EVIDENCE OF GROWTH:
PROGRAMMATIC LEVEL: MSN/MBA DUAL DEGREE IN HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION
University of Mary
A Heritage Rooted in Foundational Teachings and Practice
In 1959, the Benedictine Sisters of the Annunciation opened Mary College, offering four-year undergraduate degrees in nursing and education. Mary College would become the University of Mary in 1986, and today serves close to 4,000 students in multiple locations, both in-person and online.
That’s the simple Mary story. But while accurate, it doesn’t tell the complete narrative of an institution rooted in traditions that predate its founding by thousands of years.
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"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you" ~Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences
Ethically Based. Professionally Focused. Nationally Recognized.
An education from the Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences school prepares you for a career as a highly competent, caring, and ethical health care professional. Inspired by and under the patronage of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla – a physician, wife, and mother – we provide an education of excellence for servant leaders who uphold the dignity of human life and will transform health care for everyone at each stage of life.
Gary Tharaldson School of Business
Virtuous Leadership. Real-World Experiences. A Global Perspective.
At the Gary Tharaldson School of Business, you’ll learn the skills you need to succeed in business from faculty who are industry experts. Your coursework will be based on Christian, Catholic, and Benedictine values – providing you with a strong sense of ethics and responsibility.
Nursing, Health Care Administration Dual Degree, M.S.N./M.B.A.
MSN/MBA in Health Care Administration Dual Degree
The University of Mary’s MSN/MBA: Health Care Administration dual degree offers an outstanding opportunity for nursing leaders to earn both degrees in an integrated program that prepares nursing leaders with a unique blend of clinical and administrative skills, all grounded in the Benedictine values.
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The MSN/MBA: Health Care Administration program blends nursing and business coursework, imparting the skills necessary to analyze significant issues between clinical nursing practice and health care administration to offer effective conflict resolution and provide leadership for practical solutions.
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Program Outcomes
Integrate ethical practices and policies which appropriately address the unique health care laws and regulations health care organizations must follow
Synthesize information through research and data analysis using best business and evidence based nursing practice to facilitate change toward high quality, cost effective and ethical nursing care delivery systems
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, consumers, and other key stakeholders to effect needed change in health care delivery systems
Utilize stewardship of human, fiscal, and organizational resources based on principles of finance, accounting, and economics
Incorporate service and Benedictine values into nursing leadership practices
Evaluate current domestic and global issues on health care and possible impacts to a changing health care industry
Analyze significant issues between clinical nursing practice and health care administration to offer effective conflict resolution and provide leadership for practical solutions
Major Requirements
Required Courses:
Core Courses
NUR 510 - Health Care Across the Population 3 Semester Credit(s)
Health care extends beyond traditional settings of care transactions. It includes not only hospitals and clinics but also, in a growing capacity, the world (i.e., communities, regions, and countries). Public health knowledge is grounded in principles of epidemiology and influenced by genetics and genomics. Utilizing principles of both, students will explore environmental health, ethical health disparities, and issues of social justice.
​
NUR 551 - Critique & Design of Nursing Research 3 Semester Credit(s)
Understanding and utilizing research findings are fundamental skills that are needed to advance the nursing profession. This course focuses on advanced scholarly activities that are utilized to conduct nursing research. The history of nursing research; steps that are utilized to conduct research; and differences between the utilization of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are discussed. The modeling of servant leadership principles that includes the incorporation of research into one’s own practice; engaging in and encouraging activities to generate evidence; and promoting others to use research findings will be explored.
​
NUR 601 - Evidence-Based Practice & Strategic Health Care Decision Making 2 Semester Credit(s)
The health of an organization, a population, or an individual relies heavily on strategic decision-making based on evidenced based findings yet individualized to the unique setting they are applied in. This course will engage students in principles of evidence based practice and knowledge translation. Topics focused on will include health care quality, patient safety, population health, and health care informatics/technologies.
NUR 612 - Professional Roles in Advanced Nursing 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course provides a framework of professional standards that serve as the foundation to nursing education, practice and professionalism. The course will immerse students in the profession’s historical roots as well as current and future issues, roles, practice environments, and opportunities. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to role model behaviors that effectively advocate efforts to promote positive patient outcomes and advance the profession.
NUR 614 - Resilient Nursing Leadership 4 Semester Credit(s)/80 Experiential Hours
Complexities of the current United States healthcare environment require nurse leaders to act with moral courage and inspire transdisciplinary teams toward systems transformation. As healers, resilient nurse leaders are responsible to foster a spirit of community, promote adaptability, focus on patient-centered decision making, and establish innovative practices that sustain high quality care. This course requires students to explore leadership philosophies, design strategies for continued professional growth, and accept greater accountability as a leader in advancing healthcare. In this course students will be paired with a mentor to participate in and reflect on leadership experiences for future integration of best practices in their advanced nursing roles.
NUR 648 - Health Care Law & Policy 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course will provide a basic foundation of the legal system and a broad analysis of laws which impact health care. Topics of particular focus in the course will include professional licensing regulations, practices which create legal liability for health care providers and health care institutions, requirements and pitfalls of reimbursement and payment systems, the decision making processes for death and dying, and the exploration of laws which may directly or indirectly impact health care.
Specialty Courses
BUS 502 - Operations Management 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course emphasizes the importance of managing the activities involved in the process of converting or transforming resources into products or services. Topics include process planning, capacity planning, quality tools, and how the operations management area integrates with the other functional areas of the organization.
BUS 504 - Management and Organizational Behavior 3 Semester Credit(s)
Managers can be more effective leaders and decision makers by utilizing knowledge from the field of organizational behavior, which focuses on understanding human behavior at the individual and group level within the context of an organization. Concepts that influence behavior such as group dynamics, organization culture, motivation, power and politics, and conflict management are some of the specific areas covered in this course.
BUS 505 - Human Resources for Org Success 3 Semester Credit(s)
Human resources directly impacts organizational success. This course explores how the areas of staffing, employee development, compensation, and managing relationships can create a thriving workplace culture for genuine human flourishing. By engaging real-world examples, students develop the skills needed to navigate the intricacies of human resource policies and practices that preserve true human dignity and promote the common good.
BUS 555 - Financial Strategies for Leaders 3 Semester Credit(s)
Step into the role of a financial leader, making critical decisions that drive organizational success. This course prepares future leaders to use financial concepts and techniques to assess risks, optimize project returns, and maximize shareholder wealth, all while navigating ethical challenges. By exploring the dynamic roles of financial institutions, markets, and the economic environment, students gain the insight needed to confidently steer financial decision-making in real-world scenarios.
​
BUS 571 - Executive Economic Analysis 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course presents a wealth of real-world cutting-edge applications of advanced microeconomic theory. Applications will include micreconomic contributions to the understanding of leadership, globalization, consumer welfare and environmentally beneficial activities. The efficiency effects of perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly and monopolistic competition will be compared and contrasted.
BUS 605 - Accounting Strategies for Leaders 3 Semester Credit(s)
Gain expertise in financial accounting to make informed, strategic business decisions that drive success. This course equips future leaders with the tools to interpret accounting data, control valuable resources, and forecast costs with precision. By mastering these essential skills, students will learn how to make decisions that not only optimize efficiency but also enhance profitability, preparing them to lead organizations with confidence and insight in today’s business environment.
BUS 610 - Strategic Marketing 3 Semester Credit(s)
Learn to develop innovative marketing strategies that resonate with consumers and reflect ethical leadership. Through a blend of theory and practical application, students gain the insight needed to navigate the complexities of consumer behavior, market dynamics, and strategic decision-making. By exploring the relationship between marketing and other essential business operations, students become marketing leaders, capable of guiding truthful marketing campaigns that advance the best interests of both their organizations and the communities they serve.
BUS 630 - Contemporary Issues in Healthcare Administration 3 Semester Credit(s)
The field of healthcare is rapidly changing. Effective administrators and managers must stay abreast of current issues to proactively assess and prepare for the impact to their particular field within the industry. This course discusses and evaluates evolving issues and provides a venue for debate and analysis of potential impact.
BUS 635 - Legal Foundations for Business 3 Semester Credit(s)
Explore the critical intersection of law and business, focusing on how legal principles impact corporate governance, risk management, contracts, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance. Through real-world case studies and practical exercises, students learn to integrate legal insights into strategic planning while promoting human flourishing, protecting human dignity, and safeguarding business interests - enhancing their ability to lead ethically and effectively in a dynamic business environment.
BUS 653 - Healthcare Organizations and Finance 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course is designed to provide students with a practical understanding of healthcare financial issues, financial reporting and analysis. Financial management tools and methods used in budget preparation, evaluation of investment alternatives, financial forecasting and capital structures are covered with a focus on common practices in healthcare organizations.
NUR 560 - Applied Health Care Economics, Finance & Budgeting 3 Semester Credit(s)
Efforts to optimize delivery of high quality, safe and effective health care in a cost-effective fashion are the objective of nurse leaders. Factors affecting the financial health of an organization including economics, federal and state payment systems and regulations, and private insurance issues are investigated. Principles of health care financing, budgeting, cost/ benefit analysis, and fiscal reporting will be explored. The course will culminate in development of a business plan that demonstrates responsible management of financial resources.
NUR 696 - Leading Healthcare Innovation I 3 Semester Credit(s)/220 Experiential Hours
Students will initiate a capstone project within a healthcare organization as a member of a team. Working in consultation with a nursing leader a clinical practice question will be identified. The students will work together in teams to analyze the clinical practice problem, design specific clinical practice project recommendations and identify methods for measuring project outcomes. As a result of this course, the student will be prepared to implement and measure effectiveness of the clinical project in NUR 697 - Leading Healthcare Innovation II for the Nursing Leadership and Management program or NUR 698 - Leading Healthcare Innovation III for the MSN/MBA in Healthcare Administration Dual Degree program.
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NUR 698 - Leading Healthcare Innovation III 3 Semester Credit(s)/200 Experiential Hours
Working as a member of intra-professional and inter-professional teams, students will conduct planning, implementation, and outcome measurement of a clinical project initiated in NUR 696 - Leading Healthcare Innovation I. Careful consideration of human and fiscal resources as well as potential barriers to continued success of the project will be assessed, and recommendations for management of these issues will be included in the final project. In this course students will achieve university and organizational Institutional Review Board approval to implement, and subsequently measure and disseminate findings of the clinical project.
​
PHI 572 - Ethics 3 Semester Credit(s)
Perceive, analyze, and assess systems of values. Maintain ethical standards in a professional environment.
Statistics - Students must successfully complete an UG or GR statistics course before or during their course of study. Options include MAT 180, MAT 204, NUR 565, or approved transfer course.​
​
NUR 565 Statistics 3 Semester Credit(s)
Effective educators and administrators must have a basic understanding of the application of statistical concepts and procedures utilized in conducting research. Students develop an understanding of descriptive and inferential statistics for the purpose of statistically analyzing and interpreting research findings.
Program Assessment Course
HUM 799 - Graduate Studies Assessment 0 Semester Credit(s)
Master’s degree students register for HUM 799 the final term of their tenure in the program of study to meet the University and program assessment requirement as specified in the graduate section of the catalog.
Total: 63 Semester Credits
Program length: 2.3 academic years / 7 semesters / 112 weeks
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Experiential Hours: 500
Academic Transcripts
Graduate Clinical Experience
As a component of the graduate program requirements, I completed over 500 hours of leadership clinical experience. These totals are listed above under course summaries. I was able to work directly with my boss and mentor throughout NUR 614 in a leadership role within a non-profit hospice organization. I was also able to complete my evidence-based practice project with two classmates. Our project location surrounded the Community Living Center (CLC) at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center (VAMC). The culmination of clinical experiences and academic curriculum have strengthened my strategic decision-making skills, leadership skills, and ability to collaborate with multiple disciplines to work toward a common goal.
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MSN/MBA in Health Care Administration Dual Degree
The University of Mary’s MSN/MBA: Health Care Administration dual degree offers an outstanding opportunity for nursing leaders to earn both degrees in an integrated program that prepares nursing leaders with a unique blend of clinical and administrative skills, all grounded in the Benedictine values.
​
The MSN/MBA: Health Care Administration program blends nursing and business coursework, imparting the skills necessary to analyze significant issues between clinical nursing practice and health care administration to offer effective conflict resolution and provide leadership for practical solutions.
​
MSN/MBA Program Outcomes
​
Integrate ethical practices and policies which appropriately address the unique health care laws and regulations health care organizations must follow
​
​
Synthesize information through research and data analysis using best business and evidence based nursing practice to facilitate change toward high quality, cost effective and ethical nursing care delivery systems
​
​
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, consumers, and other key stakeholders to effect needed change in health care delivery systems
​
​
Utilize stewardship of human, fiscal, and organizational resources based on principles of finance, accounting, and economics
​
​
Incorporate service and Benedictine values into nursing leadership practices
​
​
Evaluate current domestic and global issues on health care and possible impacts to a changing health care industry
​
​
Analyze significant issues between clinical nursing practice and health care administration to offer effective conflict resolution and provide leadership for practical solutions
​
​
​​
​​Major Requirements
Required Courses:
​
Core Courses
NUR 510 - Health Care Across the Population (3 Semester Credits)
Health care extends beyond traditional settings of care transactions. It includes not only hospitals and clinics but also, in a growing capacity, the world (i.e., communities, regions, and countries). Public health knowledge is grounded in principles of epidemiology and influenced by genetics and genomics. Utilizing principles of both, students will explore environmental health, ethical health disparities, and issues of social justice.
​
NUR 551 - Critique & Design of Nursing Research (3 Semester Credits)
Understanding and utilizing research findings are fundamental skills that are needed to advance the nursing profession. This course focuses on advanced scholarly activities that are utilized to conduct nursing research. The history of nursing research; steps that are utilized to conduct research; and differences between the utilization of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are discussed. The modeling of servant leadership principles that includes the incorporation of research into one’s own practice; engaging in and encouraging activities to generate evidence; and promoting others to use research findings will be explored.
​
NUR 601 - Evidence-Based Practice & Strategic Health Care Decision Making (2 Semester Credits)
The health of an organization, a population, or an individual relies heavily on strategic decision-making based on evidenced based findings yet individualized to the unique setting they are applied in. This course will engage students in principles of evidence based practice and knowledge translation. Topics focused on will include health care quality, patient safety, population health, and health care informatics/technologies.
NUR 612 - Professional Roles in Advanced Nursing (3 Semester Credits)
This course provides a framework of professional standards that serve as the foundation to nursing education, practice and professionalism. The course will immerse students in the profession’s historical roots as well as current and future issues, roles, practice environments, and opportunities. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to role model behaviors that effectively advocate efforts to promote positive patient outcomes and advance the profession.
NUR 614 - Resilient Nursing Leadership (4 Semester Credits/80 Experiential Hours)
Complexities of the current United States healthcare environment require nurse leaders to act with moral courage and inspire transdisciplinary teams toward systems transformation. As healers, resilient nurse leaders are responsible to foster a spirit of community, promote adaptability, focus on patient-centered decision making, and establish innovative practices that sustain high quality care. This course requires students to explore leadership philosophies, design strategies for continued professional growth, and accept greater accountability as a leader in advancing healthcare. In this course students will be paired with a mentor to participate in and reflect on leadership experiences for future integration of best practices in their advanced nursing roles.
NUR 648 - Health Care Law & Policy (3 Semester Credits)
This course will provide a basic foundation of the legal system and a broad analysis of laws which impact health care. Topics of particular focus in the course will include professional licensing regulations, practices which create legal liability for health care providers and health care institutions, requirements and pitfalls of reimbursement and payment systems, the decision making processes for death and dying, and the exploration of laws which may directly or indirectly impact health care.
Specialty Courses
BUS 502 - Operations Management (3 Semester Credits)
This course emphasizes the importance of managing the activities involved in the process of converting or transforming resources into products or services. Topics include process planning, capacity planning, quality tools, and how the operations management area integrates with the other functional areas of the organization.
BUS 504 - Management and Organizational Behavior (3 Semester Credits)
Managers can be more effective leaders and decision makers by utilizing knowledge from the field of organizational behavior, which focuses on understanding human behavior at the individual and group level within the context of an organization. Concepts that influence behavior such as group dynamics, organization culture, motivation, power and politics, and conflict management are some of the specific areas covered in this course.
BUS 505 - Human Resources for Org Success (3 Semester Credits)
Human resources directly impacts organizational success. This course explores how the areas of staffing, employee development, compensation, and managing relationships can create a thriving workplace culture for genuine human flourishing. By engaging real-world examples, students develop the skills needed to navigate the intricacies of human resource policies and practices that preserve true human dignity and promote the common good.
BUS 555 - Financial Strategies for Leaders (3 Semester Credits)
Step into the role of a financial leader, making critical decisions that drive organizational success. This course prepares future leaders to use financial concepts and techniques to assess risks, optimize project returns, and maximize shareholder wealth, all while navigating ethical challenges. By exploring the dynamic roles of financial institutions, markets, and the economic environment, students gain the insight needed to confidently steer financial decision-making in real-world scenarios.
​
BUS 571 - Executive Economic Analysis (3 Semester Credit(s)
This course presents a wealth of real-world cutting-edge applications of advanced microeconomic theory. Applications will include microeconomic contributions to the understanding of leadership, globalization, consumer welfare and environmentally beneficial activities. The efficiency effects of perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly and monopolistic competition will be compared and contrasted.
BUS 605 - Accounting Strategies for Leaders (3 Semester Credits)
Gain expertise in financial accounting to make informed, strategic business decisions that drive success. This course equips future leaders with the tools to interpret accounting data, control valuable resources, and forecast costs with precision. By mastering these essential skills, students will learn how to make decisions that not only optimize efficiency but also enhance profitability, preparing them to lead organizations with confidence and insight in today’s business environment.
BUS 610 - Strategic Marketing (3 Semester Credits)
Learn to develop innovative marketing strategies that resonate with consumers and reflect ethical leadership. Through a blend of theory and practical application, students gain the insight needed to navigate the complexities of consumer behavior, market dynamics, and strategic decision-making. By exploring the relationship between marketing and other essential business operations, students become marketing leaders, capable of guiding truthful marketing campaigns that advance the best interests of both their organizations and the communities they serve.
BUS 630 - Contemporary Issues in Healthcare Administration (3 Semester Credits)
The field of healthcare is rapidly changing. Effective administrators and managers must stay abreast of current issues to proactively assess and prepare for the impact to their particular field within the industry. This course discusses and evaluates evolving issues and provides a venue for debate and analysis of potential impact.
BUS 635 - Legal Foundations for Business (3 Semester Credits)
Explore the critical intersection of law and business, focusing on how legal principles impact corporate governance, risk management, contracts, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance. Through real-world case studies and practical exercises, students learn to integrate legal insights into strategic planning while promoting human flourishing, protecting human dignity, and safeguarding business interests - enhancing their ability to lead ethically and effectively in a dynamic business environment.
BUS 653 - Healthcare Organizations and Finance 3 Semester Credit(s)
This course is designed to provide students with a practical understanding of healthcare financial issues, financial reporting and analysis. Financial management tools and methods used in budget preparation, evaluation of investment alternatives, financial forecasting and capital structures are covered with a focus on common practices in healthcare organizations.
NUR 560 - Applied Health Care Economics, Finance & Budgeting (3 Semester Credits)
Efforts to optimize delivery of high quality, safe and effective health care in a cost-effective fashion are the objective of nurse leaders. Factors affecting the financial health of an organization including economics, federal and state payment systems and regulations, and private insurance issues are investigated. Principles of health care financing, budgeting, cost/ benefit analysis, and fiscal reporting will be explored. The course will culminate in development of a business plan that demonstrates responsible management of financial resources.
NUR 696 - Leading Healthcare Innovation I (3 Semester Credits/220 Experiential Hours)
Students will initiate a capstone project within a healthcare organization as a member of a team. Working in consultation with a nursing leader a clinical practice question will be identified. The students will work together in teams to analyze the clinical practice problem, design specific clinical practice project recommendations and identify methods for measuring project outcomes. As a result of this course, the student will be prepared to implement and measure effectiveness of the clinical project in NUR 697 - Leading Healthcare Innovation II for the Nursing Leadership and Management program or NUR 698 - Leading Healthcare Innovation III for the MSN/MBA in Healthcare Administration Dual Degree program.
​​
NUR 698 - Leading Healthcare Innovation III (3 Semester Credits/200 Experiential Hours)
Working as a member of intra-professional and inter-professional teams, students will conduct planning, implementation, and outcome measurement of a clinical project initiated in NUR 696 - Leading Healthcare Innovation I. Careful consideration of human and fiscal resources as well as potential barriers to continued success of the project will be assessed, and recommendations for management of these issues will be included in the final project. In this course students will achieve university and organizational Institutional Review Board approval to implement, and subsequently measure and disseminate findings of the clinical project.
​​
PHI 572 - Ethics (3 Semester Credits)
Perceive, analyze, and assess systems of values. Maintain ethical standards in a professional environment.
Statistics - Students must successfully complete an UG or GR statistics course before or during their course of study. Options include MAT 180, MAT 204, NUR 565, or approved transfer course.​
​
NUR 565 Statistics (3 Semester Credits)
Effective educators and administrators must have a basic understanding of the application of statistical concepts and procedures utilized in conducting research. Students develop an understanding of descriptive and inferential statistics for the purpose of statistically analyzing and interpreting research findings.
Program Assessment Course
HUM 799 - Graduate Studies Assessment 0 Semester Credits
Master’s degree students register for HUM 799 the final term of their tenure in the program of study to meet the University and program assessment requirement as specified in the graduate section of the catalog.
Total: 63 Semester Credits
Program length: 2.3 academic years / 7 semesters / 112 weeks
​
Experiential Hours: 500
American Association of College of Nurse's (AACN) Master's Essentials:
Master's Nursing Programs
Master’s nursing programs prepare individuals for a variety of advanced roles in administration, teaching, research, informatics, and direct patient care. Nurses at this level are in high demand as Clinical Nurse Leaders, nurse managers, clinical educators, health policy consultants, research assistants, public health nurses, and in many other capacities. ​
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RN to Master’s Degree: Designed for nurses with associate degrees, RN to MSN programs take about 2 to 3 years to complete with specific requirements varying by institution and based on the student's previous course work. Though most programs are offered in classroom settings, many are delivered largely online or in a blended classroom/online format. The baccalaureate-level content missing from associate degree curricula is built into the front-end of these degree completion programs. The number of RN to MSN programs has more than doubled in the past 25 years with more than 200 programs available today.
Self-Assessment
As I have continued in my leadership development journey, my strengths lie in my commitment to servant leadership. I continue to lead by building relationships with those I lead. By utilizing open communication, I am able to lead without fear to meet common strategic goals.
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As my career has been built around nursing and healthcare knowledge, my greatest opportunity for growth is in the execution of advanced strategic planning and decision-making. While I feel fully prepared to take on new challenges, there will continue to be a lot for me to learn and build on. I plan to further my education through University of Mary's MSN to DNP Nursing Organizational Leadership program. The DNP program is designed to prepare the nurse leader to work at the highest level of nursing practice and leadership. I also plan to prepare for the CCNE certification.
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Graduate-level assignments across the MSN/MBA curriculum serve as key indicators of academic and professional growth by allowing students to apply interdisciplinary knowledge, evidence-based research, and ethical decision-making to real-world challenges in health care and business. These assignments are intentionally aligned with the MSN/MBA program outcomes and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, thereby fostering the development of nurse leaders who are both clinically competent and business-savvy.
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For example, marketing research projects involving hospice care decision-making allowed me to synthesize data analysis and consumer behavior trends to design high-impact, cost-effective service strategies. Legal and ethical case briefs require critical thinking around health care law, compliance, and ethical dilemmas, bridging the gap between regulatory frameworks and everyday leadership decisions.
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Collaborative case studies, simulations, and quality improvement proposals promote interdisciplinary communication and leadership, directly supporting the outcome of working with stakeholders to improve health care delivery. Assignments that involve financial analysis (e.g., budgeting, cost-benefit evaluation, EOQ modeling) demonstrate an ability to utilize human and fiscal resources effectively—a key competency in health care business leadership.
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Incorporating Benedictine values into leadership reflections and clinical decision-making papers further illustrates holistic development that aligns both with program values and the AACN Essentials, particularly Essentials I.
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Finally, by analyzing global and domestic health care issues such as staffing shortages, AI integration, or reimbursement reform, students are prepared to evaluate external trends and advocate for policies that improve care quality and access. These integrative assignments also enhance the ability to mediate between clinical practice and administrative responsibilities, cultivating conflict resolution and transformational leadership capacity.
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As a whole, the graduate assignments do more than demonstrate knowledge, they serve as cumulative, practical evidence of readiness to lead ethically, strategically, and collaboratively in today’s evolving health care landscape.
Strengths & Opportunities
