standing
  • Achieve the minimum grade required in each course
  • Obtain a minimum of 1700 total clinical hours

  • Must be eligible to sit for national certification exams

• Meet the mission of the Family & Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program.
  • Meet the GSN DNP, FNP, and WHNP program terminal competencies/expected outcomes
  • Be recommended for graduation by the FNP/WHNP Program Director

Psychiatric Mental Health DNP

PMHNP Program –Specific Terminal Competencies/Expected Outcomes

Upon graduation, the DNP PMHNP graduate is prepared to:

• Manage the unique healthcare for the behavioral health needs of military beneficiaries across the lifespan.
• Provide adaptive leadership in joint service environments within multidisciplinary teams.
• Deliver healthcare in unique and dynamic settings including military operational, austere, disaster, and humanitarian and civic aid environments.

PMHNP Program outcome requirements

• Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
  • 36 months of full time study
  • Complete required number of program credits and clinical hours
  • Complete the DNP Portfolio
• Comply with program requirements for graduation.
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Achieve the minimum grade required in each course
  • Obtain a minimum of 1700 total clinical hours
  • Receive a “pass” in all clinical practicum components
• Meet the mission of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program.
  • Meet the GSN and PMHNP program terminal objectives and NONPF Core and PHMNHP competencies
  • Be recommended for graduation by the FNP Program Director
• Meet the mission needs of the respective service who sponsored education

• Eligible to sit and/or successfully pass the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam for PMHNP

Registered Nurse Anesthetist DNP

The GSN CRNA terminal outcome competencies/expected outcomes are in accordance with those set by the Standards of Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs.

Biological Systems, Homeostasis and Pathogenesis

• Analyze best practice models for nurse anesthesia patient care management through integration of knowledge acquired from arts and sciences within the context of the scope and standards of nurse anesthesia practice.
• Use a systematic outcomes analysis approach in the translation of research evidence and data in the arts and sciences to demonstrate they will have the expected effects on nurse anesthesia practice.

Professional Role

• Demonstrate ability to undertake complex leadership roles in nurse anesthesia.
• Demonstrate ability to provide leadership that facilitates intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration.
• Integrate critical and reflective thinking in leadership style.
• Demonstrate ability to utilize a variety of leadership principles in the management of situations.

Healthcare Improvement

• Use evidence based practice to inform clinical decision making in nurse anesthesia.
• Evaluate how public processes impact the financing and delivery of healthcare.
• Develop and assess strategies to improve patient outcomes and quality of care. Practice Inquiry
• Demonstrate the ability to assess and evaluate health outcomes in a variety of populations, clinical settings, and systems.
• Demonstrate ability to disseminate research evidence.
• Complete a scholarly work that demonstrates knowledge within the area of academic focus.

Technology and Informatics

• Use information systems/technology to support and improve patient care and healthcare systems.
• Critically evaluate clinical and research databases used as clinical decision support resources.

Public and Social Policy

• Advocate for health policy change to improve patient care and advance the specialty of nurse anesthesia.

Health Systems Management

• Analyze the structure, function and outcomes of healthcare delivery systems and organizations.
• Analyze business practices typically encountered in nurse anesthesia delivery settings.
• Analyze risk management plans based on information systems to promote outcome improvement for the patient, organization and community.

Ethics

• Apply ethically sound decision-making.
• Inform the public of the role and practice of the doctoral-prepared CRNA and represents themselves in accordance with the Code of Ethics for CRNAs.
• Fulfill the obligation as a doctoral-educated professional to uphold the Code of Ethics for CRNAs.

CRNA Program Outcome Requirements

• Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
  • 36 months of full time study
  • Complete 107 program credits in the designated specialty
  • Complete a DNP Project
  • Successful completion of clinical practicum requirements
• Comply with program requirements for graduation.
  • Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 (B or better) in all letter-graded courses and passing grade in pass/fail courses
  • Completion of all required case experiences Obtain a minimum of 1700 total clinical hours
  • Successfully meets the GSN and RNA terminal competencies
  • Receives recommendation for graduation by the RNA Program Director
• Meet or exceed National Board of Certification and Recertification (NBCRNA) and Council on Accreditation (COA)

Completion of all required case experiences

Nursing Science PhD

PhD Program Terminal Competencies/Expected Outcomes*

1. ROLE- Develop the Science
   1. Scholarly knowledge base in a substantive area related to military and Federal nursing
   2. Critically appraise and assimilate diverse scientific perspectives in research
   3. Conduct original research that generates new knowledge based on a critical evaluation of existing knowledge
   4. Apply professional and research ethics and judgment in the conduct of research
   5. Disseminate research findings to professional and public audiences and identify the implications for policy, nursing practice, and the profession.
   6. Integrate data science and omics knowledge in nursing research and practice as underpinnings of Precision Health
2. ROLE- Steward the Discipline
   1. Integrate research, teaching, mentoring, and professional service as components of scholarship
   2. Communicate scholarships with publications and presentations in professional interdisciplinary forums
   3. Lead and advance the profession and understand the evolving nurse scholar roles and responsibilities
3. ROLE- Educate the Next Generation
   1. Lead and participate in interdisciplinary research teams
   2. Provide professional and research mentorship
   3. Engage and train future nurse scientists and scholars through discovery, application, and integration

*The expected outcomes are aligned with the PhD Program in Nursing Science curriculum and with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing- Pathways to Excellence Report.

The PhD students and faculty contribute to the discovery, development, and transmission of new knowledge, and the result of these activities is the development of a scientific body of knowledge relevant to military and federal health care. Graduate students also contribute to the research mission of the university through professional presentations and publications. Graduates of this program readily assume leadership roles in their respective service or organization and carry with them the expectation they will be productive throughout their career.