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Master of Science in Nursing | MSN | Graduate Degree Program

Master of Science in Nursing | MSN

Online Master of Science in Nursing

At Ottawa University, you can earn an accelerated Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree online and gain the skills you need to improve the quality of patient care and your career options.

Ottawa’s innovative online Masters in Nursing degree can help you fulfill personal and career goals and increase your overall earning potential. This accelerated program empowers graduates to become servant leaders in the nursing profession, improving health outcomes for individuals, families, groups, and communities in diverse population settings.

CCNE Accredited Nursing Program

Ottawa’s Master of Science in Nursing degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the leading accrediting agency for baccalaureate and graduate degree nursing programs in the United States. CCNE serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. Program accreditation was effective in March 2019 and extends through December 2024.

Why Pursue a Career in Nursing?

The U.S. faces dramatic challenges in health care, but our country also has a powerful solution – its 4 million registered nurses. Nurses are by far the largest sector of the health profession, and also the profession the public most trusts year after year. They are on the front lines of care and prevention, at the bedside and in the community, and are key to improving health equity and creating communities in which everyone has access to high-quality care. If our nation’s health-care system is destined to undergo real, transformative change to meet the rapidly growing demands of our population, then nurses are the key.The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action

Now is the time to open the door to future career opportunities with an accelerated, online Master of Science in Nursing degree!

Nursing | MSN is offered at the following locations.

  • Surprise, AZ (Residential Campus)
  • Overland Park, Kansas
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Brookfield, Wisconsin
  • Online

Nursing Education and Qualifications

Unique RN-MSN Option

This accelerated, online program is designed for the Registered Nurse (RN) who has graduated from an accredited program. A current, unrestricted RN license obtained in the U.S. is required.

Our RN to MSN Bridge Program features:

  • Personalized attention by expert faculty and staff to ensure you have the support you need to succeed.
  • Patient-focused curriculum designed to assist graduates to function in today’s complex educational and/or health care systems.
  • Highly qualified instructors with years of real-world experience.

Download the RN-MSN Bridge Program Overview

Two Nursing Concentrations

The Master of Science in Nursing at OU allows you customize your education with your choice of two nursing concentration tracks - Nurse Educator or Nurse Leader. Select one to tailor your degree to meet your specific career goals.

  • Nurse Educator

As advances in our healthcare system continue to improve and enhance the quality of life and life expectancy, there is a critical need to increase nurse educators in our industry that can prepare nurses at all levels to meet the provision of nursing services that the population will require. This concentration track will provide you with the tools necessary to step into the classroom and produce future leaders in healthcare.

  • Nurse Leader

The demand for well-trained nurse leaders is projected for continued rapid growth as the industry seeks professionals who have what it takes to make decisions at higher levels of health care leadership. This concentration track will provide graduates with the knowledge and skills to pursue management and executive-level positions, whereby they can help set standards for the quality of care in health-care organizations of all sizes.

For curriculum and course descriptions, please download a program overview.

Nursing Careers

With the projected shortage of RNs in concert with the aging population, the demand for well-trained nurse educators and leaders is projected to continue to experience rapid growth. The need to add more opportunities for nurses to obtain their master's degrees presents an opportunity to actively address the forecasted nursing shortage.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the career outlook for RNs is expected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. The average salary of a registered nurse was $75,330 in May of 2020.

The income for nurses with advanced degrees is even higher, the average salary of a nurse educator was $ 84,060 in May of 2020. Salary ranges for those who have a career in nursing can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and years of experience. A degree in nursing opens the door to a wide range of careers.

Careers in Nursing

  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
  • Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
  • Clinical Genetics Nurse (CGN)
  • Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL)
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
  • Clinical Research Nurse (CRN)
  • Certified Nurse Educator (CNE)
  • Executive Nurse Leader (ENL)
  • Informatics Nurse Specialist (CIN)
  • Nurse Administrator (NE-BC)
  • Nurse Practitioner (NP)
  • Public Health Nurse (PHN)

Master of Science in Nursing Classes

(36 credit hours)

Core Courses (18 credit hours)

All Master of Science in Nursing students take these six required core courses.

Transition to the Graduate Nursing Role | NSRG 7000 (3 credit hours)
Assists the nursing student with transition to graduate study at Ottawa University in order to enhance opportunities for success in the program. Historical perspective of the scientific and theoretical basis of nursing at the graduate level of practice is explored. Emphasis is placed on standards for scholarly writing and linkages between theory, practice and research in advanced nursing practice. Core competencies vital to all advanced practice roles and health care in complex systems are addressed. In addition, students explore the complex ethical responsibilities that are faced by today’s nursing leaders.

Advanced Pathophysiology | NSRG 7100 (3 credit hours)
Focuses on advanced physiology and pathophysiology across the life span with emphasis on clinical decision-making when caring for patients with acute and chronic diseases. Disease prevention and health promotion are also emphasized.

Advanced Pharmacology | NSRG 7200 (3 credit hours)
Focuses on advanced pharmacotherapeutics across the life span with emphasis on clinical decision-making when caring for patients with acute and chronic diseases. Current issues and best practices in pharmacology are included.

Advanced Health Assessment | NSRG 7300 (3 credit hours)
Builds upon the student’s previous health assessment knowledge and experience. Emphasis will be placed on holistic assessment, intervention and evaluation using a family-centered approach as well as an exploration of evidence-based strategies for prevention and management.

Research to Improve Quality and Safety for Graduate Nursing Roles | NSRG 7400 (3 credit hours)
Builds upon statistics and expands understanding of research methods and critical analysis of the literature as a foundation for evidence-based practice at the graduate level. There is a focus on the evaluation of outcomes and risk analysis to ensure the improvement of safety and quality in the care of diverse populations.
Prerequisite:  Undergraduate Statistics (Statistics for Social Sciences or equivalent statistical course approval)

Cultural Diversity, Policy and Advocacy within Population Health | NSRG 7500 (3 credit hours)
Uses the principles of epidemiology to evaluate disease prevention and health promotion data when advocating for health care policies that meet the needs of diverse population groups. In addition, there is a deeper exploration of cultural diversity and cultural humility with a special emphasis on vulnerable populations.

MSN students choose from one of two specializations: Nurse Educator or Nurse Leadership.


Nurse Educator Specialization (18 credit hours)

Foundations for Nurse Educator Practice | NSRG 7601 (3 credit hours)
Introduces the theoretical and research base for nurse educator practice in a variety of settings. The nurse educator roles of teaching, service and scholarship are explored and include an emphasis on nurse educators as leaders and change agents who pursue continuous quality improvement within the educational environment. In addition, there is an emphasis on domains of learning and adult learning theory from a learner-centered philosophy. The goal of this approach is to facilitate learner achievement of desired outcomes.
Prerequisite:  Successful Completion of CORE MSN Courses or Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee

Teaching Strategies for Today’s Nurse Educator | NRSG 7602 (3 credit hours)
Emphasizes the theoretical and evidence base for effective teaching in nursing education. Students will examine and evaluate a variety of traditional and innovative teaching/learning strategies used in didactic, lab and clinical settings and identify best practices. There is an emphasis on creating a learner-centered environment that fosters student engagement, clinical reasoning and critical thinking. Techniques to assess student achievement of learning outcomes are highlighted.

Curriculum Design and Assessment Techniques in Nursing Education | NRSG 7603 (3 credit hours)
Explores models for curriculum design, development and evaluation within the context of organizational mission, philosophy, goals, and desired learning outcomes and competencies. There is a focus on internal and external factors influencing the curriculum. Also explores key strategies to enhance critical thinking in the development of instructional design, as well as test construction and item analysis. Analysis of assessment and evaluation data is addressed to facilitate student learning and enhance program effectiveness.
 
Instructional Technology and Simulation in Nursing Education | NSRG 7604 (3 credit hours)
Examines current and emerging instructional technologies and simulation used in a variety of nursing educational settings and e-learning environments, including online. Application, implementation and evaluation of instructional technologies and simulation concepts are explored to enhance understanding of evidence-based interactive learning practices for direct and indirect patient-care roles.

Nurse Educator Practicum | NSRG 7605 (3 credit hours)
Comprises the nursing education practicum in selected organization(s) with opportunities to apply educational knowledge, skills and concepts in a guided and transformational context in nursing education. Validation of advanced clinical expertise in a selected nursing specialty area is required as a significant value for nurse educators.  An evidence-based practice approach is used to guide the scholarly project developed in this course and completed in the capstone.
Prerequisite:  Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee is required for enrollment.

Nurse Educator Capstone | NSRG 7606 (3 credit hours)
Focuses on the integration of knowledge with advanced nursing practice competencies in the role of nurse educator to demonstrate attainment of program outcomes. The scholarly project provides validation of the student’s ability to translate evidence into practice, improve quality outcomes, advance interprofessional collaboration, embrace diversity, and lead change in nursing education.
PrerequisiteSuccessful completion of all MSN nursing courses or Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee is required for enrollment.


Nurse Leadership Specialization (18 credit hours)

Foundations for Nurse Leader Practice | NSRG 7701 (3 credit hours)
Introduces the theoretical and research base for nurse leader practice in a variety of settings. There is an emphasis on nurse leaders as scholars and change agents who pursue continuous quality improvement within the health care environment. Professional communication skills such as conflict management and negation are addressed. There is a focus on human resource management in health care organizations, including the unique challenges encountered related to staffing, unionism, productivity, and performance evaluation in today’s complex health care delivery settings.
Prerequisite:  Successful Completion of CORE MSN Courses or Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee

Health Information and Systems Management as a Nurse Leader | NSRG 7702 (3 credit hours)
Examines the essential components of healthcare information systems and patient-care technology in complex healthcare settings. A systems approach is used to evaluate health care delivery modes and work design in order to improve key performance metrics.

Legal and Ethical Issues for Nurse Leaders | NSRG 7703 (3 credit hours)
Explores salient legal and ethical issues faced by nurse leaders. There is a focus on professional accountability, interprofessional communication, advocacy, embracing diversity, and promoting access to healthcare. In addition, evidence-based practice that is based on outcomes measurement and research is addressed.

Business Concepts for Nurse Leaders | NSRG 7704 (3 credit hours)
Provides opportunities to examine critical business acumen needed by nurse leaders. Healthcare economics, strategic planning, and financial management topics are explored to enhance the effectiveness of the nurse leader in today’s complex health care environments.

Nurse Leader Practicum | NSRG 7705 (3 credit hours)
Comprises the nurse leadership practicum focusing on management of outcomes for individuals and populations. An evidence-based practice approach is used to guide the scholarly project developed in this course and completed in the capstone. Strategies to change practice for optimal outcomes are explored.
Prerequisite:  Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee is required for enrollment.

Nurse Leader Capstone | NSRG 7706 (3 credit hours)
Focuses on the integration of knowledge with advanced nursing practice competencies in the role of nurse leader to demonstrate attainment of program outcomes. The scholarly project provides validation of the student’s ability to translate evidence into practice, improve quality outcomes, advance interprofessional collaboration, embrace diversity, and facilitate change as a nurse leader.
Prerequisite:  Successful completion of all MSN nursing courses or Approval by Program Coordinator &/or Director/designee is required for enrollment.

For curriculum and course descriptions, please download a program overview.

Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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