For program information, contact Graduate Program Assistant Dean Mary Bourke, PhD, at 765.455.9326 or mbourke@iuk.edu.

MSN Program Learning Outcomes

At the end of the program, each student will have met the following learning outcomes:

1. Model excellence in nursing leadership to improve nursing practice within a complext health care system.
2. Conduct advanced nursing practice within ethical-legal guidelines, professional policies and regulations, and standards of practice associated with a specialty area of practice.
3. Synthesize knowledge from nursing as well as biological, behavioral, social, administrative, educational, and communication sciences for application to a chosen domain of advanced practice nursing.
4. Demonstrate scholarly inquiry and reflection that exemplifies critical, creative, and systems thinking to advance the practice of nursing.
5. Frame problems, design interventions, specify outcomes, and measure achievement of outcomes while balancing human, fiscal, and material resources to achieve quality health outcomes.
6. Use information technology and knowledge-based resources to manage and transform data that inform clinical practice.
7. Systematically apply evidence from research findings to answer clinical questions, solve clinical problems, and develop innovative nursing interventions for selected patient populations.
8. Demonstrate collaborative practice and interpret nursing science within an interdisciplinary context.
9. Articulate the effects of culture, diversity, values, and globalization in the design, delivery, and evaluation of health services.
10. Engage in lifelong learning activities that contribute to professional development as well as to the advancement of nursing.

MSN ADMINISTRATION AND EDUCATION TRACKS

The IU Kokomo Master of Science in Nursing Program administration and education tracks are a 39 credit hour curriculum designed to prepare registered nurses with advanced practice nursing knowledge in the areas of nursing education or nursing administration. Students begin their study with classroom-based didactic courses in a hybrid format, building the theoretical and contextual background necessary for advanced nursing practice. Students progress to specific courses in either nursing education or nursing administration.  The family nurse practitioner (FNP) track is projected to begin in 2017 and is a 42 credit hour curriculum designed to prepare registered nurses to practice as primary healthcare providers.

The MSN program administration and education tracks are comprised of three components:

1. Nursing core courses:

• NURS-R 500 Nursing Research
• NURS-N 502 Nursing Theory
• NURS-R 505 Measurement and Data Analysis
• NURS-Y 510 & NURS-Y 520 Advanced Practice Nursing Concepts I and II
• NURS-I 630 Introduction to Nursing Informatics

2. Education or Administration track

  Administration track courses:

• NURS-L 574 Administrative Management in Nursing
• NURS-L 671 Financial Management
• NURS-N 504 Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS-L 530 Legal Environment of Health Care
• NURS-L 579 Nursing Administration Practicum
• NURS-R 590 Scholarly Project

Administration track graduates will be prepared to serve in nursing leadership and nursing administrative roles that may provide opportunities for enhanced health care delivery systems and ultimately improved health for the citizens of our regions.

Education track courses:

• NURS-T 615 Curriculum in Nursing
• NURS-T 617 Evaluation in Nursing
• NURS-T 670 Teaching in Nursing
• NURS-T 619 Computer Technologies for Nurse Educators
• NURS-T 679 Nursing Education Practicum and NURS-R 590 Scholarly Project

Education track graduates will be prepared to serve in the nurse educator role by teaching in schools of nursing or as educational staff for clinical agencies.

3. A culminating experience for Administration track or Education track.

Completion time: Approximately 2 years depending on how many credits a student chooses to take at a time and course availability. Courses include traditional classroom, hybrid, and online delivery formats.

1. Graduation from an accredited baccalaureate degree program in nursing.
2. Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
3. Valid, unencumbered RN license in the state where practicum will be completed.  International students pursuing the administration or education tracks must meet the practice or licensing requirements in their country of origin.
4. At least one year experience as an RN or currently working as an RN.
5. Completion of an undergraduate statistics course with a grade of C or better.
6. Completion of a criminal background check.
7. Submission of an Official College Transcript (Degree granting and graduate courses if applicable).
8. Submission of the following:
   • Personal Statement - See website for directions.
   • Two professional references - See website for directions.
   • CV/Résumé
9. Payment of an application fee.

International Students (Administration & Education tracks only)
In addition to the MSN admission requirements listed above, international students and students for whom English is not their primary language must submit TOEFL-iBT scores with a required total minimum of 80, and at least 20 for each section.  See application for international students.

MSN FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER (FNP) TRACK

The MSN FNP track is a 42-credit hour didactic and 600 practice hour track designed by doctorally-prepared faculty to prepare registered nurses with advanced practice skills.  The goal of the FNP track is to provide our region with primary healthcare providers to facilitate access to quality healthcare services for underserved populations.  Advanced practice nurses are also needed to meet the growing regional demand for healthcare, as well as address critical shortages of primary care providers.  These nurses will provide and enhance access to healthcare for the community, improve the delivery of healthcare in Indiana regional areas, and ultimately improve the health of its citizens.  They will also serve in leadership and administrative roles, and implement changes in the healthcare delivery system.

Students will begin their study with classroom-based didactic courses in a hybrid format, building the theoretical and contextual background necessary for advanced nursing practice. Students will then progress on to didactic courses with clinical components to include 75 practice hours per semester.  Note:  The final didactic clinical course includes 375 mandatory practice hours as a primary care provider.  Classes will be scheduled on Thursdays from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m.  Clinical practice hours will be scheduled based on availability of practice sites.

The MSN program family nurse practitioner (FNP) track is comprised of three components:

1. MSN core courses:

• NURS-R 500 Nursing Research
• NURS-R 505 Measurement and Data Analysis (preferrably prior to track admission)
• NURS-N 502 Nursing Theory
• NURS-N 504 Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice

2. FNP track core courses:

• NURS-Y 515 Advanced Pathophysiology
• NURS-Y 535 Dynamics of Family Health Care
• NURS-F 570 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
• NURS-Y 612 Applied Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Science
• NURS-Y 620 Advanced Primary Care and Office Management
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care I:  Acute Illness Processes (additional 75 practice hours required)
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care II:  Acute and Stable Chronic Illness Processes (additional 75 practice hours required)
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care III:  Chronic and Complex Illness Processes (additional 75 practice hours required)

      3.  Culminating experience/scholarly project:

• NURS-F 578 Primary Health Care of Families (additional 375 practice hours required)
• NURS-R 590 Scholarly Project

Completion time: 7 semesters  Courses require time in traditional classroom, simulation, and practice settings.

Semester 1

• NURS-Y 515 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr.)
• NURS-N 504 Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice (3 cr.)

Semester 2

• NURS-N 502 Nursing Theory (3 cr.)
• NURS-Y 535 Dynamics of Family Health Care (3 cr.)

Semester 3

• NURS-F 570 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan (3 cr.)
• NURS-Y 612 Applied Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Science (3 cr.)

Semester 4

• NURS-R 500 Nursing Research (3 cr.)
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care I:  Acute Illness Processes (3 cr.)

Semester 5

• NURS-Y 620 Advanced Primary Care and Office Management (3 cr.)
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care II:  Acute and Stable Chronic Illness Processes (3 cr.)

Semester 6

• NURS-R 590 Scholarly Project (3 cr.)
• NURS-J  595 Primary Care III:  Chronic and Complex Illness Processes (3 cr.)

Semester 7

• NURS-F 578 Primary Health Care of Families (3 cr.)