Accelerated RN to MSN Options
Accelerated RN to MSN Option & Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option
Graduate Post-Licensure
- Earn your degree while you work & in as few as 3 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment
- 4 semesters for the Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option
- Registered nurses looking to complete their MSN degree
- Online Coursework with experiential learning activities (Plus required on-site practicum hours)
- Choose from two options
- Total credit hours:
- Accelerated RN to MSN Option: 45
- Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option: 52
Note: Program/program option availability varies by state/location.
Accelerated RN to MSN Option & Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option Program Overview
Degrees: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Semesters: 3 Full Time
The Accelerated RN to MSN options are designed to prepare nurses for a variety of advanced roles in nursing practice, including those that require skill in delivering direct and indirect care; leading healthcare initiatives; and educating patients, staff, and the community. The curriculum for the Accelerated RN to MSN option provides an innovative, integrative design that is student-centered, learner-driven and faculty-facilitated. The curriculum is designed to prepare the graduate to apply a systems approach to a variety of roles in nursing practice, from the micro-level to the meso-level of healthcare delivery, with emphasis on leadership, collaboration, interdisciplinary engagement and process improvement. Integrated into the curriculum are the foundational principles of leadership, law and ethics, quality and safety, and use of evidence-based practice.
Because of the integrative design, time to completion is shortened in comparison to other MSN tracks or options. Within each 8-week session, the Accelerated RN to MSN option allows students to complete courses and assignments within an individualized timeframe while maintaining weekly interaction with faculty in each course. This gives students more flexibility in managing work-life-family responsibilities while completing coursework.
Courses within the curriculum are application-based which allows the students to begin “practicing” what they are learning, in real time, at their workplaces. The curriculum provides nurses with advanced knowledge and preparation to:
- Use best practices and evidence-based interventions to ensure coordinated, safe, quality nursing care in complex health systems
- Decrease fragmentation of healthcare services
- Assist patients in navigating their healthcare
- Assist patients in becoming partners in care
- Lead quality improvements in clinical care for better patient outcomes
- Assume accountability and responsibility for patient and systems outcomes
The deliberate alignment of content to Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL™) competencies provides students with a Clinical Nursing Leadership option. Effective May 2024, these last three courses in the Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option require the completion of 504 clinical hours for graduates to be eligible for the CNL™ certification exam. Students enrolled into the Clinical Nurse Leadership program prior to May 2024 will complete 432 practicum hours. For more information about certification as a CNL, visit aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/CNL/CNL-Certification-Guide.pdf.
The curriculum is sequential, with prior coursework establishing foundational-concept mastery required for subsequent courses. Therefore, students may not take courses in a random sequence. However, students may individualize the pace for completing degree requirements by limiting or expanding the number of courses taken each session.
Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, the Master of Science in Nursing degree will be conferred.
Graduate Program Outcomes
The MSN degree program outcomes are aligned with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing publications, The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing (2008) and The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (2011). The expected outcomes for Chamberlain’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program are as follows:
- Provide high-quality, safe, person-centered care grounded in holistic healthcare principles.
- Create a caring environment for achieving quality health outcomes.
- Engage in lifelong personal and professional growth through reflective practice and appreciation of cultural diversity.
- Integrate professional values through scholarship and service in healthcare.
- Promote positive health outcomes through compassionate, evidence-based, collaborative advanced nursing practice.
Program Details
Accelerated RN to MSN Option & Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option
Registered nurses with current, active RN licensure in the U.S. or a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) may have up to 77 proficiency credit hours recognized through the Chamberlain Accelerated Articulation Plan (CAAP). This includes 37 general education credits1 and 40 nursing credits. Academic proficiency credit reflects the prior education and learning experiences representing essential content for a basic nursing program leading to eligibility for registered nurse licensure. These credit hours reflect credit hours for courses, general education and nursing, currently in the Chamberlain BSN program. This content may be in specifically identified courses or threaded throughout the curriculum in other required coursework.
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The transferability of credits earned at Chamberlain University is at the discretion of the receiving college, university or other educational institution. See the Transferability of Credits section for more information.
Accelerated RN to MSN Option
Degree: Master of Science in Nursing
Semesters: 3 Full Time (45 credit hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-513 | Professional Role Enhancement | 3 |
| NR-514 | Health Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-515 | Informatics in Healthcare 1 | 3 |
| NR-516 | Basic Research and Evidence-based Practice 1 | 3 |
| NR-517 | Policy & Economics of Healthcare Delivery | 3 |
| NR-518 | Population Health and Epidemiology in Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NR-519 | Adv Nursing Practice Across the Health Continuum: Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, & Pharmacology | 3 |
| NR-520 | Applied Theoretical Foundations, Scientific Inquiry, and Decision-Making | 4 |
| NR-527 | Communication and Collaboration for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-528 | Leading and Managing Evidence-Based Change in Nursing | 3 |
| NR-529 | Leadership and Management within the Clinical Healthcare Environment | 3 |
| NR-561 | Addressing Global Health Disparities | 3 |
| NR-562 | Leadership and Management within Complex Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| NR-662 | Advanced Nursing Role Synthesis | 4 |
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Core Nursing Coursework
Note: All coursework is considered Specialty Nursing Coursework unless otherwise noted as Core Nursing Coursework.
Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option
Degree: Master of Science in Nursing
Semesters: 4 Full Time (52 credit hours) Effective Prior to May 2024
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-513 | Professional Role Enhancement | 3 |
| NR-514 | Health Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-515 | Informatics in Healthcare 1 | 3 |
| NR-516 | Basic Research and Evidence-based Practice 1 | 3 |
| NR-517 | Policy & Economics of Healthcare Delivery | 3 |
| NR-518 | Population Health and Epidemiology in Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NR-519 | Adv Nursing Practice Across the Health Continuum: Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, & Pharmacology | 3 |
| NR-520 | Applied Theoretical Foundations, Scientific Inquiry, and Decision-Making | 4 |
| NR-527 | Communication and Collaboration for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-528 | Leading and Managing Evidence-Based Change in Nursing | 3 |
| NR-529 | Leadership and Management within the Clinical Healthcare Environment | 3 |
| NR-561 | Addressing Global Health Disparities | 3 |
| NR-562 | Leadership and Management within Complex Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| NR-663 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 1 | 4 |
| NR-664 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 2 | 3 |
| NR-665 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 3 | 4 |
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Core Nursing Coursework
Note: All coursework is considered Specialty Nursing Coursework unless otherwise noted as Core Nursing Coursework.
Degree: Master of Science in Nursing
Semesters: 4 Full Time (52 credit hours) Effective May 2024
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NR-513 | Professional Role Enhancement | 3 |
| NR-514 | Health Assessment 1 | 3 |
| NR-515 | Informatics in Healthcare 1 | 3 |
| NR-516 | Basic Research and Evidence-based Practice 1 | 3 |
| NR-517 | Policy & Economics of Healthcare Delivery | 3 |
| NR-518 | Population Health and Epidemiology in Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NR-519 | Adv Nursing Practice Across the Health Continuum: Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, & Pharmacology | 3 |
| NR-520 | Applied Theoretical Foundations, Scientific Inquiry, and Decision-Making | 4 |
| NR-527 | Communication and Collaboration for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR-528 | Leading and Managing Evidence-Based Change in Nursing | 3 |
| NR-529 | Leadership and Management within the Clinical Healthcare Environment | 3 |
| NR-561 | Addressing Global Health Disparities | 3 |
| NR-562 | Leadership and Management within Complex Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| NR-658 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 1 | 4 |
| NR-664 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 2 | 3 |
| NR-669 | Advanced Nursing Role Immersion – Part 3 | 4 |
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Core Nursing Coursework
Note: All coursework is considered Specialty Nursing Coursework unless otherwise noted as Core Nursing Coursework.
For the most up-to-date curriculum grids, visit chamberlain.edu/curriculum.
For the most up-to-date curriculum grids, visit chamberlain.edu/curriculum.
Practicum Experiences
The practicum experience is the main focus and pedagogy in the Accelerated RN to MSN Option and Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership Option culminating course(s). This concentrated professional experience further prepares students for practice in the advanced generalist role. The practicum courses provide students an opportunity to apply newly developed skills and theoretical knowledge to real-world practice situations. Additionally, the last three courses in the Accelerated RN to MSN with Clinical Nursing Leadership option require the completion of enough clinical hours for graduates to be eligible for the CNL™ certification exam. These practicum experiences allow students to enhance their skills in communication, teamwork, critical thinking and professionalism. The practicum courses include online classroom work, assignments, threaded discussions and a practicum project.
Students are responsible for specifying their own practicum site and qualified mentor that meet the criteria established by Chamberlain. If students are unable to secure their own practicum site and qualified preceptor, Chamberlain will assist in identifying site/preceptor upon the student providing documentation of at least five potential sites that have not been able to accommodate the student, and must submit the request three sessions in advance of the need. Students using Chamberlain's preceptor matching service will be provided with one preceptor option within a 100-mile radius of their home address. Students are assisted in this effort by an experiential learning specialist. Students must have an active and unrestricted nursing license in the state in which they will complete their practicum. If the preceptor, mentor and/or field instructor you are submitting for Chamberlain University’s review and approval was found using a student-arranged third-party preceptor matching service, be advised that Chamberlain University will not reimburse any fees you may have incurred.