MSN- Family Nurse Practitioner

The Master of Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner Track is a 47-credit hour, BSN to MSN program offered as a full-time plan of study. This entry to practice MSN degree offers students a hybrid approach to learning by combining remote, asynchronous, and synchronous courses with timely on-campus hands-on learning intensives. Students will complete 600 hours of supervised clinical experience in a variety of primary care settings including family practice, pediatrics, internal medicine, women’s health, geriatrics and
telehealth.

Program Mission – The Family Nurse Practitioner Program curriculum prepares advanced practice students to be transformational and innovative nurse leaders who provide culturally competent care and exhibit professionalism, respect, integrity, and legal/ethical standards. The curriculum is designed to provide the student with the skills they need in assessment and
management of the patient within the health system to provide safe, evidenced based primary care to individuals throughout their life span.

Accreditation

The MSN degree is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).  

Admission Criteria & Anticipated Enrollment

Admission to the Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences (MDCHS) family nurse practitioner (FNP) track will take place twice a year (Fall and Spring) and include the following criteria:

  • Current unrestricted RN license in the Commonwealth of Virginia or state participating in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) or be eligible for licensure in Virginia.
  • BSN from an accredited CCNE or ACEN School of Nursing.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
  • Curriculum Vitae.
  • Personal statement (no more than 500 words) about short-term and long-term goals after completion of the Master of Nursing Practice degree.
  • Completion of application for admission (both in Nursing CAS and MBU application).
  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions.
  • Three letters of recommendation from professional references with current knowledge of professional and/or academic skills. One recommendation must be from the applicant’s immediate supervisor.
  • Completion of undergraduate or graduate statistics course with a grade of “C” or higher.
  • Current BLS certification.
  • Minimum of one year (2080 hours) current, continuous, acute care experience as a registered nurse within two years of application is preferred.

The Curriculum

The MSN/FNP curriculum is nested within the current MSN and DNP programs which are based on the AACN Master’s Essentials (AACN, 2011) and the AACN DNP Essentials (AACN, 2006).  The School of Nursing (SON) FNP curriculum follows the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. 

MDCHS MSN FNP-Track Curriculum – 14-16-week courses

Course NameCreditClinical Hours
Required Courses for MSN
NUR 501 Organization/Systems Leadership3
NUR 502 Theoretical Found For Adv Nursing (or NUR 800 Foundation and Methods of Evidence-Based Practice Optional Course if DNP credit preferred)3
NUR 503 Managing Outcomes – Informatics3
NUR 504 Policy, Ethics, Legal Perspectives (or NUR 710
Healthcare Policy, Economics and Financial Planning
Optional Course if DNP credit preferred)
3
NUR 505 Population Health & Collaboration3
Total Core Credits15
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
NUR 620 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology for the APRN (this course will be new to MBU)3
NUR 704 Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics 4
NUR 706 Advanced Health Assessment and Intensives 3
NUR 824 Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatric Primary Care4
NUR 828 Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Primary Care I 4
NUR 832 Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Primary Care II4
NUR 845 Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Primary Care III4
NUR 826 Advanced Practice Nursing: Clinical I 2200
NUR 830 Advanced Practice: Nursing Clinical II 2200
NUR 834 Advanced Practice Nursing: Clinical III 2200
Total FNP Concentration Credits32
Total Program Credits47600

This MSN-FNP track consists of 47 credit hours and 600 supervised clinical hours and can be completed in 5 semesters or 20 months. There are two intensive training sessions held on campus during the program for skills verification. The requirement to sit for the certification exam is 500 hours.

It’s time to level up your career. Apply today!