M.S. in Nursing-Nurse Administrator

Be a Change Leader with an MSN in Nursing Administration

As a registered nurse, you have an insider’s perspective on what works in healthcare – and where improvements can be made. If you aspire to lead quality improvement initiatives, champion strategic change or manage teams, Franklin University’s M.S. in Nursing-Nurse Administrator track can help you realize your goal. You’ll gain the knowledge necessary to provide strategic planning and administrative oversight, while helping to create a clinical environment that supports advanced training and education for nurses. 

Program Overview

As healthcare delivery continues to grow more complex, nurses in leadership roles play a critical role in improving patient outcomes, realizing operational efficiencies and preparing for the challenges that lie ahead. Nurse leaders are being sought in all facets of healthcare, from hospitals and clinics, to community and public agencies, to industries like insurance and higher education, in order to lend insight into long-term planning and quality improvement initiatives. Not only will the M.S. in Nursing-Nurse Administrator track enable you to broaden your professional impact, the transition from patient-care to a managerial position may also afford you a more flexible work schedule and a multitude of career options in a variety of settings. 

As a graduate-level nursing student, you will strengthen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in order to lead healthcare in the future. You’ll examine the advanced role of the nurse leader in the administration of healthcare delivery, management of change and interdisciplinary collaboration. You’ll earn your degree in as few as 16 months, by completing 6-week online courses. You’ll conclude your studies with a 12-week practicum that will be completed on-site in a healthcare setting. 

Program Outcomes

  1. Synthesize theories and knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to develop a theoretical basis to guide practice in an advanced nursing role.

  2. Apply leadership skills and decision making in the provision of high quality nursing care in diverse settings.

  3. Provide leadership across the care continuum in diverse settings to promote high quality, safe, effective patient centered care.

  4. Appraise, use, and participate in the extension of nursing knowledge through scientific inquiry. Integrate current and emerging technologies into professional practice.

  5. Integrate current and emerging technologies into professional practice.

  6. Demonstrate responsive leadership, collaboration, and management to influence the advancement of nursing practice and the profession of nursing and to influence health policy.

  7. Employ collaborative strategies and effective communication to advocate for the role of the professional nurse as a member and leader of interprofessional teams.

  8. Integrate clinical prevention and population health concepts to provide holistic, comprehensive nursing care for individual, families, and aggregates.

  9. Demonstrate an advanced level of understanding of nursing and relevant sciences and integrate this knowledge into practice.

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

Major Area Required
NURS 612 - Role of the Master's Prepared Nurse (3)

This course assesses the various roles of the master's prepared nurse. The influence of the health care delivery systems, health care policy, diversity, ethics, quality, safety, theory, evidence based practice, and information systems on the role of the master's prepared nurse will be explored.

NURS 650 - Population Focused Care (3)

Theories, principles, and strategies of population-based health care are used to design, implement, and evaluate services and plans of care to promote, maintain, and restore health in a defined population. Students focus on population aggregates in structured or unstructured settings across service environments. Strategies to evaluate outcomes and costs are emphasized. Prerequisite NURS 612 or 613.

NURS 693 - Evidence Based Practice & Quality Improv (3)

This course will explore and analyze methods to improve nursing practice and health outcomes. Collaborative efforts and ethical concerns are considered. Emphasis is placed on critically evaluating evidence-based practice and quality assurance initiatives.

NURS 795 - MSN Capstone (4)

The purpose of this capstone course is to provide the student with the opportunity to examine the role of the master's prepared nurse in a health care or education setting. Using a combination approach of seminar and precepted clinical experience, the student focuses on the integration and application of major concepts covered throughout the graduate nursing program and assists in preparation for comprehensive evaluation. The student is assigned to a health care or educational setting under the direction of an experienced master's prepared nurse executive/educator/practitioner for the practicum portion of the course. Eighty (80) precepted clinical hours are required.

HCM 735 - Healthcare Delivery Systems (4)

The course provides an extensive overview of leadership in the U.S. health services system. The focus of the course will be on the role health services leadership plays in the delivery of healthcare services, to include managing with professionals, financial management, services utilization, and other aspects of the U.S. healthcare system. The student will explore the key theoretical and practical elements of leadership as well as current issues clarifying how the U.S. health services system is organized, managed, and financed.

HCM 752 - Health Policy (4)

This course will explore the essential conceptual and analytical understanding of health policymaking and politics, including their impact on health administration and leadership. Selected policy issues will be explored through the application of political concepts and behavioral models, including a system model of policymaking. The emphasis will be on understanding the health leaders approach to the policymaking system, become involved in it, and work through it to attain their objectives and those of their organization.

Major Electives

At least 12 credits from the following courses:

HCM 733 - Finance and Managerial Accounting in Healthcare Organizations (4)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the fundamental concepts and calculations associated with financial accounting and managerial accounting within a healthcare organization. Students will study the foundational aspects of financial accounting with a primary focus on financial statements and the uses of the information in these statements. Students will also study the functional aspects of managerial accounting to include cost behavior, cost allocation, pricing, planning, budgeting, profit analysis, and performance evaluation. Application of these concepts will include analysis of case studies.

HCM 742 - Healthcare Laws and Ethics (4)

In this course the student will develop a strong foundation of health law, enabling them to deal with common legal and practical moral and ethical issues facing the healthcare organization on a daily basis. Topics will include statutory laws, rules and regulations, review of tort laws, criminal law, contract law, civil procedures and trial practice. The student will examine numerous legal, moral, and ethical issues.

HCM 762 - Global Health (4)

The student will examine demographic measurements, epidemiological methods, outcomes assessment, health promotion, and disease prevention from a global perspective.

HCM 765 - Healthcare Operations Management (4)

Students will explore concepts and theories of operations and supply chain management. The student will develop both knowledge and skills in solving the operational problems of healthcare organizations.

HRM 701 - Human Resource Management (4)

This course provides a framework for an in-depth understanding of day-to-day, practical approaches/aspects of problems/challenges that impact the human resource management field. Topics include recruiting, hiring, training, retaining, rewarding, and promoting employees; compensation and benefits; employment planning, performance management systems, and succession planning; labor relations; and managing organizational relationships.

HIM 702 - Health Information Governance (4)

This course covers the broad spectrum of strategic issues in healthcare including policies, guidelines, standards, processes, and controls required to manage and implement enterprise-level information. Treating information as a strategic asset to healthcare organizations, processes to manage various risks to the quality of information and ensure its appropriate use are covered.

PUAD 701 - Foundations of Government & Nonprofit Administration (4)

Students examine fundamental public service values that differentiate the mission and purpose of government and nonprofit organizations from those of private, for-profit, organizations. The course focuses on applying public administration and organizational theories to analyze administrative problems faced by leaders and managers implementing government and nonprofit programs. Students learn to think systematically about selecting alternative options for delivering programs and improving organizational performance. Finally, students develop fundamental information literacy, computing, writing, and presentation skills required for effective academic and professional communication.

PUAD 725 - Management Decision Making Methods (4)

Students learn fundamental concepts and tools for systematically analyzing administrative problems and making decisions that improve organizational performance. Specific techniques for analyzing common administrative problems are learned and the relevance of accounting for public values in such analyses is examined. Students also learn to use project management tools for effectively managing administrative projects. Finally, students develop skills for effectively communicating management analysis methods and conclusions with colleagues, elected officials, the media, and the public.

IDPT 715 - Theories and Applications for Managing Projects and Relationships (4)

Be able to successfully managing projects and relationship are paramount skill in current workforce. In this course, students will study the project management theories, tools, and technologies and apply them in their own discipline. By the end of this course, students need to develop a project management process and a plan to resolve relationship issues.

IDPT 640 - Enhancing Learning With Technology (4)

In this course, students will apply design principles to create a learning event that includes the use of new and emerging technologies. Students will research collaboration and networking tools for their use and value in learning environments. Delivery platforms and software will also be explored for their impact on instructional strategies. Projects completed in the course will become part of the student's portfolio.

IDPT 620 - Principles of Human Performance Technology (4)

In this course, students will learn a framework for understanding human performance by working with scenarios and case studies to analyze performance problems, determine the level and type of intervention required, and make recommendations for a suite of solutions that will achieve the desired impacts.

IDPT 601 - Foundations of Instructional Design (4)

Learning theories and instructional design models are the two fundamental pillars for the field of instructional design. In this course, students will study the learning theories and philosophies that formed, influenced, and supported this field. Students will also study instructional systems theories, models, and systematic approaches to instructional design. In this course, students will apply these theories, strategies, and instructional models to create a learning, instructional design or training event in their chosen settings, including business, industry, government, healthcare, and classroom education. At the end of this course, students will make a plan on how to prepare for an instructional design career.

CJAD 670 - Victimology (4)

This course examines theories of victimization, ways to reduce the likelihood of victimization, and service to crime victims. Students will be required to create a community-based plan for reducing criminal victimization or a plan for agency response to crime victims.

CJAD 700 - Effective Administration of Justice (4)

Applying strategic decision making strategies, students will analyze the structures, practices, and performance of organizations in the administration of justice, including courts, law enforcement, and corrections, both not-for-profit and for-profit. Applied perspectives in ethical leadership functions that respond to organizational problems and objectives through best-practices will also be addressed. Additional topics will include program planning, implementation, and evaluation.

PUAD 715 - Methodological Reasoning and Quantitative Analysis (4)

Students learn to apply fundamental methodological concepts and analytical tools necessary for contributing to administrative and policy discussions, critically assessing causal claims, and making informed administrative and policy decisions. The goal is to have students become critical consumers of academic research and professional reports and confidently apply statistical concepts and techniques for professional decision-making. Finally, students develop skills for effectively communicating analysis methods and conclusions with colleagues, elected officials, the media, and the public.

PUAD 710 - Managing Personnel & Information Systems (4)

Students learn fundamental concepts and tools for managing the two most important organizational resources - people and information. The course emphasizes application of human resources concepts and tools for attracting, retaining, and developing employees and improving organizational performance in government and nonprofit organizations. Information technology concepts and tools for managing government and nonprofit organizations are also examined. Fundamental legal, ethical, and political obligations for managing human resources and information technology are also evaluated.

PUAD 740 - Financial Management & Budgeting (4)

Students learn to use fundamental budgeting, accounting, and financial management concepts and tools necessary for leading and managing government and nonprofit organizations. Students learn to use analytical techniques for making administrative and policy decisions with significant financial implications. Students also examine the competing values and politics that underlie and impact financial decisions in the government and nonprofit organizations. Finally, students develop skills for effectively communicating financial analysis methods and conclusions with colleagues, elected officials, the media, and the public.

PUAD 745 - Strategy, Collaboration, & Communication (4)

Students learn to think strategically about leading organizations operating in a competitive political environment where collaboration is required to advance the organizational mission. The course focuses on using strategic and network management concepts and tools to improve organizational performance. The importance of strategically managing organizational communication is also examined. Finally, students develop skills for effectively communicating strategic planning methods, approaches, and decisions with colleagues, elected officials, the media, and the public.

HIM 761 - Healthcare Analytics (4)

This course addresses the process of retrieving, analyzing, and reporting intelligence to make healthcare decisions. It covers the techniques of extracting, transforming and loading data from a myriad of operational databases into corporate data warehouses, as well means to ensure that decision making is based on clean and reliable information. The course also includes ways to report the healthcare intelligence gathered.

HIM 710 - Clinical Workflow & Applications (4)

This course explores requirements for clinical workflows in a variety of inpatient, outpatient, and emergency healthcare environments. It covers the documentation, review, mapping, and diagramming of clinical workflow information and processes. The course also covers the linkages between the improvement of patient care to workflow mapping and change management, as part of evidence based decision making in healthcare.

HCM 745 - Healthcare Financial Management (4)

The student will examine the theory and techniques used by healthcare executives to analyze financial status and trends. Topics include financial planning, budgeting, risk assessment, rate setting, financial controls, management care, cost accounting, and capital financing of healthcare organizations. The importance of proper financial management to effective healthcare leadership is emphasized.

CJAD 680 - Grant Writing (4)

This course introduces students to funding sources and grant writing. Students will be expected to locate funding options and write a grant application.

MGMT 780 - Organizational Leadership Theories (4)

This course provides and overview of the historical and current leadership concepts, theories and constructs. Application and assessment of the individual leadership style will enable the student to develop their leadership voice. This course will provide a construct that will enable the student to identify transferrable skills that align with the organization that they are serving in. This course will also challenge students to assess their own leadership strengths and weaknesses and produce an in-depth plan of action to develop and refine leadership competencies. Students will conduct substantive scholarly research to address and capture relevant and cutting-edge leadership theoretical work for application in course assignments.

MGMT 785 - Change Management for Organizational Leaders (4)

Now more than ever, organizations must deal with rapid complex change. This course focuses on evaluating and implementing key theoretical concepts and practices central to leading and managing organizational change initiatives. Students will examine the competencies and strategies needed to be a successful change leader and manager. In addition, they will analyze the impact of brain research, organizational structures, and organizational culture on change. While evaluating real-world situations, they will learn best practices for initiating, implementing, and sustaining major change.

PSYC 602 - Individual & Organizational Intelligence (4)

This course focuses on the application of systems theory, social psychology concepts, organizational lifecycles, and biological principles to the understanding of business operations. Includes a review of basic business principles, multiple intelligences, organizational intelligence, organizational culture, emotional intelligence, biomimicry and organizational DNA.

NURS 799 - MSN Practicum (1-4)

The MSN practicum experience provides students with the opportunity to receive academic credit for experience in an authentic work environment, which may be either external or internal to the University depending on the student?s preference. The student will have the option of precepted or non-precepted experiences that are approved by the faculty member.