MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner

Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing‘s programs are challenging, but the rewards of completing your degree and entering this critical profession are many. We are committed to providing an outstanding education to nurses at all levels— from nurses seeking a master’s degree and advanced practice certifications to existing advanced practice nurses seeking doctoral-level training. Our programs are dynamic and responsive to the needs of our students and the health care industry. We’re excited to share our programs with you.

The curricula for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs combine important knowledge and skills with a friendly and caring spirit. Our goal is to prepare and challenge you for that next step in your professional career.

Meet Sharon R. Simon, Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program

Meet The Nursing Faculty

Upon completion of the program, you will be prepared to practice in the primary care role in urban, suburban, rural and underserved areas, choose to teach in nursing schools or continue your higher education.

Family nurse practitioners are critical in meeting the primary care needs of rural and/or underserved populations in this country.  According to AANP, the average practicing nurse practitioner salary is $110,000 annually. 

1. Synthesize evidence-based practice, clinical guidelines, and clinical judgment to improve the quality of clinical practice in diverse populations with consideration for social determinants of health.
2. Apply ethical, cultural, legal and social factors that influence access, equity, quality and cost-effectiveness to advance nursing practice.
3. Demonstrate, through competency-based evaluation, the delivery, management, health policy process, and leadership of advanced practice nursing and population health in primary care settings.
4. Create interprofessional dialogues and utilize healthcare technologies to optimize clinical decision making and evidence-based practice to support and strengthen patient outcomes.
5. Construct a sustainable professional family nurse practitioner identity and practice that reflects compassionate, holistic, and wellness-focused patient-centered care for diverse populations.

Clinical placement is a collaborative process between the student and the faculty.  We do have articulation agreements with many sites; you may use the Map of Affiliation in EXXAT to see current sites we are already affiliated with by location.  We request that students provide three new site or preceptor referrals.. The clinical placement team will then reach out to those referrals, and if they are agreeable to a student placement, we will work to initiate new contracts with those clinical sites. Clinical experiences are scheduled at the convenience of the facility hosting the student.

Clinical experiences take place in a wide variety of ambulatory, community, rural and medically underserved health care settings appropriate to the family nurse practitioner track. You will partner with clinical experts throughout the region, as well as have an opportunity to participate in service trips and explore electives with global travel opportunities.

N 532	Advanced Practice Roles, Ethics & Policy
N 560	Advanced Concepts in Physiology & Pathophysiology
N 504	Introduction to Graduate Writing
N 550	Advanced Pharmacology & Therapeutics
N/NLAB 580	Advanced Health Promotion & Assessment Across the Lifespan
N 507	Data Interpretation & Informatics
NP 526	Mental Health in Primary Care
NP 610	Primary Care of Families: Chronic
NPLB 650	Primary Care of Families (180 Clinical Hours)
NPLB 530	Family Nurse Practitioner Foundational Immersion
NP 620	Primary Care of Families: Acute
NPLB 670	Primary Care of Families – Practicum (180 Clinical Hours)
NP 631	Women’s Health in Primary Care
NP 632	Primary Care of Pediatrics
N 522	Research & Evidence-Based Practice
NP 690	Transition to APRN Practice
NPLB 641	Advanced Family Nurse Practitioner Immersion
NPLB 680	Primary Care Advanced Practicum (240 Clinical Hours)

Total credits: 47

Total clinical hours: 600

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM?

• MSN-FNP students typically graduate in 7 semesters (including summers)

HOW ARE THE CLASSES OFFERED?
All classes are offered in an online synchronous format. 

WHERE ARE CLASSES LOCATED?

Classes are online but students may utilize campus study rooms or the library on the main campus.

Main Campus | 1460 University Drive, Winchester, VA 22601

HOW MANY CLINICAL HOURS DO I NEED?
MSN-FNP includes 600 clinical hours

WHERE DO I DO MY CLINICALS?
Clinical placement is a collaborative process between the student and the faculty.  We have current articulation agreements with many sites but will also look to initiate new contracts for clinical sites referred by students.  You may use Map of Affiliation in EXXAT to see current sites we are already affiliated with by location. Clinical experiences are scheduled at the convenience of the facility hosting the student.

IS THERE A CERTIFICATION TEST THAT I NEED TO TAKE AFTER GRADUATION?
Yes. You may take the Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam from either The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

WHAT DOES IT COST?
See SU Tuition/Fees breakdown
SU alumni receive a per credit discount.

WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO I NEED?
A computer with internet and microphone capability.

To participate effectively in Shenandoah University’s distance learning courses, you must have full access to a reliable laptop/desktop connected to the Internet. Specific courses may have additional requirements and students should refer to the syllabus.

Computer Hardware Requirements: Your computer and communications hardware should meet or exceed the  following requirements:

Computer Hardware Requirements
	Windows	Macintosh
Operating System	Windows 10	Latest Mac OS X 10.14 or higher
Processor	Intel Core i3 processor or better	Intel Core i3 processor or better
Memory	8GB or more	8GB or more
Networking Hardware	Wired or Wireless connection	Wired or Wireless connection
Audio Video*	WebCam, Audio & Microphone	WebCam, Audio & Microphone

*Headset or earbuds are recommended for better listening quality

Computer Software & Services Requirements: In order to utilize all the available features and content for Shenandoah University online or distance education courses you will need the following software and services:

	Computer Software & Services Requirements (Windows or Macintosh)
Internet Service**	High Speed DSL, Cable, or Wireless (satellite connection not recommended) Test your internet connection speed at: http://www.pcpitstop.com/internet/bw.asp Recommended speed at least 3Mb per second
Internet Browser	Latest version of Firefox, Chrome or Safari
Office Suite	Microsoft Office Suite (Provided for full-time students)
Browser Configuration	Must support JavaScript, allow cookies and popup blocker must be turned off
Media Player	Windows Media Player, Quicktime Player or VLC

Your internet connection may vary depending on where you live, what type of internet connection you have, and your internet provider. If your internet connection is slower, you may still use SU features, however, you may encounter difficulties when loading pages, audio video playback may be choppy and downloading/uploading assignments may take longer, especially during peak usage times.

Additional software may be required by your individual program. Students will be notified by their faculty if this is the case.

If you have any questions regarding Shenandoah University’s computer recommendations please contact our IT Help Desk at helpdesk@su.edu or 540-665-5555.

WHEN DO CLASSES START?

• All MSN programs start in the fall.
• All Post-Graduate Certificate tracks begin in the Summer.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION AND HOW DO I APPLY?

• You can find this information under the Application Information tab below
  

ONCE ACCEPTED, IS ORIENTATION MANDATORY?
Yes. Orientation is mandatory because we have gathered all of the appropriate personnel to train you on the required software platforms that will be used throughout your program.  However, orientation is offered in a virtual setting so you will not need to come to campus.

WILL I NEED A VIRGINIA RN LICENSE?
Yes. You will need a Virginia OR a Multi-State license for allowance of practicing in your clinical experiences.

We’re excited you’re interested in one of our graduate nursing programs! Shenandoah reviews applications on a rolling basis, which means we will begin evaluating your application once all your documentation has been submitted. Students submitting completed applications before our priority deadlines will be considered first.

Program Prerequisites

• A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from a CCNE or an ACEN accredited institution. Recommended 3.0 cumulative GPA.
• Applicants must have completed or will complete the following prerequisite course requirements prior to enrolling at Shenandoah:
  • Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology courses. Recommended grade of “B” or better.
  • Undergraduate Statistics course with a grade of “C” or better. 
  • Undergraduate Chemistry course with a grade of “C” or better. 

Admissions Requirements

• Graduate application along with $30 application fee
• Unofficial transcripts for initial admission from all institutions of higher education previously attended
• 3 letters of recommendation
  • One from previous nursing faculty (if graduated in last five years)
  • Two professional references to attest to clinical experience (with Master’s degree or higher preferred)
• Current resume/C.V.
• Essay (250-500 words) answering the following question:
  
  • Why are you choosing to pursue the FNP role?
• Documentation of one full year of direct patient care prior to specialty courses
• Documentation of 2,080 RN or APRN direct patient care hours
• Unencumbered RN license – multi-state or individual state (must obtain licensure in the state(s) in which you will do clinical rotations.
• Interview with graduate nursing faculty may be required
• Language Proficiency Requirement must be met. Submission of TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo English Test (DET) may be required. See our policy for full details.  https://www.su.edu/admissions/international-students
• Upon admission, up-to-date immunizations and health records, a criminal background check, a urine drug screen, and CPR (from AHA only) will be required.

For international students who require a visa, due to limited on-campus hours, F-1 visas are not issued for this program.

HOW DO I APPLY?
Submit the Graduate Application

The Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing at Shenandoah University offers assured graduate program admission to its BSN or MSN alumni who are interested in earning an MSN, post-master’s specialty certificate, and/or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Alumni must meet minimum admission requirements to the MSN, post-master’s, and DNP programs, and will be required to submit an application by the application deadline. Alumni are strongly encouraged to apply by the priority deadline of February 15 to secure placement within their desired cohort.

School of Nursing alumni are assured entry into the following graduate programs:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) MSN
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) MSN
• Nurse-Midwifery (NM) MSN
• All Post-Master’s Certificates – FNP, PMHNP, NM
• Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

We encourage alumni to learn more about this benefit and our graduate programs. For more information, please contact Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing Programs Robbie McCauley, DNP, at rmccaule87@su.edu.