MS in Nursing

Graduates of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, depending on the option taken, are prepared for two different roles. Students completing the nurse educator option have a clinical focus in adult health and are prepared to function in the roles of educator and adult health clinician to enhance nursing education and health care delivery in rural as well as urban areas. This includes the ability to perceive the need for change and to effectively design and implement programs as well as conduct research that can result in change at local, regional and national levels.

Students completing the nursing leadership option expand their knowledge in areas such as leadership, management, research, and health care finance so that they are better prepared to hold influential health advisory positions at the organizational and system level. Students apply this new knowledge through a mentored clinical practicum focused on leadership and management.

Both the Nurse Educator and Nursing Leadership options comprise a 30 unit curriculum. Theoretical course content is delivered online. Each option have required practicum hours that are not delivered online. These hours can usually be completed by working closely with an identified experienced nurse educator or an experienced nurse leader in the student’s home community. A four unit practicum course requires 180 hours of time with the identified nurse mentor.

Mission

The mission of the School of Nursing is to offer baccalaureate and master’s programs in nursing that prepare graduates as generalists in professional nursing, as nursing educators, and as leaders/managers for diverse healthcare settings. As such, the school provides high quality, student-centered learning environments that utilize technological innovation and promote critical thinking. The school supports faculty and student scholarly activities and encourages lifelong learning. The school also fosters service to others through our extensive community and regional collaboration with external healthcare stakeholders.

Goals & Objectives

Believing in the primacy of student learning, we will continue to develop high quality learning environments both in and outside of the classroom.

2.  Believing in the importance of faculty and staff, and their role in student success, we will continue to invest in faculty and staff development.

3.  Believing in the value of the wise use of new technologies in learning and teaching, we will continue to provide the technology, the related training, and the support needed to create high quality learning environments both in and outside of the classroom.

4.  Believing in the value of service to others, we will continue to serve the educational, cultural, and economic needs of Northern California.

5.  Believing that we are accountable to the people of the State of California, we will continue to diversify our sources of revenue and manage the resources entrusted to us.

6.  Believing that each generation owes something to those that follow, we will create environmentally literate citizens who embrace sustainability as a way of living.  We will be wise stewards of scarce resources and, in seeking to develop the whole person, be aware that our individual and collective actions have economic, social, and environmental consequences locally, regionally, and globally.

Learning Outcomes

1. Integrate theory and research from the Sciences and Humanities in the delivery of evidence-based nursing practice.
2. Utilize leadership skills to influence the quality of health care at the organizational and/or systems level.
3. Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to improve the quality and safety of the environments graduates practice.
4. Translate and apply evidence-based research in nursing practice.
5. Integrates current informatics and health care technologies in nursing practice.
6. Use health policy, political skills and advocacy to influence positive change in health care delivery.
7. Demonstrates inter-professional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes.
8. Identifies clinical prevention strategies to improve health of selected populations.
9. Demonstrates Master’s level knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to lead nursing education, leadership, and practice.