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    RN to MSN Program Online (Nurse Executive)

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    Nurse Executive RN to MSN Online Degree Program Overview

    Become a Nurse Executive with our RN to MSN Track — Online.

    More than ever, there is a need for educated, experienced nurses to assume senior management and leadership positions in healthcare systems, at other organizations, even in government.

    As a Registered Nurse, you already have the key qualities and values that form the basis of leadership.

    Now it is time to learn the management techniques and business skills that will help you be an even more effective leader. And it all begins by earning your Master of Science in Nursing degree with the RN to MSN- Nurse Executive track at NMC.

    Nursing salaries for nurse executives vary widely in the U.S. and are based upon many factors including geography, job description, specialty and experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the median salary in May 2019 in the United States for Medical and Health Services Managers was $104,280 ($50.13 per hour), with a much faster than average projected job growth of 32 percent between 2019 and 2029.

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

    Program Perks
    • Online, CCNE-accredited program can be completed online in 33 months
    • No GRE required 
    • Designed to further skills as a nurse, leader and business executive
    • Curriculum provides skills & knowledge needed to work in a variety of healthcare settings
    • Courses are 5-10 weeks long, with 1 week off before next course
    • Students can access courses at any time of the day and from anywhere 
    • Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible for executive certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center
    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:

    • Graduation from an associate degree or diploma RN state approved program of nursing or a program professionally accredited by NLN CNEA or ACEN.
    • GPA of 3.0 or above; 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 - Summer 2023

    Standard Deadline - 4/7/2023

    Starting Term - Fall 2023

    Priority Deadline - 5/2/2023

    Standard Deadline - 7/7/2023

    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

    $308 | 565

    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.

    External Scholarships

    Visit our Scholarships page to learn more.

    Calculate Your Net Price

    Nebraska Methodist College Net Price Calculator.

    Curriculum

    All RN to 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 credit hours to be eligible for the Master of Science in Nursing.

    The RN to MSN track for the RN without a bachelor's degree affords the RN the ability to earn 18 semester credit hours of undergraduate bridge courses (statistics, leadership, research, health assessment, population health) and then transition into the MSN Program without receiving a BSN.

    As students advance into the MSN, Nurse Executive Program, their GPA will be reviewed again before the first graduate course. A GPA of 3.0 or above is required. A GPA below 3.0 will be considered on an individual basis.

    The combination of MSN and undergrad bridge coursework equates to a total of 54 credit hours.

    Bridge

    MAT 260
    INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS
    DETAILS
    This course is designed to introduce students to the methods used in organizing, summarizing, analyzing and interpreting quantitative information. Emphasis is placed on application of statistical methods and on the interpretation of statistically significant data.

    NRS 403-60
    NURSING ASSESSMENT FOR RNS
    DETAILS
    This course discusses theory and concepts of holistic health assessment across the lifespan. Advancement of skills in history taking, health assessment, and health promotion using concepts of evidence-based practice, critical thinking, genetics/genomics, quality and safety to provide caring, culturally-competent professional nursing care are emphasized. Students will collaborate with a preceptor to perform health assessments in a clinical setting.

    Prerequisites: Placement: Admission to the RN to BSN Program or RN to MSN Program

    NRS 447-60
    COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN NURSING
    DETAILS

    This course analyzes leadership and management theories in relation to trends in nursing and healthcare. The concepts of change, power, collaboration, gender dynamics, interdisciplinary teamwork, and advocacy are examined and applied to the practice of nursing. Quality improvement, healthy workplace, civility, change management, and health care reform will also be a focus.  Using a global perspective, students will analyze, evaluate, and create possible solutions to nursing and population healthcare issues.

    Prerequisites: Placement: Accelerated BSN students or Admission to the RN to BSN Program or RN to MSN Program

    NRS 478-60/478-60C
    POPULATION CENTERED CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
    DETAILS

    Prerequisites: Placement: Admission to the RN to BSN Program or RN to MSN Program

    SSC 370
    RESEARCH METHODS
    DETAILS
    This course is designed to assist the student in developing an understanding of the research process in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods designs. The student learns to selectively apply the steps of research and to critically analyze research studies culminating in formal, oral and written projects.

    Prerequisites: Determined by major

    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 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 550
    ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & STRUCTURE
    DETAILS
    This course explores behavioral science literature and theories that are relevant to the study of individual and group behavior within healthcare organizations. This course will promote an understanding of how and why people and groups behave the way they do in the workplace. Theories and concepts related to motivation, change, chaos, complexity, crisis, communication, team building, healthy work environments, toxic organizations, conflict resolution, and organizational development, structure and culture will be explored.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509 or by permission

    NRS 552
    ROLE OF THE NURSE EXECUTIVE I: LEADING AN ORGANIZATION
    DETAILS
    The major focus of this course will be the planning, organizing, and coordinating aspects of management. The role of the nurse executive from the perspective of transformational, quantum, and organizational leadership theories will be explored. The concepts of creating a vision, planning, power, risk-taking, decision-making, reflective practice, emotional intelligence and competence, forces of magnetism, AONE and IOM competencies, and personal and professional responsibility and accountability will be discussed.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509, NRS 513, NRS 550, or by permission

    NRS 554
    ROLE OF THE NURSE EXECUTIVE II: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
    DETAILS
    This course will focus on the directing and controlling or human resource management (HRM) aspects of the management process. Under the umbrella of quantum and transformational leadership, topics to be covered include delegation, motivation, staffing, empowerment, employee engagement, recruitment and retention strategies, employee selection, performance evaluation, compensation, staff development, coaching/mentoring, disciplinary action, cultural competence and diversity in the workplace, and legal issues associated with human resource management.

    Prerequisites: NRS 509, NRS 513, NRS 550, or by permission

    NRS 558
    ROLE OF THE NURSE EXECUTIVE III: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & ECONOMICS
    DETAILS
    The history of healthcare reimbursement, economics and healthcare, accounting principles and information systems for data retrieval will serve as the introduction to budget principles, development, variances, and strategies. Strategic management, business plans, cost-benefit analysis, cost- effectiveness analysis, collective bargaining, productivity, marketing, staffing, and patient care delivery systems will be discussed from a financial perspective. Students will use Excel for solving financial problems and budgeting exercises.

    Prerequisites: All program course work except NRS 559, NRS 592 and NRS 594, or by permission

    NRS 559
    PRACTICUM: MANAGEMENT, IMPROVEMENT, AND EVALUATION IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS
    DETAILS
    Each student will choose a healthcare setting (acute care, long term care, etc.) to work 126 contact hours with a nurse executive/administrator who will serve as a preceptor. Throughout this course, the student will synthesize management and leadership principles into the nurse executive role. The student must identify a project or topic for improvement, develop a strategy for improvement, use evidence and theory to support the proposed improvement strategy, implement and evaluate the improvement strategy and share the findings and outcomes of the project.

    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

    MSN Program Outcomes

    Graduates of the Master of Science in Nursing will:

    1.  Translate and integrate scholarship as a foundation for nursing and healthcare.
      1.  Address ethical issues related to scholarship.
      2. Build on clinical expertise focusing on a population of interest.
      3. Demonstrate use of the research process.
      4. Integrate theory and research outcomes into nursing administration, education, informatics or practice.
      5. Contribute to quality improvement and population health by embracing change and innovation through evidence-based nursing and interprofessional collaboration.
    2. Embrace the roles of the nurse educator, executive, or  informaticist to facilitate learning and change.
      1. Develop a personal philosophy as a nurse educator, executive, informaticist, care coordinator.
      2. Develop the capacity for recognizing and reflecting on problems that fall outside current knowledge.
      3. Serve in the role of educator, executive, informaticist, or care coordinator and role model when working with students, staff, peers, and other constituencies.
      4. Promote critical thinking in those that they educate and serve.
      5. Engage in professional development as a nurse educator, executive, informaticist, or care coordinator.
      6. Foster professional role development through leadership, collaborative skills, and relationship development with peers, students/personnel, clients, colleagues, and members of the interprofessional team.
      7. Model self-reflection and lifelong learning.
      8. Effectively participate in curriculum/program design and evaluation of outcomes.
    3. Value social, political, legal and ethical influences that impact nursing practice and nursing education.
      1. Evaluate the process of ethical decision making.
      2. Apply ethical principles in the role of educator, executive, informaticist, or care coordinator.
      3. Advocate for public policy that promotes and protects the health of the public.
      4. Formulate strategies that respond to policy changes that impact health and education.
      5. Analyze the impact of access on the health of populations.
    4. Appreciate the impact of diversity within nursing and the global community
      1. Examine personal thinking for clarity, objectivity and bias.
      2. Demonstrate behaviors and attitudes that support respect, reciprocal learning, and advocacy related to human differences.
      3. Coach others to improve sensitivity and acceptance of diverse individuals and groups.
      4. Develop culturally competent educational/workplace practices.
    5. Demonstrate competency in developing an effective professional nursing environment.
      1. Analyze the issues related to the use of advanced technology.
      2. Integrate informatics and current and emerging technologies into practice enhancing patient outcomes.
      3. Communicate effectively based on the context of the situation.
      4. Develop networks, collaboratives, partnerships, and interprofessional relationships to enhance nursing's influence within the academic/healthcare community and the broader community.
      5. Develop skills for working within an institution and a system of governance.

    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

    Testimonial

    "I have a passion for healthcare and leadership. The NMC Nurse Executive program gave me the tools and the confidence to apply for a Senior Director position at my current job. Two years later, I have a degree and positioned myself to get the promotion I dreamed of!"

    - Shelly K., 2021 NMC Graduate

    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?