Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia Course Descriptions

AFN-510. Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia. Course covers the legal, ethical and political implications of anesthetic practice. Discussions will also include quality assurance, risk management and how to be an effective professional. 2 s.h. Fall.

AFN-511. Chemistry and Physics of Anesthesia. The principles of physics concerning solids, liquids, gases and vapors are covered. The physics and chemistry of inhalation appliances, as well as CO₂ absorption, and flammability of gases and vapors are presented. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the operating principles of anesthesia machines and patient monitors. 4 s.h. Spring.

AFN-525. Basic Principles of Anesthesia Practice. Presents the fundamentals of anesthetic management to include topics such as preoperative preparation, induction, airway strategies, positioning, monitoring and fluid/blood therapy. Also covers regional anesthetic techniques such as spinal, epidural and plexus blockade. 3 s.h. Spring.

AFN-526. Advanced Principles of Anesthesia Practice. Provides in depth coverage of anesthesia for different patient populations, coexisting diseases and specialty procedures. Patient populations include obstetrics, pediatrics and geriatrics. The unit on coexisting diseases presents anesthetic implications of various forms of cardiopulmonary, endocrine, renal, hepatic and other pathophysiology. The course concludes with anesthetic management of patients undergoing specific types of neuro, thoracic, vascular and cardiac operations. 6 s.h. Summer.

AFN-527. Human Anatomy for Nurse Anesthetists. This course is a detailed study of the structure of the human body with cadaver dissection. The respiratory, circulatory and peripheral nervous systems will be stressed in a regional approach. Anatomic features of neural blockade will be discussed in depth. 5 s.h. Fall.

AFN-532. Introduction to Clinical Anesthesia. Course exposes the first year nurse anesthesia student to the clinical practice of anesthesia. Experiences include small qroup laboratory. lecture, wsimulation and clinical observation. 4 s.h. Summer.

AFN-541. Anesthesia Practicum. A continuation of AFN-532. Emphasis is placed on developing and increasing skills and responsibilities in the administration of anesthetic drugs, predicting drug interactions, and clinical application of anesthetic techniques. 9 s.h. Fall.

AFN-581. Anesthesia Seminar. Includes student participation in discussion of clinical experiences, case presentations, and mortality-morbidity conferences; also presentations of current articles from anesthesia literature at the Journal Club. 1 s.h. Spring.

AFN-582. Anesthesia Seminar. A continuation of AFN-581. 1 s.h. Summer.

AFN-583. Anesthesia Seminar. A continuation of AFN-582. 1 s.h. Fall.

AFN-624. Pharmacology of Anesthetic Drugs. Covers basic principles of pharmacology but then emphasizes specific agents used for various techniques of anesthesia. Each anesthetic is described with regard to chemical structure, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. In addition, important adjuvant drugs are discussed to allow an understanding of global perioperative drug therapy. The course is divided into the following six units: principles, inhaled anesthetics, induction agents, opioids, neuromuscular blockers/local anesthetics and adjuvant drugs. 6 s.h. Spring.
 
AFN-627. Applied Pharmacology for Anesthesia. 
Pharmacology course covering drugs specific 
to the administration of general and regional anesthesia. Course will emphasize the safe practice of anesthesia by discussion of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs on the body. 3 s.h. Spring.

AFN-641. Anesthesia Practicum. A continuation of AFN-541 with special emphasis on predicting, preventing, identifying, and solving anesthetic problems as well as increasing skills and responsibility. The student selects and operates all equipment necessary for various anesthetic cases. 11 s.h. Spring II.

AFN-642. Anesthesia Practicum. A continuation of AFN-641 with special emphasis on developing the set-up and management of complex anesthetic cases and problems and developing greater responsibility in anesthetic management and independent learning. 11 s.h. Summer II.

AFN-643. Anesthesia Practicum. A continuation of AFN-642. The student develops total anesthetic management with minimal supervision from the anesthesiologist or the certified registered nurse anesthetist consulting with the anesthesiologist. The student is involved in evaluating self and generating discussion of same. 11 s.h. Fall III.

AFN-651. Life Support Measures. An introduction to the pathophysiology of the common life-threatening cardiopulmonary crises due to trauma, disease, or surgical intervention. The student is taught sound principles of evaluating the patient, thus providing him/her with an effective and systematic approach to resuscitation, life-support, and management of those conditions. 2 s.h. Fall.

AFN-652. Research Methods II. This is a follow-up to RS-650. Applying the principles taught in that class, students will be writing and presenting a clinically relevant research proposal under the direction of the course directors. 3 s.h. Fall.

AFN-681. Research Seminar. A continuation of AFN-581 series. Includes student participation in discussion of clinical experience, case presentations, mortality/morbidity conferences, and presentations of current articles from anesthesia literature at the Journal Club and the conferences at Medical University Hospital, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Charleston Naval Hospital and Trident Regional Medical Center. 1 s.h. Spring II.

AFN-682. Research Seminar. A continuation of AFN-681. 1 s.h. Summer II.

AFN-683. Research Seminar. A continuation of AFN-682. 1 s.h. Fall III.

HP-600. Professional Issues in Health Care. This interdisciplinary course will introduce the Health Professions student to issues in professional communication and team development as they apply to health care environments. Intercultural communication and diversity issues will be examined in the context of patient and professional relationships. Legal issues related to patient’s rights, confidentiality and patient documentation will discussed. Approaches to ethical dilemmas in health care will examined. Regulatory influences related to credentials to practice will be introduced. 2 s.h.

HP-610. Research Methods. This course provides a multidisciplinary approach to research methods in the health professions. Quantitative and qualitative approaches to research are addressed. Major topics include the role of research in the practice professions, experimental and naturalistic methods of inquiry, searching and analyzing research literature, principles of scientific writing, and research ethics. Attention will be given to the unique research needs of each health profession represented in the course. 3 s.h. Fall II.  
 
HP-611. Introduction to Clinical Pharmacology. Introduction to the clinical concepts of pharmacology for the healthcare professional. Topics to be covered will inculde pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmcology of the autonomic nervous system, pharmacology of the respiratory system, cardiac pharmacology, endocrine pharmacology and oter topics. 
 
PHYSO-510. Applied Human Physiology. The purpose of this course is to acquaint the student with the basic principles of human physiologic function. Organ, tissue and cellular function is integrated through exploration of the major elements of overall homeostasis (i.e., health). Basic concepts of normal function are reinforced by consideration of many clinical and patho-physiological applications. 6 s.h. Fall.