School of Nursing

The goals of USAHS’ School of Nursing include:

• Providing innovative graduate nursing education;
• Preparing nurse leaders in interprofessional collaboration;
• Promoting critical thinking along with the use of best scientific evidence and data analytics in decision-making; and
• Facilitating scholarship and professional growth and development of faculty and students.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the MSN program is to prepare nurses to utilize interprofessional collaboration, evidence-informed decision-making, and specialized competencies in guiding, leading, and influencing the outcomes of nursing practice.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MSN program, graduates will

• Employ the skills necessary to engage in lifelong learning through intellectual inquiry in order to maintain continuing competence and professional growth.
• Apply leadership skills to improve outcomes for individuals, diverse populations, and organizations.
• Practice critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making to ensure the delivery of nursing care that is of optimal quality and safety.
• Effectively and ethically use technology in the direct or indirect delivery and coordination of nursing care and collection of data for improvement of quality and safety.
• Exhibit professionalism and adherence to ethical standards of nursing practice; advocate for patients; and promote policy development to ensure quality healthcare that is safe, equitable, and cost-effective.
• Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare providers in the promotion of wellness and the management of acute and chronic disorders for the optimization of patient outcomes.
• Apply systems thinking and synthesize scientific data with concepts and models from nursing and other sciences to promote health, prevent illness, and maintain quality of life for individuals and populations.
• Deliver or direct nursing practice using advanced knowledge, professional skills, and decision-making based on theory and best scientific evidence.

Admission Requirements

See Admissions, Records, and Registration for prerequisite and application information. 

Academic Requirements

To remain in the MSN program, the student must meet the following criteria:

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and
• Complete the required courses.
• Maintain an unrestricted/unencumbered license in their state of work. Students are required to immediately notify the Director of the School of Nursing if there is a change in their licensure status.

Program Overview

• MSN courses are offered through an enriched online experience to meet the needs of working students, allowing students to further their education while pursuing a nursing career.
• Take the program online or as a blended program that incorporates online and optional on-campus learning experiences.
• Collaborate in an interprofessional learning environment with students from other healthcare professions.
• Participate in optional weekend immersion experiences in some courses; students will have the opportunity to collaborate with classroom peers and faculty to discuss activities and complete coursework before the end of the term.
• Complete practicum courses in the student’s own community (in most cases) by working with USAHS faculty and a preceptor.
• USAHS offers four different nurse specializations within the MSN curriculum: Nurse Educator, Nurse Executive, Nurse Informaticist, and Family Nurse Practitioner.

Delivery of MSN Coursework

All coursework in the MSN program is offered in an online delivery format with practicum experiences. Some courses have optional weekend immersion experiences on one of the USAHS campuses. The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) role specialty requires two 3-day, on-campus intensives. Students will be responsible for travel, meals, and lodging, when necessary for all immersions, intensives, and practica.

Time Limit

It is required that MSN students in the Nurse Educator, Nurse Executive, or Nurse Informaticist role specialty tracks complete all program requirements within two years (i.e., six terms). An extension of up to one year may be requested (i.e., a total of three years). It is required that MSN students in the Family Nurse Practitioner role specialty track complete all program requirements with two years and eight months (i.e., eight terms). An extension of up to one year and four months may be requested (i.e., a total of four years).

Practica

All MSN students are required to complete practica, which focus on their selected nursing role and the knowledge and skills required to integrate that role. The types of sites that will be selected for the practica for the MSN program differ by selected role specialty. The Director of the School of Nursing or designee will approve the preceptor and the practicum site to ensure that the preceptor has the education and expertise to guide the student and that the practicum site can provide the required learning experiences.

Tuition and Fees

See the Financial Information.

Note on Accreditation and Licensure

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’ Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) role specializations in Nurse Educator, Nurse Executive, and Nursing Informaticist are designed to build on the skills of BSN-prepared registered nurses by focusing on interprofessional approaches to patient care through specializations in leadership, education, and informatics. Because these are post-licensure specializations, they do not prepare graduates for initial or advanced licensure. It is the prospective student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to nursing practice in the state in which he or she intends to practice and/or resides as requirements vary widely. USAHS makes no representations or guarantees that completion of coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or another state credential. For more information about the requirements to practice, students should contact the appropriate Board of Nursing or state agency.

MSN-FNP graduates must hold a master’s or doctoral degree or a postgraduate certificate from a family nurse practitioner program accredited by the CCNE or ACEN in order to be eligible for the FNP national certification exam; national certification as an FNP is required for licensure to practice as an FNP in most states. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. While the MSN-FNP program is designed to lead to licensure, authorization, endorsement, or another state credential necessary to practice as a nurse practitioner, it is the prospective student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to nursing practice in the state in which he or she intends to practice and/or resides as requirements vary widely. Prospective students are advised that relocation to another state may impact their ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification, or another credential in another state. Prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate. USAHS makes no representations or guarantees that completion of coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or another state credential. For more information about the requirements to practice, students should contact the appropriate Board of Nursing or state agency.

Prospective Washington Students

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to conduct practice experiences in the state of Washington for MSN/Nurse Educator, MSN/Nurse Executive, MSN/Nurse Informaticist, and MSN/FNP program tracks. http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission/NursingPrograms.aspx.

For non-FNP program: Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1072); Registered Nurses (29-1141); Medical and Health Services Managers (11-9111)

For FNP program: Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates: Nurse Practitioners (29-1171); Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1072); Registered Nurses (29-1141); Medical and Health Services Managers (11-9111)