Course Descriptions
For the Health Sciences
Distance Learning Programs
Health Sciences Courses |
Clinical Laboratory Science Courses |
Clinical Leadership Courses |
Emergency Health Services Courses
The course descriptions listed below
are as listed in the "2002-2003 School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Bulletin".
HSci
101 Psychosocial Aspects of Health and Illness (3 credit hours)
Comprehensive introduction of the psychological and social aspects of health and
wellness, including social foundations of behavior and psychological
theories related to health and the impact of illnesses on patients,
families, and communities. Emphasis on the development of communication
skills and the establishment of caring relationships. Discussions of
special situations such as working with dying patients and patients with
self-destructive behaviors.
HSci 102 Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)
Biomedical and scientific framework for the understanding of human disease mechanisms
and biologic processes. Lecture presentations cover infectious,
immunologic, cardiovascular, genetic, respiratory, gastrointestinal,
neoplastic, reproductive, renal, hematologic, neurologic, and
musculoskeletal diseases.
HSci
103 Health Policy and the Health Care System (3 credit hours)
Incorporates economic theory and policy analysis methodology to analyze the impact of
changes in the health care system on the practice of health sciences
professionals and the quality and process of health care. The role of
state and federal legislation will be explored, and critical aspects of
the U.S. health system are compared to those of other countries.
Development of critical thinking skills through review of current medical
literature.
HSci
104 Management of Health Science Services (3 credit hours)
Application of management and organizational principles to the delivery of services
provided by health sciences disciplines. Issues addressed include
information systems, leadership, team building, fiscal management, human
resources management, quality improvement, and management of conflict and
change.
HSci
105 Ethics for Health Professionals (3 credit hours)
An overview of ethics and ethical reasoning in the health professions. Basic
issues and requirements of ethically acceptable decision making with
patients throughout their life span, including patient confidentiality,
conflicts of interest, allocation of scarce resources, occupational risks
in health care, and professional responsibility for overall quality of
care. Provides approaches to ethical problem solving.
HSci
106 Foundations in Management Information Systems (1 credit
hour; pass/no pass course)
Computer
technology as a tool of the health sciences, focusing on the use and
application of specific software packages, the Internet, and management
information systems in health care settings.
HSci
110 Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Concepts (3 credit
hours)
An overview of basic public health concepts for health sciences students,
including epidemiology, health promotion, and disease prevention. Review
of current issues in health promotion. Completion of a public health
project in a clinical site.
HSci
115 Introductory Biostatistics for Health Science Professional (3 credit
hours)
Basic concepts of biostatistics with application to the health sciences
professions. Research design, frequency distributions, descriptive
measures, probability, sampling, regression and correlation, analysis of
variance, hypothesis development/testing and data organization/analysis
options are covered. Prerequisite for HSci 191.
HSci
130 Primary Care Skills Practicum (2 credit hours)
Clinical
rotations in which the student reviews and demonstrates competence in
skills required for primary and acute care, including performance of
clinical laboratory studies, electrocardiograms, IV's, visual screening,
casting, and incision and drainage of abscesses. Students learn the
pathophysiology related to each health problem requiring specific skills
and will be able to describe normal and abnormal findings related to
specific tests. Includes a minimum of 80 clinical hours.
HSci
131 Adult Primary Care Practicum (3 credit hours)
Clinical
rotations focused on caring for adults with common primary care problems
and understanding concepts of health promotion and disease prevention.
In-depth examination of specific primary care problems, review of current
pathophysiology literature, exploration of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic
treatment modalities, and diagnosis and management of acute and chronic
problems prevalent in ambulatory health clinics serving the general adult
population. Includes a minimum of 120 clinical hours.
HSci
132 Primary Care Mental Health Practicum (2 credit hours)
Assessment,
diagnosis, management, and referral of individuals with mental health
problems in a general primary care clinic or hospital setting, including
depression, anxiety, adjustment reactions, drug abuse and alcoholism, and
agitation. Includes a minimum of 80 clinical hours in a primary care
setting.
HSci
133 Specialized Clinical Experience (2 credit hours)
Clinical
rotation in a subspecialty clinic, such as pediatrics, geriatrics,
orthopedics, neurology, dermatology, ophthalmology, or obstetrics and
gynecology. Application of principles of epidemiology, health promotion,
and disease prevention as they relate to the specialty practice. Includes
a minimum of 80 clinical hours.
HSci
190 Independent Study in Clinical Health Sciences (3 credit
hours)
Independent
study involving student-defined learning objectives related to a clinical
problem or health care delivery issue. Comprehensive paper is required
upon completion of the study.
HSci 205 Advanced
Physiology and Pathophysiology (5 credit hours)
System focused advanced physiology and pathophysiology analyzing health
deviations across the life span. Relate this knowledge to interpret changes in
normal
function that results in symptoms indicative of illness. This systematic
assessment
is foundational to clinical decision-making and management of health
deviations.
Lecture, clinical laboratory, and practicum are presented.
HSci
206 Clinical Decision Making (2 credit hours)
For students
in the post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program, the graduate program in primary care nursing offered in collaboration with George
Mason
University College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the graduate
physician
assistant program. Methodological approach to clinical problem solving,
with
emphasis on interpretation of patient histories, physical examinations,
laboratory results, and radiographs. Selection of appropriate
pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies, patient education, counseling, and referral.
Students
assist in analysis of clinical cases under faculty supervision and learn
to evaluate
symptoms in relation to pathophysiological changes
HSci
207 Practicum in Advanced Health Assessment (1 credit hour)
For students in the post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program
and in
the graduate program in primary care nursing offered in collaboration with
George Mason University College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Application of
advanced health-assessment and clinical decision-making skills, with
emphasis on
the collection of data needed to make a comprehensive health assessment.
Students work with adult patients in primary care settings under faculty
supervision.
HSci
209 Adult Primary Care Preceptorship
(4 credit hours)
For students in the post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program.
Integrates clinical preceptorships and seminars for the required 450 hours
of supervision in the clinical setting. Analyses of the scope of the nurse
practitioner's role
in the management of adult primary care. The student assumes progressively
increased responsibility in the delivery of primary care, with a focus on
vulnerable populations.
HSci 210-11 Family Primary Care I-II
(3 credit hours each)
For students in the post-master's nurse practitioner certificate program.
Seminar
and clinical practicum to develop advanced clinical decision-making
skills, integrating the role of the family nurse practitioner. Family primary care
problems throughout the lifespan are assessed and managed within the
context of the community, with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention
strategies
with medically underserved adults, childbearing and childrearing families,
and
families with geriatric members.
HSci 212 Primary Care of the Developing Family (3 credit hours)
The application of advanced decision-making skills to health assessment,
health maintenance/promotion, anticipatory guidance, diagnosis, and
management of common primary care health care concerns. Seminar and
clinical practicum focused on community-based childbearing and child
rearing families. (was HCS 212)
HSci
213 Advanced Family Primary Care (3 credit hours)
Seminar
and clinical practicum focused on the integration of the family nurse
practitioner role through the application of family theory and concepts in
primary care settings. (was HCS 213)
HSci
214 Assessment and Management of the Developing Family (3 credit hours)
Didactic
and laboratory course focused on primary care needs of childbearing and
child rearing families. Includes health assessment, health
maintenance/promotion, anticipatory guidance, and diagnosis and management
of common primary care health concerns. (was HCS 214)
HSci
221 Current Issues in PA Practice (3 credit hours)
Current
issues facing PA practice in the United States. Emphasis on issues
affecting clinical PAs, including the continuing evolution of the
profession, federal health policy, the role of regulatory agencies, and
the legal and economic bases for practice. (was HCS 220)
HSci 222 Applied Clinical Topics in Bioethics (3 credit hours)
Expands the student's understanding of the principles of bioethics and
ethical decision making. Emphasis on the application of these principles
in a variety of clinical settings, using case analyses. (was HCS 238)
HSci
223 Topics in Health Care Leadership (3 credit hours)
The course focuses on organizational management responsibilities faced by many clinicians and health care professionals today. Students will review principles of leadership and strategies for successful change management. Students will also analyze changes in health care delivery systems.
HSci 231 Anatomy for Health Sciences Students
(4 credit hours)
Gross structure of the human body, including musculoskeletal, nervous,
endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, and
reproductive systems. Laboratory work is limited to prosected specimens.
HSci 232 Biochemistry for Health Sciences Students
(3 credit hours)
Basic concepts of biochemistry and their relation to health sciences.
HSci 233 Pathology for Health Sciences Students
(4 credit hours)
Basic concepts and language of pathology, infectious diseases, and
fundamental
disease processes. Emphasis on pathogenesis and dynamics of disease.
Causation, evolution, and morphology of pathological changes in the principal
diseases
of each organ system, presented in coordination with clinical lectures
in PA 225.
HSci 234 Pharmacology for Health Sciences Students
(3 or 4 credit hours)
Drug disposition. Autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular and
gastrointestinal
drugs. Psychopharmacology. Analgesics, sedatives, anticonvulsants.
Chemotherapy, toxicology, endocrinology. Prerequisite: HSci 231, 235; or
equivalent.
HSci 235
Pharmacology in Clinical Pathophysiology
(1 credit hour)
The pharmacology of disease management.
HSci 236 Physiology for Health Sciences Students
(3 credit hours)
Functional processes of the human body, with consideration of the
cellular, muscular, cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine,
and nervous
systems.
HSci 237 Microbiology for Health Sciences Students(3 credit hours)
Fundamental principles and clinical correlations of microbiology and
microbial defense.
HSci 240
Issues and Trends in Health Systems
(2 credit hours)
Analysis of key contemporary issues in health and social policy that affect the design and structure of the U.S. health care system. Emphasis on the health policy process and initiatives that shape care delivery, the systems that deliver the care and ethical issues that can emerge when government, the private sector, consumers, and advocacy groups participate in setting the policy agenda.
Hsci 241: The Health Care Enterprise (3 credit hours)
An overview of global business principles related to health care systems with focus on the management of patient-centered care delivery, marketing, finance and fiscal management principles, information technology, and quality improvement in health care systems.
HSci 270 Research Methods for Health Professionals I (3 credit hours) This course provides an overview of the role of evidence-based knowledge and research in everyday professional work. Students will be introduced to several bodies of literature to better understand 1) an interdisciplinary perspective on health, and 2) multiple frameworks available to support research questions. As the basis for life-long learning, students will learn to critique articles and base decisions on available evidence. Students will practice and develop personal strategies for staying current with the literature and how to become educated consumers of research. By the end of the course, students will identify a research topic and complete a literature review.
HSci 271 Research Methods for Health Professionals II (3 credit hours) This course continues work initiated in Research Methods I. In this course, students will build upon their knowledge and skills pertaining to the evaluation of evidence, the development of a research question and the design of a methodology appropriate for the inquiry. An understanding of the mechanics and fundamental components of data analysis will also be covered.
HSci
272 Research Methods for Health Professionals (3 credit hours)
Methodological issues of basic, applied, and clinical research.
Students develop the knowledge and skills to critically appraise and
synthesize research results, analyze qualitative and quantitative data,
evaluate evidence-based methods, develop research questions, and identify
appropriate inquiry methodologies. Students become familiar with all
elements of a research proposal, including those relating to the use of
human subjects and informed consent. (was HCS 670)
HSci 297 Independent Study for Health Professionals (3 credit
hours)
Independent
study involving analysis of a clinical topic, a patient education project,
or an on-site mentored clinical research practicum. Prerequisite: HCS
235. (was HCS 297)
HSci 300Thesis (2 credit hours)
Research project and thesis preparation under advisor.
Prior approval by thesis committee required.
