Admission Requirements

1. BS in Nursing from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for baccalaureate nursing degree and subsequent graduate work.
2. An unencumbered New York state RN license.
3. Nursing clinical experience: Prior to entering the clinical coursework of the MS program in the fall of year 2, a minimum of two years of acute/critical care experience is required.
4. Verification of a basic health assessment course.
5. Verification of a statistics course.
6. AHA Certification: current copy of ACLS certification.
7. A resume that includes relevant work experiences (including dates of employment by month and year), evidence of community service, examples of leadership and commitment to the profession of nursing, and memberships in professional nursing organizations.
8. Three letters of recommendation submitted through the online recommendation form, accessible through the online application.  Letters can be from the following sources, attesting to the applicant’s capacity and potential for master’s study:
   1. The director or a faculty member from the most recent academic program attended (if applicant has been a nursing student in the last 5 years);
   2. The applicant’s current employer; and,
   3. A person who can attest to the applicant’s professional work.
9. A pre-admission interview.
10. Essays, one of which to be written on-site following interview.
11. Comprehensive background check.
12. Student Health Requirements: Proof of physical examination within one year of application, student NP liability insurance and health insurance, current immunizations for MMR, Chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis.

Total Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 51

Graduation Requirements

Students enrolled in the AGACNP track of the MS program are required, in accordance with regulatory and educational standards, to perform direct advanced practice clinical care hours. These credit-bearing clinical hours are a component of each of the four clinical courses in which the student is placed with an appropriate preceptor.  The AGACNP track of the MS program requires students to perform 840 direct care hours.

Project included in NUR 218 

With a focus on practice inquiry, the students will begin developing their research and evidence –based practice skills early in the program, during the Research Methods and Design course, in which they are introduced to types of research designs, data collection, analysis and presentation skills. Having the skills to manage a team, evaluate critical problems and execute solutions is required to be an effective advanced practice nurse.  This course engages students in designing a project of significant importance that is a current problem or initiative for their healthcare organization.

The evidence-based practice project includes:

1. Collaborate with a professional team to develop and implement the project.
2. Assess the needs and expectations of the learner’s organizational unit.
3. Identify a clinical problem.
4. Outline an appropriate evidence-based scope of work: formulating the evidence-based practice clinical question, evidence summary (search for research evidence, appraisal of the evidence), development of recommendations for practice based on gap analysis (current practice vs. evidence recommendations).
5. Propose evidence-based recommendations for implementing change. Present evidence-based practice change proposal for feedback from colleagues.  Identify key stakeholders, barriers and facilitators of recommended practice change.
6. Design implementation plan for practice change.
7. Disseminate EBP practice change by presenting project results in a poster format to colleagues.

Cumulative Exam upon completion of NUR 264