Nursing Education, M.S.N.

Program Coordinator: Judy Gregg, DNP, RN

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Master of Science in Nursing (Nursing Education) degree provides registered nurses who have a BSN with the opportunity to complete a graduate degree that increases career options by providing advanced skills for specific nursing roles. The holistic approach of the faith-based program contributes to personal growth and fulfillment, as well as professional development. Highly qualified faculty, carefully structured courses, and the capstone project give nurses expanded knowledge of changes occurring in healthcare and strategies for dealing with those shifts.

The Nursing Education concentration is designed for nurses interested in providing education in a variety of contexts. These include offering healthcare education in hospitals and primary care settings, as well as preparation for teaching in nursing programs in career centers, colleges, and universities. MSN graduates prepared as nurse educators often pursue professional roles where they create health education programs for patients and employees, or develop curriculum and teach nursing students.

The MSN (Nursing Education) program is designed for non-traditional learners, recognizing the experience and expertise they have already obtained. Curriculum for the program is challenging and practical. Learners will find that they can immediately apply content learned in classes to their current work settings, and benefit from mutual support and networking opportunities with both faculty and peers. Degree requirements can be completed in as few as 19 months.

The MSN program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

MSN STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The courses and curriculum of the nursing program are designed to achieve the following student outcomes. Upon completion of the program, students should be able to:

• apply biblical principles to develop ethical decision-making skills, leadership skills, and professional relationships;
• integrate knowledge, best evidence, and technology to influence change and advance the quality of nursing care;
• implement strategies to improve health outcomes through primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention practices;
• advance excellence in nursing through effective communication, deliberate collaboration, quality education, and professional development;
• advocate for client-centered, holistic care through interdisciplinary collaboration to improve the health outcomes of diverse populations;
• analyze vulnerabilities of the individual and systems environments to improve quality and safest outcomes;
• lead in the provision of client-centered, culturally appropriate care to individuals, families, and populations; and
• promote spiritual care of self and others through respectful and compassionate relationships.

MSN PROGRAM OUTCOMES

The goals of the MVNU MSN program are to:

• Build upon baccalaureate nursing knowledge to expand concepts of nursing theory, nursing science, health information technology, and population health to meet the health needs of diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across various environments.
  • Benchmark: 80% of students who begin the program complete the program and are able to identify growth in baccalaureate knowledge by describing how each AACN Master's Essential has been met.
• Facilitate life-long learning and the pursuit of continuing education.
  • Benchmark: 20% of students pursue additional education or begin doctoral studies within five years.
• Foster evidence-based nursing skills through research application that reflects expertise in problem identification, data collection and evaluation, and analysis of findings.
  • Benchmark: 100% of graduates complete an evidence-based capstone project with a Capstone course grade of B or higher.
• Provide a program which meets the expectations and needs of students.
  • Benchmark: 80% of students express overall satisfaction with the MSN program in an exit survey.
• Develop graduates who display high levels of professional integrity and self-motivation and who promote excellence in the workplace.
  • Benchmark: 80% of graduates report overall program satisfaction of professional preparedness through post-graduate survey.
  • Benchmark: 80% of employers report performance satisfaction in stakeholder employer survey.
• Students completing the Nursing Education track are prepared to be leaders in nursing education.
  • Benchmark: 80% obtain certification as nursing educators within six months of graduation.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants to the MSN program are selected on the basis of their academic background and professional experience. Admission requirements include the following:

• submission of RN license verification confirming an active, unencumbered license as a registered nurse (RN) in state of residence*;
• submission of official transcripts of all previous college or university coursework completed to date, including the designation of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited nursing program;     
• cumulative GPA of 2.80 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) for all previous college or university coursework completed to date (applicants with a cumulative GPA less than 2.80 may be admitted with conditional acceptance if approved by the MSN Program Coordinator);
• American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR certification;
• submission of a complete immunization record;
• completion of an online application and Registration Agreement Form.

*Acceptance is subject to permission from applicant's State Board of Nursing for MVNU to offer the MSN in his/her state.

Applicants from foreign countries and U.S. territories must also provide recent evidence of proficiency in English by: 1) scoring 80 or above on the Internet-based TOEFL with subscores in writing, reading, speaking and listening of at least 20; 2) scoring 550 or above on the written TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with subscores in writing and reading of at least 50; or 3) scoring 6.0 or above on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). All tests of English proficiency must have been taken in the last two years to be considered for acceptance.

TRANSFER CREDIT PROVISIONS

Up to six (6) credit hours of graduate work may be transferred from regionally accredited colleges, or universities. Credit is transferred on a course-by-course basis as applicable to the degree. Transfer credit is granted only if grades of "B" or better were earned, and provided the course is a reasonable equivalent to one required in the program. No credit for prior learning is awarded. Equivalence of course content and transfer of credit is determined by the Program Coordinator. 

PROGRAM POLICIES

Once admitted to the MSN program, students must continue to follow the policies included both in the School of Graduate and Professional Studies section of this Catalog and the MSN Student Handbook. The following minimum standards must be met in order to remain in good standing in the MSN program:

• Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80 (on a 4.00 scale) and a grade of "C" or better in all Nursing courses. A student who receives a grade below "C" in any Nursing course will be required to repeat that course until a grade of C or better is earned. All repeated coursework to replace grade of C-, D+, D, F, W, or X is at the student's expense.
• Students may repeat a required Nursing course a maximum of one time.
• Students admitted with conditional acceptance must achieve a minimum grade of "B" in each of the first two courses in order to continue in the program and achieve full acceptance.
• Students are responsible for maintaining professional standards congruent with accepted nursing practice and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences written guidelines.

Students must also satisfy each of the following conditions prior to participation in practicums:

• criminal background check with no record that would prohibit participation in practicum;
• drug screening if required by practicum site facility;
• malpractice insurance.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Graduate students must meet the degree requirements as stated in the Catalog under which they first enrolled. Students must earn their degree within a maximum of six (6) years from the first date of enrollment at MVNU. Students who withdraw from MVNU for more than six (6) months will meet the graduation requirements as stated in the catalog under which they resume enrollment. Students changing majors or programs must meet requirements as stated in the Catalog that is current at the time they make such changes.

A student who receives a grade of less than a "C" will be required to repeat that course until a grade of "C" or better is earned.

A minimum program GPA of 2.80 is required for graduation.