January 2018 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
January 2018 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Science in Nursing with a Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner (MSNFNP)


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Programs of Study

(Please see the Graduate Program Offerings by Campus chart in the catalog or on the Herzing Website at www.herzing.edu/career-programs/downloads for a list of Herzing campuses offering this program.)

Program Description

This online graduate degree in nursing will provide students with the academic knowledge, skills, and expertise to apply for certification as certified family nurse practitioners in primary care. Graduates will be prepared to have integrated praxis philosophy throughout multiple courses. Courses consist of core NU courses, specialty concentration courses, and clinical courses. This program is for licensed registered nurses (current, unrestricted license) who have a bachelor of science in nursing degree and are interested in advancing their careers to become board-certified family nurse practitioners.

Individuals considering the Master of Science program-particularly the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration-should be aware that state requirements for availability of required clinical courses and eligibility to apply for licensure as a family nurse practitioner vary from state to state. Applicants should check with their applicable state board of nursing before enrolling in any graduate nursing program.

Core MSN Program Outcomes

Upon completion of their program, the student should be able to:

  1. Integrate scientific evidence from nursing and biopsychosocial disciplines, genetics, public health, quality improvement, and organizational sciences when designing and implementing outcome measures in diverse settings and through the lifespan.
  2. Demonstrate leadership skills that emphasize ethical and critical decision-making, fiscal responsibility, inter-professional relationships that promote safe, quality care within a systems framework.
  3. Apply methods, tools, performance measures, and evidence-based standards when evaluating quality indicators within an organizational system.
  4. Synthesize theories, models and research findings inherent to nursing practice, education and management to guide an organization or healthcare system towards achieving successful outcomes.
  5. Apply client/patient care technologies and informatics to coordinate and ensure safe quality care and promote effective communication among members of the inter-professional healthcare team.
  6. Analyze ethical, legal and sociocultural factors to influence policy development and healthcare delivery systems that promote the health of individuals and populations.
  7. Articulate a leadership role within inter-professional teams through effective communication, collaboration and consultation with other professionals to manage, coordinate care and provide safe, quality family-centered and population based care.
  8. Incorporate organizational and culturally sensitive client and population centered concepts in the planning, delivery, management, and evaluation of direct and indirect evidence-based health promotion care and services to specified individuals, families and populations.
  9. Implement scholarly activities in selected individuals, populations, and systems.

Family Nurse Practitioner Program Outcomes

Students are expected to meet all the core MSN program outcomes as well as the Family Nurse Practitioner program outcomes. Upon completion of their program, the student should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate critical thinking and holistic caring as an advanced practice nurse.
  2. Analyze scientific literature for application to selected diagnoses and treatment plans.
  3. Synthesize ethical principles into the management and evaluation of healthcare delivery concerns in culturally diverse care settings.
  4. Articulate a personal philosophy and framework acknowledging professional and accrediting agency competencies relating to the role and scope of practice of the family nurse practitioner.
  5. Implement the role of the family nurse practitioner in selected clinical settings.

Conditional Enrollment for MSN

A student who has earned a BSN degree, but has not received licensure results may be conditionally admitted to the MSN program. A student who is admitted conditionally must sign an acknowledgement that they must provide evidence of a current, active, and unrestricted license as a registered nurse in the state in which they live by the end of the first 8-week session. Failure to provide evidence by the last day of the session will result in the student being unregistered from the MSN program. All grades will be expunged and federal funds will be returned. A student who subsequently completes the licensure requirement may re-apply for admission, however may be required to repeat the previously attempted coursework.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to nurse practitioner, advance practice nurse and family nurse practitioner.

Program Content

A minimum of 48.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Core Courses


All courses, 15.00 semester credit hours, are required.

Required Direct Care Core Courses


All courses, 11.00 semester credit hours, are required.

Required Courses in FNP Concentration


All courses, 22.00 semester credit hours, are required.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Programs of Study