Considering the fact that New Hampshire is the fifth smallest and ninth least populated state, you may be surprised to hear that there are actually several accredited Master’s in Nursing degree programs in New Hampshire to prepare advanced practice nurses for leadership. The state may be best known for its beautiful natural landmarks, granite quarries, mountain landscapes, sparkling coastline, historical trail sites, museums, winter sports, forests, motor speedways, and for having the nation’s second oldest constitution, but New Hampshire also has a legacy for hosting some of the top-ranked universities in the North. If you are seeking your place at the forefront of the thriving healthcare field in the “Granite State,” read on to learn more about the master’s level graduate degrees in nursing that are available with numerous specialty areas in New Hampshire.
Franklin Pierce University
College of Graduate and Professional Studies
Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Monadnock region of New Hampshire on a vast scenic 1,200-acre rural campus in the town of Rindge within just an hour from Boston, Franklin Pierce University is a comprehensive private liberal arts institution with more than 1,750 students. Consistently named among “America’s Best Colleges” by Forbes magazine, Franklin Pierce is ranked as the 126th best college in the North by the U.S. News and World Report. The Collee of Graduate and Professional Studies is committed to offering advanced degrees and certificates in today’s most in-demand fields, including education, business, healthcare, and nursing.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Nursing Education – Intended for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree who are seeking to assume a professional leadership role in making significant contributions to nursing education and training the next generation of nurses, the MSN in Nursing Education track is designed to prepare graduates for practicing as a nurse educator in an academic or clinical healthcare delivery setting with evidence-based methodologies. Through an evening on-campus, hybrid, or online format that best suits students’ learning needs, the program requires at least 36 credits for BSN students or 39 credits for non-nursing bachelor’s degree holders.
MSN Nursing Leadership – With the goal of incorporating knowledge of clinical and organizational management to prepare graduates to assume leadership roles in healthcare organizations to improve patient outcomes, the MSN in Nursing Leadership track is focused on ensuring registered nurses have the critical thinking skills needed to implement change projects in various healthcare delivery systems. Either full-time or part-time, the 36-credit program is available for registered nurses with or without a prior nursing degree on-campus in Manchester, Lebanon, and Portsmouth as well as online from anywhere with an Internet connection.
RN to MSN Program – Following a 141-credit curriculum that is designed to provide registered nurses with a complete combination of core, baccalaureate, and graduate courses, the RN to MSN program enables nurses to quickly attain a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree after achieving an associate’s or diploma in nursing for licensure. Within the accelerated program, students will need to take courses in statistics, microbiology, human growth, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, clinical decision making, health policy, community health, evidence-based practice, nursing research, and more. Students also have the freedom to choose from the Nursing Education and Nursing Leadership tracks for specialization.
Accreditations
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact Information
40 University Drive
Rindge, NH 03461
(603) 433-2000
[email protected]
http://www.franklinpierce.edu/academics/gradstudies/programs_of_study/master_science_nursing/master_science_nursing.htm
Rivier University
Division of Nursing
First established in 1933 by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in order to educate the daughters of mill workers, Rivier University is a private Roman Catholic co-educational institution rooted in a strong liberal arts tradition on a 68-acre suburban campus in the town of Nashua. Since education and nursing are by far the university’s most popular majors, it is no surprise that the Division of Nursing is nationally acclaimed for having the 390th best graduate nursing degree programs in the entire United States by the U.S. News and World Report.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – Focused on blending clinical experience with a solid theoretically knowledge base in diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic health conditions for individuals across the lifespan, the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program places a strong emphasis on disease prevention and health management to prepare graduates to function in this advanced nursing practice role. In the 43-credit program that fulfills all requirements for national nurse practitioner certifications, nurses will gather the skills needed to assume a greater level of responsibility as primary healthcare providers.
MSN Nursing Education – Ideal for registered nurses who have received the calling for integrating their clinical expertise with their passion for teaching, the MSN in Nursing Education program track aims to prepare graduates for teaching as university faculty members in schools of nursing and/or other clinical healthcare institutions. Within the 36-credit program, students will gather knowledge in educational evaluation, nursing theory, curriculum development, nursing technologies, research design, advanced health policy, and instruction to sit for national certification through the NLN.
MSN Nursing Leadership: Health Systems Management – As the newest addition to the Division of Nursing since its inception in January of 2014, the MSN Nursing Leadership: Health Systems Management track is designed to prepare registered nurses for supervisory and administration responsibilities in all healthcare practice environments. Within the 36-credit program that can be completed fully online, students are able to effectively build the necessary leadership skills needed to facilitate and deliver high-quality patient services while coordinating workflow and managing nursing care.
MSN Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) – Structured in a cohort-based low-residency model for either full or part-time learning, the MSN Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track prepares registered nurses to practice in advanced mental health nursing of patient populations across the lifespan and with a wide variety of psychiatric medical concerns. After successfully completing the 43-credit program within two or three years, graduates are qualified for sitting for national certification in psychiatric/mental health nursing.
Accreditations
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact Information
420 South Main St.
Nashua, NH 03060
(603) 897-8530
[email protected]
https://www.rivier.edu/academics/all-programs/msn-family-nurse-practitioner/
Southern New Hampshire University
Department of Online Nursing Education
Headquartered on a 338-acre suburban campus outside of Manchester with satellite centers around New Hampshire, Maine, and online, Southern New Hampshire University is a comprehensive private institution with more than 25,000 students. Recently named as the 12th most innovative organization in the world by Fast Company as the only educational institution on the list, SNHU is consistently named as a “Best Buy” based on its high-ranking value and affordability in online education. In particular, the Department of Online Nursing Education is devoted to preparing today’s nurses with the key competencies needed for continuous improvement of the quality and safety of healthcare delivery systems.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Since the healthcare industry is continually introducing new therapies, futuristic technologies, and complex medical treatments, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program is designed to prepare generalist advanced practice nurses with the critical thinking and leadership skills needed to fulfill changing medical needs for optimal patient care. Within the 39-credit program, students will take courses on healthcare informatics, global health, healthcare policy, leadership in clinical Microsystems, advanced nursing concepts, evidence-based practice, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and a nursing capstone project.
MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) – With the mission of providing the skills required by nurse leaders to act as providers and administrators of patient care as well as assume responsibility for the entire healthcare delivery environment, the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) track covers how managers must design and evaluate care by coordinating, delegating, and overseeing the patient services provided by the healthcare team. Based on the competencies defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the program requires the completion of at least 39 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
MSN Patient Quality and Safety – Built upon the practice standards for nurses dictated by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the MSN Patient Quality and Safety program uniquely focuses on healthcare quality improvement to prepare competent advance practice nurses for contributing to the creation of a culture of safety and reliability in the healthcare delivery process. Within the 39-credit online concentration program, students will specifically develop critical thinking, communication, multicultural, global healthcare, professional development, risk assessment, technological, human resource management, and social justice skills for improved patient care.
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact Information
2500 North River Rd.
Hooksett, NH 03016
(800) 224-3856
[email protected]
https://www.snhu.edu/lp/ss/ms-in-nursing
University of New Hampshire
College of Health and Human Services
As a public institution that combines the feel of a classic New England liberal arts college with the breadth of opportunity of a major research university, the University of New Hampshire is located on a vast 2,600-acre rural campus in the city of Durham near the Atlantic coastline with a community of over 12,000 students. According to the U.S. News and World Report, UNH is currently ranked as the 97th best college and 44th top public school in the nation. Within the College of Health and Human Services, the Nursing Department is also acclaimed for having the 234th best graduate nursing degree programs in the entire United States.
Master’s in Nursing Degree Programs
MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) – With the goal of producing master’s-prepared point-of-care nursing leaders with the skills needed to manage and solve complex patient problems within a healthcare delivery systems framework, the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program fulfills all of the academic requirements needed to sit for the national certification examination. Along with 36 credits of advanced coursework, the curriculum enables students to complete a clinical immersion experience of around 300 clinical hours, conduct their own research in health promotion and disease management, and conclude their studies with a capstone project.
MSN Evidence-Based Nursing – Focused on preparing graduates for the leading edge of healthcare knowledge and delivery by promoting interdisciplinary research and fostering life-long learning, the MSN Evidence-Based Nursing program track enables students to study nursing as an applied discipline to advance their knowledge of theoretical perspectives for clinical nursing practice. With an emphasis on the cultural, social, and political contexts of healthcare, the program requires students to complete a scholarly research project as well as an intensive clinical practicum under the guidance of a faculty mentor and agency preceptor.
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) – Designed to prepare registered nurses with the specialized knowledge and clinical competency needed to practice as licensed independent practitioners in primary healthcare delivery systems across the age spectrum, the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program track is focused on the major themes of health promotion, disease prevention, teaching, counseling, and coaching. After completing the 48-credit program and the final integrated clinical practicum, graduates are eligible to sit for national certification as a family nurse practitioner as well as pursue doctoral studies if desired.
Accreditations
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Contact Information
105 Main St.
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-2271
[email protected]
http://www.chhs.unh.edu/nursing
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of available nursing positions that will require a master’s degree in nursing will skyrocket by more than 21 percent over the next few years in response to the nation’s expectations and demands. Since most of the top healthcare delivery systems in New England and beyond are actively seeking advanced practice nurses to take their patient care to a higher level, earning a master’s degree is the best pathway towards achieving leadership positions, job stability, job satisfaction, and a higher income potential. Whether you are born and raised or are considering moving to the “Granite State,” be sure to check out these top-notch accredited Master’s in Nursing degree programs in New Hampshire to realize your fullest potential in this rewarding healthcare profession.
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