harvard university nursing courses

Orientation

Orientation is required for all students and consists of separate two-hour virtual sessions taken in the order that follows.

Welcome and introduction to Harvard University
Navigating the Canvas system and using Zoom
Course expectations and deliverables
Classroom norms
Applied project preparation
Pre-work for course 1

All orientation sessions are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada).

Curriculum Approach

Interactive, case-based learning with peer group collaboration

Most of the courses are case based. The case method provides actual global nurse and midwife leadership situations that will be familiar to nurse and midwife leaders. Participants analyze the situations and recommend a course of action to resolve those situations familiar to nurse and midwife leaders.

Students will generate an applied project that begins in the first course and culminates in the final course under the direction of the course instructors and a project mentor.

Remote small-group and individual assignments using the internet and Canvas will be used to maximize flexibility for participants, while enhancing the value received from the program.

AY24-25 On-Line Courses

There are three on-line courses. Each course is one week in the HGPHNL Certificate Program. The curriculum consists of three separate courses taken in the order that follows. Descriptions and learning objectives for each course are provided below.

1. HGNL – Health Systems Strengthening (2.5 credits) September 23 – 27, 2024

Rifat Atun, Professor of Global Health Systems

This course is designed to strengthen the role of nurse and midwife leaders in health systems, particularly in public health and primary care to achieve better health outcomes. It will cover approaches to analyzing health systems and their performance and explore how innovations in technologies, biomedicine, organizations, finance, and service delivery can be used to strengthen health systems. The course will help develop skills for health workforce strategy building for nurses and midwives, and for leadership and governance regarding strategic policy frameworks, oversight, regulations, and community engagement and development. Participants will work with key partners (e.g., mentors; ministers of health, finance, and education; and community health workers) to ensure excellence in developing the right skills and knowledge to strengthen health systems. The course will be delivered in nine three-hour sessions with pre- and post-course work. Learning objectives include the following:

Describe the fundamentals of systems thinking
Analyze major changes in context, such as demographic, epidemiological transitions, economic, socio-cultural and technological trends, that influence health systems and their performance
Apply analytic frameworks to evaluate health system outcomes, outputs and functions and examine policies used to achieve improved performance in relation to equity, efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness to achieve defined objectives for health system outputs
Critically analyze health systems, using systems thinking principles, for better health outcomes and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, universal health coverage, and the global health security agenda
Analyze approaches that can be used to effectively integrate the latest technological and biomedical innovations in health systems
Appraise different approaches used to design and sustain high value health systems
Strengthen leadership capacity to formulate actions to effectively drive organizational innovation through distributed health systems

2. HGNL – Population Health Management (2.5 credits) February 10 – 14, 2025

Stephanie Ferguson, HGNL Program Director, Professor of the Practice of Health Policy and Management, Department of Health Policy and Management

This course is designed to examine and develop strategies to improve health within and across populations. We will cover patterns of health determinants; population and primary health care management principles; decision science for public health nursing, policies, and interventions; and public health metrics and outcomes. The course will be delivered in nine three-hour sessions with pre- and post-course work expected. Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

Identify determinants of population health that impact health outcomes in a community.
Articulate indicators of quality in population health management and primary health care systems.
Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
Design a low-cost public health intervention using population health and primary health care management principles. 2
Apply frameworks for collecting, analyzing, and using data to inform decisions, facilitate care coordination, and improve health outcomes of targeted populations within and outside the health system.
Develop a plan to create partnerships at the national, regional and local public health levels to improve health services delivery.

3. HGNL – Reforming Policies and Regulations: Enhancing Access and Redesigning Health Systems (2.5 credits) April 14 – 18, 2025

This course will build on the 7C’s model (Atun, R. & Moore, G., 2021), Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) Conceptual frameworks, theories, and deliverables from both HPM 564 and HPM 567. It will place the model theories and frameworks in the specific context of policies and regulations, and then use that positioning to extend the prior deliverables. In this course, students will gain additional necessary knowledge to plan, implement, and evaluate action- and learning-based regulatory and policy reform strategies and interventions. They will review global exemplars of approaches taken and implemented by diverse regulatory organizations and learn skills for developing models and making recommendations that will transform and strengthen their designated health systems and health profession regulatory models. Building on the applied project from HPM 564 and HPM 567, students will learn to prepare a policy brief and needed regulatory reform recommendations for their final applied project part 3. The course will be delivered in nine three-hour sessions with pre- and post-course work expected. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

Evaluate a country’s health care/ nursing regulatory organizational performance.
Using the 7C’s model from the textbook Atun, R. & Moore, G. (chapter 8, 2021), identify key regulatory stakeholders to ensure that the stakeholder coalition previously designed now focuses on regulatory change to support health improvement and service redesign.
Identify metrics to evaluate the success of changing the nursing/ midwifery practice act in a country.
Apply communication best practices in creating impactful policy briefings, ministerial advocacy letters, and oral presentations that appropriately inform policymakers, key stakeholders, and lay audiences.

Leadership, Innovation, and Negotiation

The leadership, innovation, and negotiation theme will be woven into all three courses. The focus will be on how to lead effectively with public health in mind, especially during a crisis, and how to spur innovation through nurturing a culture of intrapreneurship.

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Top Harvard Online Courses for Nurses

Published july 3, 2024, learning paths mentioned in this post: health care leadership.

According to a 2018 study that analyzed the time intensive-care patients spent with at least one health care practitioner, 86% of the time, that practitioner was a nurse (compared to just 13% with physicians). Nurses are the backbone of our health care system, always working tirelessly on the front lines to treat, care for, and advocate for patients.

Nurse preparing patient for a vaccination.

Recognizing the dynamic nature of their profession, nurses understand the importance of keeping pace with advancements in medical science, technology, and strategies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of delivering quality patient care.

From health care innovation, to navigating the digital transformation of health care systems, to understanding and addressing the role of racial bias, Harvard Online’s goal is to equip nurses with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in their careers and make a positive impact on patient care.

Understanding the critical need for continuing education in the field, we have compiled a list of courses tailored to support nurses in navigating the complexities of modern health care and enhancing their impact on patient well-being—plus a special code to receive 30% off any of our health care courses below!

Innovations in Teamwork for Health Care

Innovative leaders require innovative teamwork.

Learn from industry-leading experts from the Harvard Business School and the T.H. Chan School of Public Health about the essential skills necessary for effective teamwork within healthcare organizations.

Cost: $1600 for a 5-week cohort-based certification course. Discounts available. Accreditation: Harvard Medical School is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This activity is approved for 20.00 contact hours. Contact hours are awarded commensurate with participation and completion of the online evaluation and attendance attestation. We suggest claiming your hours within 30 days of the activity date, after this time, the attendance attestation will still be required to claim your hours.

Harvard Online Tip: We recommend enrolling in this course with a few of your colleagues, or your whole team! Learn more about our group and team discounts.

Digital Health

Understanding the world of digital healthcare transformation.

Two health care professionals standing in white coats looking at a tablet.

Embark on a transformative learning experience led by esteemed faculty from Harvard Medical School , as they delve into the intricacies of digital technology adoption within the US healthcare system. Gain invaluable insights and explore innovative frameworks to strategically implement digital transformation within your organization.

Cost : $1600 for a 4-week cohort-based certification course. Discounts available . Accreditation : Continuing medical education credits available.

Reducing Racial Disparities in Health Care

Ensure the equitable treatment of all patients.

Learn from the experts at the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital , and become a force for organizational change so that all patients receive the care they deserve.

Cost : $950 for a 5-week cohort-based certification course. Discounts available . Accreditation : Continuing medical education credits available.

Outsmarting Implicit Bias

How well do we know ourselves?

Achieving health equity means asking difficult questions about ourselves and the systems we work under. Racial bias doesn’t only impact patients, it affects the nurses looking after them too .

Renowned Harvard Professor Mahzarin Banaji , delves into the science of implicit bias and communicates invaluable strategies to combat its impact and promote a more inclusive healthcare environment for all - patient and practitioner.

Cost : $550 for a 5-week cohort-based certification course. Discounts available .

Harvard Online Tip : We recommend that you enroll in this course with a few of your colleagues, or your whole team! Learn more about our group and team discounts .

Health Care Economics

Understanding the economic forces that drive healthcare.

Professional woman pointing at board in team meeting.

Nursing leaders are often caught between the economic pressures of healthcare administration and the clinical pressures their staff face every day. Delve into the intricate dynamics of inter-industry interactions within the US healthcare sector and explore the economic forces driving healthcare today. This course equips you with essential knowledge to thrive in the ever-evolving healthcare industry.

Cost : $1600 for a 5-week cohort-based certification course. Discounts available . Accreditation : Continuing medical education credits available.

Discounts Available

Celebrate nurses! Use code NURSES2430 during enrollment to receive 30% off the cost of any of our health care courses, including Innovations in Teamwork for Health Care, Digital Health, Health Care Economics, Health Care Strategy, and Reducing Racial Disparities in Health Care.

Harvard Online provides discounts for nonprofit organizations, military personnel, educational institutions, and government agencies, as well as business teams and groups. Learn more about all of our discount options here .

Ready to become a certified Health Care Leader?

Designed for emerging leaders in the field, our Health Care Leadership series will teach you how to strategically apply innovative strategies to make improvements within your organization. Learn more .

Addressing Racial Disparities in Health Care

A discussion with U.S. Health Care Leaders, moderated by Aswita Tan-McGrory, Director of the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Best Continuing Education Courses for Health Care Professionals

In order to help you take the next step in your professional development, we have compiled a list of our top professional development courses for health care professionals.