Master of Science in Nursing
Program Director: Paulette Thabault
Program Coordinator: Janice Hansen
Norwich University offers the Master of Science in Nursing with concentrations in Healthcare Systems Leadership, Nursing Informatics, and Nursing Education. The program is fully approved by the Vermont State Nursing Board and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The Norwich University Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Healthcare Systems Leadership is a 36 credit program that provides graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as nurse leaders in a variety of health care settings.
The Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Informatics is 36 credit program that prepares the graduate to function in a variety of information systems leadership roles and to sit for the national certification examination.
The Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Education is a 40 credit program that prepares the graduate to assume roles in formal academic settings or in staff development positions.
Mission
The Master of Science in Nursing program prepares visionary nurse leaders who demonstrate advanced critical thinking, communication, and decision making skills to ensure quality outcomes within the complex systems of the health care continuum. Graduates initiate and effectively utilize research findings to improve outcomes, as well as utilize knowledge of health promotion, health care policy and systems, change and finance to effectively manage available resources in the changing health care environment. Masters prepared nurses utilize this knowledge base integrated with theories from nursing and related disciplines to create and implement ethical practices and policies to improve the environment in which health care is delivered.
The Masters prepared nurse engages in an expanded scope of practice that is characterized by critical analysis of problems and creative problem solving, and application of theories in the decision making process. The graduate manages change effectively and utilizes effective communication skills and technologies to create collaborative partnerships within nursing and across health care disciplines. Graduate education prepares the nurse to identify and evaluate personal and organization values and to implement ethical decisions and strategies to improve outcomes.
Program Outcomes
- Initiate and effectively utilize research findings to improve outcomes across the spectrum of nursing environments.
- Integrate knowledge of health promotion, health care policy and systems, change and finance to effectively manage available resources in the nursing environment.
- Integrate theories from nursing and related disciplines to create and implement ethical practices and policies to improve nursing practice.
- Critically analyze problems and demonstrate theory based problem solving in making decisions across a variety of nursing settings.
- Plan and manage change effectively.
- Incorporate the knowledge and skills related to informatics and technology to effectively improve nursing practice.
- Implement effective communication skills to create collaborative partnerships within nursing and across health care disciplines.
- Apply the principles of translational science and implementation/improvement science, advocacy and appreciative inquiry in the context of the advanced nursing role.
Curriculum Map
| Term 1 | ||
| Advanced Nursing Care in the Delivery of Healthcare | 6 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice | 6 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| Quality Improvement, Informatics & Healthcare Technologies | 6 | |
| Term 4 | ||
Concentration course(s) | 6 | |
| Term 5 | ||
Concentration course(s) | 6-10 | |
| Term 6 | ||
Concentration course(s) | 6 | |
| Residency 1 | 0 | |
| Total Cr. | 36-40 | |
| 1 | Students are required to attend a one-week, on-campus Residency Conference the June following or concurrent with their final course. |
Curriculum Requirements
The program’s first three seminars (18 credits) are common core content seminars and provide the foundation for specialization, addressing the study of health care delivery systems, ethical issues, and theoretical bases for nursing, leadership, and research. The remaining seminars (18 credits) address the specific content essential for either the concentration in nursing administration or in nursing education.
Core Courses (18 credits)
| NR 512 | Advanced Nursing Care in the Delivery of Healthcare | 6 |
| NR 522 | Translating and Integrating Scholarship into Practice | 6 |
| NR 532 | Quality Improvement, Informatics & Healthcare Technologies | 6 |
| Culminating Academic Requirement | ||
| NR 595 | Residency | 0 |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
Concentrations (18 - 22 credits)
| Healthcare Systems Leadership Concentration | ||
| NR 546 | Leadership in Healthcare Organizations | 6 |
| Select two of the following | ||
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare | 6 | |
| Healthcare Resource Management | 6 | |
| Healthcare Management | 6 | |
| NR 566 | Strategic Planning and Management in Healthcare | 6 |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
| Nursing Informatics Concentration | ||
| NR 547 | Theoretical and Practice Foundations of Nursing Informatics | 6 |
| NR 557 | Strategic Planning and Practice Applications in Nursing Informatics | 6 |
| NR 567 | Using Informatics to improve Nursing Practice | 6 |
| Total Cr. | 18 | |
| Nursing Education Concentration | ||
| NR 541 | Clinical Concepts: Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| NR 542 | Clinical Concepts: Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NR 543 | Clinical Concepts: Pathophysiology for Disease Management | 4 |
| Students may substitute the following for NR 543 | ||
| ClinicalConceptsADV Pathophys1 | 1 | |
| ClinicalConceptsADV Pathophys2 | 1 | |
| ClinicalConcept ADV Pathophys3 | 1 | |
| ClinicalConceptsADV Pathophys4 | 1 | |
| NR 551 | Theoretical Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction | 6 |
| NR 561 | Scholarship of Teaching, Learning, and Evaluation | 6 |
| Total Cr. | 22 | |
One-Week Residency
All degree candidates of the Master of Science in Nursing are required to attend a one-week Residency Conference on the Norwich University campus, during which they may attend professional presentations, participate in roundtable discussions with faculty, and present papers. The one-week residency is a degree requirement.
| Faculty Member | Institution at which highest degree was earned |
|---|---|
| Jonathon Brown, DNP | George Washington University |
| Janet Dupont, PhD | Capella University |
| Betty Fair, PhD | University of Texas |
| Emily Gessner, DNP | Northeastern University |
| Jean Gordon, DBA | Nova Southeastern University |
| Jo Anne Grunow, PhD | Rush University |
| Lisa Hawthorne, PhD | University of San Diego |
| Nancy Kupka, DNS | Rush University |
| Mario Ortiz, PhD | Loyola University |
| Linda Tjiong, DBA | University of Sarasota |
| Richard Watters, PhD | University of Western Australia |
| Hope Williamson, DNP | University of Miami |