Master of Arts in Nursing (MANU)

Program Description

For complete course descriptions, click here.

The Master of Arts in Nursing (MANU) program offers two areas of concentration preparing nurses for advanced nursing roles in healthcare: Nurse Educator Concentration and Nurse Practitioner Concentration. Each concentration builds on the expertise, experience and skills of the professional nurse. Core content for both concentrations includes critical decision making, ethical leadership, cultural diversity, nursing theory, nursing research, evidence-based practice, administrative problem solving and health policy.

Prior to admission, you must complete a statistics course inclusive of descriptive and inferential statistics. The prerequisite is waived if you have already completed a master’s degree in nursing. Note: St. Catherine's does not accept course work from technical colleges or from technical colleges prior to their merger with accredited community colleges.

Courses are scheduled to meet in late afternoon/ evening. Practicum and other application of concepts in community settings depend on the schedules of collaborating organizations and are individually determined.

ACCREDITATION

The Master of Arts in Nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor New York, NY 10006 (800) 669-1656, Ext. 153

CERTIFICATION

Upon completion of the Nurse Practitioner Concentration, graduates are eligible to take the nurse practitioner certification examination in their specialty area. All national credentialing/certification centers require a master’s degree in nursing to sit for the certification exams. These include: The American Nurses Credentialing Center, the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and the National Certification Corporation for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Nurse Educator Concentration: complete 34 hours of graduate credit with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and complete a scholarly project related to your interest and area of study. Nurse Practitioner Concentration: complete at least 38 semester hours of graduate credit with an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and complete a scholarly project related to your interest and area of study.

YEARS TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM

• Nurse Educator Concentration: complete the program in seven years.
• Nurse Practitioner Concentration: complete the program within four years of initial enrollment.

  Major Requirements

NURSE EDUCATOR CONCENTRATION

The Nurse Educator Concentration is designed to prepare nurses to assume the advanced nursing role of educator in academic settings and in healthcare organizations. Evidence-based course content focuses on principles of the education process, assessment of learning styles, needs and characteristics of diverse learners, and appropriate, innovative, creative instructional techniques and strategies. Emphasis is on designing dynamic curricula and programs that are flexible and relevant in a challenging and changing environment. Ethical, legal and leadership dimensions of the nurse educator role are critically analyzed. The experiential component provides the opportunity to integrate knowledge and experience. Ultimately, these nurse educators become exemplars of excellence, engaging with intention, acting with justice and serving with compassion. Courses follow the weekend calendar. Classes are offered weekly or biweekly on Wednesday or Thursday evenings.

NURSE EDUCATOR CURRICULUM

CORE COURSES
NURS 6000 Theoretical Formulations in the Discipline of Nursing
NURS 6060 Research in the Discipline of Nursing
NURS 8000 Scholarly Project

SPECIALTY COURSES
NURS 6690 Nurse as Educator
NURS 6790 Inclusivity in Nursing Education
NURS 7450 Instructional Technology
NURS 7550 Curriculum Design in the Discipline of Nursing
NURS 7600 Evaluation and Educational Measurement
NURS 7650 Designing Systems to Support Change in Education

NURSE PRACTITIONER CONCENTRATION

The Nurse Practitioner Concentration prepares advanced practice nurses to provide primary care across the lifespan, with specific clinical content for each of the three specialty options: neonatal, pediatric and adult-gerontological. You are admitted directly to a specialty area. Graduates are eligible to take the National Certification Exam in their chosen specialty. Graduates of the adult-gerontological option can choose to take certification exams in both the adult and gerontological specialty, or in just one of those areas.

More than 600 hours of advanced clinical practice experience are completed during the advanced practice courses. Option coordinators work together with you to secure preceptors prior to clinical course work. The option coordinator approves all clinical placements for students in that option. Faculty supervise clinical placements by making visits to each site and arranging conferences with students and preceptors. The nursing faculty are committed to providing healthcare to underserved populations, including individuals and families in rural areas. Students who wish to pursue clinical experiences in these areas are supported in their efforts.

Courses are offered on a semester format. Classes are block-scheduled weekly or biweekly in late afternoon/evening time frames. Clinical experiences are arranged to meet student and preceptor schedules. In both years of the program, a daytime course is offered in January.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
The NNP’s primary focus is on neonates who are at increased risk as a result of physical or psychological factors that limit optimal development. Most NNPs work within the inpatient healthcare setting where perinatal, newborn nursery and neonatal intensive care services are provided. The NNP functions as a primary-care practitioner for the neonate and his or her family in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team. Some of the NNP’s functions include providing immediate response to actual or potential emergencies, performing technical procedures, providing ongoing healthcare management and encouraging family members to be actively involved in the care-giving process.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
A PNP is prepared to provide primary care, including physical exams, diagnosis and treatment of common pediatric illness to children of all ages, developmental evaluations and nutritional guidance. PNPs place special emphasis on preventing illness and helping parents develop effective parenting skills. They encourage families to be actively involved in making decisions about their children’s healthcare. The PNP works in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare professionals in various settings.

Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (ANP-GNP)
An ANP-GNP assumes an advanced practice role in the provision of primary healthcare to adults of all ages in settings such as public or private clinics, health maintenance organizations, ambulatory care facilities, college health services, correctional facilities, occupational health clinics, clients’ homes and long-term care settings. Health promotion, health education and the early detection of risk factors are important components of the ANP-GNP’s role. ANP-GNPs engage in independent decision making about healthcare needs, thus promoting the health or managing illness states of individuals and their families or significant others. The ANP-GNP works in collaboration with other healthcare professionals and ensures continuity of services within the home and acute-care setting. The ANP-GNP also acts as an advocate for the client in the healthcare system.

NURSE PRACTITIONER CURRICULUM

CORE COURSES
NURS 6000 Theoretical Formulations in the Discipline of Nursing
NURS 6060 Research in the Discipline of Nursing
NURS 6430 Inclusivity in Nursing Practice
NURS 6550 Professional Development in Advanced Nursing Roles
NURS 8000 Scholarly Project

NURSE PRACTITIONER SPECIALTY COURSES
NURS 6010 Foundations for Advanced Clinical Practice — Neonatal
NURS 6020 Foundations for Advanced Clinical Practice — Pediatric
NURS 6050 Foundations for Advanced Clinical Practice — Adult-Gerontological
NURS 6210 Advanced Practice: Health Promotion and Maintenance — Neonatal
NURS 6220 Advanced Practice: Health Promotion and Maintenance — Pediatric
NURS 6250 Advanced Practice: Health Promotion and Maintenance — Adult-Gerontological
NURS 6910 Advanced Practice: Neonatal I
NURS 7010 Pharmacology — Neonatal
NURS 7020 Pharmacology — Pediatric
NURS 7050 Pharmacology — Adult-Gerontological
NURS 7110 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health I — Neonatal
NURS 7120 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health I — Pediatric
NURS 7150 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health I — Adult-Gerontological
NURS 7210 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health II — Neonatal
NURS 7220 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health II — Pediatric
NURS 7250 Advanced Practice: Alterations in Health II — Adult-Gerontological
NURS 7310 Advanced Practice: Role Synthesis — Neonatal
NURS 7320 Advanced Practice: Role Synthesis — Pediatric
NURS 7350 Advanced Practice: Role Synthesis — Adult-Gerontological

ADVANCED STANDING

Advanced standing course work is available to selected students who have completed a master’s degree in nursing, certified master’s prepared nurse practitioners seeking preparation in a second specialty option, and to nurse practitioners who have completed a post-baccalaureate/graduate level NP certificate program. Credentials, transfer credit and placement in advanced standing courses are individually assessed by the registrar, option coordinator and the master’s degree program director. Upon completion of an advanced standing plan of study, the graduate receives a certificate of completion.

PROGRESSION POLICY

REQUIREMENTS TO REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING

• B (3.0) or better in every course.
• B (3.0) or better in the clinical portion of every course with a clinical component.
• Adherence to the Master of Arts in Nursing Program student policies.

CONDITIONS FOR PROBATION

If you do not meet the requirements to remain in good standing you will be placed on probation and required to develop a plan to improve your performance according to the Master of Arts in Nursing program student policies.

REMOVAL FROM PROBATION

If you satisfy the conditions of your written performance improvement plan, as determined by the faculty member and program director, you will be removed from probation.

CONDITIONS FOR PROGRAM DISMISSAL

If you do not satisfy the conditions of your written performance improvement plan, as determined by the faculty member and program director, you will be dismissed from the program.

Program Faculty:

Jeanne Jacobson, Associate Professor of Nursing, Director of Master of Arts in Nursing Program. B.A. Macalester College; M.A. Alfred Adler Institute.

Judith Johnson, Associate Professor of Nursing, Coordinator of ANP-GNP option. B.S.N., M.P.H., Ph.D., University of Minnesota; A.N.P. and G.N.P., certified by American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Kathleen Kalb, Associate Professor of Nursing, Coordinator of Nurse Educator Concentration. B.S., M.S., Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Teresa Kiresuk, Assistant Professor of Nursing. Bridge Option Coordinator. B.A., M.A., The College of St. Catherine; G.N.P. and A.N.P., certified by American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Mary Mackenburg-Mohn, Associate Professor of Nursing. B.A. The College of St. Catherine, M.S.N. University of Minnesota, Ph.D. Capella University; P.N.P, certified by Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.

Nicole Martens, Assistant Professor of Nursing. B.S.N., University of Minnesota; M.A., The College of St. Catherine; P.N.P., certified by Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. Valinda Pearson, Professor of Nursing. M.S.N., Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

Margaret Dexheimer Pharris, Associate Professor of Nursing. B.S.N., M.S.N., M.P.H., Ph.D., University of Minnesota, F.A.A.N.

Alice Swan, Professor of Nursing, Associate Dean for Nursing. B.S., M.S., University of Minnesota; D.N.Sc., Rush University.

Gay Maureen Varecka, Associate Professor of Nursing. B.S., D’Youville College; M.S., State University of New York–Buffalo; Ph.D., University of Minnesota; A.N.P., certified by American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Marlene Wuethrich, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Coordinator of N.N.P. option. B.S.N., M.S., University of Minnesota; N.N.P., certified by National Certification Corporation for Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties.

Emeritus

Brenda Canedy, Associate Professor of Nursing. A.B., Radcliffe College; Education Major, Indiana University; Nursing major, The College of St. Catherine; M.S., Ph.D., University of Minnesota.

JoAnne Eckhardt, Associate Professor of Nursing. B.A., M.S., University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Ph.D., University of Minnesota.