Master's of Science in Nursing Launched at NSU

NSU launched the Master of Science in Nursing program on October 1. Three MSN tracks are available—education, business administration and health law. Allowing students to take advantage of NSU's unique strengths, students in the business administration and health law tracks will take several specialty courses offered through the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and the Shepherd Broad Law Center, respectively.

Forty-five MSN students are already enrolled in the new program and additional students will enter in January. Most students are attending full-time. However, part-time study options are also available in all tracks.

"We are so excited to be able to offer the MSN program. It is a rare opportunity to be able to create an MSN program and truly make it the best of the best. I am honored to be part of the NSU team that has created this MSN program,” said Program Director Dr. Jean Davis. “Our program will allow RN's to progress beyond the general practice BSN level to specialty practice in nursing education, business administration, and health law. These are the specialties our community wants and needs the most."

This new and innovative online program will address the nursing and nursing faculty shortages. Many people do not realize that the nursing shortage is in large part due to the severe nursing faculty shortage. Nursing programs could admit more future nurses to meet the health care needs of society if additional nurse educators were available.

The online MSN program provides an integral link in the pipeline of faculty for Florida initiative. This initiative, funded by the SUCCEED Florida nursing education grant program, is a partnership between Nova Southeastern University, Broward Community College and Barry University. The partnering nursing programs are fostering the progression of nursing students and nurses from associate degree graduates of BCC, through RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), to MSN through the new online NSU MSN program, to PhD in Nursing through the Barry University program. This pipeline will develop the future faculty needed for Florida to educate nurses and address the nursing shortage.

The online MSN program allows nurses to maintain their full-time, anytime, any shift, any time zone RN positions. Courses are offered fully online, asynchronously so students are able to work on their online courses at times convenient for them. They can access their courses when they are available. The program can even be completed by traveling nurses and those in the armed services.