School of Nursing
NUR 401
Professional Practice III
Semester Fall 2023 Boston
3 Credits
Faculty
Course Coordinator and Faculty
Dr. Fatma Zohra Mataoui, MD, RN, PhD
Email: fatmazohra.mataoui@mcphs.edu
Office Phone: 617-732-2161
Office: Griffin 416
Office Hours: By appointment, please use the booking platform to schedule a meeting.
https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/DrMataouiOfficeHours@mcphs.edu/bookings/
Zoom Room:
https://mcphs.zoom.us/my/dr.mataoui?pwd=Y3NzcGl5WnFEbmYzbmxsZ29RWmdlQT09
Faculty
Dr. Christine McNulty-Buckley, DNP, MBA, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC
E-mail: christine.mcnulty-buckley@mcphs.edu
Office: 670 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.
Office hours: online by Appointment. Please email to set up a phone or a zoom conference.
Course faculty are available Monday-Friday from 8:30-4:30 pm. Please allow up to 48 hours
during the scheduled work week for an email response from your course faculty, excluding
weekends and holidays. Out-of-office alerts for email will be used when faculty are out of the
office. Course faculty work collaboratively. When emailing about academic concerns, include all
course faculty.
Course Information:
Course Number: NUR 401
Course Title: Professional Practice III
Location/Time: Asynchronous-online
Course Credit: 3
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
Page 1
Course Description:
Students will acquire an understanding of the historical development of nursing as a scholarly
discipline and appraise its contemporary standing in the scientific community. Students will learn
the research process, methods of qualitative and quantitative research, and the legal and ethical
considerations of engaging in nursing research. Students will learn to apply critical thinking to
the evaluation of professional and popular literature and other sources of information, apply
research-based knowledge from nursing and the sciences as the evidence base for nursing
practice, and participate in the research process.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Trace the historical development of nursing as a scholarly discipline and appraise its
contemporary standing in the scientific community
2. Examine steps of the research process.
3. Differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research methods.
4. Evaluate and critique research findings from professional and popular literature and other
information sources for application to nursing practice across the lifespan.
5. Apply research-based knowledge from nursing and the sciences as the evidence-base for
nursing practice.
6. Participate in the process of scholarly inquiry.
7. Identify a problem in clinical setting, develop the research question and retrieve the literature
to use as evidence.
Required Texts:
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (7th ed.), https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Brown, S. J. (2018). Evidence-based nursing: The research-practice connection. (4th ed.). Jones
& Bartlett Learning. ISBN-13: 978-1284099430
Note on Textbooks:
The list of required/recommended texts and materials may include information such as date or
edition. If a student wishes to use a different edition than what is listed, they must obtain prior
approval from the course coordinator. If approved, the student is still responsible for crossreferencing page/chapter numbers and content.
Center for Academic Success & Enrichment (CASE)
The Center for Academic Success and Enrichment (CASE) supports students through providing a
number of academic support services introducing them to the strategies that will enhance
performance in their academic programs and ultimately contribute to their professional lives.
Academic Coaching/Counseling
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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Academic Coaches/Counselors work collaboratively with students by program cohort assignment
and can assist students with a variety of topics ranging from time management and prioritization,
study skill development, connecting with campus resources and more. The CASE staff are
available to meet with students on an appointment basis Monday – Friday 9:00am-4:00pm ET. To
schedule an appointment with your assigned coach/counselor visit the Student Success Hub.
Questions related to CASE services can be directed to the respective CASE department email based
on program location: case@mcphs.edu (BOS) or case.wm@mcphs.edu (WOR/MAN).
University Learning Network (ULN)
The ULN is intended to support students in meeting the challenges of our health- science based
programs with our resources consisting of: Subject Tutoring (Peer/Professional), English Language
Resource Center, Writing Center, and TutorMe.
Students can utilize the ULN’s appointment-based services (Subject Tutoring, English Language
Resource Center, & Writing Center) by visiting Student Success Hub. TutorMe can be accessed
through the Tools section of the course’s Blackboard page.
Questions related to University Learning Network services can be directed to ULN@mcphs.edu.
Accessing CASE Support
Student Success Hub: To schedule an appointment with an Academic Coach/Counselor or an
appointment-based ULN service, visit Student Success Hub at the following link and navigate to
the “Offices & Services” section:
https://mcphsuniversity.force.com/StudentSuccessStudentPortal/s/
Methods of Instruction:
The School of Nursing Faculty use a variety of teaching and learning methods. These include;
lecture, use of technology and media, guest speakers, discussion, weekly assignments, case
studies, simulation exercises and clinical experiences. Learning resources are enhanced by the
use of Blackboard Technology.
Students must pass both the didactic, lab clinical components of this course in order to advance
in the nursing program.
Methods of Evaluation:
Assignment
1. CITI Certificate
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
Grade
Weight
10%
Page 3
2. Discussion Forum Assignment: The Tuskegee Study
10 %
3. APA Format Assignments 4 @ 5% each
4. Group Scholarly Project
Part A: Problem Identification and Background
20 %
o
o
15 %
Step 1 of Part A
Step 2 of Part A
Part B: Research Question
15 %
Part C: Appraisal Worksheets
15 %
o
o
Step 1 of Part C
Step 2 of Part C
Part D: Literature Matrix
15 %
Total
100 %
Grading Criteria:
A
4.0
100-94
A3.7
93-90
B+
3.3
89-87
B
3.0
86-83
B2.7
82-80
C+
2.3
79-78 (minimum passing grade)
C
2.0
77-73
C1.7
72-70
D
1.0
69-60
F
0.0
<60
The professional GPA requirement for the SON is 2.7. The Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences School of Nursing grading practice is to eliminate decimal points
and to assign whole numbers as final course grades. The "rounding up” of a final grade is based
on .50 or above, not .49, .48, etc. For example, if the student grade is 72.49 or less, the final
grade of record is 72. Conversely, if the student grade is 72.50 or above, the final grade of
record is 73.
Evaluation of Student Learning Methods:
APA Format Assignments
Students will complete 4 assignments in Blackboard aligned to the assigned readings in the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition. Assignment
related questions will be posted in Blackboard and will address paper elements and format,
writing style, and grammar, mechanics of style, works credited in the text, reference list, and
other relevant concepts. See the assignment instructions posted in Blackboard.
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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CITI Certificate Online Program on Protecting Human Research Participants
Students are required to register for the above CITI online program and complete all modules.
Students will be required to register when they first access the site (there is no cost for this
learning activity – it is free). Upon completion of the modules, students will download a pdf
certificate of completion and upload the certificate to the designated Dropbox in Blackboard. See
the assignment instructions posted in Blackboard.
Discussion Forum Assignment- Tuskegee Study
Students are required to write a discussion board initial post and reply to one other posting about
the historical research that shaped the current and future of research in the United States and in the
world; the Tuskegee experimental study. See the assignment instructions and rubric posted in
Blackboard.
Scholarly Project (See assignment instructions and rubrics posted in Blackboard).
Project Purpose and Objectives
The aim of the scholarly project is to allow the opportunity for students to learn and apply the
steps of the research process. The completion of the project will demonstrate how evidence
drives current nursing practice to improve patient outcomes.
Part A: The purpose of Part A of the scholarly project is to utilize a spirit of inquiry to identify a
healthcare problem or issue and then use critical thinking skills to relate the issue or problem to
the scope of nursing practice.
Description of the Assignment
Students will identify a healthcare problem or issue and make a connection between the problem
and nursing practice. Next, a preliminary search of the literature will be conducted, and students
will write an APA-formatted paper providing a description of the problem, the background of the
problem, and how the problem relates to nursing.
Part B: The purpose of Part B of the scholarly project is to develop a research question and
identify search terms that will be used to complete a limited search and review of the literature
related to the problem or issue of interest.
Description of the Assignment
Students will develop a research question and identify search terms that will be used to complete
a limited search and review of the literature related to the problem or issue of interest.
Part C: The purpose of Part C of the scholarly project is to conduct a critical appraisal of
evidence identified through a search of the literature.
Description of the Assignment
Students will use the appraisal guide to answer the critique questions for each study design
selected for the scholarly project. This process will help to identify articles with
trustworthiness/reliability/and relevance to the selected scholarly project.
Part D: The purpose of Part D of the scholarly project is to gather current credible evidence
from the literature and build a literature matrix that displays the relevant elements of each article.
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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Description of the Assignment
Students will conduct a literature search related to the PICOTS question developed in the
Scholarly Project Part A assignment. Further refinement of the PICOTS question may be
necessary during this process. A literature matrix will be completed to organize and critique
literature related to the elements of the PICOTS question.
University and School of Nursing Academic Policies
Students must abide by the Academic Policies and Procedures set forth in the MCPHS Course
Catalog. Important information regarding Excused Absence Approval, Disability Support
Services for students, Academic Honesty and Plagiarism, and other academic policies is set forth
in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the MCPHS Catalog.
https://my.mcphs.edu/CollegeCatalog. Students must read, understand, and comply with all of
these policies and procedures.
Punctuality
Punctuality is expected of students for all classes. Neither tardiness nor leaving early will be
tolerated, as it impacts adversely upon the student’s learning experience and is disruptive to
fellow students and faculty. The School of Nursing has adopted a standard practice to minimize
disruption to the classroom learning environment by closing the classroom door(s) at the start of
the class session. For virtual classes, faculty will address tardy arrivals with individual students.
Faculty may remove students who repeatedly enter the virtual classroom late. If a student is
removed from a virtual classroom by faculty, the absence is marked as unexcused. If a student is
having technical difficulties, please email the faculty immediately to notify them of the
difficulty.
Students who arrive for a face-to-face class session after the door is closed must wait to enter the
classroom at the first break. Students will be held accountable for all missed material. Students
are expected to be on time and to stay for the duration of the class. If a student must be late or
leave early, it is expected that the student will present an approved excused reason for leaving
early approved by the appropriate Dean in advance. More than one unexcused tardiness or early
departure may result in failure of the course.
Other policies pertaining to punctuality are as follows:
Students who are late to class without an approved excused absence may be denied
the opportunity to take a scheduled examination, at the responsible faculty member’s
discretion. If the tardiness is subsequently determined to be excused, students will be
given an opportunity to make up the exam, which may be given an alternative format
(e.g., oral exam, essay exam, etc.) at the discretion of the faculty member. Students
with an excused absence, tardiness, or early departure are expected to complete the
required work and obtain handouts, etc., from classmates, and are responsible for
learning the missed material.

Plan to arrive at least 5 minutes early for classes. Testing and/or lecture will start promptly at
the time class is scheduled to begin.
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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Course Work:
All assignments are due at the times specified in the course syllabus. Issues/concerns regarding
the completion and or submission of the assignment must be brought to the attention of the
course faculty prior to the due date of the assignment. Grades will not be re-considered after
submission of the assignment and subsequent posting of the grade.
Faculty, at their discretion, may allow for a time extension up to a maximum of seven (7) days.
Unless additional time has been granted by the course coordinator for the completion of an
assignment, or unless otherwise stipulated in the course syllabus, a maximum achievable grade
will be calculated upon receipt of the late assignment. The maximum achievable grade will be
based upon a loss of five (5) points per day for each calendar day that a paper is late. For
example, a paper that is four (4) days late can receive a maximum achievable grade of eighty
(80) points. The assignment is then graded, and points are subtracted from a total of eighty (80),
as opposed to one hundred (100). All assigned work must be submitted, regardless of how late,
to successfully complete the course and receive a course grade.
All written assignments are required to be submitted in the corresponding Assignment Dropbox
in Blackboard. Source matching software (Turn-it-in/Safe assign) is a tool used by universities to
help students detect opportunities for improvement in written communication as well as to detect
any plagiarism. Please note that source matching software program Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences uses is set to allow for no more than 20% similarity index on
written assignments. If assignments have a similarity index greater than 20%, students should
revise the work according to the recommendations of the source-matching software program.
There are also free programs such as Grammarly that can be utilized prior to submitting into
Turn-it-in/Safe assign. (https://www.grammarly.com/)
Absence from Class:
In the case of illness or prolonged absence, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of
the Dean of Students on the student’s campus (Boston, Worcester or Manchester see links to
forms below) and their course faculty within five (5) days from the first date of absence. With
acceptable documentation from a student, an official memorandum will be issued notifying
faculty of an excused absence. Students may only make up missed class assignments, quizzes,
and exams if a valid excused absence has been granted. Graded work that is missed due to an
unexcused/unapproved absence will be assigned a grade in alignment with the Late Submission
Policy with a grade deduction of 5 points/day except in the case of quizzes or exams which will
be assigned a grade of zero (0). In the case of an approved, excused absence, the course faculty
will make reasonable attempts to assist the student to satisfy the requirements of the course (e.g.,
make up classes and exams).
Unexcused absences of more than six (6) didactic hours will result in a final grade reduction of
one full letter grade (e.g., B to C). Unexcused absences of more than nine (9) didactic hours will
result in a failing grade (F) for the course. Zoom will not be utilized for in-class lectures.
Students are responsible for missed lecture material.
The documented absence links for all campuses are here:
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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Boston: https://mcphsreslife.wufoo.com/forms/w1ewjh3k09bi7tm/
Manchester: https://excusedabsencemanchesterworcester.wufoo.com/forms/s64u3460znl7gq/
Worcester: https://excusedabsencemanchesterworcester.wufoo.com/forms/qvu5vz91uyt5ft/
Inclement Weather
Please refer to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Student Handbook
directory for information regarding university closure for inclement weather. MCPHS realizes
that some students travel more than thirty minutes to get to campus and the weather conditions
could be very different from the student’s home. Student safety is very important to the
University. If the school remains open and inclement weather is a safety concern, a student may
request a documented absence.
In the event of snow or other inclement weather conditions, classes will be shifted to remote
learning. Information will be posted via the Blackboard course. Thus, attendance will be
required.
Electronic Devices in the Classroom:
The use of laptops and other electronic devices/accessories in the classroom is at faculty
discretion. Possessing, displaying, or using cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic
devices during testing is prohibited. All electronic devices must be turned off (not on vibrate or
silent) and placed at the front or back of the classroom during testing.
Audio Recorders and Cameras:
The use of cameras and/or audio recorders during class is at the discretion of the course faculty
and must be approved prior to class. Students cannot record faculty or classroom activities
without the knowledge and consent of the faculty or class presenter.
Absence from Examinations:
Students are expected to take all quizzes and examinations at the scheduled time. Students will
receive a zero (0), unless excused documented absence is granted by the Office of Student
Affairs (which can be found in the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Course Catalog and Student Handbook). If an emergency or illness occurs, the student must
contact the Office of the Dean of Students and the respective course faculty member/campus
administrative assistant before the examination is given, if possible, or no later than 3:00 p.m. on
the day of the scheduled exam. Once the excused request for a documented absence is approved,
course faculty will coordinate a time to take the missed exam.
Social Absences:
In the case of requesting approval for an absence not addressed in the Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences Student Handbook (i.e., social absences), it is the student’s
responsibility to discuss the request for the absence with the respective campus Associate Dean
at least five (5) days prior to the date of the requested excused absence. Please note that due to
the nature of the accelerated curriculum, the excused absence may not be granted. If the excused
absence is granted, an official memorandum will be issued notifying faculty of an excused
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
Page 8
absence. In the case of an approved excused absence, the course faculty will make reasonable
attempts to assist the student to satisfy the requirements of the course (i.e., make-up classes and
exams).
BSN Essentials (2021):
I.
Knowledge for Nursing Practice
II.
Person-Centered Care
III.
Population Health
IV.
Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline
V. Quality and Safety
VI.
Interprofessional Partnerships
VII.
Systems-Based Practice
VIII.
Informatics and Healthcare Technologies
IX.
Professionalism
X. Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development
NCLEX Test Plan (2023):
The content of the NCLEX-RN Test Plan is organized into four major Client Needs categories.
Two of the four categories are divided into subcategories:
I.
Safe and Effective Care Environment
Management of Care
Safety and Infection Control
II.
Health Promotion and Maintenance
III.
Psychosocial Integrity
IV.
Physiological Integrity
Basic Care and Comfort
Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
Reduction of Risk Potential
Physiological Adaptation
Course Syllabus
The course syllabus is subject to change. Any changes will be announced to students in advance
during class or via the Blackboard course shell.
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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Weekly Course Schedule and Assignments
Class
Date/Faculty/Room
Week 1
Tues. 09/05Sun. 09/10
Course Content Aligned
Course Objectives
• Course Welcome
• Review of the Syllabus
• Review of APA
Requirements
• Introduction to Research
• Evidence-based practice
• Clinical Care Protocols
Course Objectives
1, 2
Assignments/Assigned Readings and
Other Supports
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapters
1, 2
2. Watch the Course Faculty
Welcome Video
3. Watch the Scholarly Project
Overview video created by course
faculty
4. Review all material posted in week
one coursework in
Blackboard
CITI Certificate Module Assignment
due Sun., 09/10 @ 2359
Sign up for a group for the Research
Project due Sun., 09/10 @ 2359
Week 2
Mon. 09/11Sun. 09/17
•
•
•
Introduction to
Qualitative Research
Overview of Scholarly
Project Part A
Assignment
APA/Academic Writing
Skill Building
Course Objectives
2, 6, 7
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapters
3, 4
2. Watch recording of Part A
Assignment Overview by course
faculty
3. Watch the recorded presentation,
401O Lecture Series 1: Search
Strategies by Professor Alcorn, our
SON Reference, and Instruction
Librarian
4. Watch the recorded presentation,
401O Lecture Series 2: MCPHS
Smart Search (18:04 mins) by
Professor Alcorn, our SON
Reference, and Instruction
Librarian
5. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
6. Review all material posted in week
two coursework in
Blackboard
Complete APA Assignment #1 due
Sunday 09/17 @ 2359
Page 10
Step one of Part A (paragraph about
topic) due Sun 09/17 at 2359
Week 3
Mon. 09/18Sun. 09/24
•
•
•
Introduction to
Quantitative Research
Overview of Scholarly
Project Part B
Assignment
APA/Academic Writing
Skill Building
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Week 4
Mon. 09/25Sun. 10/01
•
•
•
Quantitative Study
Designs
Searching for Evidence
APA/Academic Writing
Skill Building
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Week 5
Mon. 10/02- Sun.
10/08
Professor Alcorn, MCPHS
University Librarian:
• Overview of MCPHS
Databases
• Library Search Strategies
• Research questions
• PICOT/PEO
• Scholarship Support at
MCPHS
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapter 5
2. Watch recording of Part B
Assignment Overview by course
faculty
3. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
4. Review all material posted in week
three coursework in
Blackboard
Complete APA Assignment #2 due
Sunday 09/24 @ 2359
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapter 5
(same as week 4)
2. Watch recording of Professor
Alcorn’s presentation: 401O
Lecture Series 3: Google Scholar
Search (13:41 mins)
3. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
4. Review all material posted in week
four coursework in
Blackboard
Step two of Part A assignment (paper)
due Part A of Scholarly Project due
Sunday
10/01 @ 2359
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapters
10, 11, 12
2. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
Part B Assignment due Sunday 10/08
@ 2359
Page 11
Week 6
Tues. 10/10Sun. 10/15
Mon. 10/09= Indigenous
Peoples Day (No classes)
•
How to Evaluate the
Quality of Research
Evidence
• Overview of Scholarly
Project Part C
Assignment
• Appraising evidence
• Mid-Point Course
Reflection
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
•
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapters
13, 14
2. Watch Overview of Part C
Assignment Overview video by
course faculty
3. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
4. Review all material posted in week
six coursework in
Blackboard
Step one of Part C Appraisal
Worksheets
Submit the articles in a template
Assignment due Sun 10/15 @ 2359
Week 7
Mon. 10/16Sun. 10/22
Systematic Review
vs. Meta-Analysis
• Literature Review
• Literature Matrix
• Appraising evidence
• APA/Academic
Writing
Skill Building
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
1. Read Brown Textbook: Chapter
15, 16
2. Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
3. Review all material posted in week
seven coursework in Blackboard
Complete Mid-Point Course Survey by
Sunday 10/22 @ 2359
Week 8
Mon. 10/23Sun. 10/29
Appraising Evidence
Continued*
*No new content
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Complete APA Assignment #3 due
Sunday 10/29 @ 2359
Week 9
Mon. 10/30Sun. 11/05
Week 10
Mon. 11/06Sun. 11/12
Saturday 11/11 Veteran’s
Day- No Classes
•
Application of
nursing research to
policy development
• Literature Matrix
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
•
•
•
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
Applying
Research to
Practice
Nurse Research
Panel
Research
Passion
•
Watch recording of the Optional
Zoom Session
• Review all material posted in
week nine coursework in
Blackboard
Complete APA Assignment #4 due
Sunday 11/05 @ 2359
•
•
•
Watch recordings of research
panel guest presentations
Watch recording of the
Optional Zoom Session
Review all material posted in
week ten coursework in
Blackboard
Page 12
Week 11
Mon. 11/13Sun. 11/19
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Step two of Part C Appraisal
Worksheets due Sunday 11/12 @ 2359
Putting it all
Together:
Learning the Matrix
Course Objectives
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Watch a video about the Matrix and
learn how to build a table.
Part D Literature Matrix due Sunday
11/19 @ 2359
Week 12
Mon. 11/20Tues. 11/21
Wed. 11/22-Sun. 11/26
Week 13
Mon. 11/27Sun. 12/03
Week 14
Mom. 12/04Sau. 12/09
SATURDAY 12/09-Last
Day of Classes
Week 15: Final Exam
Week
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Recess- No Classes
• Ethics in Research
• Course Evaluation
Course Objectives
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Tuskegee Discussion Forum
Assignment due Sunday 12/03
@ 2359
Complete Course Evaluations
No final exam
NUR 401, Fall 2023, Boston Campus
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