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Master of Science in Nursing

 

Description

The Family Nurse Practitioner MSN degree is offered at Simmons' Boston campus in the following pathways: BS to MSN, RN to MSN, and Direct Entry for BA/BS holders.

The Family Nurse Practitioner MSN degree is offered online (Nursing@Simmons) in the following pathways: BS to MSN and RN to MSN.
 

 

Learning Outcomes

  • Critique, evaluate, synthesize and utilize theoretical, scientific and clinical knowledge as applied to the assessment and management of both primary and acute health and illness states.
  • Demonstrate a personal, collegial, and collaborative approach as an advanced practice Nurse while emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention and identification of environmental factors that impact health status across the lifespan.
  • Develop an understanding and appreciation of human diversity as an advanced practice professional to assure the delivery of appropriate and individualized health care across the curriculum.
  • Demonstrate sound critical thinking and clinical decision making reflected in effective written and verbal communications skills, utilized by the advanced practice Nurse in a complex delivery system.
  • Demonstrate personal qualities and professional behaviors which are assertive and engage in advanced practice activities that advocate for on-going change and leadership within Nursing and in the health care system.
  • Apply critical thinking skills within a multidisciplinary approach to care which fosters strategies and assembles multifaceted resources to empower patients, families and communities to attain and maintain maximal functional wellness.
  • Demonstrate Nursing judgments and interventions which provide culturally sensitive care for diverse populations.
  • Demonstrate Nursing practices which address human differences.
  • Design and implement evidence-based primary health care practices in varied health care systems
  • Assume a leadership role in the management of patients, communities and larger systems.
  • Initiate changes in patient care and in the health care system through negotiations with other health care professionals.
  • Evaluate the efficacy of health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, and treatment interventions through the application of knowledge of health care systems, economics, policy, ethics and politics.
  • Conduct clinical Nursing research designed to advance the science of Nursing.
  • Advance professional growth through continued acquisition of theoretical knowledge and clinical experience, and through participation and/or leadership in professional and community

 

Course Sequences & Course Descriptions

  • Students who entered the online BS to MSN or RN to MSN program prior to May 2020 can find the program sequence here and prerequisites and corequisites here.
  • Students who entered the DE program prior to September 2020 can find the program sequence here . Students that entered the campus BS to MSN program prior to May 2020 can find the program sequence here.

Students who entered the program May 2020 or later OR students who entered prior to May 2020 and transitioned to a new plan of study to accommodate the new curriculum sequence please see below:

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 (NURP 404), Advanced Pharmacology (NURP 422/423, or NURP 424) & Advanced Health Assessment (NURP 500 or 530): Students must pass the 3Ps (courses outlined above), prior to entering their didactic, immersion weekend and clinical courses.
  • NURP 423 Advanced Pharmacology Across the Life Span II: Students must pass NURP 422 before taking NURP 423
  • NURP 531: FNP I Primary Care Nursing of the Child Bearing Family & NURP 532: FNP II Primary Care Nursing: Students can take these courses as corequisites; Students must successfully complete their 3Ps prior to taking these courses
  • NURP 533 FNP III Primary Care Nursing: Students must successfully complete their 3Ps prior to taking this course; Students must successfully complete NURP 532 prior to taking NURP 533
  • NURP 534: Immersion Weekend: Students must successfully complete their 3Ps, NURP 531, NURP 532 and NURP 533 prior to attending NURP 534: Immersion Weekend
  • NURP 535: FNP Clinical Decision Making I: Students must successfully complete their 3Ps, NURP 531, NURP 532 and NURP 533 and NURP 534 prior to taking NURP 535
  • NURP 536: FNP Clinical Decision Making II: Students must successfully complete their 3Ps, NURP 531, NURP 532 and NURP 533 and NURP 534 and NURP 535 prior to taking NURP 536
  • NURP 507 Scholarly Inquiry I: Students must pass NURP 410 before taking NURP 507
  • NURP 508 Scholarly Inquiry II: Students must pass NURP 507 before taking NURP 508; Students must register for the same section/instructor as they did in 507

 

MSN for BSN or Related Bachelor's

Description

The program is designed for registered nurses with degrees in nursing or a related field 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, and in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.

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

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the BS-MSN program must have a current United States RN license in good standing and a BSN or BS/BA in a related field 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.

Health Assessment Prerequisite: Applicants must have taken an undergraduate health assessment 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.

Credits

Students complete 48 course credits.

 

MSN for BA or BS Holders Direct Entry

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 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) certification exam. Our students find success in positions in primary health care and community care settings, private practice, and in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.

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

Credits

The Direct Entry MSN program for BA/BS Holders is 96 credits

 

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 NURS 404 and NURS 435 before they can take NURS 426.

MSN for RN Holders

Description

Our accelerated RN to MSN program allows Registered Nurses (RNs) without a bachelor’s degree to earn their graduate degree in just 3 years. We prepare students to deliver primary health care to diverse populations across the lifespan. You’ll focus on health promotion and education, disease prevention and learn to assess and manage patients with acute and chronic illnesses.

Admissions Requirements

This RN-MSN program is for individuals who have diplomas or certificates from the former hospital system, or an associate's degree and a current United States RN license in good standing. At Simmons, a 3.0 G.P.A. in nursing courses and the overall G.P.A. are required; work experience and relevant references are very important.

Credits

Students in this sequence will complete 68 credits

 

RN to MSN Prerequisite and Corequisite Course Rules

MATH 418 Statistics: Students must pass MATH 418 (or transferred equivalent) before they can take NURP 410.
NURP 345 Professional Issues in Nursing: Students must pass NURP 345 before they can take NURP 387.
NURP 492 Health Assessment: Students must pass NURP 492 (or transferred equivalent) before they can take NURP 500.
NURP 387 Nursing Care of Communities: Students must pass NURP 387 before they can take NURP 454.
NURP 454 Leadership and Management: Students must pass NURP 454 before they can progress into the FNP didactic and clinical courses.

Immersion Weekend

Immersion Weekend is an on-campus course requirement for @Simmons students. Students must successfully pass the 3Ps (404, 422 & 423 or 424, and 530) and all didactic courses (531, 532, 533) in order to be eligible to attend Immersion Weekend (534).

  • Students who do not pass NURP 533 will not be permitted to attend Immersion Weekend at the end of the term. Students receive a “W” for NURP 534 and will need to re-register for both NURP 533 and NURP 534 in their next term.
  • Students who drop or withdraw from NURP 533 prior to the withdrawal deadline, will also need to withdraw from NURP 534.
  • Students who fail Immersion Weekend must retake NURP 534 prior to beginning NURP 535: FNP Clinical Decision Making I. Once students have successfully completed NURP 534: Immersion Weekend, they will proceed to NURP 535: FNP Clinical Decision Making I and began their clinical rotations.

 

Clinical Placements

Direct Entry Pre-licensure Clinical Placement

RN to MSN Clinical Placement:

  • Placements occur during NURP 387 and NURP 454.
  • NURP 387: 80 hours required: approximately 6 hours per week.
  • NURP 454: 84 hours required: approximately 40 hours of direct contact with a mentor and 40 hours of working independently on the leadership project.

MSN Clinical Placement

  • Placements occur during the final two terms of the program, NURP 535 & NURP 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 the entire 14-week term for a total of 336 hours per term.
  • Clinical education carries a total of 12 credits.

Concentrations, specializations, etc.

Family Nurse Practitioner

 

Licensure, certification, etc.

All Direct Entry students are required to take the Simmons-sponsored NCLEX review course following the pre-licensure curriculum. DE students are required to complete and pass the NCLEX exam after pre-licensure coursework has been completed and prior to beginning the post-licensure course work.

Upon completion of the MSN program, students will be eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner national board-certifying exam.

Other program information

Please consult your program’s Student Handbook for additional information about Health Clearance, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Mandatory Clinical Orientation, Agency-Specific Requirements, Criminal Offender Record Inquiry, and other related policies.