R.N.-M.S.N. Nursing Program

RN-MSN Nursing Program

Student Handbook RN-MSN and MS in Nursing 2021-2022

Accreditation Statement

The RN-MSN program provides students with a bridge process before moving on to earn a master’s degree. The  RN-MSN program is for registered nurses who have already earned an associate degree in nursing and wish to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing degree.

Upon completing the bridge courses with a cumulative average of 3.0 or better, students may progress into the M.S in Nursing track of their choice. If students have to achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point, they may be granted probationary status with the expectation that they will maintain a GPA of 3.0 for the first two semesters of study.

Currently, students may choose a concentration in either Nursing Education or Business Leadership. The total undergraduate credits required to enter the R.N.-M.S.N. program is 92 credits, and this includes the bridge courses.

The undergraduate courses accepted must be similar to WAU’s current undergraduate nursing program. Undergraduate courses that will be accepted can be found below. To be acceptable for transfer to WAU., a grade of “C” or better in the course is required. The total number of credits for the R.N.-M.S.N. program is 137 (92 undergraduate and 45 graduate credits).

Admission

Admission to the RN-MSN program for any concentration requires:

  1. Earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from a state board of nursing-approved program with regional accreditation or a baccalaureate degree in another discipline.
  2. Required RN Nursing License in Good Standing.
  3. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on all cognates.
  4. Current CPR and health requirements before the start of any practicum.
  5. Evidence of recent employment as a registered nurse.
  6. A written statement of career objectives.
  7. Current professional resume and two professional letters of reference.
  8. Completion of the following prerequisites:

Admission

45 Hours

Prerequisites  
BIOL 201Human Anatomy and Physiology I4
BIOL 202Human Anatomy and Physiology  II4
BIOL 150Microbiology4
BIOL or Biology course or elective4
CHEM 114Fundamentals of General, Organic and Biochemistry4
COMM 105Introduction to Human Communication3
INSY 110Computer Concepts I3
ENGL 101Composition3
ENGL 102Research and Literature3
MATH 110Probability and Statistics4
NUTR 260Nutrition3
PSYC 105Introduction to Psychology3
PSYC 210Developmental Psychology3
   

Nursing Core Curriculum

58 Hours

NURS 308RTransition into Professional Nursing Practice4
NURS 310RHealth Assessment and Health Promotion4
NURS 389RNursing Research and Evidenced-Based Practice3
NURS 423RNursing Leadership and Management3
NURS 446RPursing Leadership and Management3
NURS 478RHealthcare Policy and Politics3
NURS 489RSynthesis of Complex Nursing Care5
NURSNursing Transfer Credits31

Required Cognates

9 Hours

General Education

9 Hours

Total

121 Hours

The goal of Master’s Program

The goal of the master’s program is to prepare skilled, competent nurses who will pursue excellence and professional growth through lifelong learning; lead change to improve quality outcomes and safety of healthcare delivery systems; design innovative, evidence-based nursing practices; and serve as collaborative partners of the health care team in an advanced specialty nursing practice.

Expected Student Outcomes

Upon completion of their program of study, graduates of Washington Adventist University’s MS in Nursing Education will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate organizational and systems leadership to improve quality and safety outcomes in nursing education or health care organizations.
  2. Conduct and/or evaluate nursing research and evidence-based practices to improve individuals, families, communities, and populations.
  3. Synthesize knowledge of ethical, safe, and legal practices in assessing, providing, evaluating, and improving the quality and safety of patient care.
  4. Evaluate current knowledge, skills, and attitudes of health promotion, disease, and injury prevention and management to improve the health of individuals, groups, communities, and populations.
  5. Apply the principles of social justice and health policies that improve the health of the public.
  6. Analyze the political, social, organizational, cultural, and economic systems that impact health and health care.
  7. Demonstrate the ability to communicate, collaborate, lead, and consult with others in an advanced nursing practice specialty role.
  8. Design health care management systems and/or educational programs for patients, students, families, communities, and populations using evidence-based practice, informatics, and health care technologies.
  9. Demonstrate the ability to provide humanistic care in an advanced specialty nursing practice, respectful of a client’s cultural, spiritual, ethnic, and gender diversity within an increasingly global, multicultural society.
  10. Synthesize knowledge from the organizational sciences, humanities, and informatics to improve the quality and delivery of advanced nursing care in complex educational or health care systems
  11. Design strategies for improved quality and safety outcomes in nursing education and health care systems that employ informatics and effective leadership and management principles.
  12. Demonstrate attributes supportive of spirituality within a multicultural multi-faith environment to facilitate self-awareness and meet the spiritual needs of clients and self.