Master of Science in Nursing - Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
The (MSN) Program, guided by Christian principles, builds on the baccalaureate nursing foundation to prepare advanced practice nurses as family nurse practitioners (FNP) or adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNP) to meet professional standards and competencies. Graduates are prepared to meet the complex primary health care needs of diverse populations. The master’s student uses an evidence based model to address patient centered needs in the areas of disease prevention/health promotion, chronic disease, restorative, and palliative/supportive care.
General Information
- The master’s degree program in nursing at Concordia University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
- All students must maintain an unencumbered RN license while in the program. As this is an online program, sometimes there are out of state requirements that apply to the clinical setting. If clinicals will take place outside the state of Wisconsin, it is the student's responsibility to make sure their program of study is eligible and meets all requirements within that state's Department of Licensing & Regulation.
- Students must earn a minimum of a B in all courses. Policies regarding progression and retention will be applied if the student earns less than a B in any course.
- Students are expected to comply with the requirements as stated in the Student Responsibilities Agreement.
- The MSN FNP and AGPCNP clinical courses require a minimum of 750 hours. Based on their level of performance, a student may need to complete additional hours to be successful.
- Students will identify and secure clinical preceptors which then need to be approved for appropriateness by the graduate faculty. The Graduate Clinical Coordinator is available for assistance.
- Students must complete all degree requirements within a five-year period from the time of taking the first course in the program.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation the graduate student will be able to:
- Integrates, translates, and applies knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences, nursing and other disciplines to enhance clinical judgment and implement innovation in advanced nursing practice.
- Manages and coordinates holistic, compassionate, person-centered, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate care, aligned with Christian values, to individuals, families and important others within complex contexts in advanced nursing practice.
- Implements disease prevention and management strategies to promote equitable population health outcomes through health policy advocacy and collaborative activities with traditional and non-traditional community partners.
- Synthesizes, translates, applies, and disseminates best evidence into advanced nursing practice to improve health outcomes and transform health care.
- Implements strategies supported by established and emerging principles of safety and improvement science to enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
- Models interprofessional collaboration with care team members, patients, families, and communities to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve outcomes.
- Manages resources within complex systems of care to implement safe, high quality and equitable care for diverse populations.
- Integrates information, communication technologies, and informatics processes to gather data, to support advanced clinical decisions for safe, high quality and efficient care in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
- Expands a professional identity to include the advanced nursing practice role, which reflects professional values of accountability, ethics, and a collaborative disposition within a Christ-centered perspective.
- Engages in activities and self-reflection to promote personal health, resilience, well-being, and life-long learning required to support advanced nursing expertise and assertion of leadership while also supporting others.
Curriculum
The 41 credit Nurse Practitioner option will prepare primary care FNPs or AGPCNPs.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 750 clinical hours as part of the program.
Family and Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| NURS 5050 | Genetics, Immunology, & Microbiology for Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 5060 | Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NURS 6045 | Role Transition for the APN | 2 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| Electives (choose 1) | 3 | |
| Global Perspectives/Primary Care | ||
| Evaluation and Testing in Nursing Education | ||
| Special Topics in Health Care | ||
| Managerial Communication | ||
| Public Speaking: Professional Reports & Presentations | ||
| Diagnostic Skills for APRN | ||
| Specialization | ||
| Select one of the following specializations | 12 | |
| Specialization Courses (FNP) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical I - FNP (4 credits) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical II - FNP (4 credits) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical III - FNP (4 credits) | ||
| Specialization Courses (AGPCNP) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical I - AGPCNP (4 credits) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical II - AGPCNP (4 credits ) | ||
| Advanced Primary Care Clinical III - AGPCNP (4 credits) | ||
| Total Hours | 41 | |
- 1
NURS 6038 Advanced Health Assessment is a hybrid course where students are required to participate in a 2-3 day hands-on interactive on-campus experience.
Entrance Requirements for the Graduate School of Nursing in Addition to Graduate School Requirements
- BSN degree from an accredited nursing school
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Science GPA is evaluated as part of the admission process
- Current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in the USA
- Actively working in practice. Preference is given to nurses with a minimum of two years of nursing experience.
- Current CPR certification
- Ability to perform Technical Standards for Registered Nurses
- Successful completion of: Statistics course – three credits with a minimum grade of B or higher. Must be completed before registering for NURS 5040
Application/Admission Process
Students must apply online through NursingCas. All students applying for admission must submit:
- All official college transcripts leading to the bachelor's degree
- A formal essay addressing the following topics:
- Your rationale for choosing a career as a Nurse Practitioner
- Your personal compatibility with the CUW mission
- Your plans for academic success in the program, including time management, stress management, and professional communication
- Address any previous academic issues
- Upon completion of your degree, where do you envision yourself practicing and with what populations
- Professional resume
- Current unencumbered RN license
- Two recommendations: Must be professional and/or academic and one must be from an individual who has worked with the applicant in a professional capacity and has a minimum of a Master's Degree
- Applicants who have completed graduate level classes and wish to have them evaluated must submit these transcripts and the transfer credit form.
- GRE exams are not required.
The deadline for fall admission is July 1.
The deadline for spring admission is November 1.
In addition to the graduate admission requirements, there may be a pre-admission telephone interview.
The admission committee will review applications and a formal letter/email of acceptance or denial will be sent to the student.
Transfer of Credit
The Graduate Nursing Program will accept up to 6 transfer credits of previous graduate level coursework into the MSN program based on the following criteria:
- Coursework must have been completed within five years prior to admission to the program (or be approved by the MSN faculty committee).
- Courses transferred must be comparable in scope and subject matter to courses offered in the MSN Program. The student will need to provide a course description and the course syllabus for any course requested for transfer. A transfer credit form must be completed and submitted to the Graduate Nursing Office for approval upon admission.
- All courses transferred in must be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- All transfer credits must be certified by the Registrar and approved for the degree by the graduate nursing program director.
- Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics will not be accepted as transfer credits.
- Transfer credits will not be applied to the cumulative grade point average the student earns while in Concordia's MSN program.
Plan - Family Nurse Practitioner
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5050 | Genetics, Immunology, & Microbiology for Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| NURS 6045 | Role Transition for the APN | 2 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| No Courses | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NURS 7151 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical I - FNP | 4 |
| ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NURS 5060 | Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| NURS 7152 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical II - FNP | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| NURS 7153 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical III - FNP | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 41 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.
Plan - Adult Gerontology
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5050 | Genetics, Immunology, & Microbiology for Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| NURS 6045 | Role Transition for the APN | 2 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| No Courses | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NURS 7265 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical I - AGPCNP | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NURS 5060 | Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| NURS 7266 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical II - AGPCNP | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| NURS 7267 | Advanced Primary Care Clinical III - AGPCNP | 4 |
| ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 41 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.