The Graduate Nursing Program in the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree with three concentrations: the Gerontological Clinical Nurse Leader, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and the Family Nurse Practitioner.
Gerontological Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL): This concentration prepares graduates for management decision making skills required by healthcare agencies providing care for gerontology patients. The program focuses on acquisition of management skills including human resource management, fiscal management, and quality management to improve health care outcomes for older patients in a variety of health care settings.
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP): This concentration prepares graduates to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse in primary care settings providing health care management, health promotion, and disease prevention for adult and geriatric patients in outpatient primary care clinics. Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for national board certification as a nurse practitioner and to hold an advanced practice registered nurse license with prescriptive authority.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP): This concentration prepares graduates to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) in primary care settings providing health care management, health promotion and disease prevention services for patients from infancy through their geriatric years. FNPs practice in primary care clinics, specialty clinical practices, walk-in clinics, school based clinics, and many other clinical venues. Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for national certification as a family nurse practitioner and to hold an advanced practice registered nurse license with prescriptive authority.
In addition to the requirements for Regular admission to the School of Graduate Studies, all applicants for the MSN degree must meet the following criteria:
• Application to the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing Graduate Program
• Baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing
• Current, unencumbered RN license
• Minimum work experience as an RN of two (2) years
• Cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher on 4.0 scale
• If GPA is less than 2.8, must take the GRE. The verbal and quantitative scores will be multiplied by the applicant GPA to achieve a formula score. Minimum formula score 712 required.
• In order to apply to a nurse practitioner program, you must reside in Louisiana and have a current, unencumbered Louisiana RN license
Gerontologic Clinical Nurse Leader
There are 38 credit hours required to obtain a MSN degree in this concentration.
Clinical Requirements: Graduate nursing students will complete a minimum of 429 clinical contact hours throughout this curriculum, under the direct supervision of an approved clinical preceptor.
CNL Admission and Curriculum Information
Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
(Not currently accepting applications)
There are 40 credit hours required to obtain a MSN degree in this concentration.
Clinical Requirements: AGPCNP students will complete a minimum of 640 clinical contact hours in primary health care settings under the direction of an approved clinical preceptor.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Enrolling anually. Applications due on April 1.
There are 40 credit hours required to obtain a MSN degree in this concentration.
Clinical Requirements: FNP students will complete a minimum of 640 clinical contact hours in primary health care settings under the direction of an approve clinical preceptor.