Nursing-RN to MSN Program Information
Effective January 21, 2015, the distance education program information is as follows:
Program Location: Distance Education
Program Semester Credits: 141
Program Length: 6 Trimesters, 96 Instructional Weeks / 104 Calendar Weeks
Total program length may vary.
The RN to MSN degree builds upon prior clinical knowledge and experience and focuses on the core knowledge, skills and abilities that are essential to meet the complexities of healthcare.
The RN-MSN program promotes foundational competencies that are core to advanced nursing practice in an ever-changing and globally reaching healthcare environment. Academic, practice experience, and interpersonal preparation are characterized by increased depth in organizational and systems’ leadership within a culture of integrity and personal accountability in a community that values the dignity and contributions of all members. Standards of ethical behavior and decision-making are essential foundations of the education programs that guide individuals to distinguish ethical principles and understand the consequences and implications beyond personal and organizational self-interest.
The core courses and practice experience offer expanded study in the health care areas of advocacy, program management, education, clinical practice, research, and health policy formulation. Graduates will be able to formulate an inspirational perspective of nursing, incorporating a wide range of theories from nursing and other sciences. The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011)
provides a foundation for the theoretical and clinical emphasis of the RN- MSN program.
Mission Statement
The mission of the College of Nursing is to provide evidence-based and innovative nursing education to culturally diverse learners; preparing nurses to provide quality and compassionate care that is responsive to the needs of the community and the global society.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, RN to MSN students will:
1. Integrate the various sciences from nursing and such other fields as physiology, statistics, psychosocial, political, financial, genetics, public health and the organizations sciences in the continued improvement of nursing across the continuum of various health care settings.
2. Provide leadership in a variety of settings that promote high quality safe patient care that also incorporates ethical decision making and effective working relationships across a variety of disciplines.
3. Demonstrate the skills needed to effect quality improvement that incorporates the various models, standards and performance measures necessary to apply quality principles, within any type of
organization.
4. Apply evidenced based research in clinical practice by identifying actual or potential practice problems in a setting and resolving them through the role of change agent.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in computer skills both technical and in the application of informatics to enhance, deliver, communicate and integrate and coordinate patient care.
6. Recognize the need for and ability to affect policy changes by using the policy development process and advocacy strategies to influence health and health care.
7. Communicate and coordinate with a variety of health professionals in a variety of settings to manage and coordinate care.
8. Identify and integrate the various evidenced based practices of health promotion and disease prevention using client centered, culturally and age appropriate concepts in the nursing process of
services to individuals, families and broad based aggregate populations.
9. Demonstrate an advanced level of nursing and relevant sciences and the ability to integrate that knowledge into nursing practice that influences health care outcomes for individual, families, populations or systems.