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    Master's in Nursing Education Online Degree Program

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    Master's in Nursing Education Online Degree Overview

    The critical shortage of nurses in healthcare today is due in part to the shortage of qualified nurse educators to teach tomorrow's nurses.

    If you are a Registered Nurse and interested in a career in teaching, consider earning your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) as an Educator. 

    Nurse Educators are employed in many educational settings including colleges, universities, hospital-based nursing schools and other post-secondary institutions. As a nurse faculty member, you will impart valuable knowledge and skills to future nurses - based on your own education and experience.

    This program format caters to working nurses and allows them to balance educational goals with personal and professional responsibilities.

    Nursing salaries for nurse educators vary widely in the U.S. and are based upon many factors including geography, job description, specialty and experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary in May 2021 for Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers in the United States was $77,440 per year, with a much faster than average projected job growth of 22 percent between 2021 and 2031.

    Want to learn more? Watch our most recent Virtual Information Session.

    Program Perks
    • Online, CCNE-accredited program can be completed in 21 months
    • No GRE required 
    • Designed for busy registered nurses (RNs) with passion for the nursing, learning and teaching
    • Provides skills and knowledge needed to work as a nurse educator
    • Students gain teaching experience through practicum and projects
    • Courses 5-10 weeks long, with 1 week off before next course
    • Access courses at any time of the day and from anywhere
    • Upon completion of the program, graduates may be eligible for the NLN Certified Nurse Educator Exam
    CCNE

    Accreditation & Licensure

    The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master's degree program in nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Nebraska Methodist College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.

    Graduates must pass programatic certification exam based on practice specialty

    Admissions Information

    Criteria

    Applicants are evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

    • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from state-approved program of nursing or program accredited by NLN CNEA, CCNE or ACEN
    • BSN program GPA of 3.0
    • GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis
    • Current unencumbered licensure as a Registered Nurse
    • Non- Nebraska Residents meet State Authorization
    • No GRE required for admission

    Requirements

    To be considered for admission the following items must be submitted to the Admissions Office:

    Deadlines

    Prospective students may apply anytime and are accepted from deadlines throughout the year. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, and students will be notified of their application status by letter or phone.

    Starting Term - Spring 2024

    Priority Deadline - 9/1/2023

    Standard Deadline - 11/1/2023

    Costs & Financial Aid

    NMC is committed to helping you find every avenue to finance your education. View the Tuition by Program & Degree page for a comprehensive list of all fees.

    Cost Per Credit Hour

    $588

    Nurse Faculty Loan Program

    Aimed at increasing the number of qualified nurse faculty, NFLP loans cover the cost of tuition, fees and books for part-time or full-time enrollment.

    Following completion of the advanced education program, up to 85% of the loan may be cancelled if the borrower works as a full-time nurse faculty for a prescribed period of time.

    NMC Scholarships

    NMC Scholarships consist of funds generously provided by the Methodist Hospital Foundation to assist our students.

    Student Grants or Loans

    Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more about what's available and how to apply.

    Employee Education Benefits

    Employees of Methodist Health System can find details on the MHS Intranet.

    Calculate Your Net Price

    Nebraska Methodist College Net Price Calculator.

    Curriculum

    All MSN students are required to complete specific coursework. This list should only be used as a curriculum guide. Course listings and required curriculum are subject to change.

    A student must earn a minimum of 36 total credit hours to be eligible for the Master of Science in Nursing degree. All course requirements as outlined below must be met.

    Required

    IDS 754
    HEALTHCARE POLICY
    DETAILS
    This course provides a foundation for analyzing the social and political forces that influence healthcare policy decisions. The relationship between health policy, social justice, and practice will be explored. Students will examine current healthcare policy and factors which influence policy development. The healthcare policy will be investigated. 

    NRS 504
    ADVANCED HEALTH ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY
    DETAILS

    In this course, students synthesize advanced concepts of pathophysiology, health assessment and pharmacology across the lifespan for the advanced nursing specialty role to complete an accurate health database, including history and holistic assessment, across the lifespan. Physiologic changes, clinical manifestations, and drug therapy are integrated to facilitate critical analysis to support clinical decision-making. Virtual clinical experiences allow for practical application of course theory. (For students matriculating MSN courses Fall 2023)

    Prerequisites: NRS 502 or NRS 509, or by permission

    NRS 509
    ADVANCED NURSING ROLES & PHENOMENA
    DETAILS
    This course facilitates the transition of the nurse into the advanced nursing role. The contributions of five ways of knowing to nursing praxis are examined, and students reflect on the use of these ways in their own practice. To broaden understanding of the concerns of nursing, students explore concepts, conceptual meaning and concept analysis. Students begin to develop their professional portfolio based on program outcomes.

    Prerequisites: To be taken first semester or by permission

    NRS 513
    MEASUREMENT & STATISTICAL CONCEPTS FOR DATA INTERPRETATION
    DETAILS
    In this course, students apply nursing knowledge with theory and statistical methods to broaden understanding of nursing concepts and nursing outcomes. Measurement principles, descriptive statistics and relationships between variables are explored to better comprehend nursing and nursing phenomena. Using the framework of disparity and risk in a specific population, students apply content on variable association. Reports using statistics to compare groups and measure patient improvement over time are analyzed for implications for patient populations.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509 or by permission

    NRS 517
    CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF KNOWLEDGE FOR PRACTICE
    DETAILS
    The purpose of this course is the understanding of research processes and interpretation of statistics to make accurate critical appraisals. Students apply the process of drawing conclusions, finding implications, and making recommendations based on an appraised study. Students learn to judge relative merits of studies in answering particular research questions. Questions of the fit of evidence or theory within an identified agency or institutional setting are explored.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509 & NRS 513, or by permission

    NRS 519
    SYNTHESIS AND USE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
    DETAILS
    Students will search for and synthesize evidence to answer a PICO question. Major sources of research and best practices guidelines are identified. Students use practice sites to examine theory and strategies to promote change and improve outcomes during the implementation of a recommendation. Elements of evaluation of a) the adoption of innovation and b) the improvement in outcomes are discussed.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509, NRS 513, NRS 517, or by permission

    NRS 542
    TEACHING-LEARNING PRINCIPLES FOR NURSING EDUCATION
    DETAILS
    Teaching-learning principles and holistic adult education theories appropriate for college level students are examined. Learning theory that emphasizes andragogy and its related concepts such as transformational learning, reflective learning and self-directed learning is included. Motivational and personality characteristics for the broader social system are discussed and evaluated as are specific considerations with regard to ethnic, cultural, and other diversity topics.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509 or by permission

    NRS 544
    INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
    DETAILS
    This course analyzes teaching strategies and modalities relevant to classroom, online and clinical teaching in nursing education. Fundamental concepts and principles in educational and psychological measurement of learning are explored.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509, NRS 513, NRS 516, or by permission

    NRS 548
    CURRICULUM/PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & EVALUATION
    DETAILS
    This course concentrates on curriculum/program development for nursing education. The purposes, functions, design, and implementation of curriculum/program development are examined. Students will be expected to apply previous classroom/experiential learning and research to the exploration of various basic curricula/program designs.

    Prerequisites: All program course work except NRS 524, NRS 592, and NRS 594, or by permission

    NRS 549
    PRACTICUM IN NURSING EDUCATION
    DETAILS
    Working with a preceptor during 126 contact hours, students have the opportunity to synthesize learning and experiences into strategies and designs for nursing education. Multiple teaching-learning theories, designs, and strategies are used. Included in this practicum is direct contact with students in the classroom and clinical environment for those graduate students with less than three years of teaching experience. For those graduate students with more than three years of teaching experience in both the classroom and clinical environment, practicum experiences expand competencies related to the nurse educator role.

    Prerequisites: All program course work except NRS 592 and NRS 594, or by permission

    NRS 592
    CAPSTONE I
    DETAILS
    In this first course of the capstone sequence, students will synthesize concepts related to research, practice, education and leadership content as well as experiences learned throughout the master's programs of study. Groups of students will collaboratively begin a group-selected evidence-based project. Emphasis is placed on the process of identifying a nursing problem (PICO [T]), searching and critically appraising the literature with development of a summary matrix table.

    Prerequisites: Typically taken in the second-to-last semester, or by permission

    NRS 594
    CAPSTONE II
    DETAILS
    In this second course of the capstone sequence, students will synthesize concepts related to research, practice, education and leadership content and experiences learned throughout the master's program of study. Groups of students will collaboratively complete the group-selected evidence-based project begun in NRS 592. Emphasis will be on the process of completing an evidence-based manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a poster presentation suitable for delivery at a local, national or regional conference or a webinar presentation.

    Prerequisites: Typically taken in the last semester, or by permission

    Meet the Faculty

    Our nursing faculty are highly experienced and credentialed in their own fields, giving you constant real-world insight you can use. While any instructor can recite from a textbook, ours go a step further and draw from vast personal and professional experiences. Instructors here care as deeply about their students as they do the subject matter and it shows.

    Meet the Faculty
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    Additional Information

    Program Outcomes

    Graduates of MSN program will be able to

    1. Integrate scholarly inquiry into nursing practice to improve outcomes in healthcare.
    2. Demonstrate attributes of a professional, transformative, and visionary nurse leader in an advanced specialty role.
    3. Embrace life-long learning to advance personal growth, the nursing profession, and health outcomes.
    4. Foster interprofessional collaboration through mutual respect, effective communication, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
    5. Address the impact of social, political, legal, and ethical influences on diverse populations, health policies, and nursing practice.
    6. Demonstrate competence in an advanced specialty role using knowledge, skills, and professional judgment to promote evidence-based nursing practice.
    7. Advocate for compassionate person-centered care in the planning, coordination, and evaluation of care for individuals, families, groups, and populations.
    8. Engage in emerging technologies and information systems to optimize the multifaceted healthcare environment and nursing practice.
    9. Navigate complex systems to improve cost-effectiveness, quality, and safety initiatives that support health care outcomes and systemic equality.

    Online Technology Requirements

    See the Online Technology Requirements

    Example Plans of Study

    Plan of Study - Fall

    Plan of Study - Spring

    MSN Blog Posts

    Professional Organizations

    MSN Written Statement

    Our goal is for NMC graduate students to articulate and demonstrate growth through written communication, collaboration, and synthesis of knowledge.

    Your statement should be substantial and professionally written including the appropriate formatting and grammar. Each response should be two to three paragraphs. When drafting your written statement, please cite any sources using APA format if applicable. Also, know that instances of plagiarism within an applicant's written statement will disqualify them for acceptance to Nebraska Methodist College due to the College's commitment to academic integrity and stringent plagiarism policies.

    Written Statements should be submitted to: admissions@methodistcollege.edu for review. Should a statement not be to our standards you will be asked to review your work.

    The focus for your statement is to address the following questions:

    1. Please describe your future goals as it pertains to your acceptance into the Master of Science in Nursing Program with your specific track in mind (Executive, Educator, Informatics, or Care Coordinator). What do you hope to achieve with your new degree?
    2. Here at Nebraska Methodist College, we pride ourselves on teaching "The Meaning of Care," and challenge our students to become educated citizens who create positive and sustainable change in our community and beyond. Describe what you believe will be the change you contribute as a result of earning a Master of Nursing degree from Nebraska Methodist College.
    3. How will you prepare yourself to be successful in an online graduate program?