Nursing, Master of Science
Family Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Education
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Nursing degree program builds on the skills and knowledge of a diverse population of registered nurses with a bachelor degree in nursing and preparing them to succeed in progressive roles in inter-professional health care and education settings. The program assists future nurse leaders and educators in the advancement of their professional practice through scientific inquiry and other scholarly activities. The concentrations are guided by the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), and the American Association of Nurse Practitioner's (AANP) core and population-specific competencies.
Graduates of the Nursing Education concentration will be prepared to educate nursing students and practicing nurses in academic and clinical settings. Graduates of the family nurse practitioner program will be able to perform as a primary care provider in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in patients across the lifespan. The program is delivered in hybrid and online formats using current technologies that promote collaboration, accessibility and flexibility for the working nurse.
To be licensed as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), it is necessary to pass the AANP or ANCC certification exam. Licensure may be required by employers to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
The Master of Science in Nursing program at the Virginia Beach, Virginia campus is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, the graduate will:
- Integrate evidence-based nursing practice and related sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care to individuals, families, and communities
- Perform as a member, educator, and leader of nursing by developing and implementing patient safety measures and quality improvement initiatives as part of an inter-professional team using appropriate theories, communication skills, and effective group dynamics
- Apply systematic quality management models that meet patient safety goals and initiatives and improve nursing care and patient outcomes
- Act as a change agent by substantiating and applying research outcomes in practice and education settings to resolve nursing practice problems; and translate and disseminate resulting nursing knowledge
- Ethically utilize current technologies to communicate with the interdisciplinary team, improve and coordinate care across the continuum, strengthen the delivery and outcomes of nursing education, leadership and advanced practice, and analyze healthcare data
- Advocate for policies that improve the health of the public and the profession of nursing by using the broad determinants of health (psychosocial, economic, and cultural factors), and the legal and ethical foundations of nursing
- Implement current standards of practice and healthcare policies to design, deliver, manage and evaluate culturally appropriate, evidence-based education and nursing care for select populations
- Analyze various roles of graduate-level nursing and synthesize personal philosophies of nursing within the changing education or healthcare environments
- Demonstrate role development by performing in the role of nurse educator, leader or advanced practitioner by integrating the concepts related to the area of practice demonstrating expertise, evidence-based practice, and the appropriate competencies
For additional information about the program link to: http://www.ecpi.edu/programs/nursing-master-degree. To see the Student Consumer Information link to: https://www.ecpi.edu/student-consumer-services which provides additional information on the future careers, success, cost, and financing for this program. For information on the University Completion and Graduation Rates, please see About ECPI University on the ECPI website.
About the Profession
Nurses holding a master's degree in nursing leadership will be eligible for positions in a variety of acute care and community settings. Graduates with a concentration in nursing education will be eligible for positions teaching patients, healthcare employees, and nursing students at the practical, associate and bachelor degree levels. Graduates in the family nurse practitioner program will be eligible for primary care positions in clinics, doctor's offices, public health departments, and urgent care centers.
Program Outline
To receive the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Education, students must earn 36 semester credit hours and 135 hours of practicum. The program requires a minimum of 4 semesters, which is equivalent to15 months or 60 weeks of instruction.
To receive the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner concentration, students must earn 49 semester credit hours and complete a minimum of 540 clinical hours. The program requires a minimum of 6 semesters, which is equivalent to 22 months or 90 weeks of instruction. There are two residencies requiring weekend attendance in Virginia Beach, VA.
The program requirements for each concentration are as follows:
Program Requirements
Concentration Family Nurse Practitioner
49 semester credit hours
| NUR503 | Advanced Physical Assessment for Providers | 3 |
| NUR511 | Theoretical Foundations: A Multidisciplinary Approach | 3 |
| NUR520 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR531 | Topics in Population Health | 3 |
| NUR541 | Policy, Politics, and Advocacy in Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR561 | Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NUR581 | Healthcare Technologies | 3 |
| NUR606 | Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers | 3 |
| NUR610 | Advanced Procedures and Diagnostic Reasoning | 1 |
| NUR615 | Primary Care: Adults and Older Adults | 3 |
| NUR615L | Primary Care: Adults and Older Adults Practicum I | 1 |
| NUR616L | Primary Care: Adults and Older Adults Practicum II | 1 |
| NUR620L | Primary Care: Care of the Family Practicum | 1 |
| NUR625 | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| NUR625L | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents Practicum I | 1 |
| NUR626L | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents Practicum II | 1 |
| NUR635 | Primary Care: Women and Families | 3 |
| NUR635L | Primary Care: Women and Families Practicum I | 1 |
| NUR636L | Primary Care: Women and Family Practicum II | 1 |
| NUR655 | Role Development and Clinical Leadership | 2 |
| NUR675L | Primary Care: Synthesis Practicum | 1 |
| NUR696L | Nursing Synthesis-NP | 2 |
| MTH551 | Healthcare Statistics | 3 |
Concentration in Nursing Education
36 Semester Credit Hours
| NUR511 | Theoretical Foundations: A Multidisciplinary Approach | 3 |
| NUR520 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR541 | Policy, Politics, and Advocacy in Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR561 | Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NUR581 | Healthcare Technologies | 3 |
| NUR601 | Advanced Physical Assessment | 3 |
| NUR602 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NUR650 | Curriculum Planning and Development | 2 |
| NUR652L | Nursing Education Practicum I | 1 |
| NUR660 | Teaching and Learning Strategies | 3 |
| NUR660L | Nursing Education Practicum II | 1 |
| NUR670 | Assessing and Evaluation Nursing Education | 2 |
| NUR670L | Nursing Education Practicum III | 1 |
| NUR695 | Nursing Synthesis | 2 |
| MTH551 | Healthcare Statistics | 3 |
Program Requirements
To receive the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Education at the Lake Mary, Florida campus, students must earn 54 quarter credit hours and 162 hours of practicum. The program requires a minimum of 4 quarters or 12 months of instruction.
Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner
Pending implementation
To receive the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner at the Orlando (Lake Mary), Florida campus, students must earn 73.5 quarter credit hours and 540 hours of practicum. The program requires a minimum of four quarters, 12 months of instruction. The program requirements are as follows:
| MTH552 | Healthcare Statistics | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR507 | Advanced Health Assessments for Providers | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR512 | Theoretical Foundations: A Multidisciplinary Approach | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR532 | Topics in Population Health | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR542 | Policy, Politics, and Advocacy in Healthcare | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR562 | Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR582 | Healthcare Technologies and Patient Safety | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR604 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR607 | Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR617 | Advanced Procedures and Diagnostic Reasoning | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR618 | Primary Care of Adults and Older Adults | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR618L | Primary Care: Adults and Older Adults Practicum I | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR619L | Primary Care Adults and Older Adults Practicum II | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR621L | Primary Care: Care of the Family Practicum | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR627 | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR627L | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents Practicum I | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR628L | Primary Care: Children and Adolescents Practicum II | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR637 | Primary Care: Women and Families | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR637L | Primary Care: Women and Families Practicum I | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR638L | Primary Care: Women and Families Practicum II | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR657 | Role Development and Clinical Leadership | 3 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR677L | Primary Care: Synthesis Practicum | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR697L | Nursing Synthesis-NP | 3 Quarter Credit Hours |
Concentration in Nursing Education
54 quarter credit hours
| NUR512 | Theoretical Foundations: A Multidisciplinary Approach | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR542 | Policy, Politics, and Advocacy in Healthcare | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR562 | Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR582 | Healthcare Technologies and Patient Safety | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR604 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR605 | Advanced Physical Assessment | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR603 | Advanced Pharmacology | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR651 | Curriculum Planning and Development | 3 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR651L | Nursing Education Practicum I | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR661 | Teaching and Learning Strategies | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR661L | Nursing Education Practicum II | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR671 | Assessing and Evaluating Nursing Education | 3.0 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR671L | Nursing Education Practicum III | 1.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
| NUR696 | Nursing Synthesis | 3 Quarter Credit Hours |
| MTH552 | Healthcare Statistics | 4.5 Quarter Credit Hours |
Master's Nursing - Specific Policies
Prerequisites. Prerequisite courses for the MSN degree concentrations require an earned grade of C or higher.
Transfer credit. A maximum of six graduate credit hours with a B or higher may be transferred from a prior master's degree program in nursing. For the MSN program (all concentrations), prerequisite courses and courses considered for transfer credit should have a final course grade of B or higher with these limitations:
- Specialty Core (3 P's): Coursework will be considered within six years of the program completion date.
- MSN Degree Major Courses: Coursework will be considered within six years of the program completion.
- Clinical (Practicum) Transfer Credits (All concentrations): Clinical hours may not be transferred into the MSN degree concentrations.
Attendance. The course syllabi provide further information on attendance and participation. The MSN program follows ECPI University's Graduate Attendance Policy.
The expectations at ECPI are similar to the workplace where employees are expected to arrive at work each day prepared to add value. As such, attendance and participation in the class is critical to success in the course and students are expected to attend each regularly scheduled session. If the student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to contact the faculty member and arrange for any make-up work assignments. Excessive absences may result in the termination of enrollment in a course and a grade will be assigned in accordance with the grading policies.
Preceptorship Attire. All students participating in clinical or preceptor experiences should dress appropriately. Clinical is limited to corporate casual attire, a white lab coat and a name tag.
Practicum Clinical Requirements. Students attending the practicum courses in the MSN program are responsible for securing their own location and qualified preceptor, and providing any clinical documentation requested by the agency such as physical exam, immunizations, current PPD or TB testing, AHA CPR Certification, and current RN license in the state of residence. Students should maintain their own clinical records throughout the program. Clinical required documents may be different depending on the concentration, please refer to the MSN Student Handbook and Practicum Handbook.
Disclosure. Requirements regarding distance education and practicum experiences vary from state to state. The student’s initial program application is reviewed using the address provided upon enrollment to determine individual ability to complete the program and practicum requirements in the student’s state.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform the Program Director and ECPI University of address changes prior to relocation. Changing the state of residence during the course of the MSN program may alter the ability of students to complete the MSN program.
Essential Functional Abilities. Nursing is a profession that requires specific abilities. Students must be able to complete the minimal level of abilities to practice as a nurse as published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. RNs should be able to fully function in the following areas:
- Physical (gross and the fine motor, physical endurance, physical strength, mobility)
- Sensory (visual, tactile, olfactory, hearing)
- Cognitive (reading, arithmetic, analytical and critical thinking)
- Interactive (interpersonal, communicative)
- Contact the Program Director for questions or more information if you have questions about any one or all of the essential functional abilities. Also see the catalog section on Americans with Disabilities Act.
Late Assignments and Testing. Guidance for late assignments and testing are located in the MSN Program Student Handbook located in the MSN Student Corner in Canvas.
Program Purpose. The purpose of the master's in nursing program is to prepare nurses to act as experts in various clinical and academic settings. Graduates of this program will integrate interdisciplinary knowledge to become leaders of change and ensure quality patient outcomes and safe practices. Graduates will be prepared to engage in the research process, apply research findings to nursing practice across populations and settings, and disseminate knowledge. Graduates will provide direct and indirect nursing care at the graduate level, to coordinate care, advocate for patients, families and communities, and participate in political processes to ensure equality in care. Graduates will be able to leverage advanced technologies to solve healthcare systems problems and educate current and future nurses.
Philosophy of the MSN Program. Keeping with the nursing programs of the College of Health Science, the MSN program believes that:
- Each individual is a unique person having dignity and worth. Individuals, as members of the family and the community, are shaped by cultural, physiological, psychosocial, spiritual, and developmental forces. The family and the community influence early beliefs and values of individuals, and in turn individuals contribute to the effective functioning of the family and community.
- Nursing is both an art and a science grounded in a social context and related to experiences with people in need. It is based on a specific body of nursing theory and principles from behavioral and social sciences. Nursing is an interpersonal process and involves the application of knowledge, technical and collaborative skills, critical thinking and creative problem solving. The focus of nursing is on caring for individuals, families, or client groups. By using the nursing process, nurses promote, maintain, and restore client health as well as provide compassionate care to the dying. As health care providers, nurses engage in a collaborative practice that focuses on outcomes and adheres to practice guidelines that ensure quality and access.
- Professional values and value-based interventions are fundamental to nursing education. As the basis for professional nursing practice, values and value-based actions may be viewed as ethically reflective practice that the nursing student uses to interact with patients, health care professionals, and society.
- Teaching and learning are life-long interactive processes through which active inquiry and participation result in a change in behavior. A teaching/learning process is facilitated when the learner and teacher share responsibility for outcomes. Learning is facilitated when content is presented in an orderly sequential manner (i.e. simple to complex, known to unknown, normal or abnormal, general to specific).
- Critical thinking, clinical competence, accountability, and a commitment to the value of caring is necessary to maintain or restore clients to their optimum state of health and to provide the support which allows death with dignity. As the provider of care, the nurse’s commitment to client/family-centered care will facilitate successful preparation for practice in various health care settings.
- It is essential that the nurse have current knowledge in nursing concepts, principles, processes, and skills. Supportive of that knowledge is an understanding of health, acute and chronic health deviations, nutrition, pharmacology, communication, human development, teaching/learning principles, current technology, humanities, and biological, social, and behavioral sciences.
- The nurse is a manager of care in various health care settings where policies and procedures are specified and guidance is available. To be competent in the role as a manager of care, the nurse must possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make decisions regarding priorities of care, to delegate some aspects of nursing care, and direct others to use time and resources efficiently, and to know when to seek assistance. Supporting this knowledge is an understanding of the principles of client-care management, communication and delegation, legal parameters of nursing practice, and roles and responsibilities of members of the health care team.
Organizing Framework of the MSN Program
The roles and functions of the MSN nurse graduate expand from the BSN level. The framework for the MSN programs is built on the AACN Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (2011). Graduates of the MSN programs will possess “broad knowledge and practice expertise” beyond the baccalaureate degree and the roles of health care leader, care manager, contributor to the profession, and community collaborator. Graduates will be prepared for work in current and future innovative environments where nursing and healthcare are delivered. Graduates will utilize technology to solve unique as well as global nursing issues, and learn to coordinate care by communicating across the boundaries of degrees, departments, facilities, and states. Graduates are prepared to educate patients, families, groups, students, and each other. Graduates in direct-care roles will possess graduate-level knowledge in assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology; and, have precepted learning experiences. Expectations for graduates will focus on patient safety, quality healthcare, and impacting the systems that provide care.
Graduates will exemplify the Institute of Medicine (IOM) core competencies of all health care professionals (2003) by providing patient-centered care that identifies and respects patients' individual needs and differences. Graduates will work in interdisciplinary teams to promote care that is continuous, reliable and will use evidence-based practices to transmit research into practice. Quality improvement techniques will be applied to identify hazards to patient care, understand safety design principles, and measures of quality. Graduates will also use information technology to communicate with each other and reduce the chances for error.
Additionally, the MSN program will use the teaching methods that support the use of technology and teach for a sense of salience, situated cognition and action in particular situations; integrate classroom and clinical experiences where appropriate; emphasize clinical reasoning and multiple ways of thinking; and emphasize role formation in graduate roles.
Prerequisite courses. Applicants who do not have previous undergraduate coursework in statistics, health assessment and research may be required to complete one or more prerequisite courses prior to acceptance in the graduate program. Below are the corresponding undergraduate classes, which may be taken online, to satisfy this requirement. The MSN Director or Associate Director will review the undergraduate transcript for the following content:
MTH 140 Statistics
NUR 340 Health Assessment
NUR 350 Nursing Research & Evidence-based Practice
Progression. The MSN Program follows the ECPI University graduate program policies, including the grading scale. A minimum score of 80 is required for all graduate courses. Grades earned below the minimum of 80 will be awarded an F. Students in graduate programs must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of a 3.0 or better; students who fall below this requirement will be in SAP Warning status (see Satisfactory Academic Progress – Graduate Programs). Students who receive two grades of F at any time during the program will be dismissed. A student must re-take a course for which a grade of F was earned. Even if the course is repeated, the original earned grade counts as one of those attempts and the student may not receive another grade of F.
Student Evaluation. The faculty uses the program student learning outcomes and course objectives within individual courses as criteria for student evaluation. A graduate portfolio is created across the curriculum and submitted as evidence of accomplishment of the student learning outcomes in the final nursing course. Student grades are determined by a variety of formative and summative evaluation methods.