College of Nursing

Professors

Fleury, Keller, Komnenich, Mattson, Schwartz

Associate Professors

Alpers, Baldwin, Brillhart, Cesarotti, Dirksen, Evans, Ismeurt, Killeen, Mays, McCarthy, McGrath, Records, Ruiz, Sousa

Assistant Professors

Chen, Pickens, Rosdahl, Shearer

Clinical Professors

Bell, McLeod, Wojner-Alexandrov

Clinical Associate Professors

Armbruster, Fargotstein, Hagler, Jasper, Johnson, Kastenbaum, Link, Morris, Nuñez, Stillwell, White

Clinical Assistant Professor

Sayles

Research Professor

Belyea

Faculty Associates

Hauser, Wotring

The faculty in the College of Nursing offer graduate programs leading to the MS degree in Nursing; graduate certificates in Community and Public Health Practice, Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare, and Nurse Education in Academic Practice and Settings; and the Doctor of Nursing Science. Concentrations for the MS degree in Nursing are available in one of the following areas:

1. 1. advanced practice nursing of adults;
2. 2. advanced practice nursing of neonates;
3. 3. community health advanced practice nursing;
4. 4. family nurse practitioner;
5. 5. nurse educator;
6. 6. pediatric nurse practitioner;
7. 7. psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner; and
8. 8. women’s health nurse practitioner.

The purpose of the MS program is to provide an academic environment that fosters scholarship, critical thinking, and creativity, and prepares nurses for leadership as nurse specialists. The MS program offers advanced-level courses that can be used as a base for doctoral study and for functional role development in teaching.

The MS program is designed to prepare graduates to

1. 1. synthesize advanced knowledge using concepts, theories, principles, and research from nursing, humanities, and sciences to develop advanced nursing practice knowledge that emphasizes the holistic approach;
2. 2. demonstrate leadership, management, and teaching abilities in advanced nursing practice;
3. 3. assume leadership, responsibility, and accountability for holistic therapeutic interventions within or across levels of care for diverse clients, including individuals, families, groups, or communities;
4. 4. participate in professional nursing organizations and political arenas;
5. 5. participate in research and utilize research findings;
6. 6. communicate scholarly ideas and professional knowledge to colleagues, other disciplines, and the public;
7. 7. provide leadership in collaboration with clients and other healthcare professionals in the planning and delivery of holistic healthcare that is responsive to changing needs and societal trends;
8. 8. examine critically the health of populations and related healthcare issues; and
9. 9. demonstrate lifelong personal and professional learning.

Master of Science

See Master’s Degrees, for general requirements.

Admission

See Admission to the Division of Graduate Studies.

Admission to graduate status in the College of Nursing is based upon meeting the following requirements:

1. 1. an undergraduate junior or senior GPA equal to 3.00, or a cumulative GPA equal to 3.00 (4.00=A) or higher for any baccalaureate or graduate degree attained;
2. 2. a baccalaureate degree in nursing (or another field) accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency;
3. 3. a current unencumbered Arizona license to practice as a registered nurse and/or to enroll in certain nursing practicum courses;
4. 4. satisfactory completion of the analytical writing section only of the Graduate Record Examination;
5. 5. three professional recommendations from individuals knowledgeable about the applicant’s academic and nursing leadership potential;
6. 6. an interview with a representative of the specialty area;
7. 7. eligibility for admission to the Division of Graduate Studies;
8. 8. completion of the TOEFL with a score of 550 or higher and of all requirements for the Commission on Foreign Graduate Nursing Schools (CFGNS) if considered an international student; and
9. 9. completion of a baccalaureate-level health assessment course within the preceding three years (as may be required for some nurse practitioner concentrations).

Applicants who reside and work, or plan to reside and work, in rural or medically underserved areas are encouraged to apply for admission. Applications to the program are due in January. For more information, contact the Student Services Office in the College of Nursing, call 480/965-2987, or access the Web site at nursing.asu.edu.

A separate application for admission to the graduate program, for students who have completed the RN-BSN-MS track in the undergraduate degree program, is due September 1. For more information, contact the Student Services Office in the College of Nursing at 480/965-2987, or access the college’s Web site at nursing.asu.edu.

Supervisory Committee

The dean of graduate studies, upon recommendation of the College of Nursing director of the Graduate Education and Advanced Practice program and director of the Doctor of Nursing Science programs, appoints the supervisory committee. The supervisory committee recommends the program of study, administers any special qualifying examinations, administers the final oral examination, and approves the thesis or the nonthesis applied project.

Program of Study

The program of study for the MS degree consists of a minimum of 40 semester hours for community health areas and from 47 to 55 hours for the nurse practitioner role specialty areas.

The RN-BSN-MS program of study consists of at least 30 semester hours; the exact number depends upon the specialty concentration and role.

The program of study for the MS degree in Nursing requires the completion of a strong research component. This requirement can be accomplished by either of two pathways: (1) completion of the required research course and six hours of thesis or (2) completion of the nonthesis option that includes the required research course, the research utilization course, the applied project course, and a presentation of the completed requirements. The completed project and presentation are evaluated by the student’s supervisory committee.

Foreign Language Requirements

None.

Degree Requirements

The student must successfully complete the following as defined by the supervisory committee and as approved by the dean of graduate studies: (1) the program of study and (2) a thesis and final oral examination in defense of the thesis or a nonthesis applied project.

Doctor of Nursing Science

Building on its strengths while addressing the national nursing shortage, the ASU College of Nursing has begun accepting graduate students into a new doctoral program. The program leads to a Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS) degree and is designed for nurse scholars who wish to pursue careers as leaders in health policy, healthcare delivery, nursing education, and/or research. The degree also helps to address a national need for nurse educators who are increasingly in short supply.

The program has three practicums—teaching, leadership, and research—with the goal of optimizing quality of life and health resources.

For more information, call the Doctor of Nursing Science program office at 480/965-3948, or send e-mail to dns@asu.edu.

Admission Requirements

In addition to ASU Division of Graduate Studies standards, prospective students seeking the degree must

1. 1. have successfully completed a baccalaureate degree in nursing;
2. 2. have successfully completed a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program; and
3. 3. hold a license in registered nursing (RN).

Admission Procedures

Admission to the DNS program is determined by the following criteria:

1. 1. official transcripts from all universities attended;
2. 2. official GRE scores;
3. 3. submission of a résumé;
4. 4. three letters of recommendation;
5. 5. statement of professional goals;
6. 6. completion of a research interest essay;
7. 7. submission of a contemporary nursing issues essay; and
8. 8. a statement of creative and research activities.

All information with the exception of official transcripts and the three letters of recommendation may be submitted electronically.

Application Procedures

Enrollment in the DNS degree program begins each year in fall semester. The application deadline is February 15.

To begin the application process, access the ASU Division of Graduate Studies Web site at www.asu.edu/graduate/admissions.

Graduate Certificates

The college offers graduate certificates in the following areas: Community and Public Health Practice, Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare, and Nurse Education in Academic Practice and Settings.

Graduate Certificate in Community and Public Health Practice

The Graduate Certificate in Community and Public Health Practice is directed toward students with baccalaureate degrees who currently work in community or public health or other relevant fields, who want to solve public health problems and apply a breadth of knowledge and expertise in the community. It is open to both nursing and nonnursing students. The curriculum consists of 16 to 18 semester hours of graduate study that may be applied toward the Master of Science degree. Part-time study is available. For more information, call 602/543-6742.

Graduate Certificate in Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare

The Graduate Certificate in Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare is an online graduate certificate program designed to prepare nurse clinicians, educators, and other healthcare professionals as experts in evidence-based practice (EBP). This 17-semester-hour, 12-month program is user-friendly and constructed in a distance-learning, online format to facilitate involvement of the participants, no matter where they live. Admission is once a year and classes begin in August. There are two site visits to the campus. For more information, call the Center for the Advancement of Evidenced-Based Practice at 480/965-1196, or access the Web site at nursing.asu.edu/caep.

Graduate Certificate in Nurse Education in Academic and Practice Settings

The Graduate Certificate in Nurse Education in Academic and Practice Settings is an innovative program that is offered mostly online for nurses who have at least a bachelor’s degree and who are interested in teaching in academic or practice settings. The 14-semester-hour program includes courses covering curriculum development, teaching in the classroom or online, and developing educational infrastructure in clinical and practice settings, plus a teaching practicum. For more information, call the program office at 480/727-6930.

Research Activity

Research within the college focuses on understanding and addressing risk behaviors in vulnerable populations for the purpose of optimizing health. For research interests of the faculty, access nursing.asu.edu/facultystaff /directory.htm on the Web.

Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses.