Nursing, M.S.N. Clinical Nurse Leader Track

General Program Information

Graduate School Contact:

Linda Raines; raineslt@etsu.edu; 423-439-6158

Dr. Kathleen Rayman, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Programs, Clinical Nurse Leader Graduate Coordinator

207 Roy S. Nicks Hall
Box 70629
(423) 439-4589
e-mail: raymank@etsu.edu

Faculty:

Sally S. Blowers; Sandy Calhoun; Nancy Cameron; Janne Dunham-Taylor; Joellen B. Edwards; Linda Garrett; Masoud Ghaffari; Lee Glenn; Audrey Greenwell; Patricia A. Hayes; Helene Holbrook; Susan Hossler; Sadie Hutson; Frances Jackson; Sharon Loury; Jo-Ann S. Marrs; Peggy McConnell; Wendy Nehring; Carolyn Merriman; Tamera Pearson; Priscilla Ramsey; Kathleen M. Rayman; Judith Rice; Jennifer Stewart-Glenn; Sharon Trumbley; Pearl Ume-Nwago; Patricia Vanhook; Joy E. Wachs; Jennie Walls; Florence Weierbach; Amy Swango Wilson.

Master of Science Degree

The purpose of the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree program is to prepare nurses for leadership roles. The master’s-prepared nurse is accountable for influencing health policy, improving health care delivery, contributing to nursing science, and promoting the advancement of the nursing profession.

The focus of the graduate program is on the delivery of nursing care to rural and/or under-served clients across the lifespan. Curricula are available on a cohort basis to prepare students as Clinical Nurse Leaders Students who complete course requirements for the Clinical Nurse Leader are qualified to take a national certification examination. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE.) The CCNE is an additional resource of information regarding tuition, fees, and program length. (One DuPont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036-1120, 1-202-887-6791) For more information on the cohort, you may contact Dr. Kathleen Rayman.

Program Admission Requirements

The criteria for admission to the Master of Science in Nursing degree program are as follows:

1. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE);
2. A “B” average (3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale) in the nursing major;
3. Submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (only for applicants with an undergraduate GPA for their B.S.N. degree lower than 3.2) Applicants with a GPA of 3.2 or higher will not be required to submit GRE scores.
4. Licensure in the United States as a registered nurse and eligibility for licensure in Tennessee or compact state.

Documentation of the above requirements must be included with the application materials submitted to the School of Graduate Studies along with a current resume. Three (3) professional references should be included in the application packet. Applicants are encouraged to request references from individuals who can best assess one’s potential for graduate study (e.g. previous nursing faculty, other master’s prepared nurses). Admission to the program will be based on competitive selection from the pool of applicants who meet the admission requirements. All applications will be reviewed by the College of Nursing Graduate Admissions Committee. Applications submitted after the application deadline will not be considered. Application deadlines are as follows:

Fall semester deadline - February 1;
Spring semester deadline - July 1;
Summer semester deadline - December 1.

Full-time study begins only in the fall semester.

Factors given consideration in the admission decision include the following: Grade Point Average, level of GRE performance if required, professional work experience, demonstration of professional commitment through continuing education, professional honors and awards, writing ability, demonstrated interest in primary care in rural settings, and references. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address their accomplishments in these areas in their essay, required by the School of Graduate Studies, and in a vita/résumé submitted with the application. The Graduate Admissions Committee may exercise discretion in the admission of promising students who present rationale for their fitness for graduate study yet lack compliance with all criteria. A personal interview may be required.

Applicants may obtain a copy of College of Nursing policies pertaining to graduate students, including the substance abuse policy, clinical course requirements, and information on Core Performance Standards from the College of Nursing Office of Academic Programs and Student Services. After admission to the program, students will receive the College of Nursing Student Handbook and must sign forms indicating they have read the College of Nursing policies and agree to abide by them.

Before entrance into clinical courses, students must be licensed or authorized to practice professional nursing in Tennessee or a compact state, demonstrate evidence of professional malpractice insurance in the amount of $1,000,000/$3,000,000 coverage (as a nurse practitioner student), have current CPR certification and a knowledge of universal precautions, have completed a criminal background check per College of Nursing policy, and comply with the clinical requirements of the College of Nursing. A student may be asked to present evidence of physical or mental health at any time during the nursing program, and continuance in the program may be contingent upon this evidence. Students are required to provide their own transportation to clinical sites.

Criminal Background Checks

To progress clinically, students will be required to complete a Criminal Background Check at his or her own expense from a specified vendor. Unfavorable results may result in a student’s inability to continue in clinical courses; review of the contents of the background check and the determination for eligibility for participation at a clinical site will be conducted by affiliated clinical agencies. Although the College of Nursing does not receive the contents of the background check, documentation of completion is kept with the students Clinical Course Health Requirement file.

Progression Standards

1. Students in graduate nursing programs must meet the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies to remain in good standing. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or better must be maintained.
2. In addition, a nursing student must achieve a “C” (2.0) or better in every required course in the graduate nursing program. Policies of the School of Graduate Studies for progression will apply.
3. If a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0, she/he will be placed on academic probation the following semester. If the student does not achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of one probationary semester, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Nursing will determine if the student should be dismissed from graduate study or continued on academic probation. No student will be allowed more than two probationary semesters, whether consecutive or cumulative. At the end of a second probationary semester, a student whose cumulative grade point average is still below 3.0 will be dismissed from graduate study.
4. Students whose performance results in a GPA so far below 3.0 as to make it mathematically impossible to attain an overall GPA of 3.0 after one semester may be subject to dismissal without a probationary term.
5. An incomplete grade (“I”) indicates that the student was passing the course at the end of the semester, but due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, was unable to complete the course work for which the “I” is assigned. The “I” grade cannot be used to allow a student to do additional work to raise a deficient grade or to repeat a course. An “I” grade must be removed no later than one calendar year from the time the grade is awarded. Time extension requests for removal of an “I” grade must be submitted to and approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies before the allotted time expires. An “I” grade not removed under the guidelines in the Graduate Catalog will be converted to an “F.”
6. Students who wish to change from part-time to full-time status must submit a written request to the College of Nursing’s Office of Student Services. Request will be approved on an individual basis, taking into consideration the student’s academic performance and available clinical slots.

Degree Requirements

Students enrolled in the Clinical Nurse Leader specialty must complete 45 credit hours of course work. Specific courses are required of students who plan to take a national certification examination. All students are required to pass a written comprehensive examination in the final semester of the program.

Courses are selected and approved in conjunction with the student’s advisor. The courses are lodged within Graduate Programs. In general, courses are offered once a year and coursework begins each term.

Clinical Nurse Leader Specialty Courses: 37 credit hours

In addition to the M.S.N. core courses, students in the Clinical Nurse Leader specialty will complete the following courses:

• NRSE 5009 - Health Assessment Throughout the Life Span (3 credits)
• NRSE 5010 - Health Assessment Throughout the Life Span Practicum (3 credits)
• NRSE 5016 - Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credits)
• NRSE 5200 - Policy and Ethics: Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
• NRSE 5210 - Advanced Pharmacology for Non-Prescribers (3 credits)
• NRSE 5220 - Population-Based Clinical Nursing Care (3 credits)
• NRSE 5520 - Fiscal Management in Nursing Administration (3 credits)
• NRSE 6004 - Advanced Quality Management (3 credits)
• NRSE 6513 - Case Management (3 credits)
• NRSE 6711 - Health Care Informatics and Technology (3 credits)
• Elective (3 credits)