Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin. ​

Program Description

This graduate degree in nursing will provide students with the academic knowledge, skills, and expertise in health promotion, including healthy living, disease prevention, epidemiology, communication, environmental science, public health policy, leadership, and evidence-based practice. Graduates will begin to integrate health promotion and prevention to analyze, understand, and collaborate with community health partners to address population health issues. The program consists of bridge, core, specialty, and clinical courses. This program is for licensed registered nurses (current, unrestricted license) with an Associate Nursing degree interested in advancing their careers to become a public health nurse.

Prior to enrollment, individuals considering a Master of Science in Nursing program should check with their applicable state board of nursing before enrolling in any graduate nursing program for any specific state requirements.

Students enrolled in this program are not eligible to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Core MSN Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this 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.

Public Health Nursing Program Outcomes

Students are expected to meet all the core MSN program outcomes as well as the Public Health Nursing program outcomes. Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

1. Develop health promotion and prevention strategies.

2. Describe the impact of cultural humility on client care in a public health role.

3. Analyze the impact of policy on the planning and delivery of care.

4. Coordinate population-based care in a public health role.

5. Integrate epidemiology into population-based practice.

6. Implement the role of the public health nurse in a variety of settings.

Program Content

A minimum of 52.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.