Nurse Practitioner – Master of Science in Nursing

The Nurse Practitioner specialization allows you to choose one of two tracks:

The purpose of the MSN nurse practitioner specializations program is to prepare registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees for advanced nursing roles. The program offers two clinical specialization tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner, and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. The tecbnology –enhanced program is part-time allowing student s to engage in professional nursing practice and graduate studies

Program Overview

The Nurse Practitioner specialization is a two and a half year MSN program completed in eight continuous semesters. The part-time program allows students to engage in professional nursing practice and graduate studies. Nurse practitioner students will complete a minimum of 500 hours of clinical instruction in the FNP or AGACNP specialization tracks. Classes are offered on campus one day a week to fit the busy schedules of working registered nurses. Cohorts for the MSN program begin every fall semester. If you are interested in our Post-Baccalaureate DNP program, you can complete that within four years. The MSN and Post-Baccalaureate DNP program have the same course plan for the first year. Barry University also offers a Post Baccalaureate DNP program for nurse practitioners. You can consider moving to the Post Baccalaureate DNP after the first year of courses or chose to complete a Post Master’s DNP after your graduation and certification.

Becoming a Nurse Practitioner

When you graduate, you will have the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to engage as an exceptional nurse practitioner. You will graduate with the ability to:

  • Integrate evidence-based principles from advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, advanced health assessment, and health promotion/disease prevention in clinical decision making related to management of patient health/illness status
  • Establish a caring partnership with patients and/or caregivers based on mutual trust
  • Incorporate teaching/learning principles to devise and implement an individualized plan of care to meet the needs of patients and families
  • Incorporate principles of leadership to develop and implement the nurse practitioner role in health care delivery
  • Advocate for equitable, quality, and cost effective care by managing and negotiating a variety of health care delivery systems
  • Ensure and monitor the quality of health care practice through the use of professional/legal standards, collaboration, consultation, referral, and use of evidence-based interventions
  • Respect the rights of individuals to choose, participate, and refuse care and to express cultural and spiritual beliefs regarding their care

Certification

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

The FNP course plan incorporates Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Competencies in Specialty Areas: Adult, Family, Gerontological, Pediatric, and Women’s Health (NONPF/AACN, 2012), using the section specific to family practice and the AACN (2012) Family Nurse Practitioner Competencies. Additionally, the programs are congruent with Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs (National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, 2012). Graduates from the Family Nurse Practitioner track are eligible for the FNP national certification examination through American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

The AGACNP course plan incorporates the Adult –Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 2012). Graduates from the AGACNP track are eligible for the AGACNP national certification examination through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).

*Reference American Association of Colleges of Nursing: www.aacn.nche.edu/dnp/faqs