The Master of Science (MSN) degree may be achieved through a 30-credit generic track a 47-credit Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track , or a 50-credit Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Track (PMHNP)
The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Track (PMHNP) is a 50-credit program developed to provide advanced practice education in nursing with a specialty focus on the delivery of psychiatric mental health care to all populations within the lifespan continuum. In this track, students will be introduced to leadership, theory, current nursing concepts, and professional practices. Core areas of study will include pathophysiology, pharmacology, physical assessment, neuropsychopharmacology, assessment and diagnosis of mental health disorders, and the policy and politics of healthcare. The track includes three distinct clinical courses focused on psychiatric mental health care of patients across the lifespan; children, adults and the complex adult. The program is offered in an online format in order to accommodate the schedules of nurses in the workforce. Participants will acquire 600 precepted, clinical hours. Additional clinical experiences will include two immersion weekends on-campus to facilitate the students’ ability to enjoy hands-on learning, simulation and validation of advanced practice nursing skills. The credits earned in this track may transfer into a doctoral plan of study, should the graduate seek to pursue doctoral education.
MSN Bridge Pathway
Effective for applicants to the Fall 2021 semester, all applicants without a BSN degree must take the MSN Bridge courses. If students have taken equivalent coursework in their other bachelor’s degree, they may be waived from corresponding course(s) in the bridge. As there may be up to five required courses, students may require two semesters to complete, prior to the semester the cohort begins. Students will also apply to the MSN track they are interested in, those meeting the criteria, will be conditionally accepted, pending successful completion of required courses. The university reserves the right to determine the number of bridge students to be accepted into each cohort.
REQUIRED BRIDGE COURSEWORK (Note courses may be transferred in from prior Bachelor degree if equivalent)
Admitted students must submit a medical examination report by a health care provider which describes the student’s physical and emotional health prior to starting the program.
All required immunizations must be completed before the start of the first Nursing course excluding the Hepatitis B vaccine series which may be in progress. If a student elects to not have the Hepatitis B vaccine series, a signed declination form must be in his/her file. All students in the program must receive a flu shot annually.
Students are required to become certified in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (Health Provider or Professional Rescuer) by the American Heart Association or the Red Cross before entering the Nursing program and must maintain certification throughout the nursing program. The cost related to obtaining and maintaining CPR certification is the responsibility of the student. Proof of certification must be submitted annually.
All students accepted to the Master’s of Science Degree in Nursing program must submit to a background check and drug screening. Fees cover the cost of both. However, if the drug screen result is “negative dilute,” the student must assume the cost of a second drug screen. A positive drug screen, not substantiated by a physician, will prevent the student from entering the program. Students will be notified if the background check reveals any criminal record that might interfere with future licensure. In the event that a clinical facility finds the results of a student’s background check objectionable and, as a result, prohibits the student from participating in a clinical experience at their facility, the department will make two additional attempts to place the student in an alternative facility. If neither of the two further attempts yield a placement for the student, (s)he will not be permitted to progress with the program. Students are advised to take this into consideration upon initial receipt of the results of their background check.
Student’s must maintain professional liability insurance. Students in nurse practitioner tracks: FNP, PMNP must maintain specific coverage as nurse practitioner students to be eligible to go into the clinical setting.
MSN Program Outcomes
By the end of this program the learner will be able to:
- Integrate basic philosophies from the sciences and humanities to provide high quality nursing care across the life span in diverse settings.
- Lead with the ability to make ethical and appropriate critical decisions from an organizational and systems perspective.
- Manage the provision of patient care with a focus on patient education, safety, and continuous quality improvement; efficiently navigating through the health care system.
- Utilize informatics to translate relevant evidence-based practice, research, and current healthcare strategies, communicating this information to other healthcare team members to promote quality population health.
- Recognize their role in advocacy with the policy process to appropriately employ cultural advocacy techniques to influence population health standards.
- Incorporate the knowledge gained at the master’s level to act as a change agent in the greater healthcare systems.
- Value the practices of lifelong learning while building and leading interprofessional healthcare teams.
Admission Requirements
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Track
In addition to meeting the university’s requirement of all graduate program applications, students interested in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track (PMHNP) must also:
- Provide a current, unencumbered RN license
- BSN
- Write a formal 800-1000-word personal statement of his/her nursing career goals as an PMHNP
- Be able to travel significant distances to clinical sites, if necessary.
- Participate in a telephone interview administered by the program director.
Applicants to the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program must have a minimum of two years direct, patient care experience as a registered nurse obtained within the last 5 years, and have successfully completed a college-level statistics course (C) and an upper-division research course (C+).
MSN Bridge Pathway
In addition to meeting the college’s requirements of all graduate program applications, students interested in entering one of the MSN tracks through the MSN Bridge Pathway must also:
- Provide a current, unencumbered RN license.
- Completed an Associate’s degree in nursing program
- Completed a non-nursing Bachelor’s degree
- Write a formal 800-1000 word personal statement of his/her nursing career goals specific to track of interest.
- Meet additional requirements of specific track of interest
It is highly recommended that applicants to the MSN Bridge Pathway have two years working experience. Applicants to the FNP or PMHNP tracks must meet requirements for those tracks which include 2 years of recent experience as a Registered Nurse and have successfully completed a college-level statistics course (C) and an upper-division research course (C+).
Graduation Requirement
Graduate students must earn a minimum Cumulative Grade Point average of 3.0 and students in the FNP track, and PMHNP track, must also successfully complete all required clinical hours.
