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Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Concentration – Master of Science in Nursing

The family nurse practitioner primary care (FNP) concentration is an online program that prepares registered nurses (RNs) to provide independent general care for family groups and individuals in the context of family living. The curriculum includes instruction in family theory and intervention, evidence-based practice, epidemiology, advanced technologies, health care environment management, role synthesis, family primary care, nursing practice and health care policy, pediatric practice, gerontological practice, health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, clinical pharmacotherapeutics and clinical practice techniques.

Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Concentration-Master of Science in Nursing Program are eligible to apply for Family Nurse Practitioner certification from the ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) and the AANP (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners).

Admission Criteria

Applicants will be admitted in the fall and spring semester with a formal review on the last Friday in March and October. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

To be admitted to the MSN program, the following is required:

Admission Requirements

  1. General admission to graduate study (for criteria, refer to "Admission to Graduate Study").
  2. Cover letter/goal statement (1-2 pages in length, typed, double-spaced) for the MSN/FNP program to include: your background description, reasons for wanting to attend the nursing graduate program and a description of post-graduation goals.
  3. Current copy of resume or curriculum vita to include minimum information of: RN licensure (state(s) and number, educational preparation and experience background).
  4. Official transcript with bachelor's or master's degree in nursing from an accredited program (CCNE, ACEN, CNEA).
  5. GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale of undergraduate or graduate degree.
  6. ESL/international students will have a minimum TOEFL score of 550, computer-based test score of 173 and internet-based score of 70.

Additional Admission Requirements (completed through the Department of Nursing)

  1. Complete a criminal background check.
  2. Meet departmental immunization requirements.
  3. Three professional references from persons in a position to evaluate the applicant's success in a graduate nursing program; at least one to be completed by immediate or up-line supervisor; others to be completed by a professional colleague or university faculty who are familiar with the candidate's work.
  4. Minimum one-year clinical experience as a registered nurse (RN) - 2080 hours.
  5. Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse licensure.
  6. Completion of a three credit-hour descriptive statistics course at the graduate or undergraduate level.

Program Competencies

  1. Promote the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes in graduates necessary to function in the advanced practice role as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).
  2. Provide graduates with a foundation for transition to successful doctoral study.
  3. Provide an environment that embraces persons from diverse cultures, varying philosophies, ethnicity and gender.
  4. Foster an environment of clinical scholarship to advance patient care practices.
  5. Serve the citizens of eastern Kentucky, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the global citizenry through the application of clinical prevention and population health.

Program Outcomes

The graduate of the MSN FNPP will be able to:

  1. Integrate knowledge from nursing, other fields and research findings into safe, effective, culturally appropriate client centered care for clients across the lifespan.
  2. Demonstrate effective leadership, quality improvement and informatics skills at the organizational and systems levels.
  3. Interpret, translate and disseminate evidence based findings to improve client care process and outcomes.
  4. Effectively collaborate with the interprofessional health care team to manage and coordinate care.
  5. Demonstrate clinical prevention and population health strategies for individuals, groups and populations.
  6. Demonstrate advanced nursing practice that utilizes clinical reasoning skills to positively influence health care outcomes.
  7. Demonstrate professional behaviors that are ethical, legal, fiscally responsible and politically informed to effect positive health care outcomes.

Maintaining Enrollment

To progress and be retained in the MSN program, the following will be achieved:

  1. Completed courses as per program schedule, within six (6) years of program entrance.
  2. Follow curriculum map progression plan.
  3. Achieve a grade of "B" (80%; GPA 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better in all nursing courses. A GPA of ≥ 3.0 is needed to graduate.
  4. A student will be dismissed if he or she receives a second failing grade (<80%; GPA <3.0) or does not complete the program within six (6) years of program entrance.

Readmission Policy

Purpose: To outline readmission policy regarding Morehead State University's Family  Nurse Practitioner Program.

Policy: Students who are dismissed from the Family Nurse Practitioner program are not eligible for readmission.

Transfer Policy

Purpose: To outline transfer requirements for individuals who have completed nursing courses at other graduate nursing programs and who wish to be considered for admission into Morehead State University's Family Nurse Practitioner program.

Requirements: Applicants who have completed courses in other graduate nursing programs must fulfill the following requirements in order for course transfer to be considered for the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Morehead State University.

  1. Meet requirements of Morehead State University Transfer Policy (see "Admission to Graduate Study").
  2. Be admitted and in good standing to the Family Nurse Practitioner program.
  3. Submit to the Department of Nursing college catalog and syllabi of courses to be evaluated for transfer credit.
  4. Pharmacology, pathophysiology and physical assessment courses will only be considered for transfer if completed within the last ten (10) years.
  5. Clinical and nursing theory courses will only be considered for transfer if completed within the last five (5) years.


Note: Enrollment in this program is limited. Applicants wishing to transfer will be considered for admission along with other applicants to the program.

Requirements for the Degree

Completion Standards

The following standards must be met:

  1. Satisfy all degree requirements.
  2. Completion of the program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  3. Successfully complete a portfolio project (as required in NURG 650) in the last semester of the program.

Program Requirements

MSN Core Requirements

NURG 618Advanced Evidence-Based Practice

3
NURG 621 or NURG 620Roles and Issues for Advanced Practice/Roles and Issues for Advanced Practice (Post-MSN)

1-2
NURG 640Population Health and Epidemiology

3
NURG 642Health Policy and Economics

2
NURG 650Professional Practice

3
Total Credit Hours:12-13

FNP Concentration Requirements

NURG 610Health Assessment for Advanced Practice

3
NURG 612Pharmacology for Advanced Practice

3
NURG 613Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice

3
NURG 630Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

3
NURG 631Pediatrics for Advanced Practice

3
NURG 632Childbearing and Women's Health for Advanced Practice

2
NURG 633Care of the Aging Population

3
NURG 634Common Alterations in Primary Care

3
NURG 635Practicum I

3
NURG 636Advanced Procedures

1
NURG 641Complex Alterations in Primary Care

3
NURG 645Practicum II

3
NURG 655Practicum III

3
Total Credit Hours:36

Total Credit Hours: 48-49