Master of Science: Clinical Nurse Specialist
Special program for RN's with a Bachelor's Degree in Non-Nursing Field
Our master's degree program is the only local clinical program that offers entry for RNs with an Associate's Degree in Nursing and a Bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing. our programs are fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
You may choose from two clinical tracks: Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS). Students studying to become nurse practitioners choose either the pediatric (PNP) or family (FNP) track. Students choosing to become a CNS follow an adult medical-surgical track.
College would run the first CNS clinical course in spring 2011, due to an increase in numbers enrolled in the CNS program. College will keep the policy of running it every other year (even years) and so will not run it spring 2013. Check CNS Program Schedule.
CNS Curriculum
A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a registered nurse with a master's degree who is a clinical expert in a particular specialty. The CNS focuses his or her specialty on a certain population (e.g., adults), type of problem (e.g., wound care), setting (e.g., Emergency Department), type of care (e.g., rehabilitation), or disease (e.g., diabetes).
The CNS offers expert clinical consultation and education for complicated cases. The CNS can design interventions to improve patient care and nursing outcomes.
CNS practice includes working with patients, nurses, and the overall health care system. On a personal level, CNSs can pursue the specialty that captivates their interest. They are valuable resource. They consult, mentor, manage cases, or perform research. They set a standard for clinically excellent care and serve as a problem solver for nursing staff.
Candidates with a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing must meet the prerequisite requirements for all master's students, namely successful completion of two courses: health assessment and statistics. In addition, candidates complete three to four baccalaureate level courses or Excelsior College Exams
(ECE), depending on work experience as an RN and prior course work, to fulfill prerequisites.
|
