Admission
Please refer to “The Graduate Admissions Process” section for general graduate admission information. Students are admitted to this program twice per year for courses starting each Fall or Spring Semester (New Castle Family NP option only, No Georgetown admission or admission into the Adult Gerontology Track in the Spring semester). For consideration and admission to the Master of Science in Nursing: Nurse Practitioner program, all applicants must satisfactorily submit or complete the following:
- A completed Wilmington University graduate application form and the non-refundable application fee by March 1st for consideration of admission to the Fall semester and September 1st for consideration of admission to the Spring semester.
- Proof of current unencumbered RN licensure (copy of computer verification acceptable).
- Official transcripts reflecting the following:
- Graduation from a regionally accredited baccalaureate program in nursing.
- Completion of an undergraduate statistics course, with a grade of “C” or higher.
- Completion of an undergraduate health assessment course, with a grade of “C” or better, or an equivalent continuing education course (Nurse Practitioner concentrations only).
- Completion of all nursing-related science courses.
- A written statement of career goals and explanation of reasons for applying to the program as directed by the application packet.
- A professional resume.
- To be considered for an interview for the program, applicants must have all of the above items in their graduate application file.
- Students will be notified of admission only after the interview is complete; however, an interview does not guarantee placement in the upcoming cohort.
- Faculty recommends that applicants have two years’ experience as a registered nurse before entering the program.
All of the documents indicated above should be sent directly to Wilmington University, Office of Graduate Admissions.
The MSN-NP program has a two-stage admissions process. The first stage consists of an in-depth evaluation of the completed application materials by the MSN-NP admissions committee. Applicants who have met the MSN-NP program standards on all of the application materials will then be invited to the second stage of the admissions application process which includes an interview. Decisions regarding final acceptance are made by the MSN-NP admissions committee following these interviews.
Program Purpose
The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) program is designed to prepare professional nurses for roles in advanced practice. The curriculum emphasizes the relationships among advanced nursing practice, theory, and scholarly inquiry. Nurses educated at the graduate level demonstrate competency in the roles of advanced caregiver, leader, teacher, and participant in and/or conductor of research. Nurses prepared at the graduate level also have the opportunity to influence health policy and to practice with a high level of autonomy in a variety of settings. Students will be eligible for APRN licensure and national certification through AANC or AANP board certification programs.
Program Competencies
Through completion of the Master of Science in Nursing program, graduates will:
- Promote the art of nursing by valuing the unique relationships among people, which create meaning and preserve human dignity;
- Synthesize theoretical, experiential, and research knowledge as the scientific basis for advanced nursing practice;
- Use the ethical and legal standards recognized by the nursing profession to guide advanced nursing practice;
- Implement knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research to improve nursing practice by evaluating published research, applying findings to practice, and participating in research activities;
- Incorporate findings from teaching/learning theories and research to educate individuals and groups;
- Implement knowledge of health policy, financial aspects of health care, and the organization of health delivery systems to influence continuous improvement in health care;
- Fulfill a leadership role in advanced nursing practice through effective collaboration, client and peer advocacy, sensitivity to diversity, and ongoing participation in professional organizations;
- Negotiate an appropriate role for advanced nursing practice in the context of a dynamic health care system;
- Demonstrate advanced oral and written communication abilities;
- Demonstrate the ability to access, use, and evaluate information and information technologies.
Prerequisite Course Requirements
All students are required to have prerequisite knowledge of statistics. If the student has not completed a course in statistics with a grade of “C” or better, he or she will be required to complete statistics prior to registering in MSN 6608 Research in Nursing Practice and/ or prior to consideration for degree candidacy (completion of 12 credits). If an undergraduate course in statistics has not been successfully completed, the following course is appropriate:
Course
Nurse Practitioner Concentrations
Program Design
These concentrations emphasize the direct caregiver role while combining nursing and related theory, advanced nursing practice, and scholarly inquiry. Nurses prepared as nurse practitioners have advanced health assessment skills; the ability to determine, implement, and evaluate a plan of health care; and the ability to implement strategies aimed at both health promotion and health restoration. The student’s experience culminates with a capstone/scholarly paper or a primary care experience.
The nurse practitioner concentrations are designed to meet the standards for advanced registered nurse practice established by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. The course of study adheres to criteria for accreditation established by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Several courses contain laboratory and/or clinical experiences in conjunction with the classroom experience. Selected courses have an associated fee. In order to participate in clinical experiences, students will need to show verification of current cardiopulmonary certification and registered nurse licensure for the state in which the clinical experience occurs. The University, under a group policy, carries professional liability insurance coverage for students. Students are encouraged to maintain separate RN professional liability insurance coverage, but this is not required.
The program is to be completed within a five year time frame. However, students who miss more than one year of study are required to repeat select courses due to the nature of the material.
Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Concentration
This program can be completed in 32 months. Students must complete all courses, consisting of 48 credits, while maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Up to six transfer credits may be accepted if the course content corresponds to required courses. Students are required to complete a minimum of 600 clinical hours. Courses are not listed in the order of completion.
Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Core Courses (12 credits)
| MSN 6502 | Contemporary Concepts in Advanced Practice Roles | 3 |
| MSN 6608 | Evidence Based Practice in the Health Professions | 3 |
| DNP 7104 | Politics and Policy in the Healthcare System | 3 |
| MSN 7750 | Teaching and Learning in Nursing | 3 |
Related Courses (6 credits)
Primary Care Courses (30 credits)
| MSN 7702 | Advanced Adult Health Assessment | 3 |
| MSN 7705 | Primary Care II: Acute and Chronic Care of Adults | 3 |
| MSN 7707 | Primary Care III: Gender Health Issues | 3 |
| MSN 7708 | Primary Care IV: Acute and Chronic Care of Geriatrics | 3 |
| MSN 7709 | Advanced Geriatric Assessment and Health Promotion | 3 |
| MSN 8111 | Adult/Gerontology Practicum I | 3 |
| MSN 8214 | Adult/Gerontology Practicum II | 3 |
| MSN 8224 | Adult/Gerontology Practicum III | 3 |
| MSN 8331 | Adult/Gerontology Practicum IV | 3 |
| MSN 8344 | Adult/Gerontology Practicum V | 3 |
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
This program can be completed in 32 months. Students must complete all courses, consisting of 48 credits, while maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Up to six transfer credits may be accepted if the course content corresponds to required courses. Students are required to complete a minimum of 600 clinical hours. Courses are not listed in the order of completion.
Family Nurse Practitioner Course Requirements
Core Courses (12 credits)
| MSN 6502 | Contemporary Concepts in Advanced Practice Roles | 3 |
| MSN 6608 | Evidence Based Practice in the Health Professions | 3 |
| MSN 7750 | Teaching and Learning in Nursing | 3 |
| DNP 7104 | Politics and Policy in the Healthcare System | 3 |
Related Courses (6 credits)
Primary Care Courses (30 credits)