MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY -- MASON HALL ROOM 120
MURRAY KENTUCKY 42071-3302 -- PHONE: (270) 762-2193 -- FAX: (270) 762-6662
Clinical Nurse Specialist Update
The Department of Nursing Graduate faculty currently revised the Master of Science in
Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) option. This was done to enhance the flexibility
to meet the needs of today’s nurse who is seeking graduate education and to meet the
updated clinical requirements for certification to practice as an advanced practice nurse.
There are now three tracks within the CNS option two of which are newly developed. All
three tracks are part time and all the courses except Practicum I and II are offered via
interactive television (ITV) during evening hours and/or Internet access. The degree can
be earned in three years, but the student has up to five years to complete it. The two new
tracks within the CNS option are:
a. a non-thesis track, and
b. bachelor’s prepared advanced practice nurse (APN) track (MSN for APN,BSN).
Non-thesis Track
The Department of Nursing wanted to give nurses the choice of doing a thesis or doing a
research project. Research projects are done with another student or a faculty member. If
the student chooses the non-thesis track (research project option), the nurse does a
research project and takes two graduate elective courses as agreed upon with the advisor.
Examples of graduate level electives include courses in health care administration,
education, and ethics. The course legend and curriculum schema for the thesis and non-
thesis options are as follows:
Course Legend
- BIO 522 Pathophysiology
- NUR 503 Concepts and Theories in Nursing
- NUR 505 Issues in Rural Health Care
- NUR 530 Research in Nursing
- NUR 623 Advanced Adult Nursing I
- NUR 624 Advanced Adult Nursing II
- NUR 631 Research Applications in Nursing
- NUR 641 Advanced Nursing Assessment for Health Promotion, Maintenance
- NUR 642 Advanced Pharmacology
- NUR 649 Advanced CNS Practicum I
- NUR 650 Advanced CNS Integration Practicum II
- NUR 695 Research Project
- NUR 698 Thesis
- NUR 699 Thesis
CNS - Thesis Option
| Fall 1 |
|
Spring 1 |
|
|
|
| BIO 522 |
3 |
NUR 642 |
3 |
|
|
| NUR 641 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall 2 |
|
Spring 2 |
|
Summer |
|
| NUR 503 |
3 |
NUR 530 | 3 |
NUR 649 |
3 |
| NUR 505 |
3 |
NUR 623 |
4 |
NUR 698 |
3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall 3 |
|
Spring 3 |
|
Total |
|
| NUR 631 |
3 |
NUR 650 |
4 |
|
|
| NUR 624 |
4 |
NUR 699 |
3 |
43 hrs. |
|
CNS - Research Project Option
| Fall 1 |
|
Spring 1 |
|
|
|
| BIO 522 |
3 |
NUR 642 |
3 |
|
|
| NUR 641 |
4 |
elective |
3 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall 2 |
|
Spring 2 |
|
Summer |
|
| NUR 503 |
3 |
NUR 530 | 3 |
NUR 649 |
3 |
| NUR 505 |
3 |
NUR 623 |
4 |
NUR 695 |
3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall 3 |
|
Spring 3 |
|
Total |
|
| NUR 631 |
3 |
NUR 650 |
4 |
|
|
| NUR 624 |
4 |
elective |
3 |
46 hrs. |
|
MSN for APN, BSN
The MSN for the APN, BSN is designed for those advanced practice nurses who are
certified and wish to pursue the masters degree (i.e. nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives,
nurse practitioners). The masters degree would afford these nurses more opportunities for
state-to-state mobility and career promotion. This new option recognizes and accepts their
advanced licensure and certification thereby decreasing total degree requirements.
Students in this option do not take pathophysiology, advanced assessment, advanced
pharmacology, or the practicum courses. The CNS specialty courses (N623, N624) are
tailored to the areas these nurses choose to expand their expertise and interests. For
example, a nurse anesthetist may choose to expand his/her practice to become an expert
practitioner on pain management The degree can be completed in two years. The
curriculum schema is as follows:
CNS - MSN for APN, BSN
| Fall 1 |
|
Spring |
|
Summer |
|
| NUR 503 |
3 |
NUR 530 |
3 |
NUR 695 |
3 |
| NUR 505 |
3 |
NUR 623 |
4 |
elect |
3 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Fall 2 |
|
Spring 2 |
|
Total |
|
| NUR 631 |
(3) |
elect |
3 |
|
|
| NUR 624 |
4 |
elect |
3 |
32 hrs. |
|
The role of the CNS in today’s changing health care environment is a vital one. In
addition to being an expert practitioner, the CNS is prepared as an educator, researcher,
collaborator, and leader. The CNS graduate from MSU also has extensive preparation in
case management. Once certified in the state of Kentucky as well as most of the United
States, the CNS holds the same rights and privileges for prescriptive authority and third
party reimbursement. Murray State’s MSN program has educated CNS’s in the specialties
of trauma, oncology, medical-surgical, psychiatric-mental health, diabetes, and critical
care to just name a few. The student chooses the specialty he/she wants to develop in the
care of adults.
The CNS option is a part-time option which allows the student to balance work and
family responsibilities while getting an education. The faculty are also designing more
courses for the Internet and will continue offering all of the CNS curriculum except the
practicum courses via interactive television during evening hours. We’re designing
education to meet the needs of nurses in the new millennium.
Application Materials
The following forms are in PDF (portable document
format). This allows users to read a document in its original
format regardless of the machine platform used.
In order to view/print this form you must have
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free to download from Adobe by clicking the following button:
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are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
If you already have Acrobat Reader 3.0 on your
system you may download the form by clicking on the appropriate
link below.
Graduate Admission Application
MS in Nursing Application
For more information please contact:
Dr. Nancey E.M. France,
Coordinator: Master of Science in Nursing Program
Murray State University
Department of Nursing
120 Mason Hall
Murray, KY 42071-3302
Telephone: (270) 762-6671; nancey.france@murraystate.edu
Nursing Homepage
Date Modified October, 1999
