Before online degrees were even an option, Registered Nurses (RNs) needed to either reduce the amount of hours they worked or quit altogether in order to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Those days are long gone! Today, RNs have the option of furthering their career in the healthcare industry by earning an MSN completely online.
Florida National University (FNU), a regionally accredited university situated in the South Florida area, offers a stellar online MSN program that aspiring students can apply for. Some students can even earn their degree at an accelerated rate depending on how far along they are in their academic transcript as we also offer an RN to MSN online track in Nurse Educator and Nurse Leadership and Management.
For FNU’s MSN degree programs, students can expect to build on the education they learned in the bachelor of nursing curriculum. This program is specifically designed for professional nurses looking to expand their knowledge and skillset within the healthcare profession by mastering the following concentrations:
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Nurse Educator
RN’s who feel that they might be better suited for teaching can follow this concentration. A total of 36 credit hours plus 120 hours of practicum are required for graduation. Students will first receive a more in-depth understanding of the nursing curriculum development as they go on to acquire an understanding of the teaching and learning strategies, educational concepts along with the technology that goes along with it. Equally as important is learning how to assess and evaluate teaching strategies.
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Nurse Leadership/Management
For RN’s who are interested in filling the role of a management position or pursuing the administrative side of nursing, this is the concentration for them! This 36-credit concentration educates and trains RNs with the potential to become one of the top healthcare leaders in their industry. Here, students will learn the basic fundamentals of the excellence of nursing leadership and management. They’ll get a better understanding of the healthcare industry in terms of organizational dynamics, including but not limited to financial management and resource development, as well as healthcare informatics.
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Family Nurse Practitioner
RN’s who are looking to take their patient care to the next level might want to pursue this concentration. Working as a Family Nurse Practitioner allows you to serve as a primary and specialty health care provider while under the direct supervision of a physician. This is an excellent option for professionals who are interested in providing patients with more care. A Family Nurse Practitioner will be able to diagnose illness, conduct exams, and prescribe medications. This is also an excellent option for foreign physicians. Here, a total of 36 credit hours are also required with an increased practicum of 500 hours.
- Note: The 2 concentrations: Nurse Educator and Nurse Leadership and Management can be completed 100% online. The Family Nurse Practitioner is a hybrid. Some of this coursework will need to be completed on campus.
Pursuing an MSN degree requires hard work, dedication, and commitment to completing every assignment and finishing every course.
Here is a short list of the advantages of earning an MSN online:
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Take Advantage of the RN-MSN Track
For Foreign Physicians, the medical degree is transferred as a block into FNU’s RN to MSN track. To qualify for such a possibility, an applicant must have an RN license, a foreign medical degree or Bachelor’s degree from a related field. A total of 55 credits are needed to graduate from this track.
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An Online MSN Provides Convenience and Flexibility
Earning a nursing degree online can provide a student with much more flexibility in his or her academic scheduling. With an online course, the class times aren’t restricted to a certain time slot. Because it’s an online course, the curriculum is already set and ready for students to log on to begin coursework at their convenience. The online learning option has been a game-changer for the academic industry as this has provided more educational opportunities to currently enrolled students, student athletes and of course, professionals and aspiring students who might not otherwise be able to earn a college education.
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Get a MSN in a Comfortable Learning Environment
The convenience and flexibility of online courses rolls over to the added advantage of learning in a more comfortable environment. Create your own master classroom in a place that is most suitable for you! Set up class in the comfort of your own living room or in between breaks while working as an RN during any shift—including 3rd shift! Whether it’s the living room couch, home office, company break room, the public library, local coffeehouse or a campus university—as long as you have access to Wi-Fi, you’re in good shape!
Having the freedom to take classes anywhere outside of the FNU campus doesn’t have any limits.
- Note: Many smartphone providers offer a hotspot service where your mobile phone will act as a private and secure Wi-Fi spot. All you need is a full charge on your mobile device and class is in session!
No GRE Required if GPA is 3.0!
There are many aspiring grad students who are looking for a quality online MSN degree program that doesn’t require them to take the GRE exam. FNU does not require students to take the GRE exam, but the following institutional exams are needed from most students and even international applicants:
- SAT
- ACT
- ESL Placement Test
- Test of Essential Academic Skills
- Kaplan Admission Test
Contact an FNU advisor to see if which one of these test scores you’ll need to provide today!
The baccalaureate nursing program (BSN) at Florida National University is accredited is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
The Master’s degree in nursing at Florida National University is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
