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Catalog - Table of Index

Nursing

College of Health Sciences

Degree MSN, Nursing
Graduate Program Director Cheryl Fuller, PhD

Faculty

Cheryl A. Fuller, Associate Professor of Nursing, BS University of Vermont; MS State University of New York; PhD New York University

Brenda Hage, Assistant Professor of Nursing, BSN State Universiity of New York at Albany; MSN College Misericordia

Cynthia Mailloux, Associate Professor of Nursing, BSN, Wilkes University; MSN College Misericordia; PhD Pennsylvania State University

Brenda Pavill, Associate Professor of Nursing, BS Wilkes University; MS Bloomsburg University; MSN College Misericordia; PhD Marywood University

Donna Ayers Snelson, Associate Professor of Nursing, BSNE Wilkes University; MSN University of Pennsylvania

Jean R. Steelman, Professor of Nursing, BS Wilkes University; MSN College Misericordia; PhD New York University

Graduate Nursing Program
Graduate education enables professional nurses to realize their creative leadership potential and provides opportunities for collaborative functioning with health professionals and others in effecting change in nursing practice and health care. Specialization occurs on the graduate level, which provides for in-depth knowledge and experience in specific clinical and functional areas. Advanced knowledge provides the foundation for effective leadership in nursing. Scientific inquiry is an integral part of graduate education in nursing. Such inquiry provides the basis for acquisition of increased competencies in utilization of research and increased knowledge base in the analysis and synthesis of theories related to the practice of nursing. Graduate education provides the foundation for doctoral study in nursing.

Program Description
The nursing faculty believes that advanced practice nurses are expert clinicians with master’s degree educational preparation. These practitioners are prepared to function as providers and organizers of the health care delivery process as well as in faculty positions in nursing education or in mid-level administration positions. The primary role of the advanced practice nurse is the clinical role; case management processes and educational theories and methods are used to enhance the practitioner’s expert base of advanced practice clinical skills and knowledge.

Master’s-prepared nurses directly assess, make clinical decisions, and manage health problems and health promotion needs of individuals, families, and communities. In addition, their jobs often require them to teach and supervise professional and non-professional staff, oversee quality assurance, utilize clinical research, and implement and evaluate programs to promote health. The master’s program prepares advanced practice nurses by blending graduate core courses with the clinical and functional foci necessary to prepare flexible providers who can respond to the comprehensive needs of clients in the 21st century.

Program Goals
The graduate nursing program at Misericordia University is designed to:

  1. provide clinically prepared nurse educators, practitioners, and administrators for leadership positions in nursing education and the health care delivery system;
  2. prepare graduates to use the research process to improve nursing practice, nursing education, and contribute to nursing's body of knowledge;
  3. prepare graduates to initiate innovative, creative approaches to the emerging needs and demands of society related to the health care delivery system;
  4. provide an educational base for graduates to pursue further education and professional development.

Admission Criteria for Graduate Nursing Program
Full Admission - Applicants are eligible for full admission to the graduate nursing program if: (1) they have an undergraduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.99 and have scored in at least the 35th percentile on the MAT or GRE examination; or (2) they have an undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher and have scored in the 25th percentile or higher on the MAT or GRE examinations.

Provisional Admission - Applicants who have an undergraduate GPA of 2.50 to 2.99 and have scored below the 35th percentile on the MAT or GRE examination are eligible for provisional admission. Students in this category will be required to complete 12 graduate credits at Misericordia University, half of which must be in required courses, with grades no lower than “B” before being granted full and unconditional admission to the graduate nursing program.

Denied Admission - Applicants who have less than a 2.50 undergraduate GPA or score below the 25th percentile on the MAT or GRE examination will be denied admission to the graduate nursing program. Applicants to all graduate nursing programs must submit the following documentation in addition to that required by the university:

  1. Official transcripts demonstrating graduation from an NLN or CCNE accredited baccalaureate nursing program.
  2. A statement of the applicant's professional goals for graduate education.
  3. A copy of the applicant's current professional nurse registration.
  4. Transcript documentation of an undergraduate physical assessment course or equivalent evidence; an undergraduate statistics course; and an undergraduate research course.
  5. Evidence of a minimum of one year of recent clinical practice.

In addition to b, c, and f above, applicants to the Post-Master's Certificate Program must submit:

  1. Official transcripts demonstrating completion of a master's degree in nursing; and
  2. Transcript or equivalent evidence of graduate level pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment and role development courses.

Additional information

  1. Computer literacy is an expectation for all graduate nursing courses. Email addresses and Internet access are provided by The University.

Admission Criteria for Admission to RN to MSN Program
Full Admission Registered nurse applicants are eligible for full admission to the RN to MSN program if they meet the following criteria, in addition to that required by the university:

  1. Graduation from an approved associate's degree or diploma nursing program. Students are required to submit transcripts of all prior college-level course work and a copy of the RN license.
  2. Minimum grade point average of 2.70 for all prior college-level course work.
  3. Official written verification of a minimum of 1,000 hours of clinical practice in the past three years (waived for graduates of basic nursing programs in the three years prior to application).
  4. Acceptable Miller Analogy Test (MAT) scores (see below).
  5. A statement of professional goals for graduate education.
  6. Three letters of recommendation.

Applicants whose GPA is 2.70 to 2.99 must have a MAT score at the 35th percentile or higher; applicants with a GPA of 3.00 or higher must have a minimum MAT score of the 25th percentile.

Denied Admission Registered nurse applicants who have a GPA of less than 2.50 will be denied admission to the RN to MSN program.

Additional information

Curriculum
The graduate nursing curriculum consists of courses in three areas: the graduate nursing core, the advanced practice core, and the clinical and/or functional specialization.

The graduate nursing core courses provide support for clinical and functional role development and focus on such areas as research; policy, organization and financing of health care; ethics; theoretical foundations of nursing practice; and human diversity and social issues. The graduate nursing core culminates in a capstone course in which all candidates for the master of science degree in nursing demonstrate the ability to integrate theory, research, and clinical and/or functional practice.

The advanced practice nursing core courses build on knowledge acquired from the graduate nursing core and provide students with foundational understanding of professional role development, advanced assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.

Advanced practice clinical specialization courses reflect the changing trends in health care that require application of advanced clinical skills and development of collaborative roles. All clinical management courses provide for precepted clinical practice that concentrates on health restoration, health maintenance and health promotion. Clinical practice courses incorporate recommendations from ANA’s Standards and Scope of Nursing Practice; Healthy People 2010; AACN’s Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Practice Nursing; and NONPF’s Curriculum Guidelines and Program Standards for Nurse Practitioner Education. Students who select any of the advance practice options, with the exception of the family nurse practitioner option, also complete course work in the functional specialization areas of nursing education or administration. All graduate nursing students must have the following documents on file before beginning clinical experiences: current copy of professional license, CPR certification, health clearance, professional liability insurance, and criminal record and child abuse check.

The curricular options currently offered by the nursing department include:

Clinical Nurse Specialist: The adult option provides students with advanced clinical nursing skills to address health promotion needs of adults and to collaborate with members of the health care team in managing episodic and chronic health care problems of adults in acute care, ambulatory care, HMOs, long-term care, and home care settings. This option consists of 43 credits in the areas of the graduate nursing core, advanced practice core, adult health clinical specialization and functional specialization. Students must complete 500 hours of clinical practice under the direct supervision of qualified preceptors. Graduates who complete this course of study may take the examination for certification by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: The women and children’s health option gives students the opportunity to develop advanced nursing skills to provide care to women and children in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. The focus of this 45-credit program of study is the clinical management of common health promotion needs and problems of women and children. Students complete a minimum of 500 hours of precepted clinical practice along with courses in the graduate nursing core, the advanced practice core, and clinical and functional specialization areas. Graduates are prepared to work collaboratively with other health care providers in school-based clinics, well-child and prenatal clinics, inpatient obstetrical and pediatric units, ambulatory care, and other community agencies serving women and children. Students who complete this course of study may seek certification through the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nursing’s (AWHONN) examinations in the areas of Ambulatory Women’s Health, Maternal Newborn Nursing, and Low-Risk Neonatal Nursing.

The family nurse practitioner option prepares students to function as principal providers of primary health care to families and individuals across the life span. The focus of this 45-credit program of study is the primary care management of acute episodic and stable, chronic health problems of individuals and families. Students complete the graduate nursing core, the advanced practice core, and clinical specialization courses along with a minimum of 650 hours of direct clinical practice under the supervision of qualified nurse practitioner and physician preceptors. Graduates are certified as nurse practitioners in family health and qualify to take national family nurse practitioner certification examinations offered by the ANCC and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

The Post-Master's Certificate Options:

  1. Family Nurse Practitioner
    he family nurse practitioner certificate option provides the opportunity for nurses who already have an earned master’s degree in nursing in another clinical specialization to complete requirements to qualify for certification as a family nurse practitioner. The certificate program consists of a minimum of 24 credits from the advanced practice nursing core and the clinical specialization area. Additional credits in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment and role development may be required based on evaluation of previous university and professional experiences. Post-master’s certificate program students complete a minimum of 630 hours of directed clinical practice in primary care under the supervision of qualified clinicians.

  2. Nursing Education
    The nursing education certificate option provides the opportunity for nurses who have an earned master’s degree in nursing to extend their knowledge in the area of nursing education. This certificate program consists of twelve credits which include NSG 504, NSG 595, NSG 535, and NSG 570

Program Scheduling
All graduate nursing options are available in a part-time evening format. Selected courses may be offered in an online or accelerated format. All graduate nursing courses are scheduled for Thursday beginning at 4:00 pm.

Structure of the Graduate Nursing Program

CORE - Graduate Nursing Courses 12 credits
NSG 512 Concepts and Theories in Nursing 3 credits
NSG 517 Research Analysis and Utilization 3 credits
NSG 555 Legal, Ethical, and Public Policy Issues in Health Care 3 credits
NSG 599 Graduate Synthesis 3 credits

CORE - Advanced Practice Nursing
9 credits
NSG 514 Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing 3 credits
NSG 551 Advanced Pharmacology 3 credits
NSG 552 Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 credits

Nursing Clinical Specialization Courses

Adult Health:

 13 credits
NSG 557 Care of Adults with Health Promotion Needs and Episodic Health Problems 2 credits
NSG 562 Care of Adults with Chronic Health Needs and Problems 2 credits
NSG 576 Advanced Nursing Management of Adults with Health Promotion Needs and Episodic Health Problems 3 credits
NSG 577 Advanced Nursing Management of Adults with Chronic Health Needs and Problems 3 credits
NSG 591 Advanced Practice Nursing Clinical Synthesis 3 credits

Women's and Children's Health:		 10 credits
NSG 559 Health Care of Women 3 credits
NSG 565 Health Care of Children 3 credits
NSG 578 Advanced Nursing Management of Women with Health Promotion Needs and Health Problems 2 credits
NSG 579 Advanced Nursing Management of Children with Health Promotion Needs and Health Problems 2 credits

Children with Health Promotion Needs and Health Problems
Family Nurse Practitioner:		 24 credits
NSG 554 Diagnostic Reasoning and Therapeutic Interventions for Primary Care Nursing 3 credits
NSG 556 Primary Care Management of Children with Health Promotion Needs and Health Problems 2 credits
NSG 557 Care of Adults with Health Promotion Needs and Episodic Health Problems 2 credits
NSG 558 Primary Care Management of Adults with Health Promotion Needs and Episodic Health Problems 2 credits
NSG 559 Health Care of Women 3 credits
NSG 561 Primary Care Management of Women's Health Problems and Health Promotion Needs 2 credits
NSG 562 Care of Adults with Chronic Health Needs and Problems 2 credits
NSG 563 Primary Care Management of Adults with Chronic Health Needs and Problems 2 credits
NSG 565 Health Care of Children 3 credits
NSG 567 Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Synthesis 3 credits


Functional Specialization 9 credits

All students who have not selected the family nurse practitioner clinical specialization option are required to complete nine credits in a functional specialization. The functional specialization that is offered is nursing education.

Nursing Education
NSG 504 Curriculum Design 3 credits
NSG 505 Teaching/Learning Strategies 3 credits
NSG 535 Nursing Education Practicum 3 credits

Sample Course Sequencing

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Adult Health

Semester 1 Semester 2
NSG 551 Advanced Pharmacology 3 NSG 512 Concepts and Theories 3
NSG 552 Pathophysiology 3 NSG 514 Foundations of APN 2


Semester 3		 Semester 4
NSG 517 Research Analysis, Utilization 3 Functional Area Course 3
NSG 557 Episodic Adult 2
NSG 576 Clin. Mgmt. Episodic 3


Semester 5

Semester 6
NSG 562 Care Chronic Adult 2 NSG 555 Legal, Ethical,Pub. Pol. 3
NSG 577 Clin Mgmt. Chronic 3 Functional Area Course 3


Semester 7		 Semester 8
Functional Practicum 3 NSG 599 Synthesis 3
NSG 591 Clinical Synthesis 3
Total Credits 43

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Women and Children's Health

Semester 1 Semester 2
NSG 551 Advanced Pharmacology 3 NSG 512 Concepts and Theories 3
NSG 552 Pathophysiology 3 NSG 514 Foundations of APN 3


Semester 3		 Semester 4
NSG 517 Research Analysis, Utilization 3 Functional Area Course 3
NSG 565 Health Care Child 3
NSG 579 Clin. Mgmt. Children 3


Semester 5		 Semester 6
NSG 559 Health Care Women 3 Functional Area Course 3
NSG 578 Clin. Mgmt. Women 3 NSG 555 Legal, Ethical, Pub. Pol. 3


Semester 7		 Semester 8
Functional Practicum 3 NSG 599 Synthesis 3
NSG 591 Clinical Synthesis 3
Total Credits 45

Family Nurse Practitioner Option

Semester 1 Semester 2
NSG 551 Advanced Pharmacology 3 NSG 512 Concepts and Theories 3
NSG 552 Pathophysiology 3 NSG 514 Foundations of APN 3


Semester 3		 Semester 4
NSG 517 Research Analysis, Utilization 3 NSG 555 Legal, Ethical, Public Policy Issues 3
NSG 554 Diagnostic Reason 3 NSG 557 Episodic Adult 2
NSG 558 Prim. Care Epi. Adult 2


Semester 5		 Semester 6
NSG 562 Chronic Adult 2 NSG 565 Health Care Child 3
NSG 563 Pri. Care Chronic Adult 2 NSG 556 Pri. Care Mgmt. Child 2


Semester 7		 Semester 8
NSG 559 Health Care Women 3 NSG 599 Synthesis 3
NSG 561 Pri. Care Mgmt. Women 2 NSG 567 FNP Clinical Synthesis 3
Total Credits 45

Family Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate Option*

Semester 1 Semester 2
NSG 554 Diagnostic Reasoning 3 NSG 557 Episodic Adult 2
NSG 552 Pathophysiology 3 NSG 558 Prim. Care Epi. Adult 2


Semester 3		 Semester 4
NSG 559 Health Care Women 3 NSG 565 Health Care Child 3
NSG 561 Prim. Care Women 2 NSG 556 Prim. Care Mgmt. Child 2


Semester 5		 Semester 6
NSG 562 Chronic Adult 2 NSG 567 FNP Clin. Synthesis 2
NSG 563 Primary Care, Chronic Adults 2
Total Credits 24*

Nursing Education Certificate Post-Master's Option

Semester 1 Semester 2
NSG 570 Faculty Role Development 3 NSG 504 Curriculum Design 3
NSG 505 Teaching Learning Strategies 3


Semester 3
NSG 535 Nursing Education Practicum 3
Total Credits 12*

* If requirements for pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment and role development have previously been met in master's degree program. Otherwise, up to 9 additional credits may be required.

The RN to MSN Option

In response to the identified national need for a sufficient supply of expert clinicians and the profession’s call for flexibility in the development of new initiatives and programs, the nursing department offers an alternative educational format for practicing registered nurses who wish to advance their educational base and/or who seek re-tooling for the health care marketplace of the 21st century. This innovative curriculum gives registered nurse students who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but who have graduated from NLN accredited diploma or associate’s degree programs and have remained in clinical practice, the opportunity to earn both the bachelor’s and master’s degree upon graduation.

Applicants who meet admission requirements (See program specific admission requirements section in admissions information section of catalog) complete both undergraduate and graduate courses in a sequence that allows students to “bridge” to the MSN program without first earning a bachelor of science in nursing. Students who are accepted into the RN to MSN program must meet all program-specific admission, progression and retention, and other graduate policies as specified in this catalog. (Please see graduate program policies and procedures section of catalog.)

Associate degree graduates must have at least one course in each area of the core noted on their transcript. Courses transferred from another institution may represent the area of the core that it satisfies. After matriculation, only six credits may be taken off campus at another four-year institution; only three of these are permitted to be core courses. Registered nurses who have completed a bachelor’s degree in another field are exempt from the core requirements.

Core Requirements (number of credits vary)

Required Cognates Courses (6 credits):

HP 241, Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
MTH 115, Basic Statistics (3 credits)

Required Professional Nursing Courses (22 credits):

NSG 397, Professional Nursing Concepts I (2 credits)
NSG 398, Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3 credits)
NSG 460, Professional Nursing Concepts II (4 credits)
NSG 465, Application of Professional Nursing Concepts (4 credits)
NSG 512, Concepts and Theories (3 credits)
NSG 517, Research Analysis and Utilization (3 credits)
NSG 555, Legal, Ethical, and Public Policy Issues in Health Care (3 credits)

Electives (as necessary for credit requirements)

(Graduate Clinical Specialization Courses vary according to specialization selected)

Because applicants hold a professional license prior to admission to the RN to MSN Program, this option is designated as a 5-year professional program. The time required to complete the RN to MSN program varies with the level of basic preparation, the number of credits transferred into the program from the basic program, and the clinical specialization that is selected.

Those associate degree registered nurse students, who select the adult health option, complete 122 total credits; diploma graduates complete 134 credits. For the women and children’s health option, the total credits required for associate degree nurses is 124; for diploma nurses the total is 136. The family nurse practitioner option consists of 129 total credits for associate degree students and 141 for diploma graduates.

A sample curriculum plan follows for the RN to MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner Option only. Similar models are followed for other clinical specializations.

Completion of undergraduate core requirements, cognates, professional nursing major, and electives (as necessary) followed by the graduate clinical specialization semesters.

Graduate Semester 1
NSG 551 Advanced Pharmacology 3
NSG 552 Pathophysiology 3
Total Credits 6


Graduate Semester 2
NSG 512 Concepts /Theories 3
NSG 514 Foundations of APN 3
Total Credits 6


Graduate Semester 3
NSG 517 Research Analysis and Util. 3
NSG 554 Diagnostic Reasoning 3
Total Credits 6


Graduate Semester 4
NSG 555 Leg, Eth, Pub Policy 3
NSG 557 Episodic Adult 2
NSG 558 Prim. Care Epi. Adlt. 2
Total Credits 7


Graduate Semester 5
NSG 562 Chronic Adult 2
NSG 563 Prim. Care Chron. Adlt. 2
Total Credits 5


Graduate Semester 6
NSG 565 Health Care of Child. 3
NSG 556 Prim. Care Mgmt. Child. 2
Total Credits 5


Graduate Semester 7
NSG 559 Health of Women 3
NSG 561 Primary Care Women 2
Total Credits 5


Graduate Semester 8
NSG 599 Graduate Synthesis 3
NSG 567 FNP Clin. Synthesis 3
Total Credits 6

Nursing Course Descriptions (NSG)
 
Misericordia University