Prospective Students
Idaho State University School of Nursing offers a Master of Science degree in Nursing and is committed to providing quality graduate nursing education for professional nurses. The program is approved by the Idaho Board of Nursing and is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The strong curriculum is based on recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Graduates are eligible to sit for national certification. All MS students are required to pass a written and oral comprehensive examination during their final semester of study. There is no thesis requirement.
Graduate education offers knowledge, skills, and expertise for advanced practice that builds upon a strong nursing foundation. Emphasis on health care policy and rural issues prepare our graduates to assume leadership and provider roles in a variety of settings including administration, education, and primary health care. Programs of study are either full-time (2 years) or part-time (3 years). Five program options are offered: Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nursing Education (EDU), and Nursing Leadership(LD).
The Master of Science in Nursing is delivered in the online format via the Internet. Students are required to have high speed internet access. Some courses require short face-to-face intensive experiences such as advanced assessment skills lab for students in the three clinical options and suturing lab for FNP students.
Entry Pathways
Entry pathways to earn the MS degree:
- AD-MS for those nurses with an Associate Degree in nursing
- BS-MS for those nurses with a Baccalaureate Degree in nursing
- For nurses with a previous Master’s Degree who seek advanced preparation in a specialty area of nursing
Program Options
Clinical Nurse Leader:The Clinical Nurse Leader ( CNL) option prepares students to direct outcomes management for a distinct patient population, actively provide direct patient care and implement evidence-based practice to ensure patients benefit from the latest care delivery innovations. Students are required to complete forty-four semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 500 hours in clinical settings.
Clinical Nurse Specialist:The Clinical Nurse Specialist ( CNS) option prepares students as advanced practice nurses to work in an adult medical-surgical specialty area. Clinical Nurse Specialists are engaged in education, expert clinical practice, consultation, research, and administration and are prepared to practice in primary, acute, or long-term care settings. Students are required to complete forty-five semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 500 hours in clinical settings.
Family Nurse Practitioner:The Family Nurse Practitioner option prepares students for primary care throughout the lifespan in a variety of settings. FNP courses are designed to develop critical clinical decision-making skills necessary for primary care providers working with diverse populations. Rural health issues are emphasized. Nurse practitioner faculty members maintain clinical skills through active practice. The curriculum adheres to the guidelines set forth by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). Students are required to complete fifty-three semester hours of credit. This includes a minimum of 816 hours in clinical settings.
Nursing Education:The Nursing Education option prepares students for nursing faculty positions. Students are prepared as nursing leaders to respond to current and projected changes in the health care system. Grounded in adult learning theory, coursework includes a teaching/learning practicum and a focus on teaching with technology. Students are required to complete forty semester hours of credit.
Nursing Leadership:The Nursing Leadership option is designed to prepare nurses to assume leadership roles within acute, ambulatory care, or community-based settings. Content includes organizational and leadership theory, strategic planning, finance, human resource management, clinical and outcomes management, and health service administration. Students are required to complete thirty-nine semester hours of credit which includes practicum experiences.