Nursing

The School of Nursing offers study leading to the Master of Science (M.S.), Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in nursing.

Master of Science Requirements

The purpose of the Master’s program is to prepare nurses for advanced practice with specialized knowledge, skills, and values. Graduates assume leadership roles in the health care system and the discipline of nursing by applying existing knowledge and using a spirit of inquiry to examine and test knowledge. Areas of Concentration include the following: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (this program is not currently accepting new students), Family Nurse Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Leader, and Nurse Educator. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredits the program. The plan of study includes online nursing and related courses according to the requirements for each area of concentration. Part-time and/or full-time plans of study are available. Each student completes a core curriculum in theory, research, statistics, legal, regulatory and policy aspects of advanced nursing practice. Additional courses in the areas of concentration are also required. For students applying to the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Educator concentrations, documentation of a minimum of 2,080 hours of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse (RN) providing direct patient care must be provided in the admission application. For those candidates in the Neonatal Practitioner Program, a minimum of two years full-time, RN-level practice experience in a level three neonatal intensive care unit is required prior to enrolling in NURS 5369. All Master’s programs are delivered fully online.

No student may take more than 12 credits in the master’s degree as a non-matriculated student. No student may transfer in more than 25% of course credits required for the master’s degree plan of study. The M.S. program requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above to earn the Master of Science degree in Nursing. Students must earn a “B” or better in all graduate courses with a NURS prefix in order to earn credit toward graduation. A student may only repeat one course with a NURS prefix throughout their graduate study. If a student does not earn a “C+” or better on the first try, a collaborative decision between the advisor and the student will determine if a repeat of the course is appropriate. The M.S. program does not require a final comprehensive exam.

Nurse Practitioner Required Core Courses: NURS 5012, 5020, 5030, 5035, 5060, 5870.

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track: NURS 5500, 5550, 5559, 5560, 5562, 5569, 5570, 5579, 5590.

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track (This program is not currently accepting new students): NURS 5062, 5400, 5405, 5409, 5410, 5419, 5420, 5429, 5470.

Family Nurse Practitioner Track: NURS 5062, 5400, 5405, 5409, 5410, 5420, 5430, 5449, 5470.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Track: NURS 5350, 5362, 5365, 5369, 5370, 5375, 5379, 5385, 5389.

Nurse Educator and Nurse Leader Required Core Courses: NURS 5012, 5020, 5030, 5035, 5235, 5249, 5870.

Nurse Educator: NURS 5060, 5062, 5470 or 5590, 5700, 5710, 5720.

Nurse Leader: NURS 5230, 5240, 5245, 5865.

Credit requirements for each M.S. track:

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: 45 credits

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: 45 credits (This program is not currently accepting new students)

Family Nurse Practitioner: 48 credits

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner: 44 credits

Nurse Educator: 39 credits

Nurse Leader: 33 credits

Doctor of Nursing Practice Requirements

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) Program offers a terminal degree in nursing for those interested in an advanced nursing practice role. The D.N.P. prepares nurses to assume leadership roles as providers and administrators in healthcare settings or as clinical faculty in educational settings. The D.N.P. program focuses on education in the scholarship of application and integration. This program has two entry/matriculation points: post-Bachelor’s degree (B.S.-D.N.P.) and post-Master’s degree entry for those already holding RN or APRN licensure and certification with Master of Science (M.S.) preparation. The B.S. – D.N.P. Program includes four Nurse Practitioner concentrations (Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (this program is not currently accepting new students), Family Nurse Practitioner, and Neonatal Acute Care Nurse Practitioner) as well as a concentration for a Nurse Leader. These concentrations require students to complete the coursework for the associated concentration for the M.S. in Nursing and lead to the conferral of an M.S. degree as part of the B.S.-D.N.P. Program. This option allows students to begin advanced practice while continuing their doctoral studies.

The B.S.-D.N.P. Program options range in credits from 84-92 in total (dependent on area of concentration), as well as a D.N.P. Project and evidence of a minimum of 1,000 supervised clinical hours. The Post-M.S. Program of Study requires a minimum of 30 credits, a D.N.P. Project, and evidence of a minimum of 1,000 supervised clinical hours post-baccalaureate. A scholarly portfolio, a general exam and a D.N.P. project are required for graduation.

Required Core Courses: NURS 5845, 5850, 5855, 5860, 5865, 5869, 5870, 5879, 5885, 5889, 5895, and GRAD 5910.

Optional Related Area Certificates. Health Professions Education Graduate Certificate: NURS 5700, 5710, and 5720.  Holistic Nursing Online Graduate Certificate: NURS 5001, 5002, and 5003. Pain Management Online Graduate Certificate: NURS 5101, 5102, 5103, and 5104. Healthcare Innovation Online Graduate Certificate: NURS 5111, 5112, 5113, 5114.

Requirements for Clinical Practice

In addition to academic qualifications, UConn nursing students must possess the ability to consistently demonstrate a proficiency in five core areas for nursing students: motor, sensory, communication, behavior and critical thinking skills. These areas reflect the reasonable expectations of a nursing student performing the common functions of a registered nurse or an advanced practice nurse.

The ability to consistently demonstrate these personal and professional competencies are essential from admittance to graduation. Students must be capable of performing the skills of a nursing student.

Therefore, each nursing student must have the ability to learn and perform the following competencies and skills:

Motor: The student must possess sufficient motor capabilities to execute the movements and skills required to provide safe and effective nursing interventions. These include, but are not limited to:

  1. Coordination, speed and agility to assist and safely guard (protect), with safe and proper body mechanics, patients who are ambulating, transferring, or performing other activities.
  2. Ability to adjust and position equipment and patients, which involves bending or stooping freely to floor level and reaching above the head.
  3. Ability to move throughout the classroom or clinical site, and sit and stand for long periods of time to carry out patient care activities.
  4. Ability to perform patient care duties for up to 12 hours at a time, day or night.
  5. Ability to move or position patients and equipment, which involves lifting, carrying, pulling up to 30 pounds.
  6. Ability to guide, resist, and assist patients, or to provide emergency care, which involves standing, kneeling, sitting, or walking.
  7. Ability and dexterity to manipulate the devices used in giving nursing care.
  8. Ability to administer CPR without assistance.

Sensory: The student must be able to obtain information in classroom, laboratory, or clinical settings through observation, auscultation, palpation and other measures, including but not limited to:

  1. Visual ability (corrected as necessary) to recognize and interpret facial expressions and body language, identify normal and abnormal patterns of movement, to read or set parameters on various equipment, to discriminate color changes, and to interpret and assess the environment.
  2. Auditory ability (corrected as necessary) to recognize and respond to soft voices, auditory timers, equipment alarms, call bells, and to effectively use devices for measurement of blood pressure, breath sounds, etc.
  3. Tactile ability to palpate a pulse and to detect changes or abnormalities of surface texture, skin temperature, body contour, muscle tone, and joint movement.
  4. Sufficient position, movement and balance sensations to assist and protect patients who are ambulating, transferring, or performing other activities.

Communication: The student must be able to communicate effectively with peers, faculty, patients and their families, and other health care providers. This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Ability to read at a competency level that allows one to safely carry out the essential functions of an assignment (examples; handwritten chart data, printed policy, and procedure manuals).
  2. Ability to effectively interpret and process information.
  3. Ability to effectively communicate (verbally and in writing) with patients and their families, health care professionals, and others within the community.
  4. Ability to access information and to communicate and document effectively via computer.
  5. Ability to recognize, interpret, and respond to nonverbal behavior of self and others.

Behavior: The student must be capable of exercising good judgment, developing empathic and therapeutic relationships with patients and others, and tolerating close and direct physical contact with a diverse population. This will include people of all ages, races, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as individuals with weight disorders, physical disfigurement and medical or mental health problems. This also includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Ability to work with multiple patients, families, and colleagues at the same time.
  2. Ability to work with classmates, instructors, health care providers, patients, families and others under stressful conditions, including but not limited to providing care to medically or emotionally unstable individuals, situations requiring rapid adaptations, the provision of CPR, or other emergency interventions.
  3. Ability to foster and maintain cooperative and collegial relationships with classmates, instructors, other health care providers, patients and their families.

Critical Thinking: The student must possess sufficient abilities in the areas of calculation, critical problem solving, reasoning, and judgment to be able to comprehend and process information within a reasonable time frame as determined by the faculty and the profession. The student must be able to prioritize, organize and attend to tasks and responsibilities efficiently. This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Ability to collect, interpret and analyze written, verbal, and observed data about patients.
  2. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, integrate information, and make decisions.
  3. Ability to apply knowledge of the principles, indications, and contraindications for nursing interventions.
  4. Ability to act safely and ethically in the college clinical lab and in clinical placements within the community.

If a nursing applicant or student is unable to meet one or more of these areas due to a long-term or short-term disability, they may request consideration for an accommodation through the Center for Students with Disabilities. Prompt notice is essential for full consideration. The requirements for clinical practice apply for all programs which include a clinical component.

Doctor of Philosophy Requirements

The purpose of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program is to prepare nurse leaders who will advance the scientific body of knowledge that is unique to professional nursing practice. Educational experiences offered in nursing theory development, philosophy of nursing science, qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods, and in advanced statistics. Study in specialty areas further supports the individual’s area of clinical interest. A general exam (publishable manuscript), a scholarly portfolio (minimum of one published paper, one external podium or poster presentation), submission of one peer-reviewed grant application, and a dissertation (traditional five chapter or three manuscript based (excluding general exam) five chapters) are required for graduation.

Required Core Courses: GRAD 5910; 15 credits of GRAD 6950; NURS 6100, 6101, 6122, 6123, 6125, 6130, 6135, 6160, 6165, 6175; six credits in courses supportive of the dissertation area.

The programs are offered by the School of Nursing.