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2012-2013 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Nursing Major, MSN
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 Return to: College of Nursing
The College of Nursing program is accredited by the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education that may be contacted at One Dupont Circle NW, Ste 530, Washington, DC 20036-1120, 1-202-887-6791, and is unconditionally approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.
The purpose of the master’s program in nursing is to prepare leaders, managers, and practitioners who facilitate achievement of optimal health in the dynamic health care system. The program prepares advanced practice nurses for a career in adult health nursing, nursing of women and children, mental health nursing, nurse anesthesia, and global disaster nursing, as well as role preparation as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists or nursing administrators. Advanced practice nursing involves the delivery of care, management of resources, interdisciplinary collaboration, and application of technology, information systems, knowledge, and critical thinking.
Graduates of the program are expected to
- Provide advanced nursing care in a variety of health care settings.
- Utilize theoretical knowledge to guide advanced practice nursing.
- Collaborate in research activities and utilize knowledge gained from research in advanced practice nursing.
- Evaluate health policies and economics related to delivery of health care.
- Assume roles as leaders and collaborators with other professionals and communities in planning, providing, and evaluating health care.
Admission
- Submit online application to Graduate Admissions Office. Meet admission requirements of the Graduate School.
- Achieve a competitive score on the combined verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Exam.
- Achieve a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper test or 80 on the Internet-based Test if native language is not English.
- Applicants for nurse anesthesia, global disaster and masters-entry students require an interview.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) from an accredited program.
- Hold or be eligible for licensure to practice nursing in Tennessee.
- Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale, or a GPA of 3.3 for courses in the undergraduate major.
- Have completed a health assessment course.
- Have completed 3 hours of graduate-level statistics.
OR
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing (master’s entry student or RN) from an accredited college or university.
- Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale.
- Have satisfactorily completed the following prerequisite courses: chemistry (8 hours); microbiology (including lab); anatomy and physiology (6 to 8 hours); nutrition (covering lifespan in health and illness); social sciences (9 hours) and a general psychology course (3 hours); undergraduate research course or equivalent; 3 hours of graduate-level statistics prior to enrollment in graduate research course.
- Nurse anesthesia option not available to master’s entry students.
- Application and admission dates vary. BSN graduates and RN students apply by February 1 for admission for the following fall term. Post-master’s applications must be received by October 1 for the following spring admission date. Masters-entry students apply by October 1 for the following summer admission date.
Non-Degree Status
Only NURS 505 and NURS 511 are open to students in Non-Degree Status. Students not yet accepted into the master’s program must be advised by the Chair of the Master of Science in Nursing program prior to enrollment.
Special Requirements
- Before enrollment in the master’s program, each student must successfully complete a criminal background check.
- Each student must hold personal professional liability insurance and health insurance.
- Registered nurses must be eligible to practice nursing in Tennessee, i.e., licensed in Tennessee or one of the interstate compact states.
- Each student must present proof of hepatitis B vaccination and rubella and rubeola immunization or sufficient titer for immunity; TB status.
- Each student must present evidence of current two-person CPR certification.
- Non-registered nurse students must have completed courses in chemistry, nutrition, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology plus 12 hours of behavioral science courses.
- For more detailed information about the application process, contact Master of Science in Nursing Program, The University of Tennessee College of Nursing, 1200 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-4180; (865) 974-0591.
Thesis and Non-Thesis Options
The thesis option is available for interested students and is especially encouraged for those who are considering pursuit of doctoral degrees sometime in the future. Students who choose the non-thesis option must register for NURS 582 .
Program Requirements
* Not required for nursing administration concentration or global disaster (Management Track).
| Concentration (choose one) |
Hours Credit |
| NURS 529 , NURS 530 , NURS 531 Adult Health |
13
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NURS 529 , NURS 538 , NURS 539 Adult Health: Gerontology
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13 |
| NURS 544 , NURS 545 , NURS 546 , NURS 547 , NURS 548 , NURS 549 Clinical Nurse Anesthesia Practicum/Seminar I, II, III, IV, V, VI |
40 |
| NURS 532 , NURS 533 , NURS 534 , NURS 535 , NURS 536 , NURS 537 Global Disaster: Advanced Practice |
31 |
| NURS 532 , NURS 533 , NURS 534 , NURS 537 Global Disaster: Management |
16 |
| NURS 550 , NURS 551 , NURS 553 , NURS 554 , NURS 555 , NURS 556 Nursing of Women and Children: Women’s Health |
20 |
| NURS 550 , NURS 551 , NURS 527 , NURS 528 , NURS 562 , NURS 563 Nursing of Women and Children: Child Health |
20 |
| NURS 550 , NURS 551 , NURS 552 , NURS 564 , NURS 567 , NURS 568 , NURS 569 Nursing of Women and Children: Neonatal Health |
23 |
| NURS 560 , NURS 561 , NURS 519 Mental Health Nursing I, II |
16 |
| NURS 570 , NURS 571 , NURS 572 , NURS 573 Family Nurse Practitioner I, II, III |
19 |
| NURS 590 , NURS 591 Nursing Administration: Macro/Micro Analysis |
12 |
Additional Course Requirements
- Electives for nursing administration concentration (9)
- Electives for global disaster nursing: management track (3)
- Epidemiology for global disaster nursing: management and advanced practice tracks (3)
- Issues in Advanced Practice (all concentrations except nurse anesthesia) (1)
- Advanced Practice Role Seminar (for masters-entry students) (1)
Students who enter the program as non-RNs must complete the following undergraduate nursing courses in addition to meeting the requirements listed above.
| Hours Credit |
| 310 |
Essentials of Nursing Practice |
3 |
| 319 |
Pathophysiology of Health Deviations |
4 |
| 333 |
Health Assessment |
3 |
| 342 |
Transcultural Issues |
2 |
| 351 |
Pharmacology I |
2 |
| 361 |
Health Maintenance and Restoration: Adult |
5 |
| 406 |
Pharmacology II |
2 |
| 415 |
Nursing the Childbearing Family |
4 |
| 421 |
Health Maintenance and Restoration in Mental Health |
5 |
| 432 |
Health Promotion and Maintenance Strategies in the Community |
3 |
| 444 |
Care of Children, Adolescents, and Their Families |
3 |
| 454 |
Professional Leadership Issues |
2 |
| 461 |
Health Restoration: Adult |
4 |
Registered nurses whose bachelor’s degrees are not in nursing must have completed courses in chemistry, nutrition, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology plus 12 hours of behavioral science courses. They must also complete 305, 382, and 454 and complete or successfully challenge the following.
| Hours Credit |
| 311 |
Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice |
5 |
| 319 |
Pathophysiology of Health Deviations |
4 |
| 333 |
Health Assessment |
3 |
| 351 |
Pharmacology I |
2 |
| 361 |
Health Maintenance and Restoration: Adult |
5 |
| 403 |
Health Promotion and Restoration in Childbearing Families |
5 |
| 404 |
Health Promotion, Maintenance, and Restoration in Children, Adolescents, and their Families |
5 |
| 406 |
Pharmacology II |
2 |
| 421 |
Health Maintenance and Restoration in Mental Health |
5 |
| 461 |
Health Restoration: Adult |
4 |
| 494 |
Alternative Preceptorshi |
4 |
A total of 24 hours can be obtained by successful completion of the NLN ACE Examination. See undergraduate catalog for other challenge options. RNs that are in the process of completing a BSN at the University of Knoxville, with the intent of enrolling in the MSN program, follow the same plan with the addition of 471.
Final Examination Requirements
All students must successfully complete a final examination as required by the Graduate Council. For thesis students, the examination will consist of an oral defense of the thesis as well as other written or oral questions designed to measure student mastery of the entire program of study. For non-thesis students, the written examination will cover the entire program of study and may, at the discretion of the student’s committee, be followed by an oral examination.
Special Policies
- If the clinical performance of any student for any course is found to be unsatisfactory, the student will receive a grade of F for the course.
- If a student achieves a final grade of D or F for any required undergraduate or graduate nursing course, he or she will not be permitted to repeat the course and will be required to withdraw from the program.
- If the clinical performance of any student is characterized by unethical, unprofessional or unsafe behavior, or behavior that places the client in jeopardy, the student will be required to withdraw from the program.
- Students are expected to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA; however, students must maintain a grade of B or better in clinical concentration courses and/or directed clinical practice. Graduate students are not permitted to repeat a course, repeat an exam or do additional work for the purpose of raising a grade already received. A student who receives a final grade below a B in a clinical concentration course will be dismissed from the program. A student whose cumulative GPA drops below a 3.0 as a result of earning grades of C in other courses will be placed on academic probation. A student will be allowed to continue in graduate study while on academic probation as long as each semester’s grade point average is 3.0 or better and the grade for clinical concentration work is at least 3.0.
- Non-RN students who earn less than a C grade in an undergraduate, pre-licensure nursing course, will not be allowed to continue in the MSN program. Non-RN students must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in undergraduate pre-licensure nursing courses to be allowed to remain in the program.
The RN-MSN track provides an opportunity for qualified associate degree and diploma-prepared nurses to obtain the MSN.
Admission
- Associate degree or diploma in nursing.
- Minimum grade point average 3.0 (on 4 point scale) for all pre-professional course requirements.
- Eligible to practice as a registered nurse in Tennessee (licensed as an RN in Tennessee or one of the interstate compact states).
- Have satisfactorily completed the following prerequisite courses – chemistry (8 hours); microbiology (including lab); anatomy and physiology (6 to 8 hours) nutrition (covering lifespan in health and illness); social sciences (9 hours) and a general psychology course (3 hours).
- Three professional letters of reference.
- Personal statement of goals and objectives.
Prior to Admission to Graduate Program
- Complete the BSN with at least a 3.0 GPA.
- Achieve a competitive score on the combined verbal and the quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Courses
- RN’s are exempt from sophomore level Nursing 201 (Introduction to Nursing) and will be given proficiency credit based on RN status.
- RN students will take the NLN Acceleration Challenge Exams prior to starting upper division course work. If a decision score of 100 is achieved (per section), the student will receive proficiency credit for Nursing 361, 403, 404, 421, and 461.
- Proficiency credit can also be obtained in courses marked with an asterisk (*) in the following section.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree
- A baccalaureate degree in nursing will be awarded upon completion of all required level 300 and 400 courses.
- A total of 123 undergraduate hours are required for the baccalaureate degree with the last 30 hours completed in residence at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
RN-MSN students will complete (or challenge*) the following courses, prior to beginning MSN courses.
| Hours Credit |
| 305 |
Transition to Professional Nursing |
4 |
| *319 |
Pathophysiology of Health Deviations |
4 |
| *333 |
Health Assessment |
3 |
| *351 |
Pharmacology I |
2 |
| 382 |
Health Promotion and Maintenance in Community |
5 |
| *406 |
Pharmacology II |
2 |
| 454 |
Professional Leadership Issues |
2 |
| 511 |
Statistical Applications to Nursing Research (OR equivalent) |
3 |
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Return to: College of Nursing
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