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: Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner 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 10/26

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). 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 baccalaureate nurses in the geographic area of Central Georgia, the state of Georgia and the Southern region. provide program efficiency by collaborating with long-term care facilities, geriatric focused corporations, 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. This program supports the 2009 goals of the University System of Georgia (USG) Nursing Education Expansion Plan (NEEP) to: 1) increase the number of USG prepared registered nurses and USG nursing faculty members and to 2) increase and support collaboration between USG institutions. Macon State College is committed to developing strong partnerships and is collaborating with Georgia Health Sciences University 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 (GHSU) 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 Macon 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,

3 3 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. Full 10 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 that occurred in May 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 also a site for the 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 CNL students. Additional nursing faculty participate in teaching clinical sections for the 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 distance education 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,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 A/GNP 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 responded to in a timely manner. Technical support is also available for Vista which is the computer technology currently used for delivery of course material.

5 5 b. Needs the program will meet The College proposes to offer the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A/GNP) Masters of Science in Nursing beginning in fall 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) with a focus on geriatrics. The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, a private university in Atlanta, offers an A/GNP program ( There is urgent regional need for additional advanced practice nurse practitioners with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care to the adult and aging populations. 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. The 2010 Census data indicates Georgia s population increased from of 8,186,453 in 2000 to 9,687,653. This is an 18.3 percent population increase. There are 1,032,035 seniors age 65 and over. From 2000 to 2010, seniors age 65 and over increased to 31.4 percent of Georgia's population. People ages 65 and above, are expected to increase percent and 65.5 percent as a percent of the total population, between 2000 and During the 20th century, the number of Georgians age 60 and above increased ten-fold, compared to a four-fold growth in the population overall. In 2002, adults over the age of 65 made up 13 percent of the U. S. population, but accounted for 36 percent of the total U. S. personal health care expense. Compared to the working-age person who spent $ 3,352 per year for health care, the older adult spent $ 11,089. People ages (9 per cent of the population) spend 29 percent of the top 5 percent of expenses and the over age 80 group (3 percent of the population) accounted for 14 percent of the top 5 percent of the expenses. Elderly have a much higher proportion of chronic conditions than non-elderly (AHRQ, June, 2006 accessed October 19, According to Berman and Thornlow (2005) the average age of a nurse s patient is 65 and older. Older adults comprise the largest growing segment of the medically unstable population including 46 percent of all hospital stays, 80 percent of home care visits, and 90 percent of the long-term care residents (NCHS, 2004). The increased need for Geriatric Nurses has been anticipated and well-documented over the last 25 years by health care professionals, educators and researchers. However, demand exceeds the anticipated needs. One in eight Americans is over the age of 65 and by 2030 this number will double to 70 million or one out of every five adults (AOA, 2004). Advanced practice nurses can fulfill a unique role in the care of the older adult offering health promotion, education and management of chronic illness and disability. More recent data verifies this trend.

6 6 Demand for geriatric nurses is accelerating along with the nation s changing demographics. With baby boomers approaching their retirement years, the number of Americans age 55 and older will soar from 60 million (21 percent of the population) to more than 107 million (31 percent) by 2030, according to the National Council on Aging in Washington, D.C. (Kreimer, S., June 11, 2010, p. 1). Only three percent of all advanced practice nurses are certified in geriatric care (ANA credentialing center, 2002). An additional critical need is for faculty who are experts in the field of aging. We are faced with a severe shortage of Ph.D. prepared faculty who can teach gerontological nursing and conduct the research needed to establish best practices in the care of older adults. To meet this shortage, our brightest nurses must be supported in becoming gerontological nursing leaders early in their careers (OHSU, accessed September 13, 2011). Registered Nurses with graduate level education and specialized knowledge and skills in care for the older adult are needed in outpatient clinics, community centers and homes as well as acute care settings. Assisting the older adult to live independently is the goal. Care of the aging involves attention to functional status that supports the management of acute and chronic illnesses. Nurses are uniquely qualified to fulfill these needs. Nationally, nursing programs are responding to this need by adding more geriatric content to their curricula and increasing graduate exposure to health care issues of the aging in a variety of care settings. The growth in home care services will provide Geriatric Nurses with outstanding employment opportunities in the future (Department of Labor, 2011). Older adults have complex, multisystem issues that have occurred over decades. Critical care issues of this vulnerable group include the need for health education regarding chronic illness, medication management and most especially health promotion activities. c. Brief explanation of how the program is to be delivered The proposed A/GNP will consist of 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, as well as 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 in adult health and gerontology. The program will provide 600 clinical practice hours which is 100 hours over the required hours for this advanced practice role. This curriculum adheres to the required course content and clinical practice required by AACN and the Hartford Foundation curricula.

7 7 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 them to be competitive upon entry into the workforce. Caring for an aging population 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 A/GNP program will foster research in the area of aging and build partnerships with longterm care and acute care facilities that focus on providing the best care to adults and aging citizens. This program will have direct economic impact on the region by increasing the opportunity for career mobility for the present baccalaureate 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

8 8 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 A/GNP degree will be among the first master s degrees offered on the campus and will enable students with baccalaureate 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. This Master s Degree program builds upon the highly respected prelicensure nursing and RN to BSN programs offered at the college. It is also strategically linked to the regional needs for health care of an aging citizenry delivered in a variety of settings. In addition, the focus on health promotion and disease prevention for all adults and especially the vulnerable aging population will benefit the entire region and the state. 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 and ultimately through a planned Center for Aging. This program also addresses the IOM report that calls for 10 % of all baccalaureate graduates to enroll in a master s or doctoral program within 5 years of graduation (IOM, 2010). 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 the IOM 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). Baccalaureate graduates in the region will have access to an additional and unique program in adult and geriatric care. 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 for the older client. A web search (September 08, 2011) of currently open nurse practitioner positions needed for aging clients, identified 15 open fulltime positions. Half of these positions are in Central and Southeast Georgia. There are no other USG geriatric nursing masters programs in Georgia.

9 9 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, will complete a certificate in gerontology and will coordinate the program. Macon State nursing faculty Teresa Kochera, RN, MSN 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 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 aging. This position will be allocated from one of the current open positions 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 two highly credentialed nursing consultants to assist with the program development and implementation. Dr. Elizabeth Mistretta and Dr. Janet Andrews. Dr. 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 program 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. Janet Andrews, a certified Women s Health Nurse Practitioner has expertise in the fields of genetics, adult health care and nursing ethics. Dr. Andrews served on the Georgia College & State University faculty and the Macon State College faculty where she taught a wide array of advanced nursing practice content from Advanced Physical Assessment to Women s Health Nursing. Dr. Andrews will assist with the development of the curriculum, program assessment and developing benchmarks for performance to be utilized with the Evirx video assessment software tool. 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.

10 10 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 including 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 this 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. 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. 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. All courses are new. 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.

11 11 Table 3: MSN A/GNP Curriculum Plan Year I Fall Spring Summer NURS 5103 Health Assessment for Advanced Practice (3) NURS 5101 Advanced Pathophysiology (3) NURS 5300 Adult/Gerontology Primary Health Care 1 (4) NURS 5104 Advanced Practice Nursing Roles (3) NURS 5102 Pharmacology for Advanced Practice (3) NURS 5100 Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Practice Nursing(3) NURS 5240 Health Promotion for Adult and Gerontological Populations (2) NURS 5106 Professional Issues in Advanced Practice (3) Totals: 9 credit hours 8 credit hours 7 credit hours Year II Fall Spring Summer NURS 5105 Evidence as a Basis for Advanced Practice (3 ) NURS 5301 Adult/Gerontology Primary Health Care 2 (4 ) NURS 5302 Gerontology Health Care (3) NURS 5242 Women s Health Throughout the Lifespan for Advanced Practice Nurses (3) NURS 5241 Nursing Evidence-Based Project (2-6) Total: 9 credit hours 6-10 credit hours 5 credit hours NURS 5303Adult- Gerontology Health Practicum (3) 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 AGNP program. c. When describing required or elective courses, list all course prerequisites.

12 12 d. Provide documentation that all courses in the proposed curriculum have met 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. The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing established competencies for Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (2010) will provide the framework for the program of study. 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. In 2008, The National Task Force for Quality Nurse Practitioner Education established criteria for the evaluation of nurse practitioner programs. The criteria mandate that nurse practitioner preparation includes didactic coursework in the areas of the three P s : advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced pathophysiology. The nurse practitioner curriculum at Macon State College is designed to include all three of these graduate core courses. In compliance with the evaluation criteria, the coordinator of the program is an adult health nurse practitioner who will seek Gerontological Certification through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Additionally, the standards require 500 hours of clinical practice in the area represented by the population the nurse practitioner is prepared to serve. The program at Macon State College will include 600 hours of clinical experience, which is appropriate for an adult/gerontology focus. In concert with the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing established competencies for Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (2010). The competencies allowed for 6 population foci, one of which is Adult/Gerontology. The competencies include practice experiences in the educational program focus on adult-older adult, including adolescents and emancipated minors, adults, and older adults across the wellness-illness continuum. The curriculum at Macon State College for the A/GNP Program is designed for graduates to meet these competencies. Clinical preceptors will be selected to represent broad and varied expertise to ensure meaningful students experiences.

13 13 Graduates will be entry-level advanced practice nurses who can assess, diagnose, plan care and implement treatment, collaborate, communicate, develop policy to improve practice, and participate in life-long learning and self, colleague, and peer review. Thus the program will be in compliance with the nationally-established competencies. 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. The A/GNP requires 500 clinical practice hours; this program outlines 600 practice hours for each student. Each student will be assigned a Master s prepared preceptor in Adult Health, Gerontology 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. Long-term care corporations such as UHS Pruitt will also be used to provide long-term clinical sites. 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. A Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from an institution accredited by the SACS or regional accrediting institution; Nursing program must also 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

14 14 8. A current GRE score to be forwarded directly to the college; A GRE score of 1000 (combined Verbal & Quantitative) and a Writing Analysis score of 3.5 is preferred 9. A grade of C or better in the following undergraduate nursing courses: a. Statistics b. Nursing Research c. Undergraduate Health/Physical Assessment Skill 10. 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 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 adults populations. 4. Provide advance practitioner competencies that are patient-centered, holistic, and evidenced based in a variety of settings to the adult and older adult population. 5. Synthesize theoretical, scientific, and contemporary clinical knowledge for the assessment and management of both health and illness states. 6. Establish effective nurse practitioner-patient relationships that create a climate of trust, and fosters patient respect, autonomy, and emotional support while maintaining professional boundaries. 7. Demonstrate competence in the teaching-coaching role. 8. Synthesize data to diagnose and manage client care through common acute and chronic

15 15 Illnesses. 9. Contribute to nursing knowledge to improve care for the adult-older adult population. 10. Analyze political, environmental, and social forces to positively impact health care delivery and cost-effective, quality care. 11. Collaborate as client and family partner and advocate within the health care delivery system. 12. 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 Advance Practice A/GNPs and complete certification examinations in Adult and Gerontology ANP through the AACN. 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 majors 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 41 hours consistent with the number of hours of other nurse practitioner program and to allow for the requisite 500 hours of focused clinical practice. This program of study has 600 clinical practice hours. 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.

16 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: A/GNP 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. 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. Upon completion of the post master s gerontological nurse practitioner certification program through the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he will seek certification through the highly respected Hartford Institute Gerontological Nursing Certification program offered online that was developed to help nurses prepare to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center s (ANCC) Gerontological Nurse Certification Examination. Course offerings include key clinical information and issues central to caring for the highly specialized needs of older adults. The review of the current financial, social, political, and cultural issues that affect nursing care for the elderly are included along with information that reflects the current test content outline of the ANCC Gerontological Nurse Certification Examination. This program is designed to help educators integrate geriatric nursing content into the graduate curriculum for nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists who provide care to older adults. In conjunction with the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing (AACN), The Hartford Institute offers these courses for use by faculty teaching in adult and family nurse practitioner programs ( Teresa Kochera, RN, MSN 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 aging. This position will be one of the current open positions in the School of Nursing. Other adjunct faculty will be mentored to teach in the new program as enrollment expands.

17 17 Dr. Mistretta, nursing consultant, 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 program 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 Community/ 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 A/GNP 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 six 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 AGNP program and continue to teach 50 % time in the Prelicensure BSN program. N/A Total Number of Faculty: 3 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 enrollment expands.

18 18 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 AGNP Masters of Science in Nursing 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 AGNP 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 full 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 technology that evolves over time, it will 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.

19 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 will average 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 Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner MSN 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 for 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 expected to be minimal. Program accreditation by national nursing accreditation agencies will occur during the first three years and are included.

20 20 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