M.S., Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner

Concentration Overview

The Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner [MS(N)-FNP] program prepares licensed 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 MS(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 are completed as the final component of the program. 

Upon successful completion of the MS(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). The AANPCB operates under the brand of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (NPCB).

Credit Distribution

I. Core Courses (9 Credits)

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

 

II. Direct Care Core Courses (15.5 Credits)

NUR-6400	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NUR-5160	Advanced Health Assessment	3
NUR-6410	Advanced Pharmacology*	3
NUR-7069	Professional Identity Development for Nurse Practitioners	3
NUR-7070	Primary Care Diagnosis, Management and Health Promotion**	3.5

*Prerequisite NUR-6400

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

 

III. Practicum Courses (19.5 Credits)

Course number	Title	Credits	Practicum hours
NUR-7071	Adult Primary Care Part I*	3.5	125
NUR-7072	Adult Primary Care Part 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

Program Learning Outcomes

The MS(N)-FNP course outcomes specifically flow from the program student learning outcomes (SLOs) and incorporate the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) "The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education" (2021) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty's (NONPF) "Nurse Practitioner Role Core Competencies" (2022).

 

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (2021)	National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) NP Role Core Competencies (2022)	TESU MSN-FNP Program Learning Outcomes
Domain 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice  Descriptor: Integration, translation, and application of established and evolving disciplinary nursing knowledge and ways of knowing, as well as knowledge from other disciplines, including a foundation in liberal arts and natural and social sciences. This distinguishes the practice of professional nursing and forms the basis for clinical judgment and innovation in 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 Descriptor: Person-centered care focuses on the individual within multiple complicated contexts, including family and/or important others. Person-centered care is holistic, individualized, just, respectful, compassionate, coordinated, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate. Person-centered care builds on a scientific body of knowledge that guides nursing practice regardless of specialty or functional area.	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 Descriptor: Population health spans the healthcare delivery continuum from public health prevention to disease management of populations and describes collaborative activities with both traditional and non-traditional partnerships from affected communities, public health, industry, academia, healthcare, local government entities, and others for the improvement of equitable population health outcomes.	NP Domain: Population Health	Construct advanced nursing care to diverse communities to improve population outcomes.
Domain 4: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline Descriptor: The generation, synthesis, translation, application, and dissemination of nursing knowledge to improve health and transform health care.	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 Descriptor: Employment of established and emerging principles of safety and improvement science. Quality and safety, as core values of nursing practice, enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.	NP Domain: Quality and Safety	Employ advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities that ensures quality and safety.
Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships Descriptor: Intentional collaboration across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.	NP Domain: Interprofessional Collaboration in Practice	Collaborate in the provision of advanced nursing care to diverse patients, families, and communities to optimize outcomes.
Domain 7: Systems-Based Practice Descriptor: Responding to and leading within complex systems of health care. Nurses effectively and proactively coordinate resources to provide safe, quality, and equitable care for diverse populations	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 Descriptor: Information and communication technologies and informatics processes are used to provide care, gather data, form information to drive decision making, and support professionals as they expand knowledge and wisdom for practice. Informatics processes and technologies are used to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.	NP Domain: Technology and Information Literacy	Use technology in advanced nursing care to improve the delivery of care.
Domain 9: Professionalism Descriptor: Formation and cultivation of a sustainable professional identity, including accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and comportment, that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values.	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 Descriptor: Participation in activities and self-reflection that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being; contribute to lifelong learning; and support the acquisition of nursing expertise and the assertion of leadership.	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.