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 in three areas: as a clinical nurse specialist in adult health; as a family nurse practitioner; or as a nurse executive.

Program Goals

The goals for the Nursing Programs at Governors State University are to:

1. Prepare nursing students with knowledge, capacity for critical inquiry and thinking, and skills to function in a variety of practice settings.
2. Provide an environment in which students develop cultural competency in health care.
3. Promote the professional values, beliefs and behaviors necessary for providing leadership in the delivery of health care in the 21st century.
4. Foster in students a commitment for life-long learning.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Concentration

The Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult/Gerontological Health concentration 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.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Concentration Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Governors State University master’s nursing program, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate role competence for beginning advanced clinical nursing practice.
2. Assume accountability for one’s advanced practice.
3. Synthesize advanced knowledge from the sciences, humanities, and nursing into a practice model to deliver direct client care.
4. Utilize the research process in addressing concerns that generate, influence, and facilitate changes for nursing and health care.
5. Provide leadership in working with health care providers to influence positive changes in health care delivery and education.
6. Seek opportunities for professional growth that contribute to the advancement of the profession.
7. Participate actively in the legislative and policy processes, including advocacy for various levels of clients in order to promote and preserve healthy communities.
8. Promote health and prevent illness among client populations through use of theory, research, teaching, and counseling.
9. Seek advanced practice nursing certification and licensure.

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration

The concentration 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.

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Governors State University master’s nursing program, the student will be able to:

1. Take the appropriate Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination.
2. Seek advanced Practice Nursing Licensure.
3. Demonstrate role competence for beginning practice within the role of a Family Nurse Practitioner.
4. Assume accountability and professional responsibility for continued growth and skill development within the Family Nurse Practitioner role.
5. Synthesize theoretical and evidence-based clinical knowledge to provide professional, comprehensive, culturally competent primary and specialty client care across the life span.
6. Utilize the research process in addressing concerns that generate, influence, and facilitate changes for advanced practice nursing and health care across the life span.
7. Provide leadership in collaboration with other health care providers to influence coordination of health care delivery for patients across the lifespan.
8. Seek opportunities for professional growth that contribute to the advancement of the profession.
9. Participate actively in the legislative and policy processes, including advocacy for various levels of clients in order to promote and preserve health communities.
10. Promote health and prevent illness among client populations through the use of theory, research, teaching, and counseling.

Nursing Executive and Innovative Leadership Concentration

The Nursing Executive and Innovative Leadership concentration focuses on management of patient care sciences within complex health care organizations. This concentration focus provides skills that are essential for the effective nursing leader, such as decision making, strategic planning, risk management, finance, and human resources. Through the functional role of executive and innovative leadership the nurse directs and influences nursing practice, improves the delivery of health care, and contributes to the development of beneficial health policy using leadership, creativity, and collaboartion. In this concentration general systems theory bring together knowledge from many disciplines which permit inference and the generation of new nursing modalities management of nursing sciences. Systematic examination of theories and concepts drawn from nursing management and healthcare management disciplines provides the basis for advanced nursing leadership.

Nursing Executive and Innovative Leadership Concentration Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Governors State University master’s nursing program, the student will be able to:

1. Synthesize advanced knowledge of management concepts within complex health care organizations.
2. Integrate research-based problem solving and decision making in designing integrated nursing care modalities.
3. Implement advanced management strategies in developing and directing a nursing service organization.
4. Apply human resource management and organizational theory in nursing resource management.
5. Analyze, design, evaluate, select and implement clinical and decision support information systems in the nursing service organization.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of healthcare economics, financial analysis, budget preparation and cost management in the nursing service organization.
7. Implement an integrated performance improvement process for a nursing service organization to include integration of quality improvement, risk management, accreditation standards and evaluation management.
8. Implement effective team building and communication strategies in nursing service management.
9. Collaborate effectively across disciplines within a health care organization.
10. Display professional leadership skills exhibiting ethical, moral and legal behavior.
11. Exhibit the ability to function as a leader in a multicultural organization providing care for diverse patient populations.

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 the Admissions Processing Office of Governors State University..

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 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 concentration requires a minimum of 500 clinical hours that must be completed prior to graduation.
3. The Nursing Executive & Innovative Leadership concentration require at the minimum, 135 clinical hours that must be completed prior to graduation.
4. The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration 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 Executive - NURS-6145 , NURS-7182 , NURS-8350 , ONTL-5101 , HLAD-7101 , HLAD-7109 .