MSN - Nurse Educator

The MSN Nurse Educator program ascribes to the AACN Essentials and the NLN Nurse Educator Competencies to equip participants with the professional Knowledge, biblical Attitudes, Skills, and Habits (KASH) needed to develop sound clinical judgment and inspire ethical professional behaviors in diverse learners. Future educators study how to help their learners survive, adapt, and thrive in the challenging and ever-changing healthcare environment. Graduates complete required practicum hours and are prepared to efficiently fulfill virtual and in-person educator roles within various classroom and clinical settings through collaboration and innovation. Those who successfully complete the program will be educationally prepared to test as a Certified Nurse Educator-Novice and/or Certified Clinical Nurse Educator through the National League for Nursing.

Upon completion of the program, the graduate should be able to:

Create an environment in classroom, laboratory, clinical, and community settings that facilitates the achievement of outcomes among diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic learners.
Facilitate learner professional role development, transition, and/or socialization through effective communication and collaboration.
Employ technology, best practices, and various strategies to design, facilitate, assess, and evaluate learning domains in diverse settings to continuously improve program curriculum and outcomes.
Serve as a scholarly inquirer and change agent in the educational environment, addressing political, institutional, social, and economic forces.
Model being a Christ-centered community member continuously developing in character, scholarship, and leadership as a nurse educator with content expertise.

Admission Requirements

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

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 undergraduate degree granting institution and institution where graduate courses have been taken.
A criminal history background check (at the student's expense) must be completed before registration for any track of the masters nursing program. Letters of acceptance from the Division of Masters 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.

To assist in the decision-making process, the Division of Masters Nursing reserves the right to require the applicant to interview.

Criteria for regular admission are:

B.S.N. or B.S. degree with a major in nursing from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). 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: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, Entry Level.
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.

Gradate grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) where at least 9 credit were completed.

Criteria for conditional admission are:

Applicants who do not meet the GPA listed in the criteria for regular admission and have at least a 2.75 undergraduate GPA may be conditionally admitted and allowed to take 9- credit hours of masters nursing courses to establish a graduate GPA.

Students who have earned a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 9-credit hours in master nursing courses, will meet the criteria for regular admission.
An unsatisfactory grade (C- or lower in any GNUR course) while conditionally admitted will result in administrative withdrawal from the program and denial of regular admission.
Students who do not earn a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 9-credit hours in master nursing courses will be denied regular admission.

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 reenter any masters nursing program at IWU.
Students must meet all practicum agency requirements.
MSN students may be required to provide health clearance and proof of immunization.
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.
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 N&G Nursing if the status of their RN license changes. Students will be administratively withdrawn from the Program at any point if this status is not maintained.
Students must maintain safety according to the QSEN guidelines during all clinical practicum experiences. Evidence of unsafe, unethical, or uncivil behaviors may result in administrative withdrawal from the Program.

Clinical Compliance Documentation:

Before beginning any clinical or practicum experiences, students must meet all practicum agency requirements (at the student's expense). All Advanced Practice Registered Nursing students, and as required other students, must complete a second criminal background check and a drug screen, and submit documentation of health clearance, immunizations, and meet any other requirements of the practicum site before any client contact. In addition, random drug testing (ex. annually) or drug testing based on reasonable suspicion can be implemented at any time and without prior notice. Students who do not comply will be dismissed from the program. Progression in the program is dependent on the results of the reports.
Upon request, documentation of required health information, background check reports, drug screening results, and other required information may be provided to healthcare facilities where the student will be completing clinical/practicum requirements as part of their required course of study.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must meet the following requirements:

Satisfactory completion of all major and clinical requirements for the specific program.
Minimum grade of "C" in each core (GNUR prefix) course and "B" in each major (NRE prefix) course.
Cumulative GPA of 3.00.
The MSN degree programs must be completed within a maximum of four years from the date of enrollment.
Payment of all tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

Nurse Educator - 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-510	Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
GNUR-529	Epidemiology & Care of Populations	3
GNUR-529P	Epidemiology & Care of Populations Practicum	1
GNUR-530	Utilization of Research for Evidence Based Practice	3
GNUR-532	Synthesis of Advanced Pharmacology, Physical Assessment, and Pathophysiology	4
GNUR-532P	Synthesis of Advanced Pharmacology, Physical Assessment, and Pathophysiology Practicum	1

Major Courses

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

NRE-513	Professional Development of the Nurse Educator Education	1
NRE-600	Nurse Educator Role Development	3
NRE-610	The Academic Nurse Educator	3
NRE-620	Clinical Staff and Student Educator	3
NRE-630	Community and Patient Educator	3
NRE-640	Capstone Development of Nurse Educator Expertise	3
Total Credit Hours:		33