Care of At-Risk Populations

Catalog description

This course focuses on the complex management of primary care problems experienced by individuals across the lifespan. Risk factors including infectious disease, inflammatory state, immunological deficiency, obesity, age, genetic predisposition, psychosocial status, and behavioral health problems and how they influence the management of an individual's health status are studied. The impact of issues such as mistreatment, abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and end-of-life concerns on healthcare needs are also examined. Students will explore issues of healthcare delivery across environments of care as they integrate all aspects of the advanced practice nurse role including shared decision making and interprofessional collaboration. Additional pharmacology is discussed for each system for a minimum of five hours. Reflective practice techniques are used to document selective patient encounters. A culminating project, selected by faculty and student, involving synthesis and use of knowledge from previous coursework and practica experiences is required. 42 theory hours.