Master of Science in Nursing - Community and Public Health Nursing
Program Description
The mission of the American Public University System’s Nursing Program is to “provide quality, affordable, and accessible higher education for professional registered nurses to foster lifelong learning through a spirit of inquiry in order to prepare students for service and leadership roles in a diverse and global society.”
The Master of Science in Nursing program helps to prepare you to be an effective leader in the nursing profession and to be an agent of change in the delivery of health care. The transformational changes occurring in healthcare today make advanced nursing practice essential to the provision of safe, patient-centered care. As a nurse educator or nurse leader, you can help lead the change to move nursing into the future.
The master's degree program in nursing at APUS is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Note: This program is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington.
This program has specific admission requirements.
Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:
- Apply the principles of ethical decision making to the practice of the master’s prepared nurse.
- Demonstrate leadership skills to support safe nursing practices and continually improve patient-centered care.
- Advocate for healthcare policies that improve healthcare outcomes across the lifespan.
- Translate theoretical knowledge, research and evidence-based practice to influence the delivery of high-quality, safe care to various populations in a variety of settings.
- Apply data management principles in the delivery of cost-effective care to improve health outcomes.
- Analyze how healthcare policy and health care economics affect change within the healthcare system.
- Demonstrate effective inter-professional communication and collaboration to support safe and efficient coordination of care.
- Reflect on personal commitment to lifelong learning to gain the competencies needed to lead the provision of care in a complex and changing healthcare environment.
Programmatic Admission Requirements
This program is currently not open for admission to residents of Washington.
For this program, the following documentation is required and must be provided prior to course registration:
- Official transcripts showing a conferred Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a program accredited by: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing ( ACEN®), Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA®), or Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).
- Current and active unencumbered registered nurse (RN) in a state or province where practicums will be conducted
- Minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate nursing degree
- Successful completion of an undergraduate level statistics course with a “C” or higher
- Current resume/CV
- Signed statement of understanding (SOU)
- 500-600 word statement of purpose and goals for graduate education*
*Writing style should be scholarly and coherent with no grammatical errors. Provide in 500-600 words a description of relevant work experience, and clearly articulated reasons for applying to the master’s program. Long-term goals or professional career aspirations should be included.
Note: You must complete this program within 5 years of starting your first nursing (NURS) course.
ACEN® is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc.
CNEA® is a registered trademark of the National League for Nursing.
Please visit our AMU or APU graduate admission page for more information on institutional admission requirements.
Need help?
If you have questions regarding a program’s admission requirements, please contact the Admissions Team at 877-755-2787 or [email protected].
Degree at a Glance
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Core Requirements
15
|
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Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing
17
|
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Final Program Requirement
4
|
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Total Semester Hours
36
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Degree Program Requirements
Core Requirements (15 semester hours)
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Population-Based Healthcare
3 |
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Research and Evidence-Based Practice
3 |
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Informatics and Technology
3 |
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Healthcare Systems and Health Policy
3 |
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Leadership for the Master's Prepared Nurse
3 |
| Total Semester Hours 15 |
Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing (17 semester hours)
The community/public health nursing concentration prepares nurses to serve, protect, and promote the health of communities locally and globally through the application of three core functions of public health: assessment, policy development, and assurance. Students are taught to serve as change agents practicing with a justice approach that is collaborative, promotes health and equity, and engages community gatekeepers and stakeholders. Graduates are equipped to analyze determinants of health using epidemiological data and other evidence. They are also prepared to apply social and behavioral science theories, models, and principles to develop or improve programs to address public health issues and to promote public health policies, programs, and resources that improve health outcomes.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:
- Analyze social determinants of health that affect the health of a community.
- Evaluate prevention strategies of communities to identify opportunities for improvement in health and disease prevention of vulnerable populations.
- Enhance the health of a vulnerable population through interprofessional coordination, planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of a public health nursing intervention for a selected community.
Concentration Requirements (17 semester hours)
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Biostatistics with Lab
4 |
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Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health
3 |
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Research Methods in Public Health
3 |
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Epidemiology
3 |
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Program Development and Evaluation in Community and Public Health Nursing
4 |
| Total Semester Hours 17 |
Final Program Requirement (4 semester hours)
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Community and Public Health Nursing Practicum with Capstone Project 1
4 |
| Total Semester Hours 4 |
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Taken once all other degree requirements have been met. Students who select a Concentration in Community and Public Health Nursing must take this course.