Nursing - Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) MS

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Total credits: 52 S.H.

Description of Program

The focus of the Graduate Programs in Nursing is to prepare graduates to work throughout the healthcare delivery system as nurse educators, healthcare organization leaders, and advanced practice registered nurses with the goal of improving health of individuals, families, and communities.

Graduates of the MS programs are prepared for a variety of advanced nursing roles (e.g. nurse educators, nurse leaders, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists). These graduates also have the foundation for continued graduate studies (i.e. DNP or PhD). Graduates of the DNP program are prepared for the highest level of clinical nursing practice.

Nursing science core courses, taken by all graduate students, build on students’ baccalaureate nursing knowledge to integrate scientific underpinnings for practice, understand nursing information management and decision making, and advocate for health promotion. Students develop evidence-based knowledge and skills to enhance the quality and safety of health care while demonstrating leadership and professionalism. Courses within the selected programs of Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, or Nursing and Organizational Leadership provide specialized knowledge and practice opportunities in each advanced nursing role. A unique feature of this program is the targeted emphasis on the nurse’s use of advanced knowledge and skills of health promotion with individuals and families in diverse populations to address health care needs within complex environments.

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Students in the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program are prepared for the multi-faceted role of clinical nurse specialist with the adult/gerontology population. Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist students will demonstrate direct care (including prescriptive authority), consultation, systems leadership, collaboration, coaching, and research competencies and influence direct patient/client care, the practice of other nurses and nursing personnel, and healthcare systems/organization outcomes. Graduates with the M.S. degree are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Adult Health (or Adult-Gerontology, when available) Clinical Nurse Specialist certification exam. The Graduate Certificate (GC) is for nurses who have completed a previous graduate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited graduate nursing program. Upon completion of the GC program are eligible to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Adult Health (or Adult-Gerontology, when available) CNS certification exam.

Nursing Science Core Courses

NURS 600 - Scientific and Ethical Foundations (4 S.H.)
STAT 601 - Statistical Methods for Health Care Research (3 S.H.)
NURS 604 - Health Policy and Quality Health Care Delivery (3 S.H.)
NURS 606 - Nursing Information Management & Decision Making (3 S.H.)
NURS 608 - Organizational and Systems Leadership (3 S.H.)
NURS 612 - Advanced Health Promotion for Families (3 S.H.)
NURS 613 - Advanced Health Promotion for Families Clinical (1 S.H.)
NURS 614 - Evidence-Based Practice (3 S.H.)
NURS 615 - Evidence-Based Practice Project/Thesis Seminar (2 S.H.)

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

NURS 616 - Molecular, Genetic and Immune Mechanisms in Disease (3 S.H.)
NURS 617 - Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3 S.H.)
NURS 618 - Advanced Pathophysiology (2 S.H.)
NURS 619 - Advanced Health Assessment (3 S.H.)
NURS 620 - Clinical Nurse Specialist Role I Seminar (1-3 S.H.)
NURS 624 - Clinical Nurse Specialist Role II Seminar (1-3 S.H.)
NURS 625 - Clinical Nurse Specialist Role II Clinical (1-4 S.H.)
NURS 630 - Adult/Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Synthesis Seminar (3 S.H.)
NURS 631 - Adult/Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Synthesis Clinical (4 S.H.)

Total Credits: 52 S.H.

Clinical hours: (1 clinical credit = 60 hours of contact time)

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist: 600 Total Clinical Hours