Master of Science in Nursing
(MSN, 36-45 credits)
The faculty members in the School of Nursing are committed to providing students with the more than just the skills of an advanced practice nurse. Far more than just a clinical perspective, those enrolled are part of a realistic, idealistic, future-oriented teaching/learning process that promotes the development of the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor abilities contributing to professional growth and ultimate personal responsibility for continued learning.
THE MSN TRACKS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Administration
- Nursing Education
- School Nursing
- Forensic Nursing
Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
There is a growing demand for psychiatric advanced practice nurses in a variety of treatment settings including outpatients clinics, acute inpatient, units, partial day programs, prisons, long term care facilities and private practices. The curriculum in the psychiatric/mental health APN is prepared to provide adults with comprehensive mental and physical assessment as well as diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. The therapeutic treatment modalities include psychiatric medication initiation and management, individual, family, and group psychotherapy.
Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner—FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER
The nurse practitioner tracks are designed to provide student with a broad knowledge base and a concentration in a selected area of clinical specialization. For nurse practitioner students this knowledge also includes understanding the impact of economics on social and health policy and an introduction to the interdisciplinary collaborative practice relevant to advanced nursing practice. The program helps students develop confident in their intellectual and clinical proficiency necessary for advanced practice nursing. Students are guided to reach their full potential through the development of autonomy, leadership, and professionalism. The nurse practitioner graduate program places students in primary care or other relevant settings to work with persons in their environment through independent nursing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment or referral to another practitioner when necessary. The clinical specialty is made up of the advanced practice nursing didactic and clinical courses. Faculty members who teach these components are certified APNs who also maintain a practice.
NURSING ADMINISTRATION
In today's ever changing health care environment, nurses, especially nurse executives and managers, require leadership skills that provide direction for a new generation of nurses. The nursing administration track effectively prepares graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice at an executive nurse level. In addition to the core of nursing courses, a concentration of three courses in economics, financial accounting and management is given through the Leon Hess Business School.
NURSING EDUCATION
Monmouth University's nursing education track offers courses in curriculum development and instruction and test and measures. A practicum with a seminar focused on the role of nurse educator prepares students to teach both didactic and clinical nursing courses. Clinical expertise is enhanced by the concentration courses which include advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology.
SCHOOL NURSING
The school nursing track prepares the nurses to earn a master's degree in nursing with a specialization as a school nurse. School nursing practice is constantly changing to meet the needs of school age children. Legislative changes, school board policy changes, and increasing enrollment of medically and emotionally fragile children have made the school nurses' role more complex than ever. The program allows nurses to keep abreast of these changes so they may be a health advocate for school aged children. There are tracks for both certified school nurses as well as nurses seeking initial certification.
FORENSIC NURSING
Forensic nursing is an emerging field where healthcare providers work with law enforcement officials to apply nursing science to public and legal proceedings. These registered nurses provide direct services to individuals and consultation to healthcare and law-related agencies. Monmouth is proud to be one of a few schools in the nation to offer this program and all but one of the courses is delivered online.
They investigate and treat victims and perpetrators of abuse, violence, criminal activity, sexual assault, and traumatic events. This can include identifying injuries and their causes, collecting evidence, documenting findings, teaching risk reduction strategies, referring for appropriate follow-up and testifying in court.
Monmouth University's forensic nursing program includes the study of interpersonal violence, forensic evidence, nursing ethics and legal issues. The program prepares graduates to work in a variety of areas including child/elder abuse assessment and evaluation; domestic violence intervention; sexual assault examination; mass disaster response and death investigation.
