Program Description

The program of study may be completed in any of three tracks:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The curriculum reflects a balance between liberal and professional education and is designed to foster intellectual inquisitiveness, analytical thinking, critical judgment, creativity, and self-direction under the guidance of quality faculty. Students are adult learners from diverse backgrounds who participate in the development of their own agendas for learning within a planned program of studies.

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

This track prepares students to provide direct care and to take leadership in the primary care of young adults, adults and older adults. Primary care sites include outpatient clinics, work sites, college health services, emergency rooms, home health and other community-based settings. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)

Family Nurse Practitioner

This track prepares students to provide direct care and to take leadership in the primary care of families. Primary care sites include outpatient clinics, work sites, college health services, emergency rooms, home health and other community-based settings. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as a Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program prepares nurse practitioner students to provide a full range of mental health services to clients across the life span. This specialty emphasizes prevention, diagnosis, and management of both acute episodic and chronic mental illnesses. Although not setting specific, clinical rotations will primarily occur in in-patient, outpatient, and community residential settings. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Graduate Nursing

Mission

Consistent with Lasallian values, the Mission of the Nursing Program is to provide scientifically based nursing curricula to educate clinically competent, caring, nursing professionals with a commitment to excellence in practice, service, life-long learning, scholarship and self-care.

Vision

The Nursing program educates professionals prepared as leaders in practice, service, scholarship, and education, contributing to the advancement of the health and well-being of diverse communities. Explore, Experience, Excel

Philosophy for Nursing Programs

Nursing is a practice-based profession encompassing both arts and sciences. Nursing provides health services to diverse individuals and groups. Nurses collaborate with multidisciplinary professionals and clients. Nursing care is aimed at facilitating health and wellness, thus fulfilling a contract between society and the profession. Safe, quality nursing interventions are evidence-based. The nursing community at La Salle University respects the humanity of the people they serve and recognizes the potential for healing within the person, integrating mind, body, and spirit.

Students bring their experience to the process of development as ethical, caring practitioners. 

Students and faculty relationships foster scholarship, collegiality, respect, and collaboration. 

1. Science
2. Holistic care
3. Professionalism
4. Population health
5. Environment

Program Goals

1. Educate baccalaureate prepared nurses for advanced nursing roles, fostering their ability to contribute to the advancement of nursing. 

2. To meet the health needs of diverse individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across various environments.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master's degree program in nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice program and post-graduate APRN certificate program at (La Salle University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Degree or Certificate Earned

M.S.N.

Required for Program Completion

• Courses 
  • 13-16
• Credits
  • 41-47 credits
• GPA
  • 3.0

Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the program the student will be able to:

1. Integrate advanced theoretical, research-based, scientific, and clinical knowledge into clinical practice to provide nursing care to diverse clients. (Essential 1)

2. Practice independently and collaboratively with an interprofessional team while delivering direct and indirect care services in various types of health care systems. (Essential 2, 7, 9, 10)

3. Use research findings from nursing and other disciplines as a basis for clinical decision-making to improve practice and to formulate health policy. (Essential 4, 6)

4. Use ethical decision-making to promote the well-being of individuals, families, health care professionals in local, national, and international communities. (Essential 6)

5. Utilize evidence-based practice recommendations and professional standards of care to promote health, prevent disease and improve the health status of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. (Essential 4, 8)

6. Demonstrate communication skills, including health information management to enhance the quality of care provided at individual and aggregate levels. (Essential 5)

7. Demonstrate safe, effective assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation skills in caring for individuals and groups while working in interprofessional collaborative relationships. (Essential 3, 4, 7, 9)

8. Provide culturally competent care to all persons regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, culture, health care beliefs, and religion. (Essential 7, 8)

9. Function as a leader and change agent in nursing and in health care delivery systems particularly to ensure quality care for vulnerable and underserved populations. (Essential 7, 8)

10. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for ongoing professional development (Essential 9)

Admission Requirements

Master of Science in Nursing Degree

The Standards for Admission to the Graduate Program in Nursing are as follows:

1. Online application
2. Professional résumé
3. A statement articulating your professional values, future educational and career aspirations utilizing the desired certification, and the reason for your track selection.
4. Current unencumbered R.N. licensure in the United States.
5. One year of current clinical experience as a registered nurse.
6. Two professional references. One reference must be a former professor or supervisor.
7. For Post-MSN applicants who hold current CRNP licenses, one year of current NP experience in their area of NP certification.
8. Evidence of successful academic achievement in completing a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE-accredited program, or the MSN Bridge program for R.N.s with a non-nursing baccalaureate degree.
   1. Undergraduate coursework must include an introductory statistics course (including inferential and descriptive) and an undergraduate nursing research course.
9. Students with an undergraduate BSN or other RN entry level GPA of less than 2.67 are required to present test scores from the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), MAT (Miller Analogies Test) or GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test), to be considered for admission into the program. Students should aim for a score above the 50th percentile for the verbal and quantitative sections.
10. A criminal background check in the state of residence and state of Pennsylvania is required upon admission to the program and annually until graduation. If there is a positive finding on the criminal background check, a letter of explanation must be provided. This complaint/conviction will be reviewed by the graduate admissions committee and may result in rescinding of the offer of admission.

Students who have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate program may be formally accepted into the Master of Science program upon receipt of all required documents for admission and a review by the Graduate Nursing Admissions and Progressions committee.

Course Sequence

MSN Tracks

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Total credits: 41* (6 Credits in Electives)

Family Nurse Practitioner

Total Credits: 45* (3 Credits in Electives)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Total Credits: 46* (3 Credits in Electives)

Clinical Nurse Leader (No Longer accepting Applicants)

Total Credits: 34

Post- Masters (MSN) Nursing Certificates

A Gap Analysis of prior MSN coursework is conducted to identify the courses needed for successful completion of the required Core and Advanced Core courses. This individualized review ensures that each student’s plan of study builds upon previous graduate-level nursing education while addressing any remaining requirements.

Post-Master’s Certificate Programs are designed for master’s-prepared nurses seeking to expand their scope of practice and advance their professional expertise. Certificates are available in the following tracks:

•    Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
•    Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
•    Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Track specific course; requires a total of 512 clinical hours. 

Family Nurse Practitioner

Track specific course; requires a total of 692 clinical hours. 

**For post master’s certificate students who are already adult nurse practitioners, the clinical requirements are 308 hours.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Track specific course; requires a total of 692 clinical hours. 

Course Descriptions

Nursing (MSN)

All course descriptions may be found in the main menu under Graduate > Courses: A-Z.

Faculty

Director: Rachel Spoon DNP, CRNP, AGPCNP-BC, CCCTM
Associate Professors: Dr. Tait, Dr. Donohue-Smith, Dr. Kinder
Assistant Professors: Dr. Palovcak, Dr. Spoon, Dr. Storbrauck
Adjunct: Dr. Mathew, Dr. Bronzell-Wynder, Dr Czekanski, Dr. Kurz
Professor Emerita:  Dr. Wilby

Program Contact Information

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track (Example Part-Time Plan of Study)

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track (Example Full-Time Plan of Study)

Family Nurse Practitioner Track (Example Part-Time Plan of Study)

Family Nurse Practitioner Track (Example Full-Time Plan of Study)

Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Example Part-Time Plan of Study)

Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Example Full-Time Plan of Study)

PMHNP Track specific Didactic & Clinical Courses have a single Start Term (Fall semester; Starts with NUR 627/657)