Nursing M.S.N.

School of Nursing Program Director: Deborah MacMillan debby.macmillan@gcsu.edu
Interim Assistant Director Graduate Program: Sheryl Winn sheryl.winn@gcsu.edu
Nurse Practitioner Coordinator: Sallie Coke sallie.coke@gcsu.edu
Nurse Educator: Debbie Greene debbie.greene@gcsu.edu
Administrative Assistant: Paige Alford, paige.alford@gcsu.edu

School of Nursing Administration Office
478-445-1076

Mission

In concert with the Georgia College liberal arts mission, the School of Nursing is committed to the formation of nurse leaders to engage in evidence-based practice, lifelong learning and civic participation in a health information intensive environment through the development and mastery of clinical reasoning, professional nursing skills and values.

Program Description

Georgia College offers the Master of Science in Nursing degree with an option of the family nurse practitioner role, the nurse educator role or the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner role. Students may elect to complete the program with either a part-time (9 semesters) or a full-time (6 semesters) program of study.

A Post-MSN option is available for those who hold an MSN and are seeking specialization as either a family nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Admission requirements include completing an application for enrichment and sending all undergraduate and graduate transcripts (no testing is required). An individualized program of study will be developed on the basis of previous coursework completed. For information, contact the School of Nursing Administration Office at 478-445-1076.

Admission Requirements for Regular Admission

Admission is limited to the most qualified applicants.

Agencies where clinical and practical experiences take place require students to undergo a criminal background check, urine drug screen, and to meet the CDC and OSHA standards for healthcare professionals. Students desiring to enter the MSN program should consider these requirements. Agencies may refuse any student based on failure to meet these guidelines or other agency guidelines. Refusal of an agency to accept a student may delay or prevent a student from completing the program. Professional licensing and accrediting bodies may refuse to license/certify individuals who have committed certain criminal acts or other acts or moral turpitude.

Applicants shall:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program.

• Provide evidence of current licensure as a registered nurse and eligibility for licensure in Georgia. If the student expects to complete any clinical learning in the state, a Georgia RN license is required. At least one year of clinical practice is required for consideration, additional clinical experience is preferred.
• Have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 undergraduate hours required in the nursing major.
• Have successfully completed an undergraduate level statistics course and have successfully completed a physical assessment course.

An application is complete when all of the following have been submitted:

• Complete application form and non-refundable application fee: $35 online, $40 paper
• Participate in an interview
• Three letters of reference from professionals who can speak to the applicant's experience and potential for success in master's studies using the SON form letter located on the web site.
• Official transcripts from all previous colleges/universities attended
• Current résumé or curriculum vitae
• Statement of Professional Goals
• Onsite writing exercise to be completed at time of interview.
• Copy of an unencumbered RN license appropriate to the state where clinical courses will be completed

Admission Requirements for Enrichment Status

Georgia College offers an enrichment status for a person who holds a baccalaureate degree and who wants to enroll in graduate courses for purposes of self-improvement or enjoyment. In the School of Nursing, a maximum of nine (9) credit hours is permitted in this status. Enrichment students may enroll in any MSN courses except NRSG 7000, NRSG 7010, NRSG 7030, NRSG 7050, NRSG 7100, NRSG 7110, NRSG 7120, NRSG 7200, and NRSG 7410 (FNP clinical courses). Enrichment students may apply for any semester.

Successful completion of courses taken as an enrichment status student does not lead to admission to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. Students desiring regular admission must apply for regular admission.

Acceptance into a course is dependent upon availability of space and facilities after full-time and part-time students have been registered.

Other Nursing Program Requirements

• Have computer access. All MSN majors are expected to be able to use Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access) when submitting assignments. Graduate students should have proficiency with Microsoft Office, Internet, and e-mail. In addition, graduate students are expected to have updated and enabled virus protection software on their computers. Students may be required to purchase additional software as listed in individual course syllabi.

• Complete and return all forms specified in the MSN Student Handbook found at http://www.gcsu.edu/nursing (select "graduate programs and handbook") to the Graduate Nursing Office.
• Complete all required courses for the MSN degree within a period of 7 years from the date the student begins graduate courses at Georgia College. Any course work completed more than 7 years prior to completion of requirements for the MSN degree will be considered outdated and will not be applied toward the MSN degree program. This includes courses that may be transferred in from other institutions.

Clinical Courses

Prior to participation in any clinical learning rotation, students must submit evidence of health status, immunizations, TB screening, professional liability insurance, RN license, current CPR certification, criminal background checks, urine drug screens and other laboratory tests as specified by clinical agencies, ability to meet technical standards or ask for accommodations, and complete required documents as described in the Nursing Graduate Student Handbook, which is found at http://www.gcsu.edu/nursing.

All documents must be updated annually. Students are required to earn a grade of B or higher in clinical courses in order to progress to the next semester.

Transfer Credits

No more than 9 semester hours of graduate course work in nursing may be accepted from other institutions. All requests for transfer credit must be approved by the Assistant Director of Graduate Programs.

Synthesis Requirement

All students who expect to complete requirements for the MSN degree must demonstrate synthesis of knowledge/skill for their respective areas of specialization prior to graduation. Synthesis will be demonstrated by successful completion of an electronic portfolio. Details are available in the MSN Student Handbook.

In addition, students enrolled in the Master of Science in Nursing Nurse Practitioner tracks will take and pass a written comprehensive practice exam in their last semester of coursework. Details are available in the MSN Student Handbook.

Facilities

The large number of health care agencies in the region makes it possible for the College of Health Sciences to offer a variety of clinical learning opportunities; however, students can anticipate driving up to 100 miles for clinical learning on occasion. Students considering application to the MSN program should be aware that criminal background checks, drug screens, and other laboratory tests can be required by clinical sites.

Career Information

Students completing the MSN degree have opportunities encompassing management, administration, teaching, and advanced clinical positions throughout Georgia and the nation. Career information is available from faculty in the School of Nursing.

National Accreditation

The BSN, MSN, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC, 202-463-6930).

Completing the Master of Science in Nursing Program

• Consult faculty academic advisor for development of a Program of Study.

• Complete course requirements, maintaining 3.0 GPA.
• While enrolled in clinical courses, assure that current clinical documents have been submitted for the student file in the Graduate Nursing office.
• Complete synthesis requirement.
• Complete a written application for graduation by the date specified in the official University calendar.

Progression

In order to stay in good academic standing with the University and the MSN degree program, students must demonstrate high academic performance.  Policies regarding academic performance are found in the Graduate Catalog.

In addition to these policies, the MSN degree program has the following requirements: Prior to participation in any clinical learning rotation, students must submit evidence of health history and physical exam, TB screening, professional liability insurance (for FNP students, nurse practitioner student liability insurance must be purchased), RN license, current CPR certification, and any additional requirements specified by healthcare agencies. These documents must be updated annually. Criminal background checks and urine drug screens are required upon admission to the program. The student and clinical agency will make arrangement for any additional requirements per the clinical agency protocols.

Students are expected to earn a grade of no less than a B in all of the MSN clinical courses, no less than a C in all non-clinical courses, and must maintain an overall B average (3.0) in the MSN program. A grade of C or lower in any clinical course requires the student to retake the course to progress. Students who earn a rating of “clinically unsatisfactory” in a clinical course will have a grade of F assigned for that course, regardless of the class average for the semester. Students who earn a rating of "clinically unsatisfactory" in a clinical course will have a grade of "F" assigned for that course regardless of the class average for the semester. Students who earn a clinically unsatisfactory rating due to the question of competence may not progress in the MSN program.

The clinical courses for the Family Nurse Practitioner role are: NRSG 5480 (Advanced Nursing Assessment), NRSG 7000 (Primary Care of Adults I), NRSG 7010 (Primary Care of Adults II), NRSG 7030 (Primary Care of Women), NRSG 7050 (Primary Care of Children & Adolescents), and NRSG 7410 (Primary Care Practicum).
The clinical courses for the Nurse Educator role are: NRSG 5480 (Advanced Nursing Assessment), NRSG 6120 (Implementing Educational Programs in Nursing), NRSG 6121 (Integrating Technology in the Healthcare Educator Role), and NRSG 6551 (Graduate Nursing Practicum).

The clinical courses for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role are: NRSG 5480 (Advanced Nursing Assessment), NRSG 7100 (Foundations for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing), NRSG 7110 (Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I), NRSG 7120 (Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum), and NRSG 7200 (Practicum in Psychiatric Mental Health).

A graduate student whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.0 at the end of a semester will receive a warning from the University. The student and Assistant Director of Graduate Programs will meet to determine whether a return to a 3.0 GPA is feasible based on the remaining coursework. If a 3.0 GPA is not feasible, the student will be withdrawn from the program.

A student may repeat only one nursing course in the MSN program. If a student fails two nursing courses or the same course twice, they will be denied continued enrollment in the MSN program.

A student who fails a course and has no previous failure may request to retake the course the next time it is offered based on space availability. The student will be required to submit to the School of Nursing Graduate Committee a narrative reflection related to the problem(s) that contributed to their clinical failure and their strategic plans for minimizing those problems at later re-enrollment in the course. Students who re-enter the MSN program after a failure will do so under the current catalog and current School of Nursing requirements.

All candidates for readmission to the MSN program will have their admission status determined by the Graduate Committee of the School of Nursing. Acceptance of previously earned course credits will be at the discretion of the faculty.

Students who have not been enrolled for over a year must complete a new application and submit it to Graduate Admissions. All required courses for the MSN degree must be completed within a period of seven (7) years from the date the student begins graduate courses at Georgia College. Any course work, including transient courses, completed more than seven (7) years prior to completion of requirements for the MSN degree will be considered outdated and will not apply toward the MSN degree program.

Grievances, Appeals, and Petitions

The School of Nursing follows the policies and procedures outlined in the University graduate catalog regarding academic and non-academic grievances and appeals. The GC graduate catalog provides guidance to students and faculty regarding the definition of and process for grievances and appeals. The University distinguishes between a petition and an academic grievance. Students, in consultation with faculty, use petitions to remedy undue hardship and specific inequities that may adversely affect the student’s ability to fulfill the academic requirements of the University. Examples of petitions within the School of Nursing are student requests to change their programs of study. These requests are handled within the School of Nursing.

By contrast, an academic grievance or appeal is an allegation by a student of substantial and/or unjustified deviation, to the student’s detriment, from policies, procedures and/or requirements regarding admission, grading policies, special agreements, instructor’s requirements, and academic requirements of the University. In the majority of situations, the matter is resolved at the instructor level. The process allows for successive review of the grievance or appeal at higher positions within the academic administration chain of command. Records are kept of grievances that reach the level of the Director of the School of Nursing. Readmission to Graduate Studies Students who have not been enrolled for one (1) semester (excluding summer) must contact the Office of Graduate Admissions and update their status before they can enroll for the next semester: Graduate Admissions Georgia College Campus Box 107 Milledgeville, GA 31061 Fax: 478-445-1336