For many registered nurses, schooling does not stop after earning an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree. In fact, many go on to gain their master’s degree in nursing since the more education a student has, the more knowledge and experience they will gain. In an industry like healthcare, such accolades are not only more prestigious, but they are also more lucrative. According to the American Nurses Association’s 2014 Nursing Workforce, the percentage of job offers at the time of graduation for nurses earning a nursing master’s degree is 67% and the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, says that nurse practitioners earn a median salary of $107,460. This number isn’t guaranteed for every nurse practitioner’s position, but the median wage gives you the general idea of the potential income.
If you are a registered nurse looking to advance your career and wish to seek another level of education, you may qualify for the Master of Nursing (MSN) degree program offered at Florida National University (FNU). FNU is a regionally accredited institution to award master degrees in nursing. Our master’s program prepares licensed nurses with an educational experience that is essential for successful employment in the healthcare sector.
About FNU’s Master in Nursing
The undergraduate nursing program teaches the fundamentals of nursing, while the MSN program gives students the tools to specialize in specific areas within the healthcare industry that are outside of a practitioner.
FNU’s graduate program is designed to build upon a student’s bachelor’s degree and professional experience. By the time students reach the master’s degree program, they have already completed some clinical hours that have given them the expertise to apply all they have learned towards earning the advanced-level courses. Earning an MSN is most common for registered nurses who aspire to an upper-management position in the healthcare section.
The MSN program is designed to be completed in a 24-month period, and the core courses in the program will focus on Nursing Theory and Nursing Research, Advanced Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. Aside from these core courses, graduate students will have the choice to master in one of the three concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Education and Nurse Leadership and Management. Each of these concentrations requires a total of 18 credit hours. A total of 36 credit hours is required for graduation from all three concentrations.
Let’s Take a Closer Look at Each Master Degree Concentration
- Family Nurse Practitioner – As a Family Practitioner Nurse, you are going to see a wide array of patients from pediatric to geriatric. Courses include Advanced Primary Care of Family, Advanced Primary Care of Family Practicum and Integration Advanced Primary Care of Family. The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration requires some courses that are only available on-campus.
- Nurse Educator – This concentration is for students who want to focus on pursuing the administrative part of the healthcare sector. Courses like Instructional Technology, Introduction to Educational Concepts, Evaluation Strategies, and Nursing Curriculum Development.
- Nurse Leadership and Management – For students who are interested in pursuing the administrative side of the healthcare section this concentration is best for you. Students are required to take courses like Health Care Informatics, Financial Management and Resource Development, and more.
The Master’s degree in nursing at FNU is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Nurse Educator and Nurse Leadership /Management is 100% online and Family Nurse Practitioner is a hybrid. It is not uncommon for registered nurses to switch careers and eventually work in all three concentrations throughout their profession.
FNU’s Master in Nursing Admission Requirements
You must have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.50, a GMAT score of 450 or higher or a GRE score of 306 or higher. All students must have an active RN license. Applications with an undergraduate degree program from a non-regionally accredited institution will not be eligible for admission, but the program will accept MSN credits from another regionally accredited institution with submitted transcripts.
At Florida National University, We Are Here to Help You
At FNU, the MSN program cost approximately $23,955 to complete. Supplies and books cost an additional $1,200. We offer our students many scholarship opportunities that include the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program.
We know that many of our students in advanced programs are already in the working world. That is why we divide our 16-week semesters into two 8-week terms that are offered year-round. Our flexible academic calendar allows our students to complete their programs faster than traditional programs, which gets them out into the workforce more quickly. Students can earn their master of nursing degree online and on campus with FNU. We provided our students with a combination of online or on-campus courses.
About Florida National University
Founded in 1982, Florida National University is a regionally accredited higher learning institution that awards associate, baccalaureate, and master degree programs. Click here for our full academic catalog. At FNU, our job placement staff helps both students and alumni prepare for the workforce by building strong relationships with potential employers. To help our nursing students advance excel in the healthcare section, we work with hospitals in both the private and public sectors.
Contact a Florida National University advisor today to get the admissions process started. You’re just a click away from earning your Master’s Degree in Nursing. Ask about how you can you’re your degree online. Enroll today!
The baccalaureate nursing program (BSN) at Florida National University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccneaccreditation
The master’s degree program at Florida National University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202- 887-6791.
