College of Health and Urban Affairs

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Brief Description of the Program:

       The School of Nursing offers a graduate program of study leading to the degree of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). This MSN was approved by the Board of Regents of the State University System (SUS) in 1992. The program is designed to prepare qualified professional nurses for advanced nursing roles in the care and management of adults and children. The program offers clinical concentration in Adult Health Nursing, Anesthesiology Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Family Health Nursing, Nurse Executive and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. The School is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC), (61 Broadway, New York, New York 10006, 1-800-669-1656 X153) and the Florida State Board of Nursing (4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN CO2, Tallahassee, FL 32399, 805-488-0595).

Advanced Adult Health Nursing        This clinical specialty track focuses on advanced nursing practice in the care of the adult in health and illness in primary, secondary, and/or tertiary care settings. Graduates are prepared for traditional and emerging roles of the Adult Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist (ANP/CNS) in a multicultural environment. Practice sites include community/family health centers, public health departments, hospital emergency departments, acute care settings in ambulatory and community based agencies, home health care settings, and physician and/or nurse practitioner offices. TO Advanced Adult Health Nursing Track

Advanced Child Health Nursing        This clinical specialty track focuses on family-centered care of children in health and illness in primary, secondary, and tertiary care settings. Graduates are prepared for traditional and emerging roles of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist in a multicultural environment. Practice sites include community/family health centers, schools, child development centers, well-child and disease-specific clinics, trauma centers, hospital emergency departments, and physician or nurse practitioner offices. TO Advanced Child Health Nursing Track

Advanced Family Health Nursing        This clinical specialty track focuses on advanced nursing practice in various ambulatory and community-based settings, addressing wellness, disease prevention, episodic care, and management of chronic illness at all ages. Graduates are prepared for the blended family nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist (FNP/CNS) role to provide primary health care services to families and individuals of all ages in various urban and rural settings. FNP/CNS services include health promotion, prevention, and diagnosis and management of acute and chronic health problems, including women’s health and uncomplicated pregnancy care. TO Advanced Family Health Nursing Track

Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing        This clinical specialty focuses on advanced nursing practice in the area of adults with psychiatric and/or mental health problems in primary, secondary. And tertiary care settings. Graduates are prepared for traditional roles of the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist in a multiethnic environment. Practice sites include community mental health centers, psychiatric clinics, crisis intervention centers, psychiatric hospital units, soup kitchens, and private offices of psychiatrists and/or PMHN nurse practitioners. TO Advanced Psychiatric/Mental Health Track

Anesthesiology Nursing        Students are educated as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists to administer anesthesia. The program is extremely rigorous. It contains didactic classes in the principles and practices of anesthesia for all types of patients undergoing surgical and diagnostic procedures in all specialty areas. Considerable course work is devoted to pathophysiology and pharmacology. The program is partially “front loaded” in that the first semester is virtually all in the classroom. Starting with in the second semester, regular daily clinical experience begins with increasing clinical hours every semester, although classes continue throughout the program. TO Anesthesiology Nursing Track

Nurse Executive Program        This program educates the nurse executive of today. Graduates will work in a constantly evolving environment of health care management. They will be prepared in the entire spectrum of finance, organizational theory, change management, human resource management and development, and strategic planning. The Nurse Executive track places emphasis on the management principles and organizational processes related to the delivery of health care to client systems. Students will learn to apply their management skills through an intensive practicum under the guidance of a nurse executive. TO Nurse Executive Track

Certificate Programs:        The Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program is built upon a recent Master’s degree in nursing with a clinical nursing major such as adult health nursing, child health nursing, family health nursing, or psychiatric/mental health nursing. Recent equivalent graduate course work may be substituted for required courses.

Application Requirements:

Meet the admission requirements for graduate education at Florida International University.

Have a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commisssion (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Anesthesiology Nursing applicants are accepted with a baccalaureate degree in an appropriate area other than nursing. They must, however, have a registered nurse (RN) license to practice.

The applicant must have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a combined score (verbal and quantitative) on the GRE of 1000 to be considered for admission.

The GRE examination must have been taken within the past five years unless the applicant has successfully completed a graduate degree program. The GRE results should be sent directly to the FIU Graduate Admissions Office, Florida International University. For further information concerning application, testing dates and centers, applicants must contact the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. Information about test center locations may also be obtained at the American Embassy in the applicant's home country.

Applicants who fail to meet the University admission criteria (GPA: > 3.00 or GRE: 1000) may appeal the admission decision and be considered under the University's Exception Policy. This policy allows up to 10% percent of the graduate students admitted for a particular academic year as exceptions to the above criteria. Students may obtain admission waiver information from the Graduate Nursing Program (GNP) secretary. Students must have taken the GRE twice before they can be considered for admission by waiver.

Possess a current State of Florida RN license. Out-of-state students must obtain a license to practice in Florida.

Have completed a minimum of one year of clinical nursing practice as an RN. Anesthesiology Nursing applicants must have completed a minimum of one year of clinical experience as an RN in a critical care setting.

Have successfully completed an introductory course in statistics (3 credits) and health assessment (3 credits) at the undergraduate level, as well as computer application skills (word processing).

Have completed an essay as described below. The essay, no more than two (2) double-spaced typewritten pages is required for admission to the MSN program. please address the following points:

• Reason for your decision to enter the graduate program in your chosen specialty.
• Your goals and expectations as an advanced nurse practitioner.
• Describe how you have practiced the roles listed below and how you expect to improve your performance through graduate study.
  • Quality care provider
  • Teacher, manager, consultant
  • Practitioner who integrates psychosocial, developmental, and cultural aspects into care.
  • Change agent in the professional arena.
  • Developer of innovations in care protocols and care delivery.

Have provided three (3) letters of reference. Admission to the MSN program requires three references from persons in an educational, administrative, or collegial capacity who have worked closely with you in the past five years. At least one letter must be from an employer or immediate supervisor. A professor is strongly recommended as a second person if your previous education was fairly recent. It is important that at least one of the three persons has first-hand knowledge about your clinical competence in nursing.

The forms for the letters of reference are included in the application materials obtained from the School of Nursing. Complete the top portion of the forms and give them to your selected persons. Inform the person who is completing the reference that the completed form should be returned directly to the FIU School of Nursing, Biscayne Bay Campus, ACII-230, North Miami, Florida 33181.

Have an interview with a member of the MSN program faculty. In cases involving great distances, a conference call arrangement may be used in lieu of a personal interview. The MSN program secretary will arrange the interview after all admission materials have been received.

Have proof of liability insurance prior to registration for the first clinical specialty course.

Additional Requirements for International Students:

• TOEFL score of at least 500 if not licensed as an RN in Florida.
• A photocopy of applicant’s Florida RN license or CGFNS certification must be filed with the University application in lieu of the TOEFL requirement.
• A Florida RN license is required prior to starting a clinical nursing course.