Nursing, M.S.N.

The College of Health and Human Services  graduate major in Nursing provides a master’s degree program for nurses who have a baccalaureate degree in nursing. The degree provides the opportunity to focus as a clinical nurse specialist in adult health, as a nurse administrator, or as a family nurse practitioner.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult/Gerontological Health sequence prepares the advanced practice nurses to serve the health needs of adults/geriatric clients in a variety of settings. The graduate will be able to synthesize advanced knowledge of health-illness states of clients; integrate research-based problem solving and decision making in designing care for clients, families, and communities; use advanced therapeutic intervention skills in one’s clinical practice; and implement effective communication strategies in collective management of client care. The graduate will be prepared to assume the role of clinical specialist that reflects contemporary nursing practice standards. The graduate will also be prepared to apply for certification as a clinical nurse specialist in Adult/Gerontological Health. The program consists of core courses at the 6000-7000 level designed to provide the knowledge and skills required of any advance practice nurse. Specialty courses at the 8000 level provide preparation for role as clinical specialist in adult/Gerontological health.

The sequence in the Family Nurse Practitioner prepares the advanced practice nurse to serve the health needs of clients across the life span in a variety of primary care settings. The graduate will be able to synthesize theoretical and evidence-based clinical knowledge to provide professional comprehensive primary and specialty client care across the domains of client health and illness management; client-practitioner relationship; teaching and coaching; managing and negotiating health care delivery systems; monitoring and ensuring quality of health care practice, and culture competence. The graduate will be prepared to assume the role of Family Nurse Practitioner as reflected by contemporary advanced practice nursing standards. The graduate will also be prepared to apply for national certification examination as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The program consists of core courses at the 7000 level designed to provide the knowledge/skills required of any advanced practice nurse. Specialty courses at the 8000 level provide didactic and practicum preparation for the role as Family Nurse Practitioner.

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate  is an option for nurses already prepared at the advanced practice level who have a master’s degree.

The Nursing Administration sequence prepares advanced practice nurses to assume roles in middle nursing management, and after appropriate years of experience, to assume chief nurse executive positions in health care institutions. The graduate will be able to synthesize advanced knowledge of management within complex health care organizations; integrate research-based problem solving and decision making in designing integrated nursing care modalities; and use advanced management strategies to promote state of the art nursing interventions, health promotion and disease prevention. The program is comprised of core nursing courses designed to provide a theoretical framework for advanced practice and nursing management courses which provide preparation for the role of nurse administrator. The graduate will be prepared to seek national certification as a Nurse Administrator once work or consultative hour requirements are met.

Accreditation

Both undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN)
3343 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 500
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Web site: http://www.nlnac.org

For further information, or an appointment with an advisor, email the Department of Nursing at nursingadvisor@govst.edu or call 708.534.4040.

Special Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting university admissions criteria, applicants must:

1. have a baccalaureate degree with a major in Nursing from an accredited nursing program in a regionally-accredited college or university;
2. have completed the following undergraduate courses or their equivalent: Nursing Research, Statistics, and Health Assessment;
3. have a current and valid license as a registered professional nurse in the State of Illinois;
4. submit a one-page biographical sketch and a statement of personal goals for pursuing a graduate degree in nursing; and
5. have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher in all undergraduate courses and a GPA of 3.0 or higher with a grade of “C” or better in all upper-division nursing courses. Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirements or who have graduated from non-graded baccalaureate programs will be conditionally admitted. A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained for the first nine hours of work completed. If a 3.0 GPA is not maintained, the student must petition the Nursing program for continued enrollment. Please address your formal request to continue enrollment to Dr. Nancy MacMullen, Chair, Department of Nursing, Governors State University, 1 University Parkway, University Park, IL 60484.

Applicants must submit initially all transcripts through NursingCAS. The Admissions Processing Office of Governors State University may require an additional official copy.

Applicants with credentials from countries other than the United States must have their credentials evaluated through a university approved evaluation organization. Contact the Admission Office for a listing of approved evaluation organizations. The evaluated credentials must be submitted through NursingCAS with the application.

Applicants must assume all responsibility for fees associated with testing.

All required credentials must be on file in the Office of Admission before applicants can be admitted to the program.

Other Requirements

1. Once accepted into the program, information regarding health and other program specific requirements will be sent to the student. These requirements must be met within the first term of enrollment.
2. The Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nursing Administration sequences require at the minimum, 500 clinical hours that must be completed prior to graduation.
3. The Family Nurse Practitioner sequence requires 540 clinical hours that must be completed prior to graduation across the following settings:

   • 500 must be direct patient care.

   • The majority of the hours should be divided between pediatrics, adult/ geriatrics.

   • You must have a minimum of 65 hours of OB (prenatal care).

   • You must have a minimum of 65 hours of pediatrics-however if you have an opportunity do get more experience in this area, please do so. You can have a maximum of 135 pediatric hours. The intent is for you to have exposure to patients throughout the lifespan.

   • You are responsible for finding/identifying the clinical site and providing the information needed to secure a contract with the site. Clinical settings include Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and OB/Gyn. Acute care settings (hospitals) are not allowed.

   • Typhon Nurse Practitioner Student Tracking System (Typhon-NPST) is the repository for maintaining all clinical data. Prior to your first two courses (NURS-8221  & NURS-8222 ) you must purchase Typhon-NPST

   • You must purchase malpractice insurance stating that the policy covers you as a Family Nurse Practitioner student with $1 million of liability for each occurrence and a minimum of $6 million per annual aggregate.

Admission to Candidacy

After admission as a degree-seeking student, a student must also apply for candidacy. Application for candidacy should be made with the approval of one’s academic advisor at the completion of all core nursing courses, at which time all candidacy requirements must be fulfilled. Admission to candidacy is required in order to enroll for additional nursing courses. To qualify for degree candidacy, a student must:

1. meet all conditions of admission; and
2. complete all core nursing courses specific to concentration: CNS and FNP - NURS-6145 , NURS-6150 , NURS-7180 , NURS-7181 , and NURS-7182 ; Nurse Administrator - NURS-6145 , NURS-7182 , NURS-8350 , ONTL-5101 , HLAD-7101 , HLAD-7109 .