Nursing - Nurse Practitioner

The Master of Science in Nursing program is an online asynchronous program that prepares nurses for advanced nursing roles.  The Nurse Practitioner program prepares advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in three specialty tracks: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Adult Gerontology (ACNP-AG), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Each Nurse Practitioner track is a 45-credit hour program of study. Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) programs are available in each of the tracks for individuals who hold a Master of Science in Nursing in another specialty area.  The certificate will prepare students for national certification as an ACNP-AG, FNP, or PMHNP. Refer to each certificate by searching programs.

Graduates of the MSN Nurse Practitioner tracks are provided education and experience for eligibility and successful completion of national Nurse Practitioner certification examinations.  The program additionally prepares graduates from the specialty tracks, Nursing Education, and Healthcare Systems Leadership for advanced nursing roles in their respective areas of study. Graduates from MSN Nursing Education and Healthcare Systems Leadership tracks are eligible for certification exams although are encouraged to take additional preparation, such as a certification preparation course, before pursuing certification.

Mission
The mission of Norwich University’s School of Nursing is to prepare our students to be globally minded nurse leaders and scholars through innovative and diverse experiential education and research.

Purpose
The Master of Science in Nursing program prepares visionary nurse leaders who demonstrate advanced critical thinking, communication, decision-making skills to ensure quality outcomes within the complex systems of the health care continuum.  Graduates initiate and effectively utilize research findings to improve outcomes, as well as utilize knowledge of health promotion, health care policy and systems, change and finance to effectively manage available resources in the changing health care environment.  Masters prepared nurses utilize this knowledge base integrated with theories from nursing and related disciplines to create and implement ethical practices and policies to improve the environment in which health care is delivered.

The Masters prepared nurse engages in an expanded scope of practice that is characterized by critical analysis of problems and creative problem solving, and application of theories in the decision-making process.  The graduate manages change effectively and utilizes communication skills and technologies to create collaborative partnerships within nursing and across health care disciplines.  Graduate education prepares the nurse to identify and evaluate personal and organizational values and to implement ethical decisions and strategies to improve outcomes.

Goals
The program is designed to achieve the following academic goals:

1. Prepare graduates with education and experience to meet eligibility for successful completion of national Nurse Practitioner certification examinations

2. Provide a curriculum of study with logical course sequencing and concurrent didactic and clinical experience

3. Provide high-quality clinical track distance-learning opportunity for Bachelor's prepared nurses to advance to Master’s level/Advanced Practice competency.

4. Provide didactic and clinical population-focused education experiences meeting national education standards for advanced nursing education and core competencies.

Accreditation
The BS, Nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202)-887-8476.

The master's degree program in nursing and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). 

The BS and MSN programs are approved by the Vermont State Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulations, 89 Main Street 3rd Floor, Montpelier, VT 05520-2482, (802) 828-2396.

Professional Licensure Disclosure
The Master of Science in Nursing, with specializations in Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, is designed to prepare students for advanced practice. The requirements for professional licensure or certification vary by state. Norwich University has determined that the Norwich nursing program meets or does not meet the educational requirements for state licensure. Please review our Professional Licensure Disclosure. 

• A bachelor's degree in Nursing from an accredited (either the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) undergraduate nursing program, or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution, as evaluated by WES, IERF, SpanTran, or CED.

  • If the applicant is currently enrolled in a bachelor's-level Nursing program, a letter from the university’s registrar indicating the anticipated degree conferral date, the applicant can be conditionally admitted.

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

  • Undergraduate Nursing Research and Statistics course.

  • Active, unencumbered RN license in the state of their expected clinical study.  License must be unencumbered throughout the entire course of study.  If the license becomes encumbered, the student will be dismissed from the program.

  • Letter of Intent.

  • Letter of recommendation (deferred if Norwich graduate).

• International applicants who are not licensed as registered nurses in the U.S. must achieve a passing score on both the English and nursing sections of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination.

• If English is not your first language, proof of English language proficiency is required. This can be demonstrated in one of three ways:

  • TOEFL - a minimum score of 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (Internet-based test) is required.

  • IELTS – a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required.

  • The applicant holds a baccalaureate or master’s degree from a college/university/institution in which the primary language of instruction was English.

• In addition to the Transfer Credit Policy, up to 15 transfer credits in courses with 80% or better may be accepted. May require a review of syllabi to ensure congruence with the Norwich course.

Please Note: All eligibility requirements are expected to be met unless noted in specific articulation agreements or memorandum of understanding (MOUs).