Nursing, MSN
Dr. Michelle Nelson, Director
General Information
Clayton State University Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program with the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate concentration is designed to prepare professional registered nurses for advanced practice nurse (APN) roles as culturally competent primary care providers of clients, families and communities. Course and clinical work emphasize the care of adult, pediatric and geriatric patients and their families. Post BSN students enrolled in the program will be required to complete 47 credit hours with 585 hours of clinical experiences. Students possessing an MSN may receive up to 9 hours of credit but will still need 585 clinical hours.
The program is a committed champion to the training of a diverse workforce that reflects the population of Georgia. Combining rigorous coursework with hands on clinical experiences, students learn to collaboratively manage acute and chronic conditions as well as provide excellent community-based primary care to diverse, underserved, and vulnerable populations.
The curriculum has been developed to meet current national standards. Graduates of the FNP program are eligible to sit for national certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).
The degree offers graduates the opportunities to:
- Implement advanced practice roles as primary providers within the nursing profession and the health care system utilizing human caring as the foundation for nursing practice;
- Develop and nurture collaborative and interdependent relationships by communicating with other health care professionals;
- Analyze personal and organizational decision-making utilizing an understanding of how ethics and values influence health care delivery;
- Utilize nursing research for the promotion of high-quality nursing education, health care, and evidence-based practice;
- Demonstrate critical thinking in the application of nursing and multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to foster optimal client health outcomes;
- Demonstrate cultural competence that reflects sensitivity to human diversity in a dynamic academic and health care environment;
- Develop comprehensive, holistic plans of care that address health promotion and disease prevention needs of diverse populations;
- Demonstrate competence in primary care roles and a commitment to ongoing professional development for the provision of quality, cost-effective health care to clients, families and communities and to foster the advancement of nursing practice.
- Utilize information technology to integrate innovations in patient care delivery within organizational systems and across all health-illness transitions.
- Integrate knowledge in health assessment, pharmacology an pathophysiology into the role of the advanced practice nurse.
Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, the School of Nursing requires that all applicants must provide:
- Licensure and Certification. Proof of current unrestricted Georgia RN license or eligibility for Georgia RN licensure is required for admission.
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. A BSN degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
- Two letters of recommendation. Two letters of recommendation that comment on the applicant’s potential for success in a graduate academic program.
- Statement of purpose. A Statement of Purpose no more than two (2) typewritten pages, single-spaced. The statement should describe the applicant's pertinent personal and professional experience and education, as well as his or her interests and goals in pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing degree.
- Clinical Experience. 1-2 years of clinical nursing experience is preferred.
*At this time, Clayton State University cannot accept inquiries from outside the state of Georgia for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Program.
** An interview on campus may be required. Email Michelle Nelson, Master of Science in Nursing Graduate Program Director to notify her that you have submitted your completed application - michellenelson@clayton.edu.
Advising
In order to keep students on track for completing the degree, the Graduate Program Director will assign each student who enters the program an advisor. The student is encouraged to consult with his or her advisor before registering for courses each semester.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Implement advanced practice roles as leaders and educators within the nursing profession and the health care system utilizing human caring as the foundation for nursing practice.
- Develop and nurture collaborative and interdependent relationships by communicating with other health care professionals.
- Analyze personal and organizational decision making utilizing an understanding of how ethics and values influence health care delivery.
- Utilize nursing research for the promotion of high-quality nursing education, health care, and evidence -based practice.
- Demonstrate critical thinking in the application of nursing and multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to foster optimal client health outcomes.
- Demonstrate cultural competence that reflects sensitivity to human diversity in a dynamic academic and health care environment.
- Develop comprehensive, holistic plans of care that address health promotion and disease prevention need of diverse populations.
- Demonstrate competence in leadership roles and a commitment to ongoing professional development for the provision of quality, cost-effective health care, and the advancement of nursing practice.
- Utilize information technology to integrate innovations in patient care delivery, education, and leadership within organizational systems and across all health-illness transitions.
- Integrates knowledge in health assessment, pharmacology and pathophysiology into the role of the advanced practice nurse.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing Core Requirements 1 | 23 | |
| NURS 5503 | Adv Patho Across the Lifespan 2 | 3 |
| NURS 5504 | Health Care Policy 2 | 3 |
| NURS 5505 | Theory& Research for Grad Nurs | 4 |
| NURS 6612 | Diagnostic & Clinical Reasonin | 3 |
| NURS 6620 | Adv Health Assessment for FNPs | 3 |
| NURS 6640 | Adv Pharmacology for FNPs | 3 |
| NURS 6660 | Pop Hlth and Emerging DIsease | 2 |
| NURS 6671 | Adv Practice Nurs Roles in Soc | 2 |
| Nursing Clinical Requirements | 24 | |
| NURS 6630 | Hlth Prom of Adults and Fami | 6 |
| NURS 6650 | Hlth Prom of Children and Fami | 6 |
| NURS 6681 | Hlth Prom of Elderly and Famil | 6 |
| NURS 6690 | Nurse Practitioner Practicum | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours | 47 | |
- 1
Students should consult the MSN degree program website for information on suggested progression of coursework.
- 2
Required for Post BSN students; Post MSN students may qualify for exemption of up to nine hours.
MSN Academic Standards
Nursing students must maintain a semester grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (“B”) to maintain good standing in the program. Students who receive a “C”, "D", "F", "WF", or "U" in any MSN course may repeat this course one time only on a space available basis. Two unsuccessful attempts in any MSN course or two grades of “C”, "D", "F", "WF", or "U" in any MSN course will result in program dismissal.
Reference MSN Student Handbook for details.
Nursing (NURS)
This course focuses on developing an advanced knowledge base of human physiology and pathophysiology providing a background for professional practice and the translation and integration of evidence to provide quality and safe care of patient and community populations. It will prepare advanced nurses to understand the mechanisms underlying disease processes, clinical manifestations, and rational therapies. Appropriate screening and diagnostic testing methods will also be included. Emphasis will be placed on important pathophysiological concepts needed to support the goals of Healthy People 2030 to improve clients’ quality of life and reduce health disparities.
The political process related to health care policy and nurses role in affecting policy decisions will be a major focus of this course. Access, cost and quality of health care will be examined along with major issues related to concepts of health policy, nursing advocacy and the policy process. Legislative and regulatory issues, health care financing, managed care and coverage of the uninsured will be emphasized. Students will apply their knowledge of these topics to in-depth analysis of an issue related to their practice specialty.
Restrictions: Family Nurse Practioner
This course builds upon undergraduate foundations in research and theory to focus on the interrelationships between nursing theory, research and advanced nursing practice. Graduate nursing students will explore knowledge development through theory and research and the application of that knowledge through evidence-based nursing practice.
A graduate seminar exploring selected leadership or education topics in Nursing chosen by individual faculty members. A variety of perspectives will be examined.
This course focuses on diagnostic reasoning as a framework to synthesize knowledge for comprehensive assessment of primary care patients throughout the life span. Advanced health assessment techniques are emphasized and refined. Diverse types of approaches are used in expanding proficiency in conducting histories and physical examinations in laboratory and clinical settings including communication techniques unique to the specialty population. Systematic and organized health assessments that are sensitive to cultural and developmental needs are explored.
This course in health assessment expands the nurse's knowledge of cognitive processes and psychomotor skills needed for comprehensive assessment of clients across the lifespan. Students are expected to perform a physical, mental, developmental, and nutritional assessment, obtaining a health history, perform selected diagnostic procedures, and record findings. Interviewing skills that enable the nurse to relate to various clients across the life span will be refined. Use of diagnostic and motivational interviewing skills with individuals from diverse cultures will be emphasized. This course consists of didactic and clinical lab experiences. Students will obtain a comprehensive physical and mental health/substance use history and will perform a physical and mental status examination on an adult and pediatric client. Students will have documentation assignments on systems covered in lecture. All students will perform physical and mental health assessments in laboratory and clinical settings.
This course is designed to prepare Family Nurse Practitioners to assume responsibility for health promotion, health maintenance, disease prevention, and the management of common acute and chronic health problems of adults in primary health care settings. Emphasis is on the family as the basic unit of nursing care. Discussion will include non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic management of common health problems. Criteria for consultation and indications for referral along with exploration of available community resources will also be considered.
Course focuses on examination of the major categories of pharmacological agents and application of pharmacological concepts in the clinical practice setting. Emphasis is placed on understanding the physiological action of the drugs, expected patient responses and major effects. This course is prerequisite for clinical courses that integrate the knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics into effective nursing practice.
This course is designed to prepare Family Nurse Practitioners to assume responsibility for health promotion, maintenance, and management of common acute and chronic health problems of infants, children, and adolescents in primary health care settings. Emphasis is on the description of the condition or disease, etiology and incidence, clinical findings, differential diagnosis, management, complications and preventive and patient education measures. Consideration is given to cultural and ethical issues that affect health care delivery and client adherence to the management plan. Established protocols for practice are used to indicate the need for consultation, referral, and community resources.
This course strengthens students’ capacity to integrate and apply public health concepts and epidemiologic methods to improve population health. The theory and scope of public health practice are analyzed in the context of the complex interplay between science, law, policy, and ethics. Students synthesize and apply public health concepts (e.g., population perspective, health promotion and prevention, determinants of health) and methods (e.g., policy /advocacy /epidemiology /quality improvement/program planning).
Students explore components and variations of the advanced practice role and how social policy and health care delivery influence and are influenced by the role. Legal definitions and professional interpretations of advanced practice nursing are examined in relation to health care outcomes, resource allocation and cost effectiveness.
This course is designed to prepare Family Nurse Practitioners to assume responsibility for health promotion, disease prevention, early detection, and management of common acute and chronic health problems of the elderly client and his family. The nurse practitioner's role in promoting successful aging, maintaining function and promoting self care, through the use of the community, personal and family resources is stressed. Common geriatric syndromes and problems including chronic illnesses and their management are emphasized. Ethical dilemmas that impact the health care of the older adult are integrated throughout the course.
This experience gives the student responsibility for the primary health care services of individuals and families supervised by a nurse practitioner and/or physician preceptor. Students are expected to practice as a nurse practitioner, assuming increasing responsibility for planning and implementing therapeutic processes and for documenting and evaluating outcomes of care. Students will apply theories by investigation and management of health problems in primary health care settings.