School of Nursing

Faculty of Human and Social Development

Undergraduate Courses

All Nursing courses are open to Nursing students only unless otherwise noted in the course description. Graduate courses (those numbered 500 and higher) are open only to graduate Nursing students. When a course is oversubscribed, preference will be given to Nursing students who are closest to graduation. Contact the School of Nursing or refer to current timetable for course offerings. Courses offered by the School of Nursing are also found under the following course codes: NUED, NUNP, NURA and NURP.

*Course offered off-campus.

NURS 300   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Academic Writing for Nurses

This elective online credit course, offered to both continuing and post-RN students, gives students practice writing academic genres: summaries, analyses, arguments, abstracts and literature reviews. Students brush up on grammar and APA skills and share and improve their writing through peer review and revision. Scaffolded assignments, drafting, revision, and self-reflective exercises assist students to develop writing voice and build confidence. This course will appeal to undergraduate nursing students eager to improve academic writing.

Notes: - Credit will be granted for only one of 300, 390, (Introduction to Academic Writing), 480 (Academic Writing for Nurses).

NURS 341   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Professional Practice IV: Nursing Inquiry

Builds on Professional Practice I, II, and III. Knowledge for the discipline of nursing is explored as well as various modes of nursing inquiry. Relationships between practice, theory, and research are explored.

Prerequisites: Continuing Students: Professional Practice III.

NURS 342   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Health and Healing VI: Global Health Issues

Study of complex chronic and episodic global health challenges and issues. Emphasis is placed on the role of the nurse as care provider, community organizer/facilitator, educator and advocate within the context of the global society and the changing health care environment. Participants examine emerging health issues and trends further to develop their understanding of nursing practice.

NURS 345   Units: 3.0   Schedule

Family Nursing

Building on existing knowledge of registered nurses, students have the opportunity to develop an understanding of health-promoting family nursing. Four major domains are explored theoretically and experientially: health, family, relational nursing practice and ethics.

Note: Credit will be granted for only one of 345, 330, 331.

NURS 350   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Health and Healing VII: Promoting Community and Societal Health

The role of the nurse in promoting community and societal health. A companion course with Health and Healing Vl. Participants will continue to develop competencies in relational practice with a focus on community and society as client. Topics include the political role of the nurse in working with communities explored from a social justice and equity perspective; community development and capacity building for community health promotion; transformative and emancipatory approaches to teaching and learning.

Note: A student must pass both theory and practice corequisites in the same term to advance to the next set of corequisite theory and practice courses. If a student fails one corequisite they will be required to complete both corequisites again the next time they are offered.

Prerequisites: Continuing Students: Health and Healing VI.

Prerequisites: Post-diploma students: 345.

Corequisites: Post-diploma and Continuing Students; 351.

NURS 351   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Nursing Practice VI: Promoting Health of Communities and Society

This nursing practice experience provides opportunities to develop caring relationships with families, groups and communities and/or populations with an emphasis on health promotion and community empowerment. Participants have opportunities to work with a community on an identified health issue.

Note: A student must pass both theory and practice corequisites in the same term to advance to the next set of corequisite theory and practice courses. If a student fails one corequisite they will be required to complete both corequisites again the next time they are offered.

Prerequisites: Continuing Students: Health and Healing VI.

Prerequisites: Post-diploma students: 345.

Corequisites: Post-diploma and Continuing Students: 350.

Grading: COM, F

NURS 360   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Professional Practice VI: Nursing Research

Building on Professional Practice II, III, and IV, participants will enhance their understanding of nursing scholarship and their abilities to comprehend, critique, and utilize nursing research. Participants critically reflect on various scholarly works and research methodologies. Participants experience ways to critically examine their practice in relation to nursing research and to pose research questions for evidence-informed practice.

NURS 370   Units: 4.5   Schedule

Consolidated Practice Experience III

This consolidated practice experience is designed to provide opportunities for participants to integrate learning from previous semesters, and to advance their professional nursing practice. Participants have opportunities to consolidate learning and advance their clinical decision making in a variety of settings. Nursing practice experiences consist of a six week practice placement.

Note: CPE Workshops are required for continuing students.

Prerequisites: 341, 342, 350, 351.

Grading: COM, F

NURS 425   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

A grounding in the techniques commonly used in the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Students will engage in the process of qualitative analysis through examining qualitative data, data coding and thematic construction. A range of descriptive and inferential statistical approaches to quantitative analysis are examined using a computer-based system.

Notes: - Credit will be granted for only one of 425, HSD 425.

- Strongly recommended for those applying to Nursing graduate programs. All students must have basic computing and word processing skills prior to enrolling in the course. Students taking the course off-campus must have access to a PC computer with a CD-Drive.

NURS 430   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Professional Practice V: Leadership in Nursing

A study of nursing leadership in the promotion of health for individuals, families, groups and communities in a global context. Topics include the role of the nurse in the Canadian health care system; the impact of global trends and issues; the issues facing nurses in the current work environment; collaborative and ethical approaches for working within institutional philosophies and frameworks.

Note: A student must pass both theory and practice corequisites in the same term to advance to the next set of corequisite theory and practice courses. If a student fails one corequisite they will be required to complete both corequisites again the next time they are offered.

Prerequisites: Continuing Students: 350, 351.

Prerequisites: Post-diploma students: 345, 350, 351.

Corequisites: Post-diploma and Continuing Students: 431.

NURS 431   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Nursing Practice VII: Engaging in Leadership

Opportunities to further develop competencies in the areas of leadership, influencing and managing change, and using research to promote the health of individuals, families, communities and society within the context of the Canadian health care system. Focus on participants’ growth as nursing professionals; opportunities to explore interprofessional practices and nursing leadership in the context of emerging Canadian and global health issues and trends.

Note: A student must pass both theory and practice corequisites in the same term to advance to the next set of corequisite theory and practice courses. If a student fails one corequisite they will be required to complete both corequisites again the next time they are offered.

Prerequisites: Continuing Students: 350, 351.

Prerequisites: Post-diploma students: 345, 350, 351.

Corequisites: Post-diploma and Continuing Students: 430.

Grading: COM, F

NURS 470   Units: 4.5   Schedule

Consolidated Practice Experience IV

This consolidated practice experience is designed to provide opportunities for participants to integrate learning from previous semesters, and to advance their professional nursing practice. Participants have opportunities to consolidate learning and advance their clinical decision making in a variety of settings. Nursing practice experiences consist of a six week practice placement.

Note: CPE Workshops are required for continuing students.

Prerequisites: 370.

Grading: COM, F

NURS 480   Units: 1.5 or 3.0   Schedule

Special Topics

Topics of current interest or concern to groups of students.

Note: May be taken more than once in different topics for credit in the BSN program with prior permission of Nursing Advising, and will usually fulfill credit toward nursing elective(s).

NURS 482   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Pharmacological Knowledge for Nursing Practice

A systematic approach to develop knowledge of pharmacological, herbal and homeopathic interventions. Students will have opportunities to explore populations of interest and local, national, and/or global issues related to pharmacological interventions and marketing. Students will work collaboratively to develop and disseminate nursing knowledge.

Note: In the on-campus course, online work complements in-classroom instruction. In the online course, conferencing tools will be used to augment required learning activities, readings and assignments.

NURS 491   Units: 4.5   Schedule

Nursing Practice VIII: Transitions

The nursing practice experience provides opportunities for participants to consolidate their learning and explore the transition to professional nursing as a BSN graduate. Participants also explore transitions in the health care system and the workplace that affect nurses. Participants may develop their practice within a specific area, e.g., particular setting of practice, a certain client population, or a specific health challenge.

Note: CPE Workshops are required for continuing students.

Prerequisites: 470.

Pre- or corequisites: 475.

Grading: COM, F

NURS 493C   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Lived Experience of Health in Aging

The complex nature of aging and health. Students will explore the determinants of health, as well as the common chronic and episodic challenges of health and healing in later life. Changing demographics and societal forces influencing present and future health care of older persons will be analyzed and critiqued. In addition, nursing theory and issues related to the delivery of care with older persons will be examined. Health promotion and nursing practice, and environments that support healthy aging are integral to this course.

Prerequisites: Continuing students: completion of Term 6, or permission of the department.

NURS 495   Units: 1.5-4.5   Schedule

Nursing Practice Synthesis

This final practice course is designed to foster integration and synthesis of prior course work. The focus is on research and theory-based nursing practice.

Note: Post-diploma students may take 495 more than once for credit to a maximum of 4.5 units. Students who wish to condense their practice hours will not be able to do so until after week six of the course.

Prerequisites: Post-diploma students: 345, 350, 351.

Grading: COM, F

Graduate Courses

NURS 500   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Introduction to Academic Scholarship

Introduces academic writing as a recursive process. Students will learn to identify their writing obstacles and error patterns and how to resolve these; practice revising and editing their work; become familiar with different academic genres, in particular the argument and the literature review; and plan for writing for publication.

NURS 508   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Methodological Knowledge and Advanced Practice Nursing

Explores a variety of approaches to research guided by a philosophical framework that includes ontology, epistemology and ethics. Emphasis will be placed on developing student's abilities to critically appraise and synthesize research studies with a view to clarity, consistency and coherence.

Note: Credit will be granted for only one of 508, NURA 515.

Prerequisites: 506.

NURS 565   Units: 0.5   Schedule

Trends and Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing I

Explores the notion of advanced practice nursing (APN) in light of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Advanced Practice Nursing Framework as well as other relevant resources. Students are expected to consider the mandate, competencies, and divergent perspectives and knowledge bases related to APN as they challenge and extend the boundaries of nursing practice and advance the profession. Addresses the evolution of APN in Canada, issues related to how advanced practice nursing is defined and competencies of APN internationally, nationally and locally.

Grading: INC, COM, N, F

NURS 566   Units: 0.5   Schedule

Trends and Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing II

Explores the notion of advanced practice nursing (APN) in light of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Advanced Practice Nursing Framework as well as other relevant resources. Students are expected to consider the mandate, competencies, and divergent perspectives and knowledge bases related to APN as they challenge and extend the boundaries of nursing practice and advance the profession. Addresses health policy and issues related to APN.

Prerequisites: 565.

Grading: INC, COM, N, F

NURS 567   Units: 0.5   Schedule

Trends and Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing III

Explores the notion of advanced practice nursing (APN) in light of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Advanced Practice Nursing Framework as well as other relevant resources. Students are expected to consider the mandate, competencies, and divergent perspectives and knowledge bases related to APN as they challenge and extend the boundaries of nursing practice and advance the profession. Addresses professional, ethical and legal issues related to APN.

Prerequisites: 565, 566.

Grading: INC, COM, N, F

NURS 593   Units: 1.5   Schedule

Thesis/Project Seminar

Prepares students to select either a project or thesis option in their program and to finalize membership on the supervisory committee. Students will explore options for research and begin work on the project or thesis proposal.

Grading: INC, COM, N, F

NURS 598   Units: 3.0   Schedule

Practice Project

Students will complete a project that is creative, innovative and contributes to scholarly nursing practice in an area of professional interest. The project is intended to facilitate synthesis of students' graduate experience and contribute to their development as advanced practice nurses. The project is an alternative to the Thesis Option (NURA 599). Evaluation of this course will be carried out as per Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations.

Notes: - Credit will be granted for only one of 598, 597.

- The examining committee of a student sitting a non-thesis oral will be comprised of a supervisor, a committee member, a Chair and an External Examiner.

NURS 693   Units: 3.0   Schedule

Candidacy Examination

Students enrol in NURS 693 to prepare for their candidacy examination. Students are expected to work with their supervisory committees to generate a reading list and review these readings in preparation for the candidacy process. Must be completed prior to registration in NURS 699.

Grading: INP, COM, N, F

NURS 699   Units: 30.0   Schedule

Dissertation

All doctoral students must write and publicly defend a research proposal and have it approved by their supervisory committee before continuing the research process. All doctoral students are required to prepare a dissertation upon which a public examination and defense is conducted. The dissertation must qualify as a significant and original contribution to disciplinary knowledge.

Prerequisites: 693.

Grading: INP, COM, N, F