BACCALAUREATE AND MASTER S DEGREES REVISED FORMAL PROPOSAL

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1 BACCALAUREATE AND MASTER S DEGREES Institution: Macon State College NEW PROPOSAL FORM: ONE-STEP PROCESS (Submit One Copy) REVISED FORMAL PROPOSAL Institutional Contact (President or Vice President for Academic Affairs): Dr. Martha Venn Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Date: November 01, 2011 School/Division: School of Nursing and Health Sciences Department: Nursing Departmental Contact: Dr. Rebecca Corvey, Dean Name of Proposed Program/Inscription: ASN - MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Degree: Master of Science Major: Nursing CIP Code: Anticipated Starting Date: Fall 2013 Indication of Whether the Program is New and Online: New - Hybrid Indication of whether the program should be listed with the SREB Electronic Campus: No 11/02

2 2 1. Program Description and Objectives: a) Objectives of program Macon State College proposes the establishment of the master s program: the Master s of Science in Nursing (MSN) ASN - MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). The major objectives of this program are to: increase the number of Masters prepared nurses who are able to provide advanced care to young, adult and older adult populations in the Central Georgia region by 18 each year; improve access to the Master s degree option for associate degree nurses in the geographic area of Central Georgia, the state of Georgia and the Southern region; provide program efficiency by collaborating acute care settings in the area and in the state and secure grant funding for expanded clinical options, student funding and mentoring through scholarships and partnerships with regional health care providers. This program addresses the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2010) report to offer increased opportunities for advanced degrees for registered nurses and the 2009 goals of the University System of Georgia (USG) Nursing Education Expansion Plan (NEEP) to increase the number of USG prepared registered nurses and USG nursing faculty members and to increase and support collaboration between USG institutions. Macon State College is committed to developing strong partnerships and is collaborating with Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU) in delivering two graduate level nursing degree programs on the Macon State College campus; the CNL and DNP. In addition MSC is currently a co-participant in a HRSA grant with Georgia Health Sciences University to develop innovative teaching and evaluative strategies using the EvirX software program. The mission of Macon State College (MSC) places emphasis on preparing students to succeed in a technology-rich, information-driven, global economy while developing important life and citizenship skills through a solid foundation in the liberal arts. Key aspects of the mission include affordable and accessible professionally-oriented degree programs that are concentrated in selected disciplines that lead to rewarding careers and enhance the economic and cultural vitality of Central Georgia. The Macon State College Department of Nursing mission flows from the mission of the College. Evidence regarding congruency includes the mission of the nursing program, to educate professional nurses who will provide quality, holistic care to individuals, families, and communities in a rapidly changing and global environment. Accessibility of the nursing program is enhanced by offering the associate and baccalaureate programs at the main campus in Macon, which is located in central Georgia, and the associate program at Warner Robins, which is approximately 22 miles south of the main campus. Access to the prelicensure baccalaureate degree and the RN to BSN degree for registered nurses is further evidence of the department s commitment to enhance the career mobility of the nurses in Central Georgia. Macon State College s School of Nursing was established in 1971 to offer an Associate of Science Degree. Macon State College s Associate Degree nursing program was initially accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) in 1979, then again in 1987, in 1995, in 2003 and most recently in The fall 2010 visit included review and approval of the prelicensure baccalaureate, the RN to BSN and the ASN program.

3 3 Full 8 year accreditation was granted by NLNAC for all of the Macon State College Nursing Programs and all programs have full approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing. MSC offers two options for achieving a baccalaureate in nursing, the RN-BSN option and the pre-licensure option. The RN-BSN option has been in place since 2004, and the pre-licensure curriculum option started in the fall 2009 semester with the first graduating class planned in May This program will provide the unique option of offering an ASN to MSN program. The faculty adhere to the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBN) Regulations, the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008), the National Patient Safety Goals, and guidelines from the American Nurses Association (ANA) in the development of the pre-licensure curriculum. The MSC campus is a site for the Pre Licensure Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program offered by the GHSU. Students enroll through GHSU and attend classes at MSC via distance technology. The program is grant funded. One full-time MSC nursing faculty member coordinates the program, is present in the classes, and runs the simulation experiences for the PL-CNL students. Additional nursing faculty participate in teaching clinical sections for the PL- CNL program. The three-year grant will conclude December Sixteen students of this new and innovative master s degree will have graduated with a MSN at the end of the grant cycle. The Department of Nursing has a strong commitment from its Communities of interest advisory group that supports the mission of the department and provides input into development programs and a strong commitment to provide clinically relevant practice sites. The Department of Nursing maintains partnerships with the Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG), Houston Medical Center (HMC), Coliseum Medical Centers (CMC) and GHSU. Students develop evidence-based projects as a component of the partnership with MCCG. The projects are designed to promote excellence in nursing, enhance the profession, and benefit the community. Georgia Health Sciences University offers the clinical nurse leader program on the Macon Campus and provides doctoral education (DNP) through Internet Protocol onsite at Macon State College. These partnerships also promote excellence in nursing education, enhance the profession, and benefit the community. These programs have afforded faculty an opportunity to work closely with graduate students to develop teaching, clinical and research experience critical to a new Master s program. Macon State College Associate of Science (ASN) degree students have historically scored at or above the national and state average for the NCLEX-RN Licensure Examination. The ASN NCLEX-RN scores for the prior three years are: 97 percent (2008), 96 percent (2009) and 94 percent for The initial MSC pre-licensure BSN class graduated in The class average for the NCLEX-RN Examination is 95.1 percent. The Georgia Board of Nursing granted full program approval for the pre-licensure BSN in July Physical Space

4 4 MSC is fortunate to have sufficient physical resources that meet the needs of faculty, staff, and students on both the Macon and Warner Robins campuses. New buildings with state of the art classrooms, sufficient laboratory space, private offices and up to date technology have strengthened the resources on the campuses and provided support for students to achieve their learning goals and the program outcomes. On the Macon campus, the Jones Building houses all of the programs within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Constructed in 2005, this 78,000 square foot structure is one of the largest buildings on the main campus. Classroom space, nursing labs, and faculty offices are located in the Jones Building. The close proximity of the faculty offices, conference rooms and work areas allow faculty easy access to one another which facilitates group work and mentoring of new faculty. In addition, the close proximity allows the students easy access to faculty and secretarial staff. In Macon there are three primary nursing classrooms available for teaching. These classrooms are equipped with smart podiums and wireless internet access which enhances the delivery of instruction. The smart podiums have computers, VCR, DVD, and document projection capabilities. All equipment is controlled through a single integrated device making it user-friendly. An InFocus machine is mounted to the ceiling in each classroom to allow projection of educational material. Two of the classrooms are located in the Jones Building. The third classroom, located in an older building adjacent to the Jones Building, and is used for larger classes. In addition to quality classroom facilities, nursing students have access to two 35 seat testing labs in the library building as well as a 35 seat testing center in the Student Life building. Nursing Laboratories The labs on both the Macon and Warner Robins campus are sufficient in size and have adequate supplies to meet the learning needs of the students in this new program. Nursing lab facilities on both campuses are open and available to all students on a regular basis. In addition to the full-time faculty members, a part-time lab coordinator is available for student that desire supervised practice or additional assistance. These laboratories will be used mainly for the Advanced Physical Assessment Course and for simulated experiences using case studies and clinical scenarios in preparation for clinical practice. Technical Support An integral part of instruction in the ASN- MSN (CNL) program is online critique of clinical practice activities, shared resources and instructional material. Technical support is readily available for students and faculty on both campuses. Online help may be requested on the MSC home page and any request for assistance is has a response in a timely manner. Technical support is also available for Vista which is the computer technology currently used for delivery of course material. b. Needs the program will meet

5 5 The College proposes to offer the ASN-CNL Masters of Science in Nursing beginning in summer 2013 in response to the needs of its service district and the state. There are no advanced practice graduate nursing programs in the University System of Georgia (USG) that enable the two-year ASN Graduate to complete a Master s degree. Macon as a regional health care provider continues to stimulate the area's economy. When calculating the dollars a medical facility brings to an area, economists use a higher multiplier for these institutions than for most other types of businesses. The theory seems to apply to Macon. Indirect job growth generated by the health care industry, especially its hospitals and the city's centralized location, helped to dramatically increase "back-office" industries. This includes insurance and financial industries and other companies providing non-selling services such as legal, accounting, record-keeping, and communications Central Georgia s economic future is tied to the health care industry. The Medical Center of Central Georgia employs about 3,300 people in medical, administrative, and support functions, and ranks as one of the state's largest employers. Its direct and indirect payrolls total about $251 million and the hospital shoulders much of the county's indigent care costs. Also large in size and scope, the HCA Coliseum Medical Centers employs more than 800 people. Together, The Medical Center of Central Georgia, HCA Coliseum Medical Centers, HCA Coliseum Psychiatric Hospital, Macon Northside Hospital, Middle Georgia Hospital, and Charter Behavioral Health Systems considerably influence Macon's economic health as well as the area's physical and emotional well-being There is urgent regional need for additional advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care to the adult population. Sixteen per cent of middle Georgia residents are over the age of 60. Seventeen thousand of these older adults live alone and ten thousand live below the poverty level. In 1990, 700,000 Georgians were 65 and older. Currently over 1 million people are in this age group. According to the AAA, Georgians over the age of 65 are more often living in poverty, living alone and have at least one or more disabilities or chronic illnesses. Because the majority of acute care patients are over the age of 65, all health professionals must learn to care for older adults. This emphasis on aging will be a critical part of this master s proposal. According to Kreimer (2011) Clinical Nurse Leaders are a relatively new phenomenon. They translate research into action, ensuring that bedside nurses can offer patients the latest advances. The CNL was developed to be a leader at the bedside for the patient who has complex acute care needs. The CNL is able to offer support to the staff nurse who is called on to care for patients who are sicker and more fragile. After several years of discussion, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) created this role in 2006 in collaboration with a variety of leaders from the practice environment. Their goals: to upgrade the quality of patient care and to better prepare nurses for success in the present and future health care system. The association details the CNL s functions to include collecting and evaluating patient outcomes, assessing cohort risk, and exercising the authority to alter care plans when necessary. As part of a team, the CNL coordinates with physicians, pharmacists, social workers, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, working in all health care settings, not only acute care. He or she has a master s

6 6 degree in nursing with a curriculum focused on leadership at the point of care, operating at the microsystem level and acting as a liaison between the patient and other health care providers accessed November 02, 2011 at 1 pm). Nationally nursing programs are responding to this need by adding more acute care content to their curricula and increasing graduate exposure to health care issues of the sicker adult populations. c. Brief explanation of how the program is to be delivered The proposed ASN to MSN program will consist of 42 semester hours and will be delivered using a hybrid format. Three intensive/immersion sessions will be held the first semester and two each of the following semesters to facilitate transition to graduate study, professional role integration and to familiarize students with the software to be used to document and evaluate clinical experiences and course requirements. Other resources and on-going course materials will be offered online. Clinical practice will be planned in a variety of settings and will be designed to address the program and course objectives. Evirx and Project Nurse Software will be an integral part of the program. These software programs will facilitate the management of portfolios, documentation and critique of clinical practice using established practice benchmarks. All students will enroll in the 21 hours of core content related to Theory, Research, Pathophysiology, Advanced Physical Assessment, Professional Roles, Issues and Pharmacology. The specialty courses support the area of concentration as a clinical nurse leader. This curriculum adheres to the required course content and clinical practice required by AACN. d. Prioritization within the institution s strategic plan This proposal for the Master of Science in Nursing will coincide with a substantive change request to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to offer the master s degree. Macon State College will become a regional university with the offering of targeted graduate programs that address the needs of Central Georgia. The current strategic plan provides the framework for this new degree. Goal 1: Macon State College will focus on excellence in meeting the educational needs of the 21st century workforce in the Information Age. In addition, Macon College is aligned with the USG Strategic Plan. Macon State College is uniquely positioned in Central Georgia to meet the needs of the 21 st century student and to fuel the regional economy by producing top-quality graduates who will be successful in 21 st century careers. Many baccalaureate programs at Macon State focus on careers in greatest demand regionally and nationally: business, information technology, nursing and healthcare, and teacher education. These careers require leaders with both the critical reasoning skills achieved through a quality liberal education and the career-specific skills that will enable

7 7 them to be competitive upon entry into the workforce. Caring for patient in an acute care setting is a critical need area for the region, the state and the nation. Goal 3 A: Macon State College will build strength through educational and applied research partnerships with business and government in order to further the knowledge base and economic development of Central Georgia. The ASN-MSN program will foster research in the area of acute care and build partnerships with acute care facilities that focus on providing the best care to adults. This program will have direct economic impact on the region by increasing the opportunity for career mobility for the present associate degree nursing prepared graduates of the Macon State and other regional and state nursing programs. As stated in the current strategic plan There is a growing need for health professionals throughout the country. Macon State College is committed to providing programs of study that will increase the number of health profession graduates who will, in turn, serve residents of surrounding communities. Macon State College has always sought to make education affordable for students while maintaining a high standard of excellence in its program offerings. This Master s program will build on the tradition of affordability and excellence. 2. Description of the program s fit with the institutional mission and nationally accepted trends in the discipline. The institutional mission of Macon State College is to offer focused baccalaureate degrees and programs whose resources are dedicated to the advancement of a defined region. The college prepares students for affordable and accessible professionally oriented degree programs in selected disciplines. As noted above, this proposal will necessitate a SACS substantive change report and an expansion of the mission and programs offered by MSC. The ASN-MSN degree will be a unique master s degree offered on the campus and will enable students with associate degrees in nursing to select a graduate program in high demand nationally, regionally and statewide and in Central Georgia. This Master s proposal will offer a graduate degree that leads to a rewarding career, one that will enhance the economic and cultural vitality of Central Georgia and the state and address the goal of health care facilities in the area to hire nurses who are better prepared for the increasingly complex patients served. Macon State College is strongly committed to quality education and student success through excellence and innovation in teaching. Graduate students will benefit from the strong economic outreach and community engagement opportunities offered by the college. Existing partnerships with health care facilities will support and enhance the variety of practice sites and opportunities for students enrolled in this program. The program will enable students to participate in interdisciplinary activities and scholarship opportunities available throughout the campus. This program also addresses the IOM report that calls for 10 % of all nursing graduates to enroll in a master s or doctoral program within 5 years of graduation (IOM, 2010).

8 8 Graduates of the MSN program will be prepared to enroll in doctoral study and will be prepared to provide recommendations regarding health policies and care strategies to improve the health of adults across the health illness continuum. An additional strength of the program is the ability of the advanced practice nurse to collaborate with physicians and other health providers in improving the overall delivery of health care to underserved and medically fragile adults. Another key recommendation of this report is that Nurses should also achieve higher levels of education and training through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression (IOM, p. 1). All ASN graduates in the region will have access to an additional and unique graduate program. 3. Description of how the program demonstrates demand and a justification of need in the discipline and geographic area and is not unnecessary program duplication. The Commission for a New Georgia identified healthcare and social assistance as strategic industries for Georgia. The state and southeastern area of the United State have a critical need for advance practice nurses with expertise to care an increasing complex hospitalized patient. There are no other USG ASN-MSN nursing masters programs in Georgia. 4. Brief description of institutional resources that will be used specifically for the program (e.g., personnel, library, equipment, laboratories, supplies & expenses, capital expenditures at program start-up and when the program undergoes its first comprehensive program review. Personnel Nursing faculty is in critical demand especially with expertise in geriatrics. Darrell Thompson, DNP, RN a Family and Acute Care nurse practitioner. Macon State nursing faculty Teresa Kochera, RN, MSN, CNL will complete the DNP in 2012 and will teach in the program along with Monica Brown, FNP, RN who is a PhD candidate at Georgia State University. Ms. Kochera and Dr. Thompson have taught in the PL-CNL Master s program offered by Georgia s Health Sciences University offered on the MSC campus. In the second year of the program, one additional faculty will be hired who has focused and preferably funded research in the area of adult health. This position will need to be an added faculty line in the School of Nursing. Other adjunct faculty will be mentored to teach in the new program as enrollment expands. Macon State College is fortunate to have secured a highly credentialed nursing consultant to assist with the program development and implementation, Dr. Elizabeth Mistretta. Dr. Elizabeth Mistretta has expertise in the field of gerontology and geriatrics having served on the Georgia State University Gerontology faculty where she taught both nursing and university wide courses in health and aging. Additionally, Dr. Mistretta developed and taught in the clinical nurse specialist in Gerontology and the nurse practitioner geriatrics course for family nurse practitioners. Dr. Mistretta will assist with the mentoring of School of Nursing and adjunct faculty involved with the program.

9 9 Library Library resources are adequate. Currently the MSC library has access to 287 journal subscriptions and over 8,000 e-books for student use. Supplemental professional resources such as a video disc set for advanced physical assessment technique, pathophysiology and pharmacology journals and reference books dealing with advanced practice role development and entrepreneurial practice will be added at an estimated cost of $10K. Classroom, laboratory and clinical placements are adequate to support the program. Laboratories The Advanced Health Assessment course will require practice in a clinical laboratory. Space in the School of Nursing is adequate to support this demand. Two fully equipped (10 bed) clinical labs are available. A fully equipped clinical simulation lab is also available for student use to monitor record and critique student performance. Equipment Additional equipment such as ten new diagnostic kits ($4,000) for advanced health assessment and clinical practicums will be provided to students (oto-opthalmascope sets). Faculty will be provided a lap top ($3,000 each) for classroom and teaching and to support the online teaching tools, Evirx and Project Nurse. The following technology is also required for full implementation of the software: Camtasia Studio/Snagit Bundle (Screen Capture/Recording and Editing Software) - $199 (academic pricing). A license for each MSN program faculty will be needed. Camcorders tripods available for students to check out as well as for faculty to use; Three Sony Handycam each Supplies and Expenses The faculty assigned to teach in the new MSN degree program are currently teaching in the BSN program in the School of Nursing & Health Sciences. Therefore, no additional supplies such as office equipment, desktop computers, or furniture are anticipated for the first year. Faculty office equipment, desktop computer and office furniture will be required for the second year. Travel to clinical sites for student supervision is expected to be minimal as the Evirx enables faculty to critique clinical experiences from the secure website. Capital Expenditures No capital expenditures are anticipated. 5. Curriculum: List the entire course of study required and recommended to complete the degree program. Provide a sample program of study that would be followed by a representative student.

10 10 a. Clearly differentiate which courses exist and which are newly developed courses. Include the course titles as well as acronyms and credit hour requirements associated with each course. This is one of the first Master s program of study to be proposed at Macon State. The curriculum is Georgia Health Sciences University (Appendix B). Once approved Dr. Allbritten will need to meet with GHSC to discuss details of obtaining the program. Core courses are designed to be used with any subsequent graduate programs established in nursing. The Core Courses included Theory, Research, Pathophysiology, Advanced Physical Assessment, Professional Roles, Issues and Pharmacology. b. Append course descriptions for all courses (existing and new courses). Appendix B provides all course descriptions, pre and corequisites for core and specialty courses for the ASN-MSN program as they exist with Georgia Health Sciences University. c. When describing required or elective courses, list all course prerequisites. d. Provide documentation that all courses in the proposed curriculum have met all institutional requirements for approval. To be completed by February e. Append materials available from national accrediting agencies or professional organizations as they relate to curriculum standards for the proposed program. Please see Appendix C for national accrediting agency information. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) will accredit the program. f. Indicate ways in which the proposed program is consistent with national standards. The NLNAC will accredit the program. Standards for accreditation through this agency include a standard for curriculum with an eye to preparation of the student to assume safe practice in the current health care environment. In meeting this standard, the curriculum for the adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner program at Macon State College will include evidence based practice, information literacy, and cultural humility. Clinical experiences for students will be developed to reflect contemporary practice. Delivered in a hybridized format, the program length is designed so that students can attain the student learning outcomes while continuing employment. Nurse practitioner faculty will be involved in ongoing assessment of the program and curriculum and will institute revisions as needed. The program at Macon State College will include practice hours to ensure clinical expertise. Graduates will be entry-level advanced practice nurses who are generalist clinician. This CNL role is designed to improve clinical and cost outcomes. The graduate will be responsible for coordinating care and in some cases actively providing direct care in acute care settings. Thus the program will be in compliance with the nationally-established competencies.

11 11 g. If internships or field experiences are required as part of the program, provide information documenting internship availability as well as how students will be assigned and supervised. Each student will be assigned a Master s prepared preceptor in Adult Health or in some cases a physician who will provide one to one supervision of their clinical practice. Traditional sites for practice will include: all medical centers in the Central Georgia area with existing Memoranda of Understanding with the College. h. Indicate the adequacy of core offerings to support the new program. The program of study will be enhanced by the use of PhD faculty in biology to assist with teaching Pathophysiology and math faculty will also provide teaching support for the graduate level statistic content in the research course. Pharmacology will be enhanced by use of an adjunct faculty who has a MS in pharmacology and directs clinical trials throughout the country. 6. Admissions criteria. Please include required minimal scores on appropriate standardized tests and grade point average requirements. Admission criteria are designated to ensure the successful completion of the course and program requirements. These graduate students will be leaders in the nursing profession in the Central Georgia region, throughout the state and nationally. It is imperative that the acceptance process include criteria to assess each applicant s strengths and weaknesses. Each component of the application will be reviewed by a graduate admissions committee. Upon acceptance to the college, the applicant must submit the following documents: 1. Submission of all required application materials to include a statement of the applicant s goals for graduate study 2. An Associate of Science Degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by the SACS or regional accrediting institution; Nursing program must be accredited by NLNAC or CCNE 3. Official transcripts from all institutions attended 4. Georgia Registered Nurse license without restrictions 5. Candidates will be interviewed 6. An overall GPA of A minimum of one year clinical experience post baccalaureate degree is preferred 8. Computer literacy and strong written and verbal skills are expected 7. Availability of assistantships (if applicable). Each academic year of the program, Macon State College will offer a number of graduate assistantships. These positions provide the graduate student an opportunity to receive tuition

12 12 remission and a small stipend. The focus of the position can be teaching, research or other applicable program needs such as advanced training using the software systems integral to the Master s program. This advanced training will enable the assistant to provide mentoring to fellow graduate students. To apply for these positions, a student must be admitted to the program, complete the applicable materials and submit a personal statement with a rationale of why the assistantship is needed and would enhance their graduate study. All applicants will be interviewed and once accepted will work 20 hours a week in the department of nursing or one of the programs in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. A faculty mentor/supervisor will be assigned to each graduate assistant. Specific goals for these experiences will be outlined by the faculty mentor and the graduate assistant each semester. 8. Student learning outcomes and other associated outcomes of the proposed program. The specific learning goals of the program are congruent with the NLNAC essentials of graduate education and the competencies of the Advanced Practice Nurse as identified by AACN. This advanced practice graduate will be prepared to fulfill leadership positions and offer advanced practice in a variety of health care settings to full spectrum of adult clients. The successful graduate will be able to: 1. Demonstrate competence in the management of patient health/illness status. 2. Effectively communicate advanced practice nursing roles with clients and colleagues. 3. Synthesize the concepts of cultural humility, ethical decision making, and advanced clinical competence in the delivery of care to all adult populations. 4. Provide advance clinical competencies that are patient-centered, holistic, and evidenced based to the adult population. 5. Synthesize theoretical, scientific, and contemporary clinical knowledge for the assessment and management of both health and illness states. 6. Establishes effective nurse clinician-patient relationships that create a climate of trust, fosters patient respect, autonomy, and emotional support while maintaining professional boundaries. 7. Demonstrate competence in the teaching-coaching role. 8. Contribute to nursing knowledge to improve care for the adult population. 9. Analyzes political, environmental, and social forces to positively impact health care delivery and cost-effective, quality care. 10. Collaborate as client and family partner and advocate within the health care delivery system. 11. Employ a critical thinking, personal, collegial, collaborative approach to enhance effectiveness of care. 9. Administration of the program: a. Indicate where the program will be housed within the academic units of the institution. The program will be housed in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences administered by Dr. Rebecca Corvey and coordinated by Dr. Darrell Thompson. Graduates will receive a Master s Degree in Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Leader.

13 13 b. Describe the administration of the program inclusive of coordination and responsibility. Under the direction of Dean Corvey and Nursing Chair, Ms. Sirena Fritz, this program will become a part of the overall offerings of the School of Nursing. Currently undergraduate Associate of Science in Nursing, pre-licensure Baccalaureate in Nursing and the RN to BSN tracks are established. The budget will be a line item in the overall financial support for the School of Nursing. The day to day coordination of the program will be provided by Darrell Thompson, DNP, RN with oversight by the program Chair. Students will be admitted to the School of Nursing and will be required to follow policies and procedures of the School and the College for admission, progression and graduation. 10. Waiver to Degree-Credit Hour (if applicable): If the program exceeds the maximum credit hour requirement at a specific degree level, then provide an explanation supporting the increase in hours (Note: The maximum for bachelor s degrees is 120-semester credit hours and the maximum for master s degrees is 36-semester credit hours). This program will be 42 hours consistent with the number of hours of graduate nursing programs and to allow for the requisite hours of focused clinical practice. 11. Accreditation: Describe disciplinary accreditation requirements associated with the program (if applicable). The programs offered in the School of Nursing are fully approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing and the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The last visit by NLNAC occurred in the fall 2010 and a full 08 year approval was granted for all undergraduate programs of study. This new Master s program will adhere to all policies and procedures for approval from NLNAC. 12. Projected enrollment for the program especially during the first three years of implementation. Please indicate whether enrollments will be cohort-based. This program will be cohort based initially with a goal of admitting 20 students in the fall semester annually. As additional faculty and clinical practice sites are added, the cohort format will be reconsidered in order to allow flexible scheduling. Table 4: ASN-MSN Projected Enrollment Year 01 Year 02 Year 03 Cohort 01 ( ) Cohort 02 ( ) Cohort 03 ( ) 20 In program Faculty a. Provide an inventory of faculty directly involved with the administration of the program.

14 14 Dr. Darrell Thompson will coordinate the graduate program. Dr. Thompson is a Family and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with a DNP from Georgia Health Sciences University and has graduate teaching experience. Course offerings include key clinical information and issues central to caring for the highly specialized needs of adults in acute care settings. Teresa Kochera, RN, MSN, CNL will complete the DNP in 2012 and will teach in the program along with Monica Brown, FNP, RN who is a PhD candidate at Georgia State University. Ms. Kochera has taught graduate level courses for the CNL students on the MSC campus. In the second year of the program, one additional faculty will be hired who has focused and preferably funded research in the area of acute care. This position will be a new faculty line within the School of Nursing. Other adjunct faculty will be mentored to teach in the new program as enrollment expands. Dr. Elizabeth Mistretta, nursing consultant, has expertise in the field of adult health and gerontology and geriatrics having served on the Georgia State University Gerontology faculty where she taught both nursing and university wide courses in health and aging. Additionally, Dr. Mistretta developed and taught in the clinical nurse specialist in Gerontology and the nurse practitioner geriatrics course for family nurse practitioners. Dr. Mistretta will assist with the mentoring of School of Nursing and adjunct faculty involved with the program. Dr. Mistretta s graduate teaching expertise will be critical in the mentoring of the current faculty who teach in the program. Table 5: Teaching Faculty Characteristics Faculty Name Rank Highest Degree Degrees Earned Academic Discipline Current Workload Darrell Assistant DNP MS, BS FNP PLBSN Thompson* Teresa Kochera* Associate MS MS, BS Acute Care PLBSN Monica Brown Assistant MS MS, BS Family & Acute Care NP Jean Mistretta* Consultant PhD PhD, MN, BSN, Diploma Adult Health/ Gerontology PLBSN *graduate teaching experience Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: Dr. Thompson will be assigned 100% of his time to the new program. The remaining two full time faculty will be assigned 50% teaching time in the ASN- MSN (CNL) program. The courses they currently teach in the prelicensure baccalaureate program will be assigned to faculty hired to fill the current open positions in the department. There are four open positions in nursing currently. Expected responsibilities in the program: Dr. Thompson will coordinate and teach in the program. Ms. Kochera and Brown will teach 50% time each semester in the ASN- MSN program and continue to teach 50 % time in the Prelicensure BSN program. Total Number of Faculty: 3 N/A

15 15 b. If it will be necessary to add faculty in order to begin the program, give the desired qualifications of the persons to be added, with a timetable for adding new faculty and plan for funding new positions. It will not be necessary to hire program faculty initially. During the second year of the program, a faculty member with an earned doctorate and a record of research with an emphasis in adult health and gerontology and master s level teaching experience will be hired. Additional faculty will be mentored to teach in this program as enrollment expands. All faculty will participate in the on-site and online training for software used to administer and manage student learning experiences. These will include ProjectNurse and Evirx programs described below. Overview of ProjectNurse and Evirx Video Wurks The ASN-MSN program will be delivered in a hybrid format, with the majority of the content being delivered via online technologies, additional resources for supporting instruction will be necessary. In addition to the Learning Management System used by Macon State College as well as the synchronous lecture delivery tool (Blackboard Collaborate) made available to the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the ASN- MSN (CNL) Masters of Science in Nursing will take advantage of two unique systems: ProjectNurse ( and Evirx Video Wurks ( ProjectNurse provides a suite of tools that enable nursing programs to track and manage student progress based on targeted learning outcomes. A key component of this system is the online portfolio of clinical and classroom experiences which will be used by faculty to assess both the completeness and quality of the student s performance. The Evirx Video Wurks tool provides a video analysis mechanism for observation and tracking of clinical experiences. Faculty will be able to compare and contrast practice and code the video based around frameworks and standards of practice. The tool also enables the student to self-assess, gauge progress, and determine specific needs for support. Faculty Training All Macon State College faculty utilize and undergo training on the Learning Management System (LMS, currently Blackboard Vista, transitioning to Desire 2 Learn) made available through the University System of Georgia. As the main platform for delivering instructional units and classes online, LMS training is provided on a consistent basis for all new and existing fulltime and part-time faculty. The School of Nursing and Health Sciences has been on the forefront of utilizing the LMS to develop completely online and hybrid courses and content for over ten years. Faculty have begun to be trained and pilot the use of the synchronous Blackboard Collaborate system beginning in the fall of Both the ProjectNurse and Evirx Video Wurks systems will be piloted in the spring of Due to the adoption and use of these systems prior to the admission of the year one cohort, both full and part-time faculty will have been trained and gained expertise in using these systems with their students. As with any

16 16 technology that evolves over time, it will however be necessary for faculty and students to be trained and provided support on upgrades and system enhancements as they occur. This will be particularly important as the University System has plans to migrate from its current LMS to another vendor, a process that is currently planned to roll-out at the same time of the inaugural cohort being accepted into the program. 14. Fiscal, Facilities, Enrollment Impact, and Estimated Budget a. Provide a narrative that explains how current institutional resources will be expended specifically for this program. Provide a narrative that explains how the institution will fiscally support the establishment of the new program through the redirection of existing resources and acquisition of new resources. Indicate whether the institution will submit a request for new funds as part of its budget request. The narrative also needs to explain the basis of the institution s projections with regard to anticipated EFT, head count, student enrollment, estimated expenditures, and projected revenues. Budget Narrative: A survey of regional Universities supporting master s degrees in nursing suggests that enrollment averages 20 students each year. The budget projects a new enrollment each year of 20 students and accounts for an anticipated 10% attrition rate in each class. Therefore first year enrollment is calculated as 20 new students, and second year enrollment would roll 18 students from year one with the addition of 20 new students, maintaining a fairly constant enrollment of 38 students annually. The ASN- MSN (CNL) degree program will be delivered using a hybrid format. Regular tuition rates will apply. Review of state tuition rates for MSN programs was conducted and the average tuition rate for graduate nursing programs is $3,000 per semester for full time study ( 12 hours and over) or $250 per credit hour. Two student fees will be applied each semester, a technology fee of $50 and an institutional fee of $200 per semester. Tuition and fees will generate $93,000 year one, $ 212,000 year two and $249,963 year three. The College will seek external funding of approximately $100,000 to support costs of the MSN degree program during its first year of operation. The state of Georgia legislature and Board of Regents recognizes the need for additional funding to support the critical need academic programs such as nursing. Macon State College will apply for any special initiative funding that may be the result of this statewide commitment. The Dean of the School will also work collaboratively with the MSC Foundation to identify potential donors who have historically supported Nursing Program development. Faculty personnel expenditures are calculated according to the table presented on page 18 considering faculty teaching assignments and workload percentage allocations across the BSN and MSN degree programs. Currently the Department of Nursing supports two full time secretarial positions. One of these positions will be allocated to the MSN program at 50 percent of workload. Other expenditures anticipated include purchasing of additional library resources and physical assessment equipment for students (oto-opthalmascope sets). Operating costs are

17 expected to be minimal. Program accreditation by national nursing accreditation agencies will occur during the first three years and are included. 17

18 18 Table 6: Student Enrollment and Progression HOURS Number of Students FY14 FY15 FY16 FY14 FY15 FY16 Summer Cohort Cohort 2 18 Cohort Fall Cohort Cohort Cohort Spring Cohort Cohort Cohort

19 19 Table 7: Projected Budget First Year FY 14 Second Year FY15 I. ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS Student Majors Shifted from other programs New to the institution Total Majors Third Year FY16 Fourth Year FY Course Sections Satisfying Program Requirements Previously existing New Total Program Course Sections Credit Hours Generated by Those Courses Existing enrollments New enrollments Total Credit Hours DEGREES AWARDED II. EXPENDITURES EFT Dollars EFT Dollars EFT Dollars EFT Dollars Personnel reassigned or existing positions Faculty 82, , ,047 Part-time Faculty 0 15,000 30,900 Graduate Assistants Administrators 37,500 38,625 39,784 Support Staff 18, ,170 19,745 Fringe Benefits 25, , , Other Personnel Costs Total Existing Personnel Costs 163, , ,648.00

20 20 First Year FY 14 EXPENDITURES (Continued) Personnel new positions??? Faculty Part-time Faculty Graduate Assistants Administrators Support Staff Fringe Benefits Other personnel costs Total New Personnel Costs Start-up Costs (one-time expenses) Library/learning resources 10,000 Equipment 5,000?? Other 20,000 Second Year FY15 Third Year FY16 Fourth Year FY Physical Facilities: construction or major renovation Total One-time Costs 35,000 FY14 FY15 FY16 Operating Costs (recurring costs base budget) Supplies/Expenses 10,000 2,000 2,000 Travel 1,500 1,500 1,500 Equipment Library/learning resources Other / Accreditation 2,000 10,000 Total Recurring Costs 13,500 13,500 3,500 GRAND TOTAL COSTS 210, , ,357 First Year FY 14 Second Year FY15 Third Year FY16 III. REVENUE SOURCES Source of Funds Reallocation of existing funds 20,000 20,000 New student workload New Tuition 85, , ,563 Federal funds Other grants Student fees 8,000 18,800 22,400 Other / Externally Funded 100,000 New state allocation requested for budget hearing Nature of Funds Base budget One-time funds GRAND TOTAL REVENUES 213, , ,963 Fourth Year FY Net $2,954 $1,600 $7,606