Dr. Donald E. and Lois J. Myers School of Nursing and Health Professions

Master of Science in Nursing
Preparing for Clinical Experience

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree

The Master of Science (MSN) degree program in nursing prepares graduates for advanced practice in the role of adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGNP), adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist (AGCNS), nurse educator (NE), and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). 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 and are offered in a blended format.

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.

Mission Statement

The mission of York College of Pennsylvania, The Stabler Department of Nursing is for faculty to partner with students as they learn to provide evidence-based care to diverse populations through innovation, equity, and inclusion.

Program Goals

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

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.
Role model ethical, legal, and professional standards for advanced nursing practice and nursing education.
Integrate advanced knowledge of nursing and related disciplines in advanced practice roles.
Evaluate research and apply evidence-based practice (EBP) to clinical, educational, or administrative settings, thus improving patient care, health care systems, and nursing education.
Assume responsibility for self-directed, life-long learning and for promoting the professional development of nursing staff and/or students.
Design strategies to promote health and collaborative relationships with members of the health care team.
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.
Pass a national certification examination for AGNP, AGCNS, NE, or PMHNP.
Prepare for entry into a doctoral program.

Application Procedures

Application for admission to the Graduate Programs in Nursing, MSN programs may be made for fall, spring, or summer sessions. To be considered for admission, applicants should submit their applications and all required supporting materials to the York College Graduate Admissions Office, via online application, at least 10 business days prior to the start of their anticipated entry semester. Applicants are admmitted on a rolling basis.

Requirements for Admission for AGNP, AGCNS, NE, or PMHNP

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) or resume`

Instruction Modalities

Master of Science in Nursing degrees are designed for working professionals. The following tracks are administered in an online modality (including core and program specific courses). Terms are 7 or 15 weeks depending on the course.

The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist - Education Focus, M.S.N. track is offered in a blended format. All core courses are offered only in an online modality. AGCNS program courses are campus-based.

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. Students with two “INC’s” may not progress to any subsequent course. 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

Upon admission to York College Graduate Programs in Nursing, students will be assigned to an academic advisor who will work with them to determine their individual program of study. There are four curriculum sequences for the AGNP, AGCNS, NE, and PMHNP tracks: the adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist role with an education focus, the adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner role, the nurse educator role, and the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner 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 AGCNS 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 AGNP 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 in the order listed.

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). A post-master’s certificate can be earned in the adult-gerontology nurse practitioner (A-GNP) track.

Students pursuing the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner role (PMHNP) will complete 48 credits and will be eligible to sit for the national PMHNP certification exam. The PMHNP track merges with the AGNP program for the completion of graduate core courses.

MSN tracks can be completed in as few as two years to a maximum of five years.

Preparing for Clinical Experience

Graduate Programs in Nursing students receive information regarding clinical, background checks, immunizations, and health and dental paperwork from Clinical Placement Director.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Mission Statement

This mission of York College of Pennsylvania, The Stabler Department of Nursing is for facultly to partner with students as they learn to provide evidence-based care to diverse populations through innovation, equity, and inclusion.

Program Goals

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

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.
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.
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.
Analyze, select, and evaluate appropriate information and patient care technologies that influence quality of care improvement in the practice setting.
Apply knowledge of health policy-making, evaluation, and implementation to influence health providers, policy-makers, and health consumers.
Develop skill in inter- and intra-professional communication and leadership in health care settings.
Synthesize and manage individual and aggregate-level data to improve the health status and outcomes of populations.
Demonstrate advanced clinical decision-making and clinical leadership skills to provide culturally sensitive, comprehensive care to patient groups within an advanced practice specialty role.
Pass a national certification examination for CRNA (BS-DNP only)

Doctor of Nursing Practice, BS-DNP Nurse Anesthesia

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 should be directed to this office. To contact the office, please call 717-815-6550 or e-mail us at CRNA@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 through the York College online application process gradmissions.ycp.edu/apply. All supporting documents must be submitted by April 1 in the year before enrollment. Interviews are conducted in the summer, 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 Anesthetist 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.
Personal statement of academic goals may not exceed 400 words. Do not put this on your application.
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.

Academic Policies

The Nurse Anesthestist track is only offered as a full-time 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.