Advanced Professional Nurse (MS)

Nurse Educator

The Nurse Educator program is designed for BS-prepared nurses who wish to devote their careers to the art and practice of teaching. This program prepares nurses for teaching careers in diverse colleges and clinical settings. Graduates will possess skills for inclusive and equitable teaching in classroom, clinical, and online settings. Upon completion, students can sit for the Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) examination administered by the National League for Nursing.

Current Catalog Year
2024-2025
Degree
Master of Science
Major / Total Credits
30 / 30

Minnesota State University, Mankato offers a post-graduate program for advanced
practice nurses interested in obtaining a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). This post-masters DNP program is part-time, fully online, and takes 2 years to complete. Applicants to the MSN-DNP program must either be certified as a Nurse Practioner, nurse anesthesist, nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist.

Program Requirements

Common Core

This course prepares learners to understand advanced professional nursing roles. The professional nursing roles will be analyzed focusing on major components including educator, leader, consultant, case manager, and researcher. Socialization into the advanced professional role is explored, including an introduction to evaluation strategies, use of theories and methods of ethics, legal, professional obligations and integrating diversity, equity and inclusion, and social justice as part of the advanced nursing role.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines and evaluates concepts, theories, and models that inform advanced professional nursing. Selected nursing theories are analyzed and critiqued utilizing theory formation criteria. Learners will discuss application of nursing science and conceptual models to nursing and critically articulate use of theory-based practice in family, person-centered care, and/or advanced nursing roles. Requires entry into program.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the knowledge and skills related to information systems and healthcare technologies. Learners will create and analyze informatics solutions utilizing clinical and operational healthcare data from individual and aggregate sources, to monitor and improve the effectiveness of nursing care. Requires entry into the program.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides advanced knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment. Learners will integrate evidenced-based practice and the science of nursing related to pathophysiologic principles, pharmacologic categories, and health assessment techniques. The learner will synthesize physiology/pathophysiology, health assessment and pharmacologic knowledge in the direct care role and responsibilities across diverse settings. Requires entry into program.

Prerequisites: none

This course explores the role of the advanced professional nurse as an educational, organizational, and system leader, and change agent. Leadership, service, self-improvement and self-care theories, evidence-based practice, and skills will be explored. The concepts of power and influence are reviewed, along with advanced communication strategies for negotiation, conflict resolution, and collaboration. Learners are prepared to implement and evaluate factors such as interprofessional collaboration, culture, diversity, equity and inclusion, and strategies to anticipate and respond to future trends. Learners will evaluate leadership roles within systems and organizations. The course includes guided student experiences with a mentor. Requires entry into the program.

Prerequisites: none

Research/Methods Course(s)

This course focuses on advanced evidence-based practice. The learner will examine the role of research and its application, utilization, and integration in advanced professional nursing roles. Learners will analyze research approaches, designs, and methods. Emphasis is placed on development of analytic skills for reading and applying research in advanced professional roles. Requires entry into program.

Prerequisites: none

Emphasis Common Core

This course emphasizes analysis of teaching learning pedagogies in the context of nursing education. Learners will be prepared to integrate nursing science into the practice of teaching with emphasis on individual, family, and societal health. Emphasizes the importance of addressing diversity, equity, and inclusivity in one's philosophy of nursing education, teaching style, approaches to learner activities, and activating alternative pedagogies in online, classroom, and clinical activities. Requires entry into the program.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to develop learners' understanding of evidence-based and empirical curricular design, development, and management. Learners are exposed to major models, strategies, and techniques for conducting academic assessments of diverse learners with equitable and inclusive approaches. Learners select and/or design assessment procedures that lead to reliable, meaningful and valid evaluations. Requires entry into the program.

Prerequisites: none

This course will incorporate technology within multiple settings to provide culturally responsive teaching, student learning, and evaluation methods. Best practices of distance learning, use of the internet, simulation, innovation, and integrating computer and other technologies into nursing education will be addressed. This course explores how technology is used effectively to facilitate, support, and evaluate student learning. Requires entry into the program.

Prerequisites: none

Capstone Course

This course emphasizes implementation of effective, innovative learner-centered pedagogies in direct care practice. Learners will facilitate diversity, equity and inclusion through professional teaching practice. Simulations, field experiences, and seminar discussions will prepare learners to teach nursing in a variety of settings. Includes practice experience hours with (a) mentor(s). Requires entry into the program. Must be taken students' final semester of the program.

Prerequisites: none