Focuses and Post-Master's Certificates
Master's Degree in Advance Practice Nursing- Focus Areas
Focus: Clinical Nurse Specialist:
Students who elect the clinical nurse specialist focus will develop, test, and practice the role of the clinical case manager and clinical nurse specialist in an area of the student's choice. Extension of advanced nursing practice roles of expert clinician, leader/manager, teacher, consultant, and researcher will be demonstrated within the framework of the clinical nurse specialist in adult health nursing.
Focus: Nurse Administrator:
Students who elect the nurse administrator focus will be prepared for administrative positions in a health care setting. In addition to the core courses, content focuses on elements of a nursing care system, the responsibilities of the nurse administrator in research, education, and clinical practice, human resource management, fiscal accountability of the nurse administrator, the functions of the nurse administrator in the organization, and on issues and trends in nursing administration. Clinical practicum in advanced nursing for the nurse administrator focus on management of clients, nurses, and resources. An elective administration practicum offers students the opportunity to apply administration principles under the guidance of a qualified preceptor.
Focus: Nurse Educator:
Students who elect the nurse educator focus will be prepared to teach in an academic or health care setting. Courses and learning experiences focus on knowledge and skills related to the educational process in nursing. Students practice teaching under the guidance of preceptors in the academic and/or health care setting.
Focus: Nurse Practitioner:
Students who elect the Adult Nurse Practitioner or Family Nurse Practitioner focus will be prepared to perform an expanded role in the delivery of primary health care. In addition to the core courses, content includes comprehensive assessment of the health status of adults/families; management of common acute and chronic health problems; provision of counseling and teaching in areas of health promotion and disease prevention; and collaboration with other health professionals. Clinical practicum under the supervision of qualified nurse practitioner and physician preceptors will focus on primary health care in a variety of settings with emphasis on rural and undeserved communities. Family Nurse Practitioner students have additional theory and clinical content related to the care of children.
In 2007, WSU was selected for the "Outstanding Practice Award" from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF).
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Post-Master’s Certificate Programs
The Master’s of Science Program in Nursing offers Post-Master’s certificate programs in the above-listed focus areas for those who already hold Master's degrees in nursing and are interested in further education and professional development.
Focus: Post-Master’s Certificate – Clinical Nurse Specialist – 10-35 S.H.
This certificate option 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 - 10-16 S.H.
This certificate option 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.
Focus: Post-Master's Certificate - Nurse Educator – 9-10 S.H.
This certificate option 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-Master's Certificate - Nurse Practitioner - 28 S.H. (ANP) 34 S.H. (FNP)
This certificate option 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 a Nurse Practitioner.
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Last Modified: Thursday, April 07, 2011 11:30
