Master of Science in Nursing

MSN Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, the graduate student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate research knowledge and skills essential for evidence-based practice.
  • Evaluate research studies, applying selected findings to nursing practice or education.
  • Examine and analyze current health care issues and communicate with health professionals to effect health care changes at institutional, local, regional, and/or national levels.
  • Identify, analyze, and assume accountability for ethical dilemmas in practice.
  • Demonstrate advanced competence in a specialized area of functional and/or clinical nursing practice in each of the advanced practice roles.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking, accountability, and commitment to lifelong learning that characterizes a professional person.
  • Implement leadership roles and participate in expanded professional nursing roles that are responsive to health needs of society.
  • Utilize theoretical and empirical knowledge as foundational to advanced nursing practice roles.
  • Demonstrate competency in serving a culturally and ethnically diverse society.
  • Serve as an advocate for clients and families including the enhancement of access to and coordination of health care services.
  • Acquire knowledge and skills foundational to doctoral studies.

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)   Nurses in class

Upon completion of the MSN program, the FNP graduate will be able to:

  • eligible to sit for national board exams with either the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
  • elicit a comprehensive health history that includes an evaluation of the individual's development, maturation, coping ability, activities of daily living, physiological functioning and emotional and social well being.
  • perform a complete physical examination of adults, children or pregnant women.
  • order, perform and interpret pertinent diagnostic tests.
  • analyze data collected to determine health status.
  • formulate a problem list.
  • develop and implement with the client and family, a plan of care to promote, maintain, and restore health.
  • evaluate the client's response to health care and provide effectiveness of the care with the individual and his/her family.
  • modify and interpret the plan and intervention as needed.
  • collaborates with other health care professionals in meeting individual needs and in providing client advocacy.
  • refer clients and families to other health care professionals as appropriate.
  • record all pertinent data about the client including the history and physical examination, problems identified, interventions provided, results of care and plans for follow-up or referral.
  • coordinate the services required to meet individual and family needs for health care.
  • identify and implement strategies to maximize the adult, women's, family or children's nurse practitioner role.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Upon completion of the MSN program, the CNS graduate will be able to:

  • Exhibit knowledge and the ability to apply epidemiology, biometrics, environmental health, community structure and organizations, community development, management, program evaluation, policy development and case management to health issues.
  • Assess and analyze the health of aggregates and communities.
  • Develop priority lists in collaboration with the community and multidisciplinary groups that include political forces.
  • Identify and develop multiple strategies to reach out to community residents and leaders to affect change.
  • Provide leadership towards reaching goals of the community.
  • Utilize research and theory application relevant to community health practice and policy development.
  • Managing and empowering human resources wisely.
  • Develop theory based evaluation methods and utilization of outcome management to promote the health of the community or aggregate.