The Nursing MS program prepares graduates for nursing roles in a clinical area of either Adult Health Nursing or Community Health Nursing, and in a functional role as Nurse Educator or Nurse Manager. The program objectives are to:
1. Model nursing care practice that demonstrates respect for human dignity, ethical responsibility, and interpersonal connectedness.
2. Master communication strategies to address complex health issues in a variety of forums and formats.
3. Evaluate the aggregate outcomes of nursing care using accepted professional standards and evidence-based benchmarks to effect quality of care within or across systems.
4. Implement evidence based nursing strategies that have been developed, tailored and evaluated with clients to maximize health.
5. Synthesize specialized and diverse knowledge advancing nursing practice.
6. Assume a leadership role in advancing, fostering and maintaining nursing values and standards.
7. Influence nursing practice and health policy to shape care delivery to diverse and vulnerable populations.
8. Assume a leadership role in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members, and community partners to promote health, guide clients through the illness experience and to improve the health care system.
The Nursing MS program is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing. The review process occurs on a regular, cyclic basis.
Graduates of the program are prepared to assume roles as nurse educators or nurse managers. Courses are scheduled to permit either full-time or part-time study.
The Nursing MS program consists of 37 credits for students in the Community Health option, and 39 credits for students in the Adult Health option.
Selection of a Clinical Option
Each student specifies one clinical option at the time of admission. Transfers to other options may be made on a space available basis if the student meets additional criteria specific to the other option. Changing options may result in loss of credits applicable to final degree.
Clinical Practicum
Clinical practica are essential components of MS level graduate nursing education and offer the best opportunity to apply new knowledge and specialized skills in each advanced nursing practice option.
Clinical experiences vary according to the focus of each option. Typically, there will be 12 hours of clinical each week in the practicum experiences.
Clinical placements are determined by agency/preceptor availability and student learning needs. It should be noted that appropriate clinical preceptors are typically only available during weekdays (although some exceptions do occur).
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