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This course is designed to assist the nurse in advanced practice to explore the impact of the managed care environment on the advanced practice nursing role. This will build on general knowledge of primary care and the advanced practice role. We will analyze the role of the nurse focusing on the managed care system, clinical guidelines, outcome indicators and interdisciplinary functioning.

All of this class will be conducted through the use of interaction on the Web. To be an effective graduate class, we will need to interact and have lively debates and discussions. We are expecting you all to interact and get involved. Ask questions. Raise issues. We need that interaction to make this class alive. We will keep the class from being dull if we can liven it up with active discussion.

With chaos in the health care system and the move to managed care, it is important that nurses in advanced practice consider what barriers exist how they can maximize implementing their role. This course will promote exploration of these issues. The web will be used to enhance the exploration.

We assume that you will read the required readings. Many of you will already have read some of them. There will be lots more readings than you have time for, but do what you can or until they seem redundant. You decide. Based on these readings, Internet searches, and discussion with your colleagues here on the Web, please answer the study guide questions. We expect you to submit your responses to Angie via email by the Friday before that class is listed on the syllabus. Angie will summarize responses and publish them for the entire class. At that time, the blackboard lecture notes for that class will also be posted. This will assist in stimulating discussion.

Participating in discussions about the study guide questions before and after they are posted will be an important part of this class. Please remember that discussions are done "asynchronously", that is, all students do not have to be in the discussion room at the same time for conversation. Once your comments or responses are posted in the group, you may leave and others can read them and respond. Utilizing Internet links and these discussion groups will not only help raise your ability to search and cruise on the Web, but will open up a new world for you.

The neat part of the course will be that each one of you will have a totally different experience but that all of you will get something from this.

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the concept of Managed Care and the capitated environment.

2. Describe and evaluate the impact of resource use and cost containment on APN practice within the Managed Care environment.

3. Analyze how the various APN roles are or are not congruent with the Managed Care concept and what role alignment may be needed.

4. Describe the roles of the advanced practice nurse: a case manager, educator, advocate in a managed care environment.

5. Analyze the processes and activities necessary to function in interdisciplinary mode in a Managed Care environment.

6. Examine how clinical pathways and evidenced based practice are essential to the APN role in a MCO.

7. Critique the usefulness of outcomes management as a measure of the impact of APN. What are nurse sensitive outcomes?

8. Analyze how the performance based evaluation methodology relates to the APN role within a MCO.

9. Apply the skills of internet utilization to participate in group work, prepare assignments, and participate in overall course activities.

10. Use the Web for accessing professional and consumer-based information useful to the Advanced Practice Nursing role.