Nursing 773

NURS 773: Advanced Emerging Therapies for Healthcare
               
Prerequisite: Doctoral level status in nursing or another discipline
            
Credit Hours: (3)
         
Examines advanced therapies becoming accepted by Americans as complements or alternatives to traditional Western medical practices. Focuses on non-toxic and non-invasive approaches to achieving and maintaining wellness and healing for the body, mind, and spirit.
    


Detailed Description of Course

Survey of complementary and alternative therapies employed by the American public
as complements or alternatives to available conventional Western medical practices.    


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Examines therapies becoming accepted by Americans as complements or alternatives to traditional Western medical practices. Focuses on non-toxic and non-invasive approaches to achieving and maintaining wellness and healing for the body, mind, and spirit.  Although the objectives and content of this course are derived from the School of Nursing’s philosophy and conceptual framework and facilitate achievement of the Graduate Program objectives, this course is applicable and open to all healing disciplines. The major topics and skills addressed in this course are essential to holistic practice. Current issues, research, and technology related to emerging therapies and their applications in various settings will determine course content. Students will gain a broad overview of advanced therapies that foster wellness within the body-mind-spirit complex, will critically analyze and explore means of incorporating these therapies into clinical practice.  Students will also apply these modalities to a self-care plan in order to serve as a model.     


Goals and Objectives of this Course:  At the completion of this course the student will be able to:
1.  Explain healing within the American health care system.
2.  Discuss the interrelationships of the body, mind, and spirit and the impact of these relationships to wellness.
3.  Identify the major conceptual and theoretical foundations for healing modalities,including intentionality, spirituality, chi, and subtle energy.
4.  Relate the profound influence of culture to decisions related to healing, wellness and health care.
5.  Examine specific therapies, which are emerging as complements to or alternatives to traditional Western medicine and be able to critically analyze these therapies.
6.  Develop a self-care model for wellness focused care plans for clients.
7.  Describe the process of integrating complementary or Western alternative therapies into a health care plan.
8.  Critique research related to these emerging therapies.
9.  Analyze issues related to the role of the advanced nurse practitioner and other providers in the use of complementary therapies in practice.


Assessment Measures

May include but are not limited to a written journal with self-care plan, on- line annotated bibliography with critique of current research related to complementary and alternative therapies, and a presentation to the class.   


Other Course Information

The course will incorporate a variety of learning strategies, that include but are not limited to discussion, guest presentations, demonstrations, participation in specific therapies, self-reflection, and critical analysis.  Additionally the student will have opportunities for internet exploration, and written projects.  Critical thinking will be evaluated through structured journals and threaded discussion.