Direct-Entry MSN Programs in Florida

<h2 id="section---SouthUniversity">South University</h2><p>The Master of Science in Nursing with a family nurse practitioner specialization is a bridge program for students who don't have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This degree program, which is available on campus or online, requires students to complete 233 credit hours, in general education and undergraduate nursing courses, as well as MSN core and family nurse practitioner specialization courses. </p><h2 id="section---UniversityOfCentralFlorida">University of Central Florida</h2><p>There are three specializations in the University of Central Florida's online MSN degree program: nursing leadership and management, nurse educator, and nursing and healthcare simulation. This program is designed to allow students who are licensed nurses and hold a bachelor's degree in any field, to prepare for leadership positions. Individuals who don't have a bachelor's degree in nursing will have to complete prerequisite courses, such the educational role of the nurse, foundations of healthcare leadership and management, and population health. </p><h2 id="section---UniversityOfSouthFlorida">University of South Florida</h2><p>In this degree program, applicants choose from six different specializations: adult-gerontology, primary care, adult-gerontology acute care. family health nursing, nursing education, occupational health/adult-gerontology primary care, and pediatric health nursing. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in any field and may be required to complete 15-18 credit hours in prerequisite courses before moving on to the MSN curriculum. </p><h2 id="section---UniversityOfTampa">University of Tampa</h2><p>Individuals with a non-nursing bachelor's degree must complete a few undergraduate nursing courses before moving into the MSN curriculum at the University of Tampa's MSN program. Students will choose from two concentrations as they complete four clinical practicums and 42-49 credit hours, depending on whether they choose the adult-gerontology nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner concentration. </p><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th>School Name</th><th>Programs Offered</th><th>Tuition (2019-2020)</th></tr> <tr><td> Jacksonville University </td><td> RN to MSN (online);<br/>* Clinical Nurse Educator<br/>* Leadership in Healthcare Systems<br/>* Informatics </td><td> $14,274*</td></tr> <tr><td> South University </td><td> RN to MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner (on campus and online) </td><td> $16,620*</td></tr> <tr><td> University of Central Florida </td><td> Master of Science in Nursing (online): <br/>* Nursing Leadership and Management<br/> * Nurse Educator<br/> * Nursing and Healthcare Simulation </td><td> $6,916 (in-state); $25,759 (out-of-state)*</td></tr> <tr><td> University of South Florida </td><td> Master of Science in Nursing; <br/> * Adult-Gerontology<br/>* Primary Care<br/> Adult-Gerontology Acute Care<br/> *Family Health Nursing<br/>*Nursing Education<br/> * Occupational Health/Adult-Gerontology Primary Care<br/> * Pediatric Health Nursing. </td><td> $8,350 (in-state); $19,048 (out-of-state)*</td></tr> <tr><td> University of Tampa </td><td> Master of Science in Nursing </td><td> $11,142*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *NCES</i> </p><h2 id="section---HowToEarnAMasterOfScienceInNursing">How to Earn a Master of Science in Nursing</h2><p>The admission requirements for a Master of Science in Nursing degree program may vary depending on the school you choose. Common requirements include a valid registered nursing license, 2-3 letters of recommendation, and at least a year's experience working directly with patients. As a student in a direct-entry MSN program, you'll take courses that cover topics like health policy, leadership, pathophysiology, and at least one practicum to gain additional experience working with patients. </p><h3 id="section---NursingLeadership">Nursing Leadership</h3><p>This course introduces registered nurses to leadership skills that will be necessary to move into an advanced practice nursing program. The course will touch on communication, promoting change in the healthcare system, and building one's leadership skills to create a positive experience for patients and team members. </p><h3 id="section---AdvancedPathophysiology">Advanced Pathophysiology</h3><p>Students in this course learn about the body's normal and unusual pathophysiological responses to different situations and stimuli. The course dives into theories, principles and current research, preparing students to learn and integrate the new concepts with the information they already know to help their patients. Topics in this course might include cellular environment, principles of genetics, and altered tissue biology. </p><h3 id="section---HealthPolicyAndHealthPromotionInAdvancedNursingPractice">Health Policy and Health Promotion in Advanced Nursing Practice</h3><p>Advanced practice nurses and those who are looking to move into a career in administration will need to understand how healthcare policies are created, how to evaluate them, and how healthcare policy affects the role of a nurse. Topics in this course might include how healthcare is delivered and how to go about promoting good health and preventing disease. Students explore the guidelines and recommendations from a variety of sources and learn how nurses can create and implement care plans to help patients improve their health. </p><h3 id="section---NursingPracticum">Nursing Practicum</h3><p>The focus of this course will depend on what your chosen specialization is, but many schools require students to complete several sessions throughout their educational program. For a Family Nurse Practitioner program, each required practicum may introduce the student to patients in different age ranges and require them to work with each. </p><h3 id="section---GraduateProjectOrCapstoneCourse">Graduate project or Capstone Course</h3><p>Students are often required to complete a capstone course or graduate project in the final semester of their studies. The project that comes out of this course is often meant to show how well they've understood the information they've studied. The topic of a student's project depends on their specialization, and the focus of a project may be on how to improve healthcare delivery to patients, or may also be about newer nursing knowledge. </p><p>There are several nursing schools in Florida that offer a direct-entry MSN program online, or in a part-time format, to allow working nurses to complete their studies and still work. A registered nurse seeking a move into advanced practice nursing will benefit from a direct-entry MSN program because the courses they take will help them to determine what populations they want to work with, and gain more experience.</p>