The Masters of Science in Healthcare Informatics degree is designed to provide health care and educational professionals the training/education to access, mine, manage and use data appropriately to influence decision making and foster continuous quality improvement in their positions.

This program consists of 31 credits and a capstone project individualized to each student.

General Information

1. The master’s degree program in nursing at Concordia University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
2. 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.
3. Students are expected to comply with the requirements as stated in the Student Responsibilities Agreement.
4. 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:

1. Integrate liberal arts and sciences into advanced nursing roles and education.
2. Analyze organizational and systems leadership principles to improve quality and patient safety in advanced nursing roles.
3. Integrate evidence-based approaches into advanced nursing practice and education.
4. Integrate healthcare technologies in the delivery, enhancement, and coordination of quality patient care.
5. Analyze healthcare policies, finances, and regulations that impact healthcare systems.
6. Integrate patient-centered care using interprofessional teams to improve health outcomes of individuals and populations.
7. Integrate evidence-based, culturally appropriate knowledge in clinical prevention and population health at the individual and aggregate level.
8. Assume accountability for advanced nursing practice and lifelong learning.
9. Apply best evidence to assure competence in advanced nursing practice or nursing education with diverse populations.

Curriculum

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
NURS 530	Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing	3
NURS 534	Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration	3
NURS 540	Evidence Based Nursing Practice	3
NURS 560	Fundamentals of Health Care Informatics	3
NURS 510	Applied Epidemiology	3
NURS 621	Information Systems Management and Leadership	2
NURS 622	Health Systems Analysis	3
NURS 624	Knowledge Management and Representation	2
NURS 626	Foundations of Clinical Decision Support	3
NURS 628	Data Analysis, Application, and Transformation	3
NURS 731	Informatics Capstone	3
Total Hours		31

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.
• 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 540

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 Informaticist
  • 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
• Three letters of reference: two 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 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:

1. Coursework must have been completed within five years prior to admission to the program (or be approved by the MSN faculty committee).
2. 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.
3. All courses transferred in must be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
4. All transfer credits must be certified by the Registrar and approved for the degree by the graduate nursing program director.
5. Transfer credits will not be applied to the cumulative grade point average the student earns while in Concordia's MSN program.