MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (M.S.N.)
School of Graduate Studies
Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.); concentrations in nursing administration and education, family nurse practitioner, and nurse anesthesia
Graduate certificates in family nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesia

Offered on the Beckley and Martinsburg campuses

The program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) prepares nurses for advanced practice roles in a variety of settings. The program benefits nurses who want to advance in their careers, seek a career change, or keep pace with the changing health care environment. It is accredited by the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses and by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (61 Broadway, New York NY 10006, 212.363.5555). The program offers excellent preparation to students who intend to continue their graduate-level studies as those who plan to apply their knowledge and skills in health care settings.

Because most students within the program continue to work full or part time during their graduate studies, classes are offered in a variety of formats—weekly, every other week, and monthly—and such services as registration, advising, and library research assistance are available evenings as well as during the day.

The nursing administration and education (admin/ed) concentration prepares nurse managers and nurse administrators for first- or middle-level leadership positions in a variety of health care organizations, and nurse educators for teaching in any educational area. The program of study incorporates an interdisciplinary perspective by combining the two areas. Both coursework and clinical practice emphasize the development of leadership skills and the application of theories of leadership, education, concepts, informatics, and research.

The family nurse practitioner (FNP) concentration prepares nurses to become primary care practitioners who provide comprehensive care that includes health promotion, maintenance, and restoration for persons across the life span. Practitioners are able to provide a broad range of clinical preventive services to those who are well or at risk, as well as manage common episodic illnesses, injuries, and chronic illnesses. This practice is grounded within informatics and research as well as the ability to provide leadership. This concentration is available
as a certificate for those who already hold an M.S.N.

The nurse anesthesia concentration prepares students to meet all requirements to take the Council on Certification for Nurse Anesthetists certification exam, which qualifies them for state recognition or licensure as a CRNA. This concentration is available as a certificate for those who already hold an M.S.N. The nurse anesthesia concentration is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, 222 South Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge IL 60068, 847.692.7050 ext 1168.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, you must meet the following minimum requirements to apply to the nursing program:

Bachelor’s degree with major in nursing (B.S.N.) from a nationally accredited program. Undergraduate study must include 3 hours of basic statistics, 3 hours of pharmacology, 8 hours of anatomy and physiology, and 2 hours of basic research, as well as 3 hours each of biochemistry and physics for the nurse anesthesia concentration; other courses may be substituted on an individual basis.

• Current unrestricted license as a registered nurse in a U.S. jurisdiction. You must have a West Virginia RN license to complete your clinical coursework in West Virginia.
• Twelve clock hours of community service over the past year.
• Eligibility for coverage by the University’s malpractice insurance carrier.

FNP concentration only: One year of full- or part-time professional nursing experience equaling 2,000 hours within the past two years is required before enrolling in the first clinical course (GNURS 501A Health and Illness Appraisal Lab). Students who meet all other requirements may study part time in nonclinical courses while continuing to work toward this requirement.

The nurse anesthesia concentration requires at least one year of clinical experience as a registered nurse that includes the opportunity to develop independent decision making. A goals statement, letters of recommendation, and an interview are required for admission.

Certificate Program Admission Requirements
To apply to either the FNP or nurse anesthesia certificate program, you must already hold an M.S.N. from a nationally accredited program. In addition, application to the FNP certificate program requires advanced coursework in physical assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology; application to the nurse anesthesia certificate requires one year of critical care experience.

PROGRAM POLICIES
The structure of the M.S.N. program is flexible. Its design and delivery system are based on the needs of nurses who wish to pursue graduate study while continuing their work.

Attendance
The University expects all students to maintain regular attendance at the scheduled seminars and classes. Attendance at all on-campus sessions is mandatory for students in the nurse anesthesia concentration. While class attendance is not mandatory for students in other concentrations, it is strongly encouraged. Some courses can be completed through distance learning without attending class.

Course Sequencing
Because specialty courses are sequenced, you are encouraged to plan your registration carefully. Most course assignments allow you to focus on a population, topic, or problem of interest. Previous coursework can also serve as the basis for thesis or project work. This approach to assignments does not mean that you can submit the same work for multiple courses but is designed to give you the opportunity to develop knowledge of a given topic through exploration of several bodies of literature or empirical applications.

Examinations and Course Performance
Evaluation of your course performance is the responsibility of the individual faculty member. A midterm and final examination generally determine the course grade, although faculty members may require a paper in addition to examinations or in place of an exam. All students are expected to take examinations on the day given unless advance permission is obtained from the faculty member. Arranging for make-up examinations is the shared responsibility of the faculty member and student.

All students are required to take a comprehensive M.S.N. examination two semesters before scheduled program completion. Concentrations may require an additional comprehensive exam.

Clinical Courses and Placement
The following GNURS courses contain a clinical component:

501L Health & Illness Appraisal Lab (1 clinical hour)
502L Clinical Nursing Practice of Children and Adolescents (3 clinical hours)
603L Clinical Nursing Practice of Adults (3 clinical hours)
604L Clinical Nursing Practice in All Age Groups (6 clinical hours)

FNP and admin/ed clinical courses are on a three-to-one clock-hour ratio, which means that each course hour equals three clock hours. The clock-hour ratio varies for clinical courses in the nurse anesthesia concentration. You are responsible for submitting clinical placement documentation before beginning clinical assignments and for keeping these documents up to date in your student file.

Faculty members and students are jointly responsible for arranging clinical placements. Every effort is made to meet each student’s needs. After agreeing on a site, either you or the assigned faculty member contacts the preceptor. The program provides clinical objectives and forms to the preceptor and generates a contract. The University’s legal office must send and finalize all clinical contracts, a process that may take up to two months to complete.

If you and the assigned faculty member cannot agree on a site, the program will make an assignment to the most appropriate site available. Student evaluations of past sites are available in the program office.

Clinical experiences for students in the nurse anesthesia concentration are established by the program. Clinical assignments are structured to ensure completion of all accreditation and licensure requirements.

Independent Study / Special Topics
Graduate courses in special topics provide the opportunity to undertake an individual independent study project in partial fulfillment of your coursework or as extra hours to complete your thesis or project. You can enroll in a special topics course by finding a graduate faculty member who is willing to supervise the course, then submitting a completed enrollment form, signed by the faculty member and the program director, together with a written proposal. You must complete registration during the regular registration period.

You and the faculty member must arrange a regular schedule for conferences and submission of work throughout the semester, including the date the final paper is due. You may register for no more than 6 semester hours of special topics. The University cannot guarantee that all students will be able to undertake a special topics course.

Program Completion
The nurse anesthesia concentration is designed as a 30-month full-time program of study. A full-time program of study in the other concentrations can generally be completed within two years, while part-time study often takes three to four years. All students must complete program requirements within five calendar years from the date of their first graduate enrollment.

M.S.N. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
M.S.N. program requirements include core nursing studies, which are common to all concentrations, and specialized concentration requirements.

Administration/Education and FNP Core Curriculum
The 14-hour core nursing curriculum, which is required of students in both concentrations, comprises the following courses:

GNURS 511 Research & Statistical
Methods 3
GNURS 512 Research & Statistical Appl 3
GNURS 615 Health Maintenance &
Promotion of Aggregates/ Health Policy 3
GNURS 606 Thesis or Project 3
GNURS 699 Seminar 2
Core total 14

Concentration Requirements: Nursing Administration and Education
The administration and education concentration requires 21 hours of study in addition to the core requirements:

GNURS 520 Health Admin/Ed: Mgt & Education Theories 3
GNURS 521A Mgt of Health Care Systems or
GNURS 521B Mgt of Education Systems 3
GNURS 621 Health Care Financial Mgt 3

Three of the following four: 9
GNURS 614A Admin Theory & Practicum I
GNURS 616A Educ Theory & Practicum I
GNURS 625A Admin Theory & Practicum II
GNURS 624A Educ Theory & Practicum II

One of the following electives: 3
GHUM 680 Appalachian Culture& Health Care
GHUM 690 Medical Humanities:
Images of Health Care
Through Literature & Film
Concentration total 21

Concentration Requirements: Family Nurse Practitioner
The FNP concentration comprises 30 hours in addition to the core requirements, with a three-to-one ratio of clinical to classroom hours.

GNURS 500 Roles, Issues, Ethics& Theories 3
GNURS 501 Health & Illness Appraisal 2
GNURS 501L H&I Appraisal Lab 1
GNURS 502 Common Health Problems of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 502L Clinical Nursing Practice of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 603 Common Health Problems of Adults 3
GNURS 603L Clinical Health Problems of Adults 3
GNURS 604L Clinical Nursing Practice in All Age Groups 6
GPHS 508 Pathophysiology 3
GPMC 510 Pharmacology for Midlevel Providers 3
Concentration total 30

Concentration Requirements: Nurse Anesthesia
The distance learning format of the first half of this 30-month program is challenging, requiring skills in independent learning and computer use. To assist students in finding local employment as a CRNA, clinical sites are selected to be as close as possible to each student’s home.

Nursing Core
GCRNA 501 Health Assessment 2
GCRNA 501L Health Assmnt Practicum 1
GCRNA 503 Issues, Theory, and Ethics 3
Total 6

Research Courses
GCRNA 511 Research Process 3
GCRNA 512 Nursing Research 3
GCRNA 608 Research Project 4
Total 10

Didactic Courses
GCRNA 515 Introduction to Anesthesia 2
GCRNA 518 Chemistry & Physics for NA 3
GCRNA 520 Advanced Physiology I 3
GCRNA 522 Advanced Physiology II 3
GCRNA 524 Advanced Physiology III 4
GCRNA 530 Advanced Pathophysiology 4
GCRNA 532 Advanced Pathophysiology II 3
GCRNA 540 Advanced Pharmacology 3
GCRNA 542 Advanced Pharmacology 3
GCRNA 546 Advanced Pharmacology 3
GCRNA 602 Principles of Anesthesia 3
GCRNA 604 Principles of Anesthesia 3
GCRNA 610 Anesthesia Concepts I 3
GCRNA 612 Anesthesia Concepts II 3
Total 43

Clinical Courses
GCRNA 680 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 681 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 682 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 683 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 690 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 691 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 692 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 693 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 20
Program total 79

Thesis Option
The thesis option requires independent research followed by a scholarly paper that conforms to the School of Graduate Studies thesis format. The thesis option is recommended for students planning to pursue additional graduate work.

If you choose the thesis option, it is recommended that you begin your thesis early in the program and select your courses to support your thesis work.

Forming a Graduate Committee
The graduate committee approves your research proposal, supervises your research and thesis preparation, and serves as your examining committee. The committee must meet the requirements specified in the Graduate Study at MSU section.

You should arrange a meeting with your academic advisor early in your program to discuss possible areas of research or in-depth study and to identify a committee chair—who may be your academic advisor or another faculty member with a terminal degree—and at least two additional committee members selected for their expertise and ability to contribute to the thesis. You must submit a graduate committee nomination form for each member of the committee, and an updated form must be submitted if the committee membership changes.

Research Involving Human Subjects
The University’s Institutional Review Board, or IRB, must review and approve in advance any project or study that involves human subjects. See the Graduate Study at MSU section for additional information.

Thesis Formatting
Thesis or research project reports must be formatted according to University requirements and conform to the style of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Project Option
If you are unable to submit a thesis, you must carry out a final project of scholarly work to complete your degree. The project option must be approved by the senior academic officer of graduate nursing; because the M.S.N. program is driven by research and the writing of a thesis, significant justification is required of anyone requesting the project option.

Projects should contribute to nursing practice by using nursing knowledge to benefit individuals, families, organizations, or communities, or by helping a nurse researcher who is conducting research, completing a scholarly work, or producing a publishable paper. Projects may include such activities as research utilization, an integrative review of the research on a topic, a meta-analysis of a research base on a topic, participation in a phase of faculty research, evaluation of an existing clinical or staff development program, or development of an instructional program.

Because the project option closes off many opportunities for additional graduate study, you should consult with your academic advisor before making a decision.

Project Committee
The project committee is responsible for approving your project proposal and supervising your project and written report. Your committee must at a minimum have a chair and one additional member. The requirements for chairing and serving on a project committee are the same as those for a thesis committee.

Presentation
You prepare a written project report upon completion of the project. The report does not have to conform to thesis format requirements, although it must be well organized and follow American Psychological Association (APA) format. Before graduation you must submit a signed, bound copy to the School of Graduate Studies for placement with other thesis and project reports.

Graduation Requirements
You are eligible to receive the M.S.N. when you have met the following conditions:

• Regular admission to the School of Graduate Studies and the graduate nursing program
• Completion of all core and concentration requirements
• A passing score on the comprehensive examination
• Submission of an approved thesis or project for binding
• A poster presentation and defense of your project or thesis
  

CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate certificates in FNP and nurse anesthesia qualify nurses who already have an M.S.N. to sit for qualifying exams in those areas. Additional coursework may be required for post-master’s students receiving financial aid; contact the graduate nursing program for details.

FNP Certificate Requirements
GNURS 500 Roles, Issues, Ethics,& Theories 3
GNURS 501 Health & Illness Appraisal 2
GNURS 501L H&I Appraisal Lab 1
GNURS 502 Common Health Problems of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 502L Clinical Nursing Practice of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 603 Common Health Problems of Adults 3
GNURS 603L Clinical Nursing Practice of Adults 3
GNURS 604L Clinical Nursing Practice in All Age Groups 6
GPHS 508 Pathophysiology 3
GPMC 510 Pharmacology for Midlevel Providers 3
Total 30

Nurse Anesthesia Certificate Requirements
Nursing Core
GCRNA 503 Issues, Theory, and Ethics 3
Total 3

GCRNA 501 and 501L Health Assessment and Lab are waived for certificate students whose transcripts indicate comparable study. Students must demonstrate competence in a laboratory setting or they will be required to take both courses.

Didactic Courses
GCRNA 515 Introduction to Anesthesia 2
GCRNA 518 Chemistry & Physics for NA 3
GCRNA 520 Advanced Physiology I 3
GCRNA 522 Advanced Physiology II 3
GCRNA 524 Advanced Physiology III 4
GCRNA 530 Advanced Pathophysiology I 4
GCRNA 532 Advanced Pathophysiology II 3
GCRNA 540 Advanced Pharmacology I 3
GCRNA 542 Advanced Pharmacology II 3
GCRNA 546 Advanced Pharmacology III 3
GCRNA 602 Principles of Anesthesia I 3
GCRNA 604 Principles of Anesthesia II 3
GCRNA 610 Anesthesia Concepts I 3
GCRNA 612 Anesthesia Concepts II 3
Total 43

Clinical Courses
GCRNA 680 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 681 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 682 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 683 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 690 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 691 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 692 Clinical Practicum 3
GCRNA 693 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 20
Program total 66

SUGGESTED SEQUENCES
Nursing Administration and Education Concentration
Full-Time Study

First Year Fall
GNURS 511 Research & Statistical Methods 3
GNURS 520 Health Admin/Ed: Mgt/Education Theories 3
GNURS 621 Health Care Financial Mgt 3
Total 9

First Year Spring
GNURS 512 Research & Stats Appl 3
GNURS 521A Mgt of Health Care or
GNURS 521B Mgt of Education Systems 3
GNURS 615 Health Maintenance & Promotion of Aggregates/ Health Policy 3
Total 9

Second Year Fall
GNURS 606 Thesis or Project 3
GNURS 614A Admin Theory/Practicum I or
GNURS 616A Educ Theory/Practicum I 3
Elective 3
Total 9

Second Year Spring
Select two of the following four: 6 hours each
GNURS 614A Admin Theory & Practicum I
GNURS 616A Educ Theory & Practicum I
GNURS 624A Educ Theory & Practicum II
GNURS 625A Admin Theory & Practicum II
GNURS 699 Seminar 2
Total 8
Degree total 35

Nursing Administration and Education Concentration
Part-Time Study

Semester 1
GNURS 511 Research & Statistical Methods 3
GNURS 520 Health Admin/Education:
Mgt/Education Theories 3
Total 6

Semester 2
GNURS 512 Research & Stats Appl 3
GNURS 521A Mgt of Health Care or
GNURS 521B Mgt of Education Systems 3
Total 6

Semester 3
GNURS 606 Thesis or Project 3
Elective 3
Total 6

Semester 4
GNURS 615 Health Maintenance & Promotion of Aggregates/ Health Policy 3
GNURS 614A Admin Theory/Practicum I or
GNURS 616A Educ Theory & Practicum I 3
Total 6

Semester 5
GNURS 621 Health Care Financial Mgt 3
Total 3

Semester 6
Select two of the following four: 6 hours each
GNURS 614A Admin Theory/Practicum I
GNURS 616A Educ Theory/Practicum I
GNURS 624A Educ Theory/Practicum II
GNURS 625A Admin Theory/Practicum II
Total 6

Semester 7
GNURS 699 Seminar 2
Total 2
Concentration total 35

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
Full-Time Study

First Year Summer
GNURS 500 Roles, Issues, Ethics,& Theories 3

First Year Fall
GNURS 501 Health & Illness Appraisal 2
GNURS 501L H&I Appraisal Lab 1
GNURS 511 Research & Statistical Methods 3
GMPC 510 Pharmacology for Midlevel Providers 3
GPHS 508 Pathophysiology 3
Total 12

First Year Spring
GNURS 502 Common Health Problems of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 502L Clinical Nursing Practice of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 512 Research & Statistical Appl 3
GNURS 615 Health Maintenance & Promotion of Aggregates/ Health Policy 3
Total 12

Second Year Fall
GNURS 603 Common Health Problems of Adults 3
GNURS 603L Clinical Nursing Practice of Adults 3
GNURS 606 Thesis or Project 3
Total 9

Second Year Spring
GNURS 604L Clinical Nursing Practice in All Age Groups 6
GNURS 699 Seminar 2
Total 8
Degree total 44

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
Part-Time Study

Semester 1
GNURS 500 Roles, Issues, Ethics,& Theories 3

Semester 2
GNURS 501 Health & Illness Appraisal 2
GNURS 501L H&I Appraisal Lab 1
GNURS 511 Research & Statistical Methods 3
Total 6

Semester 3
GNURS 512 Research & Statistical Appl 3
GNURS 615 Health Maintenance & Promotion of Aggregates/ Health Policy 3
Total 6

Semester 4
GPHS 508 Pathophysiology 3
GPMC 510 Pharmacology for Midlevel Providers 3
Total 6

Semester 5
GNURS 502 Common Health Problems of Children & Adolescents 3
GNURS 502L Clinical Nursing Practice of Children & Adolescents 3
Total 6

Semester 6
GNURS 603 Common Health Problems of Adults 3
GNURS 606 Thesis or project 3
Total 6

Semester 7
GNURS 603L Clinical Nursing Practice
of Adults 3
Total 3

Semester 8
GNURS 699 Seminar 2
GNURS 604L Clinical Nursing Practice in All Age Groups 6
Total 8
Concentration total 44

Nurse Anesthesia Concentration
Note: Semesters 1 through 4 include seven to eight days of clinical observation. On-campus sessions are scheduled for three days (Thursday through Saturday) every three weeks throughout the program.

Semester 1 (Spring)
GCRNA 503 Issues, Theories, & Ethics 3
GCRNA 515 Intro to Anesthesia 2
GCRNA 518 Chemistry & Physics for NA 3
GCRNA 520 Advanced Physiology I 3
GCRNA 522 Advanced Physiology II 3
Total 14

Semester 2 (Summer)
GCRNA 501 Health Assessment 2
GCRNA 501L Health Assessment Lab 1
GCRNA 511 Research Process 3
GCRNA 524 Adv Physiology III 4
GCRNA 540 Adv Pharmacology I 3
Total 13

Semester 3 (Fall)
GCRNA 530 Adv Pathophysiology I 4
GCRNA 542 Adv Pharmacology II 3
GCRNA 602 Prin of Anesthesia I 3
GCRNA 610 Anesthesia Concepts I 3
Total 13

Semester 4 (Spring)
GCRNA 512 Nursing Research 3
GCRNA 532 Adv Pathophysiology II 3
GCRNA 546 Adv Pharmacology III 3
GCRNA 604 Prin of Anesthesia II 3
GCRNA 612 Anesthesia Concepts II 3 Total 15

Semester 5 (Summer)
GCRNA 608 Research Project 1
GCRNA 680 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 690 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 6

Semester 6 (Fall)
GCRNA 608 Research Project 1
GCRNA 681 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 691 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 6

Semester 7 (Spring)
GCRNA 608 Research Project 1
GCRNA 682 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 692 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 6

Semester 8 (Summer)
GCRNA 608 Research Project 1
GCRNA 683 Clinical Correlation Conf 2
GCRNA 693 Clinical Practicum 3
Total 6
Program total 79