M.S. Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner

• Concentration Overview
• Credit Distribution
• Program Competencies

Concentration Overview

The Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (M.S.N.-FNP) Program prepares registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing for advanced practice roles in primary care. This program provides students with the knowledge and clinical competencies necessary to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based patient and family-centered care across the lifespan. As students' progress, course topics are structured based on patient acuity and population focus, allowing for the gradual development of advanced nursing practice competencies.

Graduates will be prepared to assess, diagnose, and manage acute and chronic conditions, promote health and disease prevention, and provide holistic, evidence-based care to diverse patient populations. Additionally, they will be equipped to collaborate with healthcare teams, advocate for health equity, and improve health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

The M.S.N.-FNP curriculum combines online coursework with supervised practicum experiences in primary care settings near students' places of residence. Practicum courses focus on providing care across the lifespan within a defined population, enabling students to analyze and integrate course materials into nurse practitioner practice in accordance with professional nursing standards. A final role course allows students to synthesize their learning and apply their knowledge as they prepare to transition into the FNP role.

Students are encouraged to follow the recommended course sequence and work closely with their nursing academic advisor to ensure timely progression through the program. The practicum courses must be completed as the final component of the program and cannot be taken concurrently with core coursework.

Upon successful completion of the M.S.N.-FNP program, graduates will have met the academic requirements necessary to be eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner certification examinations offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).

Credit Distribution

This program is under development.  Please contact the School for course availability.

I. Core Courses (12 Credits)

NUR-5290	US Health Policy and Global Health	3
NUR-5300	Evidence-Based Nursing Practice	3
-	OR
NUR-8050	Scholarly Inquiry: The Basis for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NUR-8150	Information Systems and Technology Impacting Healthcare Delivery	3

 

II. Direct Care Core Courses (12.5 Credits)

Course number	Title	Credits
NUR-6400	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NUR-5160	Advanced Health Assessment	3
NUR-6410	Advanced Pharmacology for Prescribers*	3
NUR-7070	Primary Care Diagnosis, Management and Health Promotion**	3.5

*Prerequisite NUR-6400

**Prerequisites NUR-5160, NUR-6400, NUR-6410

NUR-6400	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NUR-5160	Advanced Health Assessment	3

 

III. Practicum Courses (19.5 Credits)

Course number	Title	Credits	Practicum hours
NUR-7071	Adult Primary Care I*	3.5	125
NUR-7072	Adult Primary Care II*	3.5	125
NUR-7073	Geriatric Primary Care**	3.5	125
NUR-7074	Adolescent and Early Adult Primary Care**	3.5	125
NUR-7075	Pediatric Primary Care**	3.5	125
NUR-7076	FNP Role Transition***	2	125

*Prerequisite NUR-7069, NUR-7070

**Prerequisites NUR-7071, NUR-7072

*** Prerequisites NUR-7073, NUR-7074, NUR-7075

Total number of direct patient care hours: 750

Total Credit Hours: 44

The M.S.N.-FNP course outcomes specifically flow from the program student learning outcomes (SLOs) and incorporate the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (2021) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) Nurse Practitioner Role Core Competencies (2022). The M.S.N.-FNP concentration and practicum courses were developed to reflect the Population Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies (NONPF, 2013) which includes the Family/Across the Lifespan competencies.

 

AACN Essentials (2021)	NONPF NP Role Core Competencies (2022)	TESU MSN SLOs
Domain #1 Knowledge for Nursing Practice	NP Domain: Knowledge of Practice	Utilize interprofessional knowledge in the advanced nursing care of diverse patients, families, and communities to enact clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice.
Domain #2 Person-Centered Care	NP Domain: Person-Centered Care	Demonstrate person-centered care, advanced nursing care for diverse patients, families, and communities to promote positive health outcomes.
Domain #3 Population Health	NP Domain: Population Health	Construct advanced nursing care to diverse communities to improve population outcomes.
Domain #4 Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline	NP Domain: Practice Scholarship and Translational Science	Appraise evidence-based advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities to improve and transform health care.
Domain #5 Quality and Safety	NP Domain: Quality and Safety	Employ advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities that ensures quality and safety.
Domain #6 Interprofessional Partnerships	NP Domain: Interprofessional Collaboration in Practice	Collaborate in the provision of advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities to optimize outcomes.
Domains #7 Systems-Based Practice	NP Domain: Health Systems	Lead in the provision of advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities to provide equitable outcomes.
Domain #8 Informatics and Healthcare Technologies	NP Domain: Technology and Information Literacy	Use technology in advanced nursing care to improve the delivery of care.
Domain #9 Professionalism	NP Domain: Professional Acumen	Integrate professionalism in advanced nursing care of diverse patients, families, and communities to reflect nursing’s characteristics and values.
Domain #10 Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development	NP Domain: Personal and Professional Leadership	Participate in professional and personal activities while providing advanced nursing care for diverse patients, families, and communities to support life-long learning.