The Stabler Department of Nursing

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Master of Science (MS) Degree

The Master of Science (MS) degree program in nursing prepares graduates for advanced practice in the role of adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (A-GNP), adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist (A-GCNS), and nurse educator (NE). The program builds on undergraduate education and is intense and dynamic. Its aim is to guide students to develop advanced knowledge and expertise based on critique and application of theory and research. The tracks are prescriptive regarding the progression of coursework within their respective curricula.

Accreditation

The Master of Science program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program is also approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Program Outcomes

The program outcomes of the Master of Science (MS) degree in nursing program prepares graduates who will be able to:

1. Practice in a leadership role in advanced nursing practice and/or nursing education in response to the needs and demands of society and the changing health care environment.
2. Role model ethical, legal, and professional standards for advanced nursing practice and nursing education.
3. Integrate advanced knowledge of nursing and related disciplines in advanced practice roles.
4. Evaluate and apply evidence-based practice (EBP) research to clinical, educational, or administrative settings, thus improving patient care, health care systems, and nursing education.
5. Assume responsibility for self-directed, life-long learning and for promoting the professional development of nursing staff and/or students.
6. Design strategies to promote health and collaborative relationships with members of the health care team.
7. Act as a resource for other nurses in the areas of clinical practice, outcomes and evaluation, professional standards, evidence-based practice, and other health care issues.
8. Pass a national certification examination for A-GNP, A-GCNS, or NE.
9. Prepare for entry into a doctoral program.

Program Contact Information

The Stabler Department of Nursing office is located on the first floor in Diehl Hall on West Campus. All inquiries and admissions paperwork should be sent to this office directly. To contact the office, please call 717-815-1243 or e-mail us at msnursing@ycp.edu. The mailing address is:

York College of Pennsylvania
Graduate Programs in Nursing
441 Country Club Road
Diehl Hall
York, PA 17403

Admission for A-GNP, A-GCNS, or NE

Students who wish to enroll in the Master of Science (MS) degree in nursing program must apply for admission and submit required supporting materials to the Graduate Programs in Nursing:

• A-GNP: Application packets are due by March 1^st  (fall start, current year)
• A-GCNS and NE application packets are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • Students are accepted for program start in both fall and spring semesters.

Once the required documents have been received by the Graduate Programs in Nursing, the Admissions Committee will determine if an interview will be scheduled. The program administrative assistant will contact eligible applicants to schedule an interview. Following the interview, all documents will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. This committee will make the decision regarding acceptance or rejection into the program. Applicants will be notified of the decision within 24 hours of the last interview of the specified track. Applicants who are admitted are assigned an advisor who will work with the student to develop an individualized program of study.

Requirements for Admission for A-GNP, A-GCNS, or NE

Applicants must submit evidence of the following criteria for admission:

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree in nursing from a CNEA or CCNE-accredited program from a regionally accredited institution, or the equivalent institution, as determined by The Stabler Department of Nursing faculty.
• Grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher. (Applicants not meeting this grade point average requirement may be admitted on the recommendation of the admissions committee.)
• Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education.
• Current active RN licensure in Pennsylvania.
• One year of relevant practice experience.
• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from professional nurses with graduate degrees, regarding the applicantʼs practice and the potential for success in graduate work.
• Successful completion of the following courses: a statistics course that covered descriptive and inferential statistics, a physical assessment course, and a nursing research course.
• A goal statement indicating goals for graduate nursing education.
• A current curriculum vitae (CV)

Types of Admission

There are two types of student classifications in the Master of Science degree in nursing program:

1. Matriculated: An applicant who has satisfactorily met all entrance requirements in a track will be admitted as a matriculated degree student.
2. Non-Matriculated: An applicant must complete the application documentation process to be considered as a non-matriculated student which can be obtained from the Stabler Department of Nursing Office.  Applicants may consider non-matriculation due to:
   • Transferring a course to another institution.
   • Taking a graduate course unrelated to the pursuit of a degree.
   • Demonstrating ability to succeed in graduate level education.

A maximum of seven credits or two courses may be taken as a non-matriculated student.  Once approved as a non-matriculated applicant, students will receive a letter indicating approved course(s) that can be taken along with registration and orientation information.  Applicants accepted as non-matriculated students are not automatically accepted into a program.  All programs have a process which the applicant must adhere to in addition to the non-matriculated process.

To facilitate registration for a course, a written letter of agreement from the director of graduate programs in nursing to the registrar accepting the student as non-matriculated and granting permission to take selected courses are required for each semester that courses are taken.

Program Specific Academic Requirements and Policies

Continuous Enrollment Policy

Upon acceptance into the graduate program in the A-GNP, A-GCNS, or NE tracks, the student must maintain enrollment in each semester, excluding summer sessions, by either 1) enrolling in one or more graduate courses or 2) paying a Continuous Enrollment Fee. Failure to maintain Continuous Enrollment status by either one of the two methods will automatically discontinue the studentʼs enrollment in the masterʼs program. A student may maintain the Continuous Enrollment status by paying the Continuous Enrollment Fee for no more than two consecutive semesters, excluding summer sessions. The student must then enroll in one or more graduate courses for credit or the student will be discontinued from the masterʼs degree program. A student who does not maintain Continuous Enrollment status or who has discontinued course work must reapply for admission to the graduate program when reactivation is desired. Students may be granted leaves of absences for special circumstances at the discretion of the graduate committee.

Grading, Progress, and Dismissal

• Candidates for graduate degrees in nursing are required to earn at least a B (3.0) in every course in order to progress through the curriculum and graduate. Courses in which the student earns less than a B (3.0) must be repeated. The student is allowed to repeat a course one time only. A student with a grade of less than a B (3.0) in any course must repeat that course in the next semester that it is offered in order to maintain status as a graduate student. A grade of B (3.0) must be earned in the repeated course in order to progress. As courses may only be offered once per year, this may effectively add one year to the program of study. If a course is repeated, both grades will appear on the transcript, however only the highest grade will be used in calculating the grade point average. A second grade of less than a B (3.0) in the repeated course, or any subsequent course results in automatic dismissal from the program.
• Professors may give a course grade of incomplete (“INC”) if circumstances justify an extension of time required to complete course requirements. A student with an “INC” grade in any course that is a prerequisite to another course will not be allowed to progress in the subsequent course until the “INC” in the prerequisite course has been removed and replaced by a B (3.0) or better. As courses may only be offered once per year, this may effectively add one year to the program of study. The “INC” must be resolved within 60 days or the “INC” automatically turns to a failure (0.0) according to college policy.
• Failure of a clinical portion of a course results in dismissal from the program.
• Conduct consistent with the ethical and professional standards of the discipline is required. Violation of these standards is grounds for dismissal.

Program of Study

The curriculum is delivered on a part-time basis for the A-GNP, A-GCNS, and NE tracks. There are three curriculum sequences for the A-GNP, A-GCNS, and NE tracks: the adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist role with an education focus, the adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner role, and the nurse educator role.

The curriculum is designed so that students are free to schedule courses as they are able to take them with some exceptions. For the A-GCNS and NE tracks, students must take Seminar I and Seminar II during the last two semesters. During these two courses students will apply knowledge and skills accrued during earlier studies. An administration or education course may be taken with Seminar I and Seminar II. The A-GNP clinical courses – Diagnosis and Management of Clinical Problems Adults/Older Adults I, Diagnosis and Management of Clinical Problems Adults/Older Adults II, Comprehensive Care of Older Adults, and Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Seminar – are taken during the last three semesters in the order listed. It is also strongly recommended that Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology, Advanced Assessment and Diagnosis, and Advanced Pharmacology courses be taken during the three semesters immediately prior to the first A-GNP clinical course.

Students pursuing the adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist role will complete 41 credits and will be eligible for certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist. Students pursuing the nurse educator role will complete 39 credits and will be eligible for certification as a certified nurse educator by the National League for Nursing. The Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program consists of 44 credits preparing graduates for the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Certification examination through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Orientation for Graduate Programs in Nursing at York College

Students must view a mandatory orientation module provided by the Graduate Programs in Nursing. Topics will include review of the graduate program policies and procedures, library orientation including access of nursing literature, an orientation to information resources, safety and security, APA (American Psychological Association) format (guidance and resources for writing), and other academic information.

Preparing for Clinical Experience

Please see the Nursing Department page of the College website or contact the department office for details about entrance and degree requirements, as well as the graduate nursing handbook.  The nursing graduate student handbook is prepared for all graduate nursing students to serve as a guide to established policies and practices and should be used in conjunction with this catalog.  Nursing students are required to be aware of, and accept responsibility for, the information and policies contained therein.

Graduate students receive information regarding clinical, background, health, and dental paperwork from the handbook.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Program Outcomes

The DNP program outcomes are to prepare the advanced practice nurse who will:

1. Integrate science from nursing and other disciplines with advanced nursing practice to identify, develop, and evaluate practice change initiatives that lead to improved health outcomes in targeted populations.
2. Develop the knowledge and skills to influence health organizations and complex systems to adopt quality improvement strategies that address patient safety and health disparities in diverse populations.
3. Incorporate knowledge of evidence-based practice into advanced clinical decision-making by providing leadership in the practice setting through evaluation of practice and translation of research in practice.
4. Analyze, select, and evaluate appropriate information and patient care technologies that influence quality of care improvement in the practice setting.
5. Apply knowledge of health policy-making, evaluation, and implementation to influence health providers, policy-makers, and health consumers.
6. Develop skill in inter- and intra-professional communication and leadership in health care settings.
7. Synthesize and manage individual and aggregate-level data to improve the health status and outcomes of populations.
8. Demonstrate advanced clinical decision-making and clinical leadership skills to provide culturally sensitive, comprehensive care to patient groups within an advanced practice specialty role.
9. Pass a national certification examination for CRNA (BS-DNP only)

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia (BS-DNP)

The Nurse Anesthetist track is approved by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).  The Nurse Anesthetist track is only offered as a full­time program. The curriculum is designed in a highly structured fashion in order to meet or exceed the accreditation requirements of the COA.

Program Contact Information

The Nurse Anesthetist office is located in Diehl Hall on West Campus on the second floor. All inquiries and admissions paperwork should be sent to this office directly. To contact the office, please call 717-815-6550 or e-mail us at dnp@ycp.edu. The mailing address is:

York College of Pennsylvania
Nurse Anesthetist Program
441 Country Club Road
Diehl Hall
York, PA 17403

Admission for Nurse Anesthetist BS-DNP

Students who wish to enroll in the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthetist (BS-DNP) program must apply for admission and submit required supporting materials to the Nurse Anesthetist Program. All  supporting documents must be submitted by April 1 in the year before enrollment.  Interviews are conducted in June, the year before enrollment, and accepted students will start the program in the summer of the following year. The director, assistant director, chairperson of the Department of Nursing, and or director of the Graduate Programs in Nursing and other program clinical faculty members participate in the admission process. This committee will make the decision regarding acceptance to the program and notify applicants after all interviews are complete.

Requirements for Admission for Nurse Anestetist BS-DNP

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree program with an CNEA (formerly known as NLNAC) or CCNE­ accredited major in nursing from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent as determined by the Department of Nursing faculty.
• Grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher. (Applicants not meeting this grade point average requirement may be admitted on the recommendation of the admissions committee.)
• Transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education (post K-12).
• Current RN licensure in Pennsylvania upon acceptance; Current home state licensure for application process is acceptable. Three completed recommendation forms: One of the three recommendations for the Nurse Anesthetist program must be from a nurse anesthetist. In order to insure this recommendation is a true reflection on the abilities of the student, the following are required:
  • To obtain a recommendation from a nurse anesthetist the applicant should:
    • Establish over time (60­-90 days minimum), a professional relationship, and
    • The CRNA should be familiar with studentʼs abilities and potential: while this MAY be the person whom they shadow in the operating room that is not a requirement.
• Each applicant will keep a log of his or her visits to the operating room. The log should contain (at a minimum) the hours they were there, with whom they spent time, and what they saw. If the applicant is invited to interview, this log will be sent to the admissions committee for their review and evaluation. The minimum time for this is eight hours.
• Statement of academic goals may not exceed one typewritten (word processed) 8.5” by 11” page, in a size 12 font. Do not put this on your application.
• GRE scores are required in the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections. The GRE Company will send the student a score report. Be sure, also that official scores are sent to: the Graduate Programs in Nursing (2991).
  • PLEASE NOTE: IT MAY TAKE A MONTH OR TWO TO RECEIVE YOUR SCORES; BE SURE TO TAKE THE GRE AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.
• Evidence of the successful completion of all of the following undergraduate courses:
  • Statistics course that covered descriptive and inferential statistics
  • Physical assessment course
  • Nursing research course
• Evidence of at least one yearʼs experience as a registered nurse in a critical care area, such as an intensive care unit.
• Copy of current BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications.

Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post-Master’s

The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Post-Master’s Track, is for nurses who already hold a master’s degree in nursing. The program is offered in primarily a blended format.

Program Contact Information

The Stabler Department of Nursing office is located in Diehl Hall on West Campus on the first floor.  All inquiries and admissions paperwork should be sent to this office directly.  To contact the office, please call 717-815-1243 or e-mail us at dnp@ycp.edu.  The mailing address is:

York College of Pennsylvania
Doctor of Nursing Practice
441 Country Club Road
Diehl Hall
York, Pa 17403

Admission, Post-Master’s DNP

Applications will be accepted once a year. The deadline for application submission is December 15 each year for admission in the summer. Admission to the program will be competitive, as class size will be limited to a small cohort of students each year. Non-matriculated status will not apply for doctoral courses, and applicants will only be accepted as degree-seeking students. Qualified applicants will be interviewed by the Admissions Committee. Candidates will also be required to answer a question in the form of a short written essay on the day of the interview. Applicants will be notified of the decision within 24 hours of the last interview of the program

Requirements for Admission, Post-Master’s DNP

Applicants must submit evidence of the following criteria for admission:

• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher from an CNEA or CCNE-accredited masterʼs of nursing program from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent institution as determined by the Department of Nursing faculty.
• Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions of higher education.
• Completion of a masterʼs-level health policy course; if not completed prior to admission, this course must be completed during the first year of the program
• Two letters of recommendation, preferably from professional nurses with graduate degrees, addressing the applicantʼs practice and academic potential to succeed in doctoral level work.
• Interview with DNP Admission Committee after submission of all application materials.
• Submission of a professional portfolio that includes:
  • Goal statement
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • Copy of certification in an advanced practice specialty (if applicable)
  • Copy of RN license, and advanced practice nurse license (if applicable), from the state of intended practice
  • Description and total number of supervised clinical hours completed in masterʼs curriculum from masterʼs program director
  • Proposal identifying an evidence-based practice project.
    • This project should represent an area of practice needing improvement and an idea for a nursing practice change initiative. Examples include a policy change, implementation of an evidence-based practice guideline, or a health systems change that leads to improvement of health outcomes for a targeted population. The proposal should be 3-5 pages in length, with appropriate citations, using APA format. Consideration should be given to the resources that would be needed to complete the project, including possible clinical sites and clinical mentors.

Academic Policies

Students will be expected to enroll in the program for six consecutive semesters, beginning in the summer, as a member of a cohort group. However, if there are extenuating life circumstances that interfere with the studentʼs ability to maintain continuous enrollment, the student may petition for a leave of absence. Leaves of absence will be granted on a one-year basis. Students needing a leave of absence will be encouraged to continue the program with the next cohort group. Please refer to the Graduate Programs in Nursing Student Handbook.  Note: The Nurse Anesthetist track is only offered as a full­time program, and students will be continuously enrolled as full time graduate students until the program is completed

Grading, Progress, and Dismissal

• Candidates for doctoral degrees in nursing are required to earn at least a B (3.0) in every course in order to progress through the curriculum and graduate. Courses in which the student earns less than a B (3.0) must be repeated. The student is allowed to repeat a course one time only. A student with a grade less than a B (3.0) in any course must repeat that course in the next semester that it is offered in order to maintain status as a graduate student. A grade of B (3.0) must be earned in order to progress. A second grade of less than a B (3.0) results in automatic dismissal from the program. As courses may only be offered once per year, this may effectively add one year to the program of study. If a course is repeated, both grades will appear on the transcript, but only the highest grade will be used in calculating the grade point average.
• Professors may give a course grade of incomplete (“INC”) if circumstances justify an extension of time required to complete course requirements. A student with an “INC” grade in any course that is a prerequisite to another course will not be allowed to progress in the subsequent course until the “INC” in the prerequisite course has been removed and replaced by a B (3.0) or better. As courses may only be offered once per year, this may effectively add one year to the program of study. The “INC” must be resolved within 60 days or the “INC” automatically turns to a failure (0.0) according to college policy.
• Failure of a clinical portion of a course results in dismissal from the program.
• Students in the Nurse Anesthetist track receiving less than a B (3.0) will not be eligible to progress in the next semestersʼ courses. Courses may only be offered once per year, this may effectively add one year to the program of study.
• Conduct consistent with the ethical and professional standards of the discipline is required. Violation of these standards is grounds for dismissal.

Clinical Residency

The Clinical Residency courses (NUR730 and NUR731), are intended to provide an opportunity for the DNP student to enhance clinical skills that may be needed in order to complete the proposed scholarly project. Objectives for the residency will be developed in collaboration with the faculty member.

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