Nursing (MSN): Direct Entry Program

Description

The program is designed for registered nurses with bachelor's degrees in nursing who wish to advance their careers with a graduate degree in nursing. The MSN consists of three components – foundational courses, primary care, and research. We prepare students to deliver primary health care to diverse populations across the lifespan. You will focus on health promotion and education, disease prevention, and learn to assess and manage patients with acute and chronic illnesses.

Graduates of this program are prepared to take the family nurse practitioner certification exam, and find success in positions in primary health care and community care settings, private practice, specialty medicine, public health, academia, and beyond.  Graduates of this program are also prepared to enter Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD programs to further advance their careers.

The FNP MSN for Bachelor’s prepared nurses is offered on campus in Boston and online via Nursing@Simmons.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the BS-MSN program must have a current unencumbered/unrestricted United States RN license in good standing and a BSN or BS with a major in nursing from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

Statistics Prerequisite: Applicants must have taken an undergraduate statistics course at a regionally accredited U.S. post-secondary institution within 7 years prior to the application deadline. The course must be equal to a semester in length and a grade of B or better is required. The course may be in progress at the time of application and must be completed before the start of the program. 

FNP MSN Course Prerequisite and Corequisite Rules

(Direct Entry and RN to MSN students should consult additional pre- and co-requisite rules noted in those sections, below.)

• Advanced Pathophysiology (404): Students must successfully complete CHSO 404 prior to attempting NURP 424 and NURP 530.

• Advanced Pharmacology (424) & Advanced Health Assessment (530): Students must pass the 3Ps (courses outlined above), prior to entering their didactic primary care courses, immersion weekend and clinical courses.

• FNP I Primary Care Nursing of the Child Bearing Family (531) & FNP II Primary Care Nursing (532): Students can take these courses as corequisites; Students must successfully complete their 3Ps prior to taking these courses

• FNP III Primary Care Nursing (533): Students .must successfully complete their 3Ps prior to taking this course; Students must successfully complete FNP I Primary Care (531) and FNP II Primary Care Nursing (532) prior to taking FNP III Primary Care Nursing (533).
• Immersion Weekend (534): Students must successfully complete their 3Ps, 531, 532 and must be currently enrolled in 533 (or already have successfully completed 533) in order to be eligible to attend Immersion Weekend (NURP/NURS 534).
• FNP Clinical Decision Making I (535): Students must successfully complete all required didactic courses, except NURP/NURS 411 - Scholarly Inquiry, prior to taking FNP Clinical Decision Making I (535). 
• FNP Clinical Decision Making II (536): Students must successfully complete their 3Ps, 531, 532, 533, 534, and 535 prior to taking FNP Clinical Decision Making II (536).
• Scholarly Inquiry (411): Students must pass Research Methods (410) before taking Scholarly Inquiry (411).

FNP MSN Clinical Placement

• Placements occur during the final two terms of the program, 535 & 536.
• Clinical education covers related content in two settings: mastery of didactic knowledge in the academic setting and application of didactic knowledge to practice in clinical settings.
• Students will attend their clinical placement approximately 24 hours per week for two 14-week terms to complete a minimum of 672 clinical hours.

Clinical education carries a total of 12 credits.

Description

This on campus program is designed for students from all academic backgrounds. Whether your degree is in psychology, chemical engineering or English, once you have completed the prerequisite courses for admission, you will be on your way to an MS in Nursing.

Students complete the pre-licensure Nursing curriculum full time on campus for the first four semesters of the program. You will learn from leaders in Nursing and Health Care and be prepared for the registered nurse (NCLEX) exam. Upon passing, you will move into the graduate portion of the program, which consists of three components – foundational courses, primary care, and research. We prepare students to deliver primary health care to diverse populations across the lifespan. Graduates of this program are prepared to take the family nurse practitioner (FNP) national board certification exam (AANP or ANCC). Our students find success in positions in primary health care, community care settings, specialty medicine, public health, academia and beyond. Graduates of this program are also prepared to enter Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs or PhD programs to further advance their careers.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have a BS or BA from a regionally accredited US college or university or a post-secondary institution abroad which is recognized by the Ministry of Education in the home country in a discipline other than Nursing to apply.

Prerequisites:

All prerequisite courses must have been completed within ten years prior to the application deadline; all must have grades (pass/fail or audit courses, AP (Advanced Placement), IB or CLEP scores do not fulfill prerequisites) and all must have been taken at a regionally accredited institution or at a post-secondary institution abroad recognized by the Ministry of Education in the home country.

A cumulative GPA (of all institutions attended) of 3.0 and a 3.0 in all prerequisites. Prerequisite courses (based on semester systems) required for admission:

• Statistics: One semester of statistics, can be taken in a math, psychology or science department. Course content must include principles of probability, binomial and normal distributions, sample statistics, estimation and testing of hypotheses and linear regression and correlation.
• Developmental Psychology: One semester of developmental psychology. Course content must span birth to death; general psychology does not meet this requirement. A series of appropriate courses in combination could fulfill the prerequisite, such as prenatal to adolescence, young-middle adulthood, aging and dying.
• Microbiology: One semester of microbiology with a lab.
• Human Anatomy and Physiology: Two semesters of human anatomy and physiology with lab. Animal physiology will not meet this requirement.
• Inorganic Chemistry: One semester of inorganic chemistry with lab. (Usually General Chemistry I and II will fulfill the inorganic and organic chemistry prerequisites).
• Organic Chemistry: One semester of organic chemistry with lab. (Usually General Chemistry I and II will fulfill the inorganic and organic chemistry prerequisites.

FNP MSN Direct Entry Pre-Licensure Clinical Placement

Placements occur during NURS 448, NURS 419, NURS 426, NURS 438, NURS 449, NURS 447, NURS 487

Direct Entry Prerequisite and Corequisite Rules

DE Pre-Licensure Courses: DE students must take pre-licensure courses in the sequence in which they are listed. No variation is allowed.

NURS 438: Students must pass NURS 426 before they can take NURS 438.

NURS 426: Students must pass or be enrolled in CHSC 404 and NURS 435 before they can take NURS 426.

This PMHNP MSN is intended for currently licensed Registered Nurses who hold a BS with a major in nursing or a BSN and desire to become Advanced Practice Registered Nurses - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners.

The goal of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track is to graduate Advanced Practice nurses who specialize in the care of children through older adult patients to promote health and treat those living with psychiatric and mental health conditions. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are critical in all clinical settings and are a key component to assisting with closing the gap around the mental health provider shortage, particularly among patients being able to adequately access psychiatric prescribers. PMHNPs assess, diagnose, treat, and manage issues related to mental health and substance abuse. PMHNPs will effectively partner with patients and their families and interdisciplinary colleagues to promote mental health and well-being.

The program has been created in line with the standards for advanced practice nursing graduate education by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties Core and Mental Health Specialty competencies, National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, and American Psychiatric Association practice guidelines, all of which combined ensure that nurse practitioners graduate with a comprehensive background in medical sciences on top of their nursing background.

Clinical Courses for PMHNP

• NURP 545: PMHNP Clinical Decision Making I (6 Credits)
• NURP 546: PMHNP Clinical Decision Making II (6 Credits)

Certification

Students who complete this MSN PMHNP program will be eligible to sit for the national Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner board certification exam with ANCC to become a PMHNP-BC and licensed by state boards of nursing across the US for practice. The program prepares students to also obtain a DEA number for prescriptive authority based on state rules and regulations.