Nursing ,M.S.
The master’s program in nursing at
Wagner
College is designed for professional nurses, and has as its purpose the advancement of nursing knowledge and abilities, both in general and in a specific functional area. The requirements for the degree of Master of Science in nursing are the completion of 44/45 credits. Students in the program have the opportunity to expand their knowledge base, synthesize knowledge into new concepts and theories, test theories, create new ideas and processes, and apply them in nursing practice. Students are given the opportunity to learn strategies of leadership and change in order to improve standards of nursing practice and the health status of society. Preparation in the role areas of educator or family nurse practitioner is offered. The program provides a strong foundation for doctoral study.
The program in nursing is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc., 61 Broadway, New York, New York 10006, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680, is registered with the New York State Education Department, Albany, New York 12234, and is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109.
Program Objectives
In order to fulfill the purposes of the Wagner College graduate nursing program, the student must meet the following program objectives.
Upon completion of the program students will be able to:
1. Evaluate nursing practice as it influences the quality of services provided within the health care system.
2. Analyze nursing theories and strategies in practice to promote, restore, and maintain the optimum level of health
of populations across the life span.
3. Use research to improve nursing practice.
4. Function as catalysts for change in collegial roles with other health professionals to improve the health care delivery system.
5. Demonstrate leadership roles by functioning as:
a.) nurse educators in collegiate nursing programs or staff development programs; or
b.) family nurse practitioners.
6. Promote responsibility and accountability in themselves and others in their roles as educators and practitioners.
Additional Admission Requirements
The following requirements for the Master of Science in nursing are in addition to those for all master’s degrees.
1. Completion of an accredited baccalaureate program with a major in nursing including a course in nursing research.
Other baccalaureate programs will be individually reviewed
2. A minimum overall undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.0
3. Current Registered Nurse License.
4. Demonstration, prior to the registration for clinical courses, of:
a.) annual physical examination with current immunizations;
b.) current malpractice insurance coverage.
5. For the Family Nurse Practitioner track, the applicant must submit documentation demonstrating current clinical practice.
6. Applicants who do not meet admission requirements have the opportunity to be individually evaluated.
Degree Requirements: Successful completion of 44/45 credits.
Program of Study
Required Courses for All Students
NR 611 Theoretical Components of Nursing 3 credits
NR 615 Advanced Pathophysiology 3 credits
NR 616 Advanced Health Assessment 4 credits
NR 621 Dynamics of Family Health Nursing 3 credits
NR 622 Health Care Policy Organization and Finance 3 credits
NR 623 Advanced Pharmacodynamics for Primary Care 3 credits
NR 624 Advanced Research 3 credits
NR 631 Evaluation and Instrumentation in Nursing 3 credits
NR 793 Professional Project Seminar 3 credits
Elective 3 credits
Total 31 credits
Required Courses for the Educator Role
NR 618 Philosophy of Education 3 credits
NR 635 Curriculum Development 3 credits
NR 653 Practicum in Teaching 4 credits
NR 655 Advanced Community Health Nursing 3 credits
Total 13 credits
Required Courses for the Family Nurse Practitioner Role
NR 609 Management of Common Conditions 3 credits
NR 617 The Advanced Practice Nurse 3 credits
NR 641 Family Health Nursing I 2 credits
NR 643 Family Health Nursing II 3 credits
NR 645 Family Health Nursing III 3 credits
Total 14 credits
NR609 Management of Common Conditions. Three credits. This course focuses on the management of common conditions encountered by the advanced practice nurse in primary care. Emphasis will be placed on developing diagnostic reasoning skills and utilizing a holistic evidenced approach to clinical care. Prerequisite: NR 615. Offered spring semester.
NR611 Theoretical Components of Nursing. Three credits. The purpose of this course is to explore, discuss, and formulate concepts of individuals, environment, health, and nursing as they relate to nursing theories. Philosophical inquiry and historical trends, as a basis for theory development, are examined. Students examine knowledge from the sciences, humanities, and nursing and how it can be applied to nursing in education, administration, and advanced practice. Offered fall semester.
NR615 Advanced Pathophysiology. Three credits. This course focuses on the pathogenesis of common conditions affecting individuals and families as a basis for nursing primary care management. Offered fall semester.
NR616 Advanced Health Assessment. Four credits. Students develop sophistication in the ability to assess and evaluate subtle diagnostic cues in client populations across the life span. Emphasis is placed on enhancing students’ clinical judgment. Offered spring semester.
NR617 The Advanced Practice Nurse. Three credits. This course focuses on exploring issues relating to graduate nursing education and the advanced practice role. Contemporary concerns such as the politics of health care reform, the advanced practice nurse’s usefulness and marketability, and the legal responsibility and accountability of the professional nurse in advanced practice are analyzed. Offered spring semester.
NR618 Philosophy of Education. Three credits. This course is designed to explore different philosophies of education. It offers a philosophical foundation for students to develop evaluative approaches, justification for teaching approaches, and commentaries on teaching practices. Offered spring semester.
NR621 Dynamics of Family Health Nursing. Three credits. This course focuses on the primary care dynamics and needs of families. Psycho-socio-cultural, economic, spiritual, community, and educational paradigms are explored. Risk assessment and interventions are investigated and analyzed to promote the stability of a family’s health status. Offered fall semester.
NR622 Health Care Policy, Organization, and Finance. Three credits. This course presents an overview of health care policy formulation, health care organization and financing. Nurses as health care providers, coordinators, and advocates will study the theories and competencies needed to function in a new and complex health care environment. Offered spring semester.
NR623 Advanced Pharmacodynamics for Primary Care. Three credits. Course content will focus on the pharmacological management of self-limiting episodic complaints and stable chronic disease states commonly managed by advanced practice nurses. Offered fall semester.
NR624 Advanced Research. Three credits. The components of research design, methodology, and statistical analysis are presented. The students develop the needed knowledge base to prepare them to conduct research studies. Prerequisite: NR 611. Offered spring semester.
NR631 Evaluation and Instrumentation in Nursing. Three credits. This course offers students the knowledge and skills needed to collect, critically appraise, integrate, generate, and evaluate evidence for nursing practice. Prerequisite: NR 624. Offered fall semester.
NR635 Curriculum Development. Three credits. Issues and trends, which influence curricular decisions and development, are examined. Students acquire the knowledge and skills to design, develop, and evaluate a curriculum. Prerequisite: NR 611. Prerequisite or Corequisite NR 618 Offered spring semester.
NR641 Family Health Nursing I. Two credits. This course is the first course in the supervised clinical experience for the family nurse practitioner role. The emphasis is on developing clinical judgment in the primary care setting through critical analysis of subjective and objective client data. The clinical experience consists of 200 hours plus a weekly seminar. Prerequisites: NR 611, 615, 616, 617, 623, Prerequisite or Corequisite NR 609 and NR 621. In addition all students are required to show evidence of a current RN license, malpractice insurance, recent physical examination with titers, and proof of current health insurance. Students must see the professor prior to registration to arrange clinical experiences. Offered fall and spring semesters.
NR643 Family Health Nursing II. Three credits. This clinical course is a continuation of Family Health Nursing I. Students is afforded the opportunity to enhance clinical skills and judgments developed in the previous course. Supervised clinical practices in primary care settings with preceptors are maintained. The clinical experience consists of 200 hours plus a weekly seminar. Prerequisite NR 641. In addition all students are required to show evidence of a current RN license, malpractice insurance, recent physical examination with titers, and proof of current health insurance. Students must see the professor prior to registration to arrange clinical experiences. Offered fall and spring semesters.
NR645 Family Health Nursing III. Three credits. This clinical course is a continuation of Family Health Nursing II. Students are afforded the opportunity to continue to enhance clinical skills and judgments developed in the previous courses. This is the last clinical course for the family nurse practitioner. At the end of this course students are expected to demonstrate competency in this role. Supervised clinical practice takes place in a variety of primary care settings with preceptors. The clinical experience consists of 200 hours plus a weekly seminar. Prerequisite: NR 643. In addition all students are required to show evidence of a current RN license, malpractice insurance, recent physical examination with titers, and proof of current health insurance. Students must see the professor prior to registration to arrange clinical experiences Offered fall and spring semesters.
NR653 Practicum in Teaching. Four credits. Students are provided opportunities for individualized teaching experiences in nursing education settings. Nurse educators precept students into the roles and responsibilities of their positions. The teaching practicum includes 90 hours of experience plus a weekly seminar. Prerequisites: NR 615,616, 618, 621, 623, 631, 635. Offered fall semester.
NR655 Advanced Community Health Nursing. 3 credits. This course focuses on advanced nursing practice with vulnerable individuals, families and populations within the community. Emphasis is placed on interventions appropriate for health promotion, maintenance and restoration utilizing national objectives for healthy populations. Students are provided with the opportunity to enhance their clinical skills and judgments within a population based context. This course includes a weekly seminar and 60 hours of clinical practice. Prerequisites. NR 611, 615, 616, 621, 623. In addition all students are required to show evidence of a current RN license, malpractice insurance, recent physical examination with titers and proof of current health insurance. Students should see the professor prior to registration to arrange clinical experiences.
NR691 Special Topics in Nursing. Three credits. Content varies to meet the special interests of graduate students and faculty. Offered periodically.
NR693 Independent Study. One to four credits. Course designed for independent advanced level study on a topic of the student’s own choosing after advisement by sponsoring departmental faculty. Students may use this course to engage in collaborative research with faculty. Prerequisite: permission of advisor and of director of graduate nursing. Offered fall and spring semesters.
NR793 Professional Project Seminar. Three credits. This course uses the parameters of the scientific process to investigate a special, health-related problem as currently seen in society. Students are expected to design and implement a health related project. This course is taken in the last academic year before graduation. NR631 Prerequisite or Co-requisite. Offered fall and spring semesters.
NR699 Summer Practicum Supervision, 0 credits. This practicum affords the nurse practitioner student an opportunity to complete up to 75 hours of clinical precepted practice under the guidance of faculty. The hours may be applied towards the required clinical hours for NR643 or NR645. Students must have completed NR641 in order to participate in this practicum. (Fee applies)
Post Master’s Advanced Certificate Program for Family Nurse Practitioner
Program of Study
The Post Master’s Certificate Program for Family Nurse Practitioner builds on an earned master’s degree in nursing. The student completes 27 credits, inclusive of precepted clinical practice. Graduates completing this program will be certified by the New York State Education Department as Family Nurse Practitioners.
Admission Requirements
1. Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0.
2. Current
New York
State licensure as a Professional Registered Nurse.
3. Malpractice insurance coverage.
4. Current immunization and physical examination.
5. Two (2) letters of reference attesting to applicant’s current knowledge base, clinical competency and experiences,
professional capabilities, and potential for successfully assuming an advanced practice role.
6. Current Curriculum Vitae/Resume.
An application can be obtained from the Graduate Admissions Office, Campus Hall.
Curriculum Schema of Courses
NR609 Management of Common Conditions 3 credits
NR615 Advanced Pathophysiology 3 credits
NR616 Advanced Health Assessment 4 credits
NR617 The Advanced Practice Nurse 3 credits
NR621 Dynamics of Family Health Nursing 3 credits
NR623 Advanced Pharmacodynamics for Primary Care 3 credits
NR641 Family Health Nursing I 2 credits
NR643 Family Health Nursing II 3 credits
NR645 Family Health Nursing III 3 credits
Total 27 credits
