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2023-2024 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED PUBLICATION]
Master of Science in Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (MSN)
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 Return to: College of Nursing and Health Professions
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Master of Science in Nursing
The College of Nursing and Health Professions at USI strives to ensure our graduate students are successful in their professional, personal, and academic careers. Graduates of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program are able to integrate critical thinking, independent judgment, provide leadership, synthesize knowledge, and promote the essential values of caring in their professional and personal lives.
The graduate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, Suite 530, Washington D.C. 20036, 202/887-6791.
MSN Curriculum
To achieve the Master of Science in Nursing degree, all students complete nursing core courses and clinical core courses. Students select one of the following specialty areas:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP)
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AG-CNS)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-PCNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Healthcare Systems Leadership (HSL)
- Nursing Education Leadership (NEL)
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Graduate nursing clinical practice requirements may be completed in the student’s own geographic area. Each student is responsible for identifying preceptors and clinical sites. Approval of each preceptor and clinical site must be obtained from faculty prior to beginning clinical hours. A written agreement with each agency is required prior to initiating clinical experiences. Students may be required to visit campus in order to demonstrate clinical competency. Faculty also will validate clinical competency through site visits and/or conference calls with preceptors and students.
To earn the MSN degree, students must complete all courses with a grade of B or better.
Program Objectives
The objectives of the Master of Science in Nursing program are to prepare nurses at an advanced practice level who demonstrate professional leadership and foster a research climate in the practice of nursing. The graduate of the master’s degree program is a clinician, administrator, or educator who can:
- Synthesize knowledge and concepts from nursing, the sciences, and humanities as a foundation for advanced nursing practice;
- Integrate critical thinking and independent judgment to manage and provide advanced nursing practice with diverse populations;
- Participate in systematic inquiry and applied research to improve nursing care and enhance nursing as a profession;
- Integrate knowledge of the legal, socioeconomic, political, cultural, and ethical forces that affect patient care and the healthcare environment into the role of the advanced practice nurse;
- Function as an advocate, leader, and change agent to plan, implement, and evaluate healthcare in collaboration with other healthcare professionals, consumers, and policy makers; and
- Provide leadership in maintaining and promoting the professional values of caring, integrity, accountability, competence, collegiality, and lifelong learning.
- Integrate data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.
- Integrate information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
Graduate Studies Admission Criteria and Application Process
Refer to the Admission section of the bulletin for information about Graduate Studies admission criteria and the online application process.
MSN Program Admission Requirements
The MSN program offers admission for fall, spring, or summer. Refer to www.usi.edu/online-learning/online-programs/master-of-science-in-nursing for application deadlines. Applications are not reviewed until all materials have been received. Both full-time and part-time study options are available based upon course availability. MSN-specific admission requirements include:
- a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school;
- minimum baccalaureate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
- satisfactory completion of a course in undergraduate statistics;
- unencumbered RN license;
- One year of full time employment or equivalent as a registered nurse is strongly recommended.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) 44 hours
The family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner is an advanced clinician who has achieved a Master of Science in Nursing and provides psychiatric/mental health services to individuals across the lifespan. The role includes diagnosis, provision of therapies, and medication management for individuals with psychiatric/mental health problems. Health promotion, disease prevention, and management of mental health symptoms along with family consultation and education are included in the role. The family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner practices in various clinical settings including acute care and chronic care hospitals, community agencies, long term care facilities, home care, and outpatient offices. There are a total of 44 credit hours in the specialty with 645 clinical hours.
A graduate of the family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner specialty is prepared to:
- Provide expert outcome-oriented nursing therapeutics for patients with mental health problems to promote improved health and enhanced quality of life.
- Manage, integrate and coordinate patient care services across the mental health care continuum.
- Develop and provide patient and staff educational services to promote positive patient health care outcomes.
- Consult and collaborate with members of the multidisciplinary health care team to support delivery of quality patient care.
- Incorporate best practice evidence to investigate, promote, and evaluate nursing therapies and pharmacotherapy that support evidence for positive patient care outcomes.
- Advocate for patients and families to provide cost-effective, culturally competent, ethical, quality care in a variety of health care settings.
- Model responsibility for continued professional development, integrity, accountability, competence, and credentialing as a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
Nursing Core Courses (18 hours)
Clinical Core Courses (9 hours)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (17 hours)
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