Henderson State University will offer two new online graduate degrees in nursing beginning this fall.
The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved both the Master’s of Science in Nursing Administration and the Family Nurse Practitioner programs.
The Nursing Administration program will prepare nurses as advanced practice registered nurses in the role of nurse administrator.
The family nurse practitioner program will prepare nurses to be primary care providers. They can also earn a post-graduate nurse educator certificate.
Both programs will prepare students to lead change and coordinate care in complex health care systems and will provide a foundation for doctoral study.
“As health care needs increase across the state and the nation, there is an unmet demand for nursing administrators and nursing educators,” said Dr. Steve Adkison, Henderson State provost and vice president of academic affairs. “Nursing practitioners particularly fill a need in rural areas where primary care exceeds supply of health care providers.”
According to a report by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, U.S. nursing schools turned away more than 64,000 qualified applicants in 2016.
Henderson State is accepting applications for the new programs through June 15. They are accessible through the Graduate School website at hsu.edu/GraduateSchool/apply.html. There is a flat rate of $385 per credit hour. Several scholarships and loans are available through the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Go to arsbn.org/loans-scholarships.
“There is one word to summarize Henderson’s graduate nursing programs: access,” said Dr. Lori Smith, assistant professor of nursing. “Access to care, especially primary care providers such as family nurse practitioners and access to education for our nursing leadership and nursing educators is aligned with our mission at Henderson.”
Smith said the M.S.N. degrees will offer three online tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse Administration, and post-graduate certificate in nursing education. The FNP program will require at least two campus visits for skills demonstrations and competencies.
The M.S.N. degree has a predicted completion time of two years.
For more information about the programs go to hsu.edu/Nursing/Master.html.