MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING PROGRAM

AND

POST-BACCALUREATE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Overview

The WSSU Master of Science in Nursing Program, which is fully accredited by The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), focuses on the preparation of Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP) and Advanced Nurse Educators (ANE).  FNP graduates are prepared to provide comprehensive primary care to all patients, across a broad range of health care settings, especially underserved and disadvantaged patients, and those of diverse ethnicity.  The ANE concentration is designed to prepare graduates to teach in undergraduate nursing programs, and to fulfill clinical education and staff development positions in hospitals and other health care organizations.  Dedicated to the advancement of health and knowledge, both of these programs are built on a strong foundation of science, health policy, health promotion, methodology and research.  Graduates achieve a personal and intellectual transformation, a global perspective, and a creative approach to meeting the changing needs of the community and society.

The certificates programs are designed to prepare the Masters prepared nurses for advanced practice as Family Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Nurse Educator.  The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is based on the following documents and standards:

• Core program objectives are based on Graduate Core Curriculum Content (The Essentials of Masters Education for Advanced Practice Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 1996).
• The Nurse Practitioner (NP) program and program objectives are based on Advanced Practice Nursing Core Curriculum (AACN, 1996), Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Competencies in Specialty Areas (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties [NONPF] and AACN, 2002), and NONPF (1998) Standards of Practice.
• Nurse Educator (NE) program objectives are based on National League for Nursing (NLN) practice domain categories from Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) 2005 Candidate Handbook, and on Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Nurse Educator Competencies, 2002.
• Additionally, the program and program objectives reflect the American Nurses Association (ANA, 2003) Code of Ethics for Nurses, and the ANA (2004) Scope and Standards of Practice.

The post-baccalureate certificate program is designed to prepare the Masters prepared nurses for advanced practice as Family Nurse Practitioner and Advanced Nurse Educator.

Learning Outcomes

• Provide primary health care including health promotion and disease prevention in order to improve health outcomes for patients and families in all economic levels.

• Develop collaborative relationships with other health care providers to improve quality of care and access to health car for diverse and underserved populations.

• Function as expert clinicians in managing both acute and chronic physical and/or mental illness in a variety of settings.

• Utilize research findings, evidenced-based practice strategies, technology, and creativity to improve the delivery and outcomes of health care.

• Use ethical principles, standards of safe advanced nursing practice and caring relationships to promote health and/or dignified death.

• Stimulate change within the profession and improve management of the health care delivery system by addressing legal and economic policies; psychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors that affect health care.

• Demonstrate role development and commitment in the selected advanced practice role.

• Synthesize and apply to practice and wide range of theories from nursing and other related disciplines.

Accreditation Statement

The MSN program received full accreditation status from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).  CCNE is the accrediting agency recognizing professional baccalaureate and standards published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2002) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faulties (NOPF).