Nursing, MSN

Master of Science in Nursing in Hospice and Palliative Care

Program Description:

The MSN program in Hospice and Palliative Care will provide nurses the theory and practice to deliver advanced nursing care for end-of-life and chronic care patients and their support person(s). Nurses completing this program of study will be eligible for certification by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Center, be able to progress up an organization's clinical ladder structure, and open themselves up for leadership opportunities.

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the MSN in Hospice & Palliative Care Program of Study, the graduate will be prepared to:

(1) Utilize appropriate theories from nursing and related fields to respond to emerging health care challenges;

(2) Apply ethical analysis and clinical reasoning to assess, intervene, and evaluate advanced nursing care delivery;

(3) Understand how to influence health care policy for the purpose of advocating for clients and community;

(4) Use quality processes and improvement science to evaluate care and ensure patient safety for individuals and communities;

(5) Synthesize evidence for practice to determine appropriate application of interventions across all populations affected by end-of-life and chronic care;

(6) Incorporate global nursing knowledge, attitudes, and skills in planning, implementing, and evaluating hospice and palliative care practice;

(7) Integrate interprofessional collaboration and informatics to make changes in the hospice and palliative care environment to improve delivery of care;

(8) Develop leadership skills and integrate scholarship into nursing practice through participation in praxis courses; and

(9) Meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials for Masters Education in Nursing

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree (BSN in Nursing preferred) from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and have their RN license. Applicants must also have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.70 on a 4.00 point scale (where A is 4.00), or its equivalent, and good standing (3.00 GPA) in all post-baccalaureate course work.

Conditional Admissions:

An applicant for this Masters Program who does not meet regular admissions standards but has an undergraduate GPA between 2.50 and 2.69 may be considered for conditional admission. The conditional admission program is an arrangement allowing a student to demonstrate successful performance during their first semester in the graduate program.

The Application Process:

Applicants must submit a completed application for admission to graduate study as well as official transcripts from all institutions where undergraduate and graduate work has been done to the Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Office.
Applicants must submit a narrative statement describing their professional goals as well as any educational or professional experiences that may assist the department's admissions committee in reviewing the application.
Applicants must also submit contact information for two references, one from an academic/professional source and one from nursing employer who can specify length of time and direct responsibilities of the applicant in an RN nursing position.
Applicants must have a grade of C+ or higher in an undergraduate statistics course.
The application deadline for the Fall term is August 1.
Instructions for submitting the narrative and references can be found within the online graduate application.

Major Requirements (35 credits)

Major Core

NRSE 501	Theory of Hospice & Palliative Care	3
NRSE 502	Global Policy and Ethical Issues in Hospice & Palliative Care	3
NRSE 500	Pathophysiology and Health Assessment Across the Lifespan	4
NRSE 503	Nursing Leadership, Management, and Inter-Professional Collaboration	3
NRSE 504	Emerging Best Practices and Research in Hospice & Palliative Care	3
NRSE 505	Comparative Domestic Delivery Systems and Informatics	3
NRSE 506	Current Pharmacology and Complementary Therapies in Hospice & Palliative Care	4
NRSE 507	Nursing Practicum	6
NRSE 508	Nursing Capstone	6

Total Credit Hours: 35