WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES
MASTER'S PROGRAM IN NURSING
PROGRAM PROFILE

Purpose of Program | Description of Program | Accreditation | Specialized Programs | Certificates

Chairperson: Jo Stejskal, EdD, RN (507) 529-6144
Master's Program Interim Director: Julie Ponto, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, AOCN (507)285-7135

Degrees Offered: Master of Science

Major: Advanced Practice Nursing

Background:
   Winona State University (WSU), Master's Program in Nursing has provided opportunities for advanced nursing education to nurses in southeast Minnesota; northeast Iowa; and southwest Wisconsin since 1987, providing them with learning experiences for development of advanced nursing knowledge and skills in the focus areas of Nurse Administrator; Nurse Educator; Clinical Nurse Specialist; and Family or Adult Nurse Practitioner. All of the Master's Program in Nursing Faculty serve in advisory and/or consultant appointments with health care agencies throughout the region including Mayo Clinic, Mercy Health Care System, Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center and Franciscan Skemp Medical Center. Faculty also serve in joint appointment positions with Mayo Clinic in the areas of research, informatics and advanced practice nursing. Graduates of the Master's Program in Nursing have a 100% pass-rate on national certification exams for nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists.

Purpose of Program:  
   The Master of Science Program in Nursing at Winona State University educates nurses for advanced practice where change is constant. Students select a focus of nurse administrator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator, adult nurse practitioner, or family nurse practitioner. The program provides a strong clinical base in advanced nursing practice and is designed so each student will be able to:

• Value caring as the basis of nursing in the human health experience;
• Synthesize theories from nursing science and related disciplines to guide advanced
  nursing practice;
• Demonstrate advanced level of clinical expertise in nursing care of clients;
• Integrate the roles of the advanced practice nurse in various settings;
• Use a process of scholarly inquiry in advanced practice nursing;
• Analyze the effects of historical, cultural, economic, ethical, legal, and political influences on nursing and health care delivery;
• Manage resources within a health care delivery system through collaboration with other health care providers, community, and clients;
• Contribute to the continuing professional development of self and others.
  

Description of Program:  
   The Master’s Program is grounded in the belief that all advanced practice nurses share a common core of knowledge. Through the foundational core courses, students further develop their ability to integrate theory, research, and practice. Courses within the selected focus of nurse administrator, clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator, adult nurse practitioner, or family nurse practitioner provide specialized knowledge and practice opportunities in each advanced nursing role. The domains of advanced practice nursing include:

• client health status management;
• the nurse/client relationship;
• teaching/coaching;
• professional roles;
• managing and negotiating health care delivery systems;
• monitoring and ensuring quality of health care practice.
  

    The Master's Program in Nursing provides clinical and didactic learning experiences that meet requirements of many state boards of nursing. The program features:

• Flexible program of study. Students only take the courses they need for certification and/or prescriptive authority (e.g., if a student has already completed a pathophysiology course they would not need to repeat it). Plans of study will range from 2 credits to 35 credits depending upon course work already completed. Additionally, a Credit By Portfolio Option is available.
• Access to Courses by Distance Learning Technology. Many required courses are available by distance learning technology including Internet or Web based courses and other audio-visual/media modalities; distance preceptored clinicals; and/or transfer of credits.
• Cooperative support from the Mayo Clinic, Department of Nursing. Specialists from the Mayo Clinic Department of Nursing are assisting with course development and delivery and serving as clinical preceptors. A manual to guide preceptor selection and the preceptor role and responsibilities is linked below.
• A history of excellence in nursing education. Winona State University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences has been offering quality Master’s education for over 20 years and remains committed to providing accessible high quality education opportunities.

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Clinical Experiences:
   Faculty and graduate students select preceptors in settings and clinical practice areas of nursing to meet students' individual needs. Students commonly precept in hospitals and clinics affiliated with the Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, North Iowa Mercy Health Center in Mason City, Gundersen/Lutheran and Franciscan Skemp Health Care in La Crosse, and other hospitals, clinics, county public health agencies, senior citizen centers, schools of nursing, and health care agencies from a three-state area.

ACCREDITATION INFORMATION  

   The Master of Science Program in Nursing is accredited by:

SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS  

RN-MS Professional Pathway:
   The Nursing Department offers an accelerated pathway for nurses who were prepared in either an associate degree or diploma nursing program, have nursing experience, and whose goal is a Master's Degree in nursing. Selected individuals who meet the admissions requirements and are highly motivated will substitute Master's-level credits for Baccalaureate-level credits during the RN Option. Students will substitute N419/519 Advanced Health Promotion for N465 Nursing Roles and Health Promotion and will substitute N408/508 Advanced Role Seminar and N414/514 Health Care Policy and Finance for N491 Capstone Experience in Role Synthesis. Students will plan their streamlined program with advisors from both the Baccalaureate and Master's Programs in anticipation of formal admission to the Master's Program in nursing. A separate application is required for admission to the Master's Program in nursing.

Non-BSN Opportunity:
   The Nursing Department offers an alternative pathway for nurses who were prepared in either an associate degree or diploma nursing program, have nursing experience, and earned their baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing. This pathway is for RNs who meet the above-mentioned criteria and do not wish to earn a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Those who desire to earn a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing should complete the RN to MS Professional Pathway.

Graduate Special Program:
   Students may take up to 12 credits before being formally accepted into the Master's program. Courses open to Graduate Special Students include: N504 Advanced Pathophysiology, 601 Statistics, and electives. Other courses that can be taken but require permission to register include N502 Clinical Pharmacology, N506 Psychosocial Interventions in Family Care, N508 Advanced Role Seminar, and N514 Health Care Policy and Finance.
CERTIFICATES  

Post-Nursing Master’s Certificate Programs:
   The Master’s of Science Program in Nursing offers Post-Master’s certificate programs for nurses who already have a Master’s degree in another area and are interested in further post-master’s education.

Focus: Post-Nursing Master’s Certificate – Nurse Educator – 9-10 S.H.
   This program is designed for Post-Nursing Master’s prepared nurses making career moves from practice based employment to education programs and is part of an effort to expand the outreach and access to educational programming for the preparation of qualified Nurse Educators. The program consists of three seminar courses and one practicum consisting of 60-120 hours clinical experience in the student’s own community.

Focus: Post-Nursing Master’s Certificate – Nurse Practitioner - 28 S.H. (ANP) 34 S.H. (FNP)
   This program is designed to use existing courses by integrating the Post-Nursing Master’s students into the sequence of courses leading to preparation as an Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). This option provides nurses that already have master’s degree preparation in another area of nursing the opportunity to acquire the education, skills, and abilities to seek certification and practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), Nurse Practitioner.

Focus: Post-Nursing Master’s Certificate – Clinical Nurse Specialist – 10-36 S.H.
   This program is designed to use existing courses by integrating the Post-Nursing Master’s students into some of the courses in the Clinical Nurse Specialist focus. This option provides nurses that already have master’s degree preparation in another area of nursing the opportunity to acquire the education, skills, and abilities to seek certification and practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), Clinical Nurse Specialist. Some of the courses are offered using distance teaching strategies and one course has been developed to acquire the skills and education for prescriptive authority in Clinical Nurse Specialist practice.

Focus: Post-Master's Certificate - Nurse Administrator - 10-15 S.H.
   This program is designed to help nurses gain the appropriate education and clinical skills to practice as a Master's-prepared nurse administrator. This program is designed to integrate Post-Master's students into the existing sequence of courses. Classroom, distance learning strategies, and a practicum experience are utilized throughout the program.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

    For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact us by phone at 507-285-7473 or e-mail cryno@winona.edu. You will then be contacted by a faculty advisor who will schedule an appointment with you to establish an individualized plan of study.

Contact us today. You will never know until you ask!

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Last Modified: Monday, November 17, 2008 8:32