Norwich's MSN Preps Nurses for Leadership Roles
| School Overview | |
|---|---|
| Serves: | Worldwide |
| Accredited by: | NEASC |
| Enrollment: | Semesters |
| Financial Aid: | Yes |
| Scholarships: | Yes |
Military Tradition Carries Over to Distance Program
Non-traditionalist nurses in search of a progressive and interdisciplinary career make good recruits for Norwich University's online Masters of Science in Nursing. This degree program purports to do much more than provide nursing skills and theory; Norwich trains leaders. And the mid- and upper-level management tiers of nursing, require innovative thinkers and nurses unafraid to take charge.
Advance practice nurses have the greatest flexibility. MSNs may be as close to career customization as a career may get; they may mix and match patient demographics, type of care or practice setting, and even opt to work with a particular illness or within a special facet of healthcare.
Requirements for the Online MSN
Candidates for Norwich's online MSN must first be highly motivated and excited. The program, even online, requires a high level of participation from all students. Each MSN class is limited in size so students may familiarize themselves with each other and actually learn collaboratively. Applicants must have a prior Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree with a GPA of 3.0 and be able to show proof of a valid RN license. RNs are typically expected to have at least a year of clinical experience before being considered for this program. Norwich limits its graduate students and is therefore quite exacting in its admissions standards. Applicants may shine in their personal statement in which they must give a lucid and cogent argument for their career and academic choices. Candidates must be able to attend a weeklong "residency" during the final phase of the program.
Curriculum
The online MSN is a 36-credit program that integrates interdisciplinary concepts that post-grad nurses must understand in order to succeed and lead. The curriculum is designed and managed in such a way that even part-time students will finish within two years, many within 18 months. The program is logically segmented into "seminars:" healthcare policies, advanced practice nursing theory, healthcare organizations, evidence-based nursing, and management and business administration within nursing systems.
Strong emphasis is placed on the evidence-based nursing segment for its relevancy to today's contemporary healthcare systems. Evidence-based indicates a collective system of information, statistics, and research that are analyzed as a whole, in order to make system-wide decisions and modifications.
Career Opportunities
Building on the skills and know-how put forth in the MSN degree, graduates have untold career flexibility. They may literally choose when, where, and in what capacity they would like to work. Administrator roles will attract some whose leadership and decision-making talents may afford them better career traction. And others may assume positions as lead clinicians, or even go back to school for post-MSN certificates or Nursing PhDs.
Norwich University selects experienced nurses that exhibit zeal for their profession. As graduates they are turned loose on an otherwise weak-kneed nursing field wherein they are encouraged to excite and instigate best practices, innovative nursing, and develop positive outcomes both for patients as well as for entire healthcare systems.
