M.S.N. Curriculum

The curriculum leading to the degree of Master of Science in Nursing is designed to prepare nurses for advanced practice or leadership roles in specialty areas. All students complete masters core courses in nursing theory, research, epidemiology, health promotion, and health policy. Opportunities for concentration include five specialty areas: acute and specialty care, community/public health, primary care, psychiatric mental health, or health systems management.

Program Course Work Some core courses are offered online, and two specialty areas, health systems management and community/public health nursing may be completed totally online. The ratio of clinical hours to credits is 4:1. Courses are taught only if there is a sufficient number of students registering for them. Semester schedules published by the Office of the Registrar must be consulted for courses to be offered during a given semester and offered online.

Following are descriptions and required courses for the specific areas of clinical concentration.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Tracks

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Clinical Nurse Specialist: Acute and Specialty Care Track (52 credits, 560 clinical hours)

This track prepares nurses for advanced practices roles in the care of adults with acute and chronic conditions and allows students to determine the focus of their specialization (i.e.: cardiology, wound/ostomy/continence*, neurology or neurosurgery, general surgery, ER/trauma, pulmonary, transplant, diabetes, geriatrics, etc) and the areas of practice in which they would like to focus their clinical experiences (critical care, acute care, chronic care). Emphasis is placed on providing students with the advanced theoretical knowledge and practice skills needed to care for patients with complex health needs across the care continuum. The roles of clinician, educator and researcher, as well as clinical consultant and leader are key aspects of this track. Evidence based practice, outcomes management, clinical research, and advanced clinical decision-making are emphasized. The required 560 hours of preceptorship exceeds the recommendation of the National Association of CNS’s for 500 hours. At the completion of this program, students are qualified to sit for the American Nursing Credentialing Center certification examination for either the Adult Health CNS or the Critical Care CNS.

* The school offers wound/ostomy/continence courses with two seminars GNUR 744 and GNUR 745. Practicum experience is obtained through GNUR 795 and GNUR 765.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Track (52 credits, 500 clinical hours)

This area of concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Students complete core nursing courses, core advanced practice courses, and specialty specific courses. A major emphasis is placed on critical consideration, neurostructural, neurochemical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and cultural correlates of psychiatric illness in the context of the advanced practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Supervised clinical practice is directed toward applying this emerging scientific knowledge to patient care through psychiatric-mental health nursing interventions with the persistently mentally ill, geriatric, and other specialty populations. Faculty work closely with students to develop individualized clinical experiences in appropriate settings. Graduates are prepared to practice in CNS role, and are qualified to sit for American Nursing Credentialing Center CNS certification.

Nurse Practitioner Tracks (NP)

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Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track (ACNP) (52 credits, 560 clinical hours)

This track prepares nurses for an advanced practice role providing direct patient care in medical/nursing subspecialty areas in collaboration with other members of the health care team. ACNPs deliver care along the continuum of critical, acute, and chronic care. Students determine the focus of their specialization (i.e.: cardiology, nephrology, wound/ostomy/continence, neurology or neuro-surgery, digestive health, general surgery, ER/trauma, pulmonary, transplant, etc). In this program, students gain the advanced theoretical knowledge and practice skills needed to manage acutely and chronically ill patients through all phases of their hospitalization and clinical follow-up. Emphasis is placed on diagnostic and clinical decision-making, preparation for prescriptive authority, collaboration with physicians, and outcomes management, as well as evidence-based practice and clinical research. Upon completion of this track, students are qualified to take the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification examination for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.

Primary Care: Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track (58 credits, 672 hours)

The curriculum leading to the degree of Master of Science in Nursing prepares nurses for advanced practice as family nurse practitioners or pediatric nurse practitioners. Students in the program complete core courses in nursing theory, research, epidemiology/population-based assessment, and health policy. Courses in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, family health promotion, nutrition, and advanced health assessment are also required of all students in the primary care nurse practitioner tracks. Clinical seminars and 672-hour clinical preceptorships are designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to practice as nurse practitioners in primary care settings. Due to the program’s rural, underserved focus, one of the two preceptorship rotations occurs outside of Albemarle County.

Combined tracks are available in community and public health leadership and in psychiatric-mental health. Nearly all of the tracks may be completed in four semesters and one summer of full-time study (the combined psychiatric-mental health and family nurse practitioner track requires additional time. At the completion of the Family Nurse Practitioner track, students are eligible to write the National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Exam..

Following are required courses for the specific areas of concentration in the Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Tracks.

Primary Care: Combined Psychiatric-Mental Health and Family Nurse Practitioner Track (70 credits, 1000 clinical hours)

Primary Care: Community & Public Health/Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track (60 credits, 672 clinical hours)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Track (PMHNP) (52 credits, 500 clinical hours)

This area of concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Students complete core nursing courses, core advanced practice courses, and specialty specific courses. Major emphasis include the neurostructural, neurochemical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and cultural correlates of psychiatric illness in the context of the advanced practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Supervised clinical practice is directed toward applying this emerging scientific knowledge to patient care through psychiatric-mental health nursing interventions including prescriptive practice. Faculty work closely with students to develop individualized clinical experiences in appropriate settings. Graduates are prepared to practice in the PMHNP role, and are qualified to sit for American Nursing Credentialling Center PMHNP certification.

Leadership Specialty Tracks

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Community/Public Health Leadership Nursing Track (38 Credits, 504 clinical hours)

As health care shifts from hospital-based to community-orientated systems, new opportunities for nursing leadership are becoming abundant. The Community and Public Health Leadership concentration prepares nurses for specialty practice in promoting the health of individuals, families, groups and communities. Emphasis is placed on the development of knowledge and expertise in assessing the health status and health delivery systems of communities and designing nursing interventions to better manage care in complex settings. Courses provide the required knowledge and expertise to plan, implement, and evaluate care in community settings, including public health departments, schools and occupational health programs, home health agencies, and community nursing clinics. Care management strategies to ensure continuity of health service delivery for individuals and groups at the local and global levels are emphasized. International learning experiences are available. This program is taught in an online format with required dates in Charlottesville. Upon completion of this track, students are qualified to take the American Nursing Credentialing Center certification examination for Clinical Specialist in Community Health Nursing.

Health Systems Management Track (39 Credits)

The Health Systems Management Track is designed to prepare nurses at the graduate level to manage the delivery of nursing and health services across multiple settings and specialty areas. This program provides a unique educational experience to individuals capable of leadership and innovation in a dynamic health care delivery system. Graduates are prepared to assume leadership positions in a variety of health care settings, including public and private sector hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and long-term facilities.

The curriculum builds on the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of the bachelor’s-prepared nurse. The program emphasizes content fundamental to management, developing competencies needed to analyze managerial problems, and providing resourceful solutions. Students are given special opportunities to acquire the breadth of management knowledge and skills needed to perform effectively at the business and clinical interface of health care delivery organizations. Management-related experience is recommended. Students completing the health systems management track will have completed course work necessary for Certification in Nursing Administration, Advanced or Certification in Nursing Administration. The practice requirements for this Certification are met through paid employment as a nurse manager or nurse executive for 24 months of the last 5 years. Thus graduates will need to gain this experience prior to certification This program is taught in an online format with required dates in Charlottesville at the beginning and ending of each semester.

M.S.N.-M.B.A. Joint Degree Program

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The School of Nursing and the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration offer a joint degree program designed to develop health care agency managers who possess a unique blend of clinical and administrative skills. Graduates of the program are prepared to contribute to health policy development and to assume senior-level positions in hospitals, corporate offices, ambulatory care, and long-term care agencies. The program can be completed in two and one-half years of full-time study. Applicants must be registered nurses holding at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing, and they must meet all admission requirements for both the School of Nursing and the Graduate School of Business Administration. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the School of Nursing Office of Admissions and Student Services.

M.S.N - M.A. in Bioethics Joint Degree Program

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The School of Nursing collaborates with the School of Medicine, the School of Law, and the Department of Religious Studies to offer a joint Master’s Degree in Nursing and Bioethics. Students follow the nursing option to which they are admitted, take required foundational courses in bioethics, and select from additional bioethics courses guided by their area of concentration and discipline. Graduates are prepared as advanced practice nurses with the scholarly basis for addressing bioethical health care practice and policy issues.