Entry to Practice in Nursing, MS
Founding Program Director: Connie Perkins, Ph.D., RN, CNE
Graduate Faculty
Erin Lundeen, DNP, RN, CSN
Suzanne Soltysik, DNP, NPD-BC, RN-BC, CNE
The Masters Entry to Practice (MEP) program is an efficient way to become a registered nurse while also achieving a Master of Science in nursing.
Accepted, qualified non-nursing Bachelor of Science prepared students can complete the 72 credit program in 6 semesters of year-round, full-time study. This program will challenge adult learners to practice ethical and critical decision making in the classroom, clinical arena, and community to become nurse generalists and leaders of the future.
Graduates will be prepared for the rigorous nursing career ahead by becoming emotionally intelligent providers who practice with empathy, respect, integrity, and as global citizens.
Like all occupations focused on service to the public, nursing involves emotionally intense work. Studies show that those who are able to regulate their emotions as they impact themselves and others are better-equipped to attain a high level of job satisfaction.
Emotional intelligence (EI) promotes considering our own and others' emotions before responding to conflict. It rests on four emotional-regulating pillars — self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management — designed to support healthy relationships and personal balance.
All Masters Entry to Practice students are equipped with an iPad as part of the program's commitment to put technology in the hands of students. The goal is to have students use the device as a learning tool and to carry it into the clinical arena as a way to help educate patients as well.
Note: In order to follow the plan below, students must transfer in a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university within the United States or Canada with evidence of a passing grade (C, per university standards) in Anatomy & Physiology I & II with lab, Microbiology, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Life Span Development, Statistics, and Sociology.
First Year | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
Program Cohorts begin in Spring | MEP-500 | 1 | MEP-512 | 7 | |
MEP-510 | 5 | MEP-611 | 3 | ||
MEP-511 | 3 | ||||
MEP-610A | 4 | ||||
0 | 13 | 10 | |||
Second Year | |||||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
MEP-513 | 7 | MEP-515 | 6 | MEP-516 | 6 |
MEP-514 | 5 | MEP-612 | 3 | MEP-517 | 6 |
MEP-614 | 3 | MEP-613 | 3 | ||
12 | 12 | 15 | |||
Third Year | |||||
Fall | Credits | ||||
MEP-615 | 3 | ||||
MEP-616 | 3 | ||||
MEP-618 | 4 | ||||
10 | |||||
Total Credits 72 |
MASTERS ENTRY TO PRACTICE (MEP)
MEP-500 NURSING WRITING WORKSHOP (1 Credit)
Through lesson and module completion, students will grow a writing foundation as a professional nurse. Focus is placed on APA formatting and style such as title page, abstract, and reference page.
MEP-510 FOUNDATIONAL NURSING CARE (5 Credits)
Through lecture and applied learning experiences in extended care settings, students will gain foundational concepts to be used throughout the MEP program. Focus is placed on the nursing process, concept mapping, medical terminology, and infection control principles.
MEP-511 HEALTH CARE POLICY & ETHICS (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will gain a knowledge base for reviewing, following, and drafting evidence-based health care policies. Focus is placed on patient rights and nursing's role in advocating through legislation, ethical dilemmas via case study review, and the American Nurses Association.
MEP-512 ADULT NURSING CARE I (7 Credits)
Through lecture and applied learning experiences in acute care settings, students will gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide safe, high quality inpatient care to the ill adult and geriatric patient. Focus is placed on health education and promotion, chronic illness and disability, age-related care, pain management, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and body system conditions.
MEP-513 ADULT NURSING CARE II (7 Credits)
Through lecture and applied learning experiences in acute care settings, students will build upon the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide safe, high quality inpatient care to the ill adult and geriatric patient. Focus is placed on concepts such as shock, oncologic disorders, end-of-life care, immunologic function, disorders of the oral cavity, sensory function, kidney function, and integumentary function.
MEP-514 COMMUNITY & PEDIATRIC NURSING CARE (5 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and applied learning experiences in community and acute care settings, students will gain assessment skills and care planning techniques. Focus is placed on public health, pediatric assessment, and community needs.
MEP-515 PSYCHIATRIC NURSING CARE (6 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and applied learning experiences in acute care or outpatient settings, students will gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide safe, high quality care to adolescent and adult psychiatric populations. Focus will be on therapeutic communication strategies, mental health conditions, and crisis intervention.
MEP-516 OBSTETRICAL NURSING CARE (6 Credits)
Through lecture and applied learning experiences in acute care and outpatient settings, students will gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide safe, high quality care to pregnant and postpartum patients. Focus is placed on pregnancy health and wellness, infertility, the labor and delivery process, and growth and development of the newborn.
MEP-517 CRITICAL CLIENT NURSING CARE (6 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, simulations, and applied learning experiences in intensive and emergency care settings, students will gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide safe, high quality inpatient care to the critically ill adult and geriatric patient. Focus is placed on critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and emergency response certification (Advanced Cardiac Life Support).
MEP-610 ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will build upon previously learned concepts of altered health states. Focus is placed on disorders of the immune system, hematopoietic system, cardiovascular system, neurological system, respiratory system, and genetics to further enhance patient care.
MEP-610A ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY (4 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will build upon previously learned concepts of altered health states. Focus is placed on disorders of the immune system, hematopoietic system, cardiovascular system, neurological system, respiratory system, and genetics to further enhance patient care.
MEP-611 ADVANCED PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, discussion, and skills lab, students will build upon previously learned and practiced assessment techniques that enhance students' ability to identify health issues. Focus is placed on documentation, history taking, and clinical reasoning to further develop and emphasize systems-perspectives and the nursing process.
MEP-612 NURSING THEORY & EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will be introduced to the process of theoretical thinking and process planning. Focus is placed on nursing theory, selected non-nursing theorists, and evidence-based practice to enhance patient care and strengthen leadership abilities.
MEP-613 POPULATION HEALTH & QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and applied experiences in community settings, students will gain an understanding of the nurse's role in improving health outcomes for all patients. Focus is placed on maintaining a healthy population, working within clinical microsystems to achieve organizational excellence through quality improvement practices, and patient education.
MEP-614 ADVANCED PHARMACOLOGY (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will build upon previously learned concepts of medications and how the body reacts to them. Focus is placed on drug classes such as antibiotics, anxiolitics, narcotics, diuretics, and lipid-lowering agents and their application to the education and protection of patients across the lifespan.
MEP-615 TECHNOLOGICAL & STATISTICAL APPROACHES TO PATIENT CARE (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and applied experiences with nurses responsible for data management, students will be exposed to technology used in practice to promote quality, value-based care. Focus will be on informatics, statistics, and data collection.
MEP-616 NURSING RESEARCH METHODS (3 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and discussion, students will gain a basis of how to perform research and quality improvement as a healthcare professional. Focus is placed on quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed methodology, article analysis, evidence-based practice, survey creation, unstructured observation and transcription, and measurement analysis. A quality improvement plan serves as the culminating thesis expected of graduate students, which is completed via poster presentation to mimic future dissemination opportunities.
MEP-618 NURSING LEADERSHIP (4 Credits)
Through lecture, assignments, and applied learning experiences with nurse leaders focused on quality care and patient safety, students will gain an understanding of leadership concepts in everyday nursing practice. Focus is on critical organizational and systems leadership, performance appraisal, meaningful use, value-based care, and fiscal responsibility.