MSN - Primary Care Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner)

The Master of Science in Nursing degree with a major in Primary Care Nursing prepares registered nurses as Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP). The focus of Primary Care is the interrelationship of theory, research, and evidence-based practice. Opportunities for development of critical thinking and clinical problem-solving skills are provided throughout the program. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for nurse practitioner certification by the appropriate credentialing body. 

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Influence healthcare policy, organization and finance in primary care practice.

• Apply an evidence-based approach in primary care practice across the lifespan.

• Collaborate with interprofessional teams in the provision of primary care.

• Practice stewardship of resources in providing primary care.

Admission Requirements

Admission to all graduate nursing majors begins with submission of required application forms, letters of recommendation, and official transcripts of previous college and university studies.  Acceptance into any graduate nursing program will remain valid for a period of 18 months.

To assist in the decision-making process, the Division of Graduate Nursing reserves the right to require the applicant to:

• Interview; and/or
• Take the GRE.

Criteria for regular admission are:

• B.S.N. or B.S. degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program. Registered Nurse applicants who have a non-nursing bachelor's degree and a minimum of ten years of recent experience in nursing practice may also be considered for admission by Portfolio. These candidates may submit a Portfolio which includes a current CV/resume including evidence of accomplishments in nursing based on The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice.
• Undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from the baccalaureate degree granting institution at which at least a minimum of 30 hours was completed.
• Proof that all nursing licenses – whether current or inactive – are unencumbered. Potential students with encumbered nursing licenses will not be considered eligible for enrollment at Indiana Wesleyan University.
• All applicants must provide three letters of professional reference. References should be from faculty members, professional colleagues, work supervisors or a pastor who can evaluate the applicant’s potential for success in a graduate program. Recommendations from family members are NOT appropriate. These letters should be solicited from professionals who can address the applicant’s qualifications for the MSN or doctoral programs.
• Original transcript from the degree granting institution.
• At least one year of professional practice. Students applying for admission to the Primary Care Program must have 500 hours of direct contact and/or care for patients within the year prior to admission.
• A criminal history background check (at the student's expense) must be completed before registration for any track of the graduate nursing program. Letters of acceptance from the Division of Graduate Nursing will include instructions for completing the criminal background check. The criminal background check must be completed no earlier than two weeks before the beginning of the first course. A second criminal background check and drug screen (at the student's expense) will be required for Primary Care students no earlier than two weeks before the first practicum course begins. Instructions for the second criminal background check and drug screen will be sent to students by the Division of Graduate Nursing. Progression in the program may depend on the results of these checks.

Program Requirements 

• All courses must be successfully completed in the sequence prescribed by the program's requirements.  Failure to successfully complete a course will result in an administrative withdrawal from the program.
• Any student found to have falsified clinical/practicum hours will be immediately dismissed and not allowed to re-enter any graduate nursing program at IWU.
• Students must meet all practicum agency requirements.  Primary Care (Family Nurse Practitioner) students must have health clearance and documentation of two-step TB, Rubella, and Hepatitis B and meet any other requirements of the practicum site before any client contact.
• Students who maintain continuous enrollment, who make normal progress toward a degree, and who earn their degree within the major program's maximum time from the date of enrollment may meet the graduation requirements as stated in the catalog under which they enrolled.
• Primary Care students will be academically dismissed upon receipt of a second unsatisfactory grade.
• Students must maintain an RN license that is active and unencumbered at all times during
  enrollment in the program. Students must have a valid unencumbered RN license in the state(s) of the practicum sites. If students have multiple state licenses, all must be unencumbered. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the School of Nursing if the status of his or her RN license changes. Students will be administratively withdrawn from the program at any point if this status is not maintained.
• Students must meet all practicum agency requirements. Nurse Practitioner students must have health clearance and documentation of TB, Rubella, and Hepatitis B status; and meet any other requirements of the practicum site before any client contact. A second criminal background check and drug screen (at the student's expense) will be required for all Nurse Practitioner students prior to the first practicum course. Progression in the program is dependent on the results of the reports.

Re-enrollment policy for Primary Care Majors

Any Nurse Practitioner student who is out of class for more than six months must meet the following criteria to continue in the program:

• If a student is out of a nurse practitioner program for more than six months, the student must take and achieve an 87% on the track specific competency exam(s) for advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment.
• The Advanced Physical Assessment exam is only offered onsite. The student will be required to conduct a complete history and physical on a client, including written documentation.
• If the student does not pass the appropriate competency exam(s) with a minimum score of 87%, s/he will be required to audit the pertinent course(s) and satisfactorily pass the appropriate competency exam(s) before being allowed to re-enroll in the graduate nursing program.
• The student requesting to re-enroll is responsible to pay for each competency exam and course audit.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of all core, major, and clinical requirements for the specific program.
• Minimum grade of "C" in each core (GNUR prefix) course and "B" in each major (PYC prefix) course.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• The MSN degree programs must be completed within a maximum of four years from the date of enrollment.
• PYC students must complete a minimum of 700 hours of supervised practicum with no less than 525 patient encounters. Out of the total 525 encounters students must complete a minimum of 300 adult patient encounters, (40 of these related to women’s health), and 150 Pediatric encounters.
• Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

Primary Care Nursing - Program of Study

All courses must be completed with a satisfactory grade in order to continue in the program.

Core Courses

All core courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.

GNUR-501	Evidence Based Communication	3
GNUR-525	Ethics and Health Policy	3
GNUR-510	Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
GNUR-530	Utilization of Research for Evidence Based Practice	3
GNUR-528	Biostatistics and Epidemiology	3

Major Courses

All major courses must be completed with a grade of "B" or higher.

PYC-513	Introduction to Professional Development for Advanced Practice in Primary Care Nursing	1
PYC-602	Professional Role Development for the Advanced Practice Nurse	2
PYC-614	Advanced Pathophysiology	4
PYC-612	Advanced Pharmacology	4
PYC-660	Advanced Health Assessment	6
PYC-681	Primary Care Across the Lifespan I	6
PYC-682	Primary Care Across the Lifespan II	6
PYC-683	Primary Care Across the Lifespan III	6
Total Credit Hours:		49