Pacific Lutheran University Graduate Nursing Programs

Graduate Programs in

Nursing Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing Master of Science in Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice Post Graduate Nurse Practitioner Certificates

About the program Ranked among the top 100 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, PLU’s Graduate Nursing Program offers highly sought-after degrees that prepare students for dynamic, successful careers in nursing and healthcare leadership.

About our location PLU’s park-like campus is nestled in a wooded neighborhood seven miles south of downtown Tacoma. We’re also right off the major Interstate 5 corridor, so the metropolitan hubs of Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia are within minutes, along with must-see attractions such as Mount Rainier National Park; Tacoma’s waterfront Point Defiance park and zoo; and hiking, biking and water activities.

plu.edu/graduate

Programs and Pathways No matter what your degree, we have a graduate pathway designed to meet your needs.

ENTERING EDUCATION LEVEL

Non-Nursing Bachelor

RN who has Non-Nursing Bachelor

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

PLU GRADUATE PROGRAM

2 year ELMSN

12-15 month RN/B MSN

1 year MSN or 3 year full-time/ 4 year parttime DNP

PLU GRADUATE DEGREE

MSN

MSN

MSN MSNor DNP

MSN— ARNP prepared

MSN— Not ARNP prepared

PostMSN— Graduate ARNP NP Certificate prepared

2 year DNP

2 year DNP

2 year DNP

DNP

DNP

DNP

Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing Designed as an accelerated pathway into nursing for those with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees.

The PLU difference • Graduate with a Master’s degree AND one year of work experience as an RN. • Scholarships and fellowships available.

The schedule • First 15 months: Intensive pre-licensure coursework.

• Take NCLEX-RN exam.

• Complete one additional year of master’s-level coursework designed for nurses to work part-time.

(Students are able and encouraged to work up to half-time as an RN during the second year of the program.)

Prerequisites • College-Level Statistics (both descriptive and inferential) • Human Anatomy and Physiology I (with on-site lab within last six years) • Human Anatomy and Physiology II (with on-site lab within last six years) • Developmental Psychology-Lifespan • Intro to Microbiology (with on-site lab within last six years)

plu.edu/msn

“Choosing PLU’s ELMSN program was easy because PLU is recognized for its academics. The School of Nursing is well-known for use of evidencebased practices and the development of nurse leaders in healthcare, and PLU, as a whole, has strong affiliations with other leading organizations in the area. PLU’s ELMSN is very thorough and provided me every opportunity to learn and excel as both a student and developing leader.”

Alexandria Haman

Master of Science in Nursing Designed to prepare nurses to lead change in a complex healthcare environment.

The PLU difference • Graduates are eligible to sit for the Clinical Nurse Leader exam.

• Scholarships and fellowships available.

The schedule • BSN-MSN: 1 year of coursework designed for the working nurse.

• RN-B-MSN (for those with an RN lisence and a non-nursing bachelor’s degree). 12-15 months, not including prerequisites.

“PLU’s Nursing program has a very positive reputation in the community. PLU graduates are ‘system thinkers’ – they tend to see the bigger picture and have strong critical synthesis skills. Those graduating with BSN degrees are becoming more valued as organizations continue to prepare for the Pathways to Excellence or Magnet Journey.

Healthcare systems are seeking to recruit these nurses, as they bring exceptional professional energy to the workplace!”

Sally Watkins, Administrative Director, Clinical Resource Management, CHI Franciscan Health

plu.edu/msn

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Family Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric Mental Health

The Family Nurse Practitioner specialization is ideal for nurses who want to provide primary care to families. Core coursework focuses on client-centered clinical practice and prepares nurses to respond to the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s healthcare consumers, to manage direct care based on advanced assessment and diagnostic reasoning, and to incorporate health promotion and disease-prevention interventions into healthcare delivery. The Family Nurse Practitioner cares for the whole family through the whole lifespan.

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner strand (PMHNPs) prepares registered nurses who are prepared through advanced education and clinical training to provide a wide range of psychiatric and mental health care services to individuals and families across the lifespan. PMHNPs are responsible for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, or mental health problems such as loss, grief, adjustment problems, difficulty with coping with aspects of their lives including physical health problems.

PMHNPs focused on therapeutic milieu (assuring the activities and interaction in the environment supported positive outcomes for patients) and psychotherapy (individual, group, and family). PMHNPs may conduct physical exams, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, and write prescriptions.

Schedule/3 Pathways • BSN-DNP: Three-year full-time; four-year part-time • MSN-DNP(non-ARNP-prepared): Two years full-time * • MSN-DNP: Two years part-time* *Total coursework required will depend on gap analysis.

plu.edu/dnp

Post graduate nurse practitioner certificates Designed for nurses who already hold an earned graduate degree in nursing to add a specialty NP certificate to their credentials without completing all the requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. It is available for both post-master’s and post-doctoral entry options.

Two advanced practice specialty areas: • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

The schedule/curriculam Classes are mostly held Thursday evenings and all day Fridays, with a few daytime courses in the summer and January terms.

Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Curriculum • •

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Program length: 18 months Program start: Summer, Fall, January Term (J-term), or Spring Total credit hours: 33

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Curriculum • •

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Program length: 24 months Program start: Summer, January Term (J-term), or Spring Total credit hours: 41

plu.edu/post-graduate-nursing-certificates

O F F I C E O F G R A D U AT E A D M I S S I O N 1 2 1 8 0 P A R K AV E N U E S O U T H TA C O M A , WA 9 8 4 4 7 - 0 0 0 3

GRADUATE PROGRAMS 253.535.8570 gradadmission@plu.edu Tacoma, WA 98447-0003

p l u . e d u /g r a d u a t e