Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Informatics Specialization (Master of Science in Nursing)
This specialization prepares the professional registered nurse to use data from healthcare agencies and institutions to improve patient outcomes. Students explore theoretical underpinnings of this specialization and how it impacts the healthcare environment. Graduates of this specialization will be prepared to analyze clinical and financial information, process and report acquired data.
You’ll also explore current trends in leadership and management, human diversity and social issues, health promotion and disease prevention, and research and global, evidence-based practice.
ACEN and CCNE Accredited
*The RN-BSN Degree Completion in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing and the four specializations master's degree programs in nursing at University of Arkansas Grantham are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
How long is the MSN in Nursing Informatics program?
At 36 credit hours, the online nursing courses in this specialization should be completed in 24 months. It could take less time depending on how many classes you take each term.
How much will the online MSN in Nursing Informatics degree program cost?
The graduate rate is $350 per credit hour – but all certified or licensed patient care workers, such as nurses and technicians, qualify for the University of Arkansas Grantham Heroes Program with a graduate rate of $250 per credit hour and no textbook or other fees.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the MSN program requires the following:
- An earned Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from a stateapproved nursing program with a CGPA of 2.0 or higher
- Unencumbered and current RN License as indicated by Date of Issue*
- Nurses educated outside the United States, who are eligible to practice as an RN in the United States, must have an earned bachelor’s degree in nursing that equates to a U.S. bachelor’s degree**
*If a student holds a current encumbered nursing license, the restriction will be reviewed by the College of Nursing Review Team. The decision of the Review Team will be communicated to the prospective student immediately upon the decision and will stand without appeal.
**Practicing Nurses who are seeking admission to the nursing program and who hold a valid, unencumbered license in the United States but whose nursing transcript or transcript evaluation document does not show bachelor’s degree equivalency must have their documentation reviewed by nursing administration for validation of equivalency and admission into appropriate nursing program.
Please note: Certain states, such as Kansas, require Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools certification as part of the vetting process to earn a valid and current RN license. Please check with your state to determine requirements.
No transfer credit is accepted for the Master’s in Nursing program. All courses must be taken at University of Arkansas Grantham.
When can I start?
Courses begin frequently, so we’re ready when you are ready to begin.
Call us at (888) 947-2684 to learn more about the Master of Science in Nursing Degree Program and our other accredited degree programs, as well as financial assistance opportunities, and to get all your questions about the enrollment process answered.
Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Informatics Specialization (Master of Science in Nursing)
Nursing Informatics Specialization Outcomes
After successfully completing this specialization track in nursing education, you will be able to:
- Incorporate leadership in the synthesis, utilization, and evaluation of all interdisciplinary information to promote quality improvement in a health care environment.
- Design health information systems to identify patterns and variances in data regarding risk behaviors, epidemiology, and other health care problems/issues with the accompanying costs associated with the issue.
- Assess information systems to determine quality data output that can be utilized for improving nursing and informatics practice.
- Integrate ethical and legal principles to establish and maintain the security of all data and compliance with all regulatory entities.
- Evaluate the use of informatics methodologies to advocate for the patient’s autonomy, dignity and rights and in policy development that would support both the patient and the institution.
MSN Core
- Integrate nursing and related sciences into the delivery of advanced nursing care to diverse populations
- Incorporate concepts of advanced practice nursing when making nursing diagnoses and critical thinking decisions about educational and therapeutic interventions
- Design nursing care for a clinical or community-based population based on cultural diversity, biophysical, psychosocial and organizational needs
- Assess high-level communication skills when involved with patients and professionals both within and outside the healthcare field
- Combine theory and research-based knowledge from nursing and the sciences as they relate to the interdisciplinary team when designing, coordinating and evaluating quality patient care
Core Professional Competencies
University of Arkansas Grantham prepares graduates to succeed in a variety of professional and civic settings by incorporating these critical life skills into the curriculum:
- Communication:
Formulating and expressing thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and non-verbal communication skills in person, in writing, and in a digital world. - Distributed Collaboration:
Working effectively across distributed locations and asynchronously to achieve a common goal through relationship-building, shared responsibility, empathy, and respect. - Professional and Social responsibility:
Engaging in social responsibility through seeking justice, valuing diversity, respecting the environment; and demonstrating professionalism through integrity, mutual accountability, and ethical behavior. This includes considering the social and global impact of individual and organizational decisions, and an awareness of and adhering to regulations, professional standards, and industry best practices. - Critical thinking/problem solving:
Using analytical reasoning when gathering and evaluating relevant information to effectively formulate possible solutions for an issue, problem, or a variety of issues; includes the ability to recognize potential consequences of a decision. - Data aptitude:
Develop information literacy and the capacity to manage data with subsequent finding, structuring, evaluating, and interpreting, in order to provide meaningful analysis to accomplish a specific purpose.
Master of Science in Nursing – Nursing Informatics Specialization (Master of Science in Nursing)
At Grantham, online flexibility meets quality. As you consider your all of your nursing school educational options, bear in mind that University of Arkansas Grantham’s coursework is conveniently online. We provide the flexibility you need to succeed.
Students will complete Practice Experience (PE), a Capstone Project and Practicum specific to specialty track.
Note: For successful completion of the program, courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence.
| PROGRAM SNAPSHOT: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Core Credits: | 36 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 36 | ||
| Accreditation(s): | DEAC, ACEN, CCNE |
| Program Core: | 36 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course: | Title: | Credits: | |
| Course: NUR506 | Title: Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing | Credits: 3 | |
| This course concentrates on related theories regarding Advanced Practice Nursing (APN); the roles, the essential knowledge, behavioral motivations and decision-making techniques of professional nurses. Application of various aspects of Advanced Practice Nursing will be explored such as evidence-based practice, research, and quality and information for advanced practice nursing. The application of these principles will be explored when providing nursing care to clients. The preparation for the capstone project is part of the clinical practice experience in this course in identifying an issue or concern about which the capstone project can be completed. The clinical practice experience the investigation of the role of the APN through interviewing and reflection on the roles and responsibilities of a practitioner at the master’s level. | |||
| Course: NUR552 | Title: Legal and Ethical Issues of Advanced Practice Nursing | Credits: 3 | |
| This course presents the moral, ethical and legal aspects facing the advanced practice nurse in their daily professional work, with an emphasis on the ethical practices and decision-making processes faced by all nurses. The 22.5 hours of clinical practice experience focus on the basic tenets of these practices and the practical application of professional nursing principles as they are examined throughout this course and continue throughout the nursing program at Grantham University. | |||
| Course: NUR510 | Title: Advanced Physical Assessment | Credits: 3 | |
| This course is designed to assist Registered Nurses to make the transition to Advanced Practice. Human Patient Simulation is utilized to assist in learning the six discrete components of clinical reasoning. A validated conceptual framework designed to operationalize clinical reasoning within virtual patient simulations is used. In addition to advanced physical assessment of all major body systems, students will incorporate principles of advanced pharmacology and advanced pathophysiology through a series of Focused Exams. The Focused Exams explore a specific pathology occurring in populations across the lifespan. Infused throughout the course are the Essentials of Master's Education in Nursing and QSEN. The clinical practice experience in this course occurs through virtual simulation. | |||
| Course: HSN548 | Title: Information Security and Privacy in Healthcare Environments | Credits: 3 | |
| This course covers the utilization of technology in the healthcare environment from an individual and organizational point of view. Challenges faced by nurses and healthcare professionals in the dynamic technological era requires a broad understanding of the concepts of healthcare informatics. Students will be provided the tools, techniques, and resources used for specific application in the healthcare environment. Regulations for meaningful use of information in healthcare systems is explored. Students are exposed to interdisciplinary collaborative models of informatics processes which improve efficiency as well as patient experience and outcomes. This course also covers technological changes, challenges, and risks that organizations face internally or externally. | |||
| Course: NUR516 | Title: Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice | Credits: 3 | |
| The focus of this course is examining the research process and its importance in guiding and supporting evidence based and advanced nursing practice. A review of research methodologies and terminology to include; identifying a problem, developing research questions, exploring the literature review process and examining the methodology of conducting research. Building content throughout this course, the first three chapters of the Capstone Project will be developed. Clinical practice learning experiences (PE) are included in the course with the investigation of institutional review for research and support of research for nursing as well as the establishment of the problem or issue upon which the capstone project and capstone paper will be based. The student is expected to work with the track specialist mentor and the clinical institution to ensure that the capstone project can move forward through implementation in the 600-level courses of the curriculum. | |||
| Course: NUR514 | Title: Project and Change Management | Credits: 3 | |
| This nursing informatics course examines the knowledge sets, skills, tools and techniques of managing informatics projects, with an emphasis on how project management contributes to the strategic goals of the organization. Topics include strategic management process as it relates to information technology; project prioritization and planning; evaluating project risk; resource scheduling, and project teams and partner management issues. Additionally, some of the most common change management challenges and best practices related to change in informatics will be explored. | |||
| Course: HSN509 | Title: Clinical and Administrative Systems | Credits: 3 | |
| Students examine the foundations of clinical information collection, processing, recording and use to support decision-making in healthcare environments. The importance of patient information privacy, compliance with regulatory standards, safety and data integrity is prominent throughout the course. Topics covered include types of health care information systems for specific healthcare settings, system selection, implementation process, system security and data standards. In addition, students will explore strategic planning and management implications associated with information technology in healthcare management. | |||
| Course: NUR540 | Title: Essentials of Nursing Informatics | Credits: 3 | |
| This course explores the essential concepts related to the development and utilization of nursing informatics in healthcare institutions. Students will explore the theoretical underpinnings of the specialty of nursing informatics and the impact of informatics on the healthcare environment. A comprehensive overview of the role of the nursing informaticist is examined in addition to analyzing clinical and financial information and processing and reporting acquired data. Nursing informatics trends and issues are also explored. | |||
| Course: HSN521 | Title: Modern Organizations and Healthcare | Credits: 3 | |
| This course exposes students to an in-depth discussion of both the theories and practical applications of healthcare management. In addition to the primary management functions of planning, organizing and controlling, specialized topics like communication, ethical responsibilities, process management and leadership are discussed. Students also investigate alternative management and leadership styles that can be utilized as effective models and approaches for managing change, resources, time and performance. | |||
| Course: NUR513 | Title: Diverse Populations and Healthcare | Credits: 3 | |
| This course provides an introduction and exploration of concepts and theories relevant to healthcare for diverse populations with 22.5 hours of clinical practice experience embedded for the application of the concepts and theories to a population’s health care needs. Diversity is examined relative to social organizations, roles and expectations, communication patterns, and the values and beliefs underlying health-illness behaviors between western and non-western cultures. | |||
| Course: NUR607 | Title: Nursing Informatics Research Seminar | Credits: 3 | |
| The MSN Research Seminar for the Graduate Nurse Informaticist emphasizes the emerging trends and roles in nursing informatics in the healthcare environment. Issues related to plans for evaluating, contracting and implementing new technologies, evaluating and improving current technologies in healthcare, as well as QI, safety, and security related to information technology will be reviewed throughout the course. The culmination of this course will result in the finalization of chapters 1, 2, and 3 and a draft of chapter 4 of your Capstone Project. Capstone projects are designed to encourage you to think critically, solve challenging problems, and develop skills such as oral and written communication, research, planning large projects, and goal setting to achieve the outcomes in a timely manner. The capstone project will provide you an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of both a specific topic and the relationship of this topic to the broader scope of your roles as a Nursing Informaticist. | |||
| Course: NUR608 | Title: Nursing Informatics Practicum | Credits: 3 | |
| The Nursing Informatics Practicum is the final course in the MSN program. This practicum requires demonstration of the knowledge and skills acquired in prior courses as they relate to Advance Practice Nursing as well as the specialty of Nursing Informatics. During this course, the Capstone project that was completed during the Research Seminar will be finalized and issues related to patient-centered care, evidence-based practice, diversity, critical thinking, collaboration and teamwork, and professionalism will be demonstrated. Program Outcomes and specialty track role specific competencies will be showcased within the five chapters of the capstone paper, during the Oral Capstone Presentation, and through the reflection of these in the Program Outcome Identification Table. 64 hours of direct Practicum Experience are completed under the guidance of a preceptor and 26 hours of indirect practice experience are embedded in the course. Practicum Experience is evidence-based, reflects contemporary practice and nationally established patient health and safety goals, and is designed to verify early mastery of new levels of advance practice. | |||
Practice experience occurs throughout the program with both direct and indirect clinical experiences. Face to face, collaborative assignments including a capstone project are included in the direct experiences. Simulation and other clinically related experiences also assist the student to integrate the theoretical constructs learned in class with the clinical generalist role.