Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, MS

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The goal of the graduate curriculum is to provide advanced professional education to nurses with a BSN or equivalent. The graduate degree in nursing is designed to respond to society’s needs for professional nurses who influence the structure of emerging patterns of health care practice and delivery. Specialization in an area of nursing practice or function enables graduates to effectively address current and future societal health needs. Graduates support the development and refinement of nursing science by assuming advanced clinical and leadership roles within the profession and by participating in evidence-based practice and other scholarly activities.

SSU offers specialization as a family nurse practitioner (FNP), with emphasis on advanced clinical primary care practice.

Application Procedures

The standard CSU application must be submitted for admission to SSU. In addition, applicants must:

Meet the minimum admissions requirements;
Submit a supplemental application form; to NursingCAS

Applicants who have received their BSN from SSU also need to submit a standard CSU application and supplemental nursing application to apply for graduate standing at SSU.

Family Nurse Practitioner Program

The purpose of the family nurse practitioner specialty option is to prepare registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing for advanced clinical practice with an emphasis on promoting individual and family wellness. The FNP specialty focuses upon the theoretical and scientific bases for the assessment, diagnosis, and management of common illness as well as health teaching, counseling, and preventive services. Emphasis is placed upon advanced clinical skills that include history-taking, physical examination, health screening, management of common illnesses, and techniques of prevention and risk reduction. Graduates may work in clinics, health maintenance organizations, schools, and medical practices as primary health care providers.

To qualify for the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner program, you must meet the following minimum criteria:

SSU admission criteria as a Classified Graduate student
An active, unrestricted, California RN license with no disciplinary action pending or imposed
Two years experience as an R.N. preferred. Will consider individual background experience.
BSN Overall Grade Point Average of 3.0 in last 60 units of college-level coursework
Completion of College level Statistics

Curriculum Features

Students and faculty share responsibility for finding an acceptable preceptor. Content includes health needs and risks of all family members, family theories, and legal and professional issues pertinent to nurse practitioners. Content taken concurrently with the clinical sequences includes advanced health assessment and health risk assessment of individuals and families, pathophysiological concepts in diagnosis and treatment of common illness, pharmacology, and practice issues pertinent to nurse practitioners.

Students complete a comprehensive exam for the culminating experience that serves as evidence of the successful integration of the diverse content areas in the curriculum.

The SSU family nurse practitioner specialty option meets criteria specified in Section 1484, Title 16, of the California Administrative Code and is approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing.

The MSN FNP curriculum is 46 units, students progress from basic advanced practice skills to more complex skills. Each semester has a clinical skills component.

Graduate Nursing Progression and Retention

Should a graduate nursing student not attain a minimum grade of B- (a C+ is not acceptable) in a required graduate nursing course, the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. The student may petition the faculty to repeat the course. If approval is granted, the student must receive a grade of B- or better in the course when repeated. If a minimum grade of B- is not attained, the student will not be eligible to continue in, or graduate from, the MSN. program. Please see the MSN web page for information regarding admission requirements, policies, and other information

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate of Sonoma State University Department of Nursing programs will:

Develop inter-subjective nurturing relationships that support the fulfillment of potential of client and nurse. (Caring)
1. BSN- Demonstrate the integration of respect for human diversity, social justice and self in the nursing role
2. MSN- Initiate policy and practices that demonstrate the integration of respect and social justice that considers the client, the profession and nurse
Make informed choices through critical analysis that promote nurse/client well being. (Critical Thinking)
1. BSN- Participate in initiatives that support health promotion and disease prevention.
2. MSN- Create and implement initiatives that support health promotion and disease prevention
Demonstrates humanizing interactions that are grounded in the integration of the art (subjective) and science (objective) of nursing. (Communication)
1. BSN- Communicate within a team framework to promote optimal client outcomes.
2. MSN- Create a collaborative milieu in dialogue with nurses and other health care professionals to promote team decision-making
Exemplify moral and ethical professional standards within a framework of equitable care. (Advocacy/social justice)
1. BSN- Delineate ethical principles on which to base practice decisions
2. MSN- Advocate for the nursing profession, the organization and the global community
Develop directed and deliberate actions for self and clients intended to result in learning. (Teaching/Learning)
1. BSN- Demonstrate the role of the nurse in specific client centered teaching
2. MSN- Implement curriculum for client and professional centered education, and present evidence based protocols for client and staff centered education
Continue the process of self-transformation in the profession of nursing and in the world community. (Professionalism)
1. BSN- Commit to lifelong learning and participation in the professio
2. MSN- Contribute to the development of organizations and the advancement of the profession
Actualize inter-subjective choices guided by vision and commitment to the wellbeing of the client. (Leadership)
1. BSN- Participate in changes to promote improvement in patient care
2. MSN- Effect improvement of patient care outcomes, systems and policy
Acquire knowledge to support theory and evidence based-practice. (Research)
1. BSN- Demonstrate the use of theoretical foundations of nursing and engagement in scholarship to guide clinical practice
2. MSN- Integrate the science of nursing, advanced knowledge and practice excellence to actualize the professional roles associates within area of role focus
Promote cultural sensitivity and cultural competent care that respects each individual’s rights to be understood as a unique individual. (Culturally Competent
1. BSN- Demonstrate respect for the unique care of clients in all aspects of the nurse client relationship
2. MSN- Identify and initiate changes related to system health care inequities of client populations