Nursing – R.N. to M.S.N.

Faculty

Denise Pope, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Nursing, Chief Nursing Officer
Dr. Intima Alrimawai, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Denyse Barkley, Ph.D., RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing
Carrie O’Reilly, Ph.D, RN, Director of Clinical Simulation and Laboratory Operations; Associate Professor of Nursing

Description

Trinity Washington University offers a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the RN-to- MSN program. Registered nurses who hold a hospital diploma or associate degree in nursing can enroll in the RN-to-MSN Program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree while working towards a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).  Students graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.  Nine credits completed during the BSN program will apply to the MSN program.  After completing the BSN degree students can continue on to a seamless transition to complete the MSN degree with a concentration in either the Nurse Educator track OR the Nurse Administration track. Students may delay MSN enrollment for no more than two years should a student need to stop-out between the BSN and MSN.

Students in the Nurse Education track learn teaching strategies through: a) scholarly papers based on requirements in the syllabus. b) team work in the classroom, c) seminars, d) classroom and practicum presentations, e) use of technology to enhance presentations, f) interviews with health care executives and middle managers, and g) the inclusion of expert lecturers in the classroom.  Students in the Administration track use a wide variety of communication techniques, re-engineer complex health delivery problems, apply general systems theory, and apply congruency theory to health care delivery programs.

Degree Requirements

To fulfill the requirements of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), students must complete the RNBSN degree plan. Nine credits completed during the BSN program will apply to the MSN program as noted with an asterisk in the below MSN curriculum.

The Master of Science in Nursing offers two pathways: Nursing Administration (36 credits) and Nursing Education (39 credits). The degree programs may be completed on either a part-time or full-time basis.

Nursing Administration Curriculum Plan

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) can be completed in the BSN
SNHP 501 Theoretical Foundations*
NURS 515 Advanced Pathophysiology & Pharmacology
NURS 562 Advanced Health Assessment*
SNHP 530 Quantitative Research and Biostatistics
NURS 605 Administrative Theory in Nursing I
SNHP 601 Informatics*
SNHP 630 Qualitative and Outcomes Research and Biostatistics
NURS 625 Administrative Theory in Nursing II
ADMN 607 Accounting and Finance for Evaluation and Control
NURS 645 Practicum in Nursing Administration
HADV 621 Health Advocacy: Access and Navigation

Nursing Education Curriculum Plan

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) can be completed in the BSN

SNHP 501 Theoretical Foundations*
NURS 515 Advanced Pathophysiology & Pharmacology
NURS 562 Advanced Health Assessment*
HADV 621 Health Advocacy: Access and Navigation
SNHP 530 Quantitative Research and Biostatistics
SNHP 600 Instructional Strategies for Effective Teaching
SNHP 601 Informatics*
SNHP 630 Qualitative and Outcomes Research and Biostatistics
SNHP 620 Curriculum Development and Evaluation
SNHP 651 Ethics
SNHP 640 Teaching and Clinical Practicum
NURS 650 Adv Clin Prac Spec for Nurse Educator

Accreditation

The master’s degree program in nursing at Trinity is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Program Policies

Program Presentations and Assessments
Students in the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) Program are required to earn a minimum grade of B or passing on all required end-of-program presentations and assessments. Students who do not demonstrate mastery will register to repeat SNHP 640 Teaching and Clinical Practicum or NURS 645 Practicum in Nursing Administration.

Experiential Learning Policy (TELL): 
Graduate students who can demonstrate by submission of a portfolio that they have already acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies taught in a Trinity graduate program course may receive credit for that course. A maximum of six (6) credits can be considered and cannot be used for the Practicum course. All cases involving experiential learning credit will be considered on an individual basis by the student’s academic advisor, program director, and the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Grades in Graduate Courses:
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to graduate. No student who has more than 3 credits below a “B” on his/her transcript may graduate and receive a degree.

Pass/No Pass:
Graduate students may not take courses on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Transfer Policy:
Students may transfer up to six (6) graduate credits from other appropriately accredited institutions of higher learning toward the degree with approval from the program director. See course catalog academic policies for specific requirements and approval protocol.

Course Descriptions

ADMN 607 Accounting and Finance for Evaluation and Control
HADV 621 Health Advocacy: Access and Navigation
NURS 515 Advanced Pathophysiology & Pharmacology
NURS 562 Advanced Health Assessment
NURS 605 Administrative Theory in Nursing I
NURS 625 Administrative Theory in Nursing II
NURS 645 Practicum in Nursing Administration
NURS 650 Adv Clin Prac Spec for Nurse Educator
SNHP 501 Theoretical Foundations
SNHP 530 Quantitative Research and Biostatistics
SNHP 600 Instructional Strategies for Effective Teaching
SNHP 601 Informatics
SNHP 620 Curriculum Development and Evaluation
SNHP 630 Qualitative and Outcomes Research and Biostatistics
SNHP 640 Teaching and Clinical Practicum
SNHP 651 Ethics