Story by Rebecca Ingle
Kettering College has added a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) track to their offerings, with the first cohort starting in January 2024. The MSN degree will have an emphasis on Nursing Leadership and is intended to prepare current nurses for roles in leadership, such as a director of nursing, nurse manager, educator or researcher.
Content in the core curriculum includes leadership, health promotion, organizational behavior, human resources, financial management, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and mentoring.
The goals of the MSN program are aimed at guiding students
- To lead teams in a collaborative, dynamic health care environment.
- To apply evidence-based, ethical decision-making.
- To model professional competency and Christian values.
- To utilize interprofessional communication to improve health care outcomes.
- To implement innovative strategies to reduce health care disparities.
Dr. Nicole Orian, chair of Kettering College’s graduate Nursing program, says, “The online MSN program will facilitate flexible access to high-quality education that will prepare nurses for leadership roles in the rapidly changing health care environment. Students choosing this degree are interested in advancing their nursing careers toward leadership and management to improve health care outcomes.”
Kettering College requires a minimum of 39 credit hours and 460 clinical hours. All MSN courses must be taken at Kettering College. The MSN track is designed as a two-year program, including a total of six semesters. It is cohort-based with two entry points planned each year in winter and fall. Minimum requirements for an applicant interested in the MSN program include the following:
- A completed Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited higher education institution with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
- An active, unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the state where they practice and where clinical practicum hours will be completed.
- A personal statement including how their nursing career goals align with the MSN program of study.
Jennifer Shull is the system chief nursing officer at Kettering Health, the health care system associated with Kettering College, which shares the same campus. She says, “This training provides knowledge that broadens the nurse’s perspective and skill in caring for patients as well as leading and supporting teams. We require this training for our directors of Nursing because of the additional skill and competency it provides to help them be more effective leaders. We are grateful for our partnership with Kettering College.”
For more information about Kettering College’s MSN program, visit kc.edu/msn.