14. CAPSTONE COLLEGE OF NURSING
Professor Marietta P. Stanton, Director, Graduate Program

14.2 MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING PROGRAM

NURSING CASE MANAGEMENT. The Capstone College of Nursing offers the distance-based master of science in nursing (MSN) with all courses offered online. This program prepares nurses to assume leadership positions in health care administration and to coordinate and administer case management services at the macrosystems level. Case management has been defined as a "collaborative process which assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates options and services to meet an individual's health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality, cost-effective outcomes."^*   Graduates of this program will be able to practice in a variety of settings, assuming leadership positions in health care organizations.

*Case Management Society of America (CMSA), Standards of Practice for Case Management (Little Rock, Arkansas: CMSA, 2002)

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the MSN degree program will be considered on a competitive basis. The following are requirements for admission into all graduate level nursing programs, but a complete description of Graduate School Admission Criteria is found in the Graduate Catalog.

For admission to the master's program, an applicant must possess a functional level of capability to perform the duties required of an advanced practice nurse. These abilities include but are not limited to (a) adequate vision such as that required to observe changes in physical conditions, to read small print on labels and laboratory reports, and to discern subtle changes in color; (b) adequate hearing such as that required to distinguish muted sounds through a stethoscope; (c) fine motor skills and manual dexterity such as that required to turn and assist with lifting adults and to lift and carry children; (d) the mobility to respond quickly to emergency situations; (e) the ability to engage in two-way conversation and interact effectively with others orally and in writing; (f) the ability to detect odors; (g) the ability to implement the advanced practice role in delivering health care service in one or more delivery systems, including acute, ambulatory, managed, and integrated systems; and (h) the ability to consistently and dependably engage in critical thinking to make safe and ethical clinical judgments.

The graduate faculty of the Capstone College of Nursing has identified the skills and professional behaviors that are essential to pursue a course of study and to practice in an advanced practice role in nursing. These skills include but are not limited to the skills presented in The Essentials of Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing, a publication of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. If these skills and professional behaviors cannot be developed by the individual, either unassisted or with the dependable use of assistive devices, the faculty reserves the right to not admit the individual or to disenroll the student from clinical courses. A copy of The Essentials of Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing is available upon request from the College's Office of Nursing Student Services.

Admission Requirements for Nursing Case Management

• For regular admission, a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall (based on a 4.0 system) or 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work

• For conditional admission, a grade point average of at least 2.5 overall (based on a 4.0 system) for undergraduate work, and a score of at least 900 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test or at least the 40th percentile on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

• baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing

• current unencumbered RN licensure in the United States and eligibility for an Alabama license

Degree Requirements

The degree of master of science in nursing will be awarded to the student who has met the following requirements:

• successful completion of the required coursework

• GPA of 3.0 or higher

• good standing at the time of graduation

To fulfill the research requirements of the program, students may choose from two options described below:

Thesis option.  A thesis is original research conducted by one student and directed by a graduate committee. The student is awarded three semester hours of thesis research credit for a successfully completed thesis. An oral public defense of the thesis is required. The thesis must conform to the guidelines of the Graduate School.

Nonthesis option.  Students who choose the nonthesis option participate in courses, seminars, or other faculty-directed experiences that will give them an acquaintance with the methods of research and an appreciation of the place and function of original investigation in the field.

Admission to Candidacy.  Admission to the Graduate School does not imply admission of a student to candidacy for a degree. Admission to candidacy is contingent upon the recommendation of the program faculty and the approval of the graduate dean.

The application for admission to candidacy should be filed after 12 semester hours of graduate credit have been earned at The University of Alabama and/or by transfer credit. Approval will depend on (a) the quality of the applicant's graduate work prior to the time the application is made (see the Graduate School Scholastic Requirements); (b) the removal of any special conditions; and (c) the certification of the graduate director that the student is well qualified to continue work toward a degree. Complete and submit to the department an Admission to Candidacy for the Master's Degree form.  The department-approved form will be forwarded to the Graduate School for final approval. 

The Graduate School's Degree Requirements section of this catalog has additional information on the admission to candidacy and other degree requirements. 
 

Curriculum.  The master of science in nursing program can be completed in one year of full-time study or two or more years of part-time study. Students in the nursing program at The University of Alabama who take specified core courses at UAB or UAH—institutions cooperating in UA's MSN (nurse case management) program—may transfer the courses to UA even if the overall GPA at the cooperating institution is below 3.0. Students must still have overall GPAs of 3.0 at UA in order to graduate. The GPA must be at least 3.0 at institutions other than UAB or UAH to transfer courses to UA.

SAMPLE NCM PROGRAM OF STUDY (FULL-TIME)  

*These courses may be taken at UAB or UAH, if available. Talk to the faculty advisor for other options.  

SAMPLE NCM PROGRAM OF STUDY (PART-TIME)

*These courses may be taken at UAB or UAH, if available. Talk to the faculty advisor for other options.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING PROGRAM: CLINICAL NURSE LEADER FOCUS.

The Capstone College of Nursing offers the distance-based master of science in nursing (MSN) with all courses offered online.  The CNL is a master’s prepared generalist, accountable for clinical and health care environmental outcomes. The CNL functions at the microsystem level; oversees care coordination of a distinct group of patients; serves as a resource for clinical decision making; and serves as a lateral integrator of care.  The CNL puts evidence-based practice into action, collects and evaluates patient outcomes, assesses cohort risk, and has the decision-making authority to change care plans when necessary.

This clinician functions as part of an interdisciplinary team by communicating, planning, and implementing care directly with other health care professionals. The CNL is a leader in the health care delivery system across all settings in which health care in delivered.  Graduates of the MSN program are eligible to take the CNL certification examination offered by AACN and may assume the role of Clinical Nurse Leader in a variety of health care settings.   

Admission Requirements for the Clinical Nurse Leader Focus

Admission requirements are consistent with those of the Graduate School.  Copmplete information is in the Admission Criteria section of this catalog.  Applicants for the MSN degree program will be considered on a competitive basis. The following are minimum requirements for admission.   

• For regular admission, a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall (based on a 4.0 system) or 3.0 for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate work

• For conditional admission, a grade point average of at least 2.5 overall (based on a 4.0 system) for undergraduate work, and a score of at least 900 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test or at least the 40th percentile on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)

• Baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing

• Current unencumbered RN licensure in the United States and eligibility for an Alabama license
   

Degree Requirements  

The degree of master of science in nursing with the CNL focus will be awarded to the student who has met the following requirements:

• Successful completion of the required coursework

• GPA of 3.0 or higher

• Good standing at the time of graduation

To fulfill the research requirements of the CNL focus within the MSN program, students may choose either the thesis or non-thesis option:

Thesis option. A thesis is original research conducted by one student and directed by a graduate committee.  The student is awarded three semester hours of thesis research credit for a successfully completed thesis.  An oral public defense of the thesis is required.  The thesis must conform to the guidelines of the Graduate School.

Nonthesis option. Students who choose the nonthesis option participate in courses, seminars, or other faculty-directed experiences that will give them an acquaintance with the methods of research and an appreciation of the place and function of original investigation in the field.

Under either option an admission to candidacy should be filed after 12 semester hours of graduate credit have been earned at The University of Alabama and/or by transfer credit. The MSN student should complete and submit to the department an Admission to Candidacy for the Master's Degree form.  The department-approved form will be forwarded to the Graduate School for final approval. 

Additional information on the admission to candidacy form and other degree requirements is in the Graduate School's Degree Requirements section of this catalog.

Curriculum. The CNL focus of the MSN program can be completed in one year of full-time study or two or more years of part-time study.

Students in the nursing program at The University of Alabama who take specified core courses at UAB or UAH [institutions cooperating in UA's MSN program] may transfer the courses to UA even if the overall GPA at the cooperating institution is below 3.0.  Students must still have overall GPAs of 3.0 at UA in order to graduate.  The GPA must be at least 3.0 at institutions other than UAB or UAH to transfer courses to UA.

SAMPLE CNL PROGRAM OF STUDY (FULL-TIME)

*These courses may be taken at UAB or UAH, if available. Talk to the faculty advisor for other options.

SAMPLE CNL PROGRAM OF STUDY (PART-TIME) 

*These courses may be taken at UAB or UAH, if available. Talk to the faculty advisor for other options.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA GRADUATE CATALOG

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Update: June, 2009