Nursing (M.S.) - Nurse Administrator Specialization

Program Coordinator/Contact

Mary Minton, Associate Dean for Graduate Nursing
Department of Graduate Nursing
Wagner Hall 217, Box 2275
605-688-4114

Program Information

Established in 1979, the M.S. in Nursing at South Dakota State University prepares nurses for advanced practice roles in nursing administration, leadership, clinical practice, or education.

Program Outcomes

To prepare Nurse Administrators, Clinical Nurse Leaders, Family Nurse Practitioners, and Nurse Educators who:

• apply knowledge of evidence-based practice,
• engage in life-long learning,
• serve South Dakota, the region, the nation, and the world in urban, rural, and frontier health care settings, and
• function in leadership roles.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the program, the graduate will successfully demonstrate the following outcomes:  

• Incorporate knowledge and theories from nursing and other supportive disciplines to promote and translate evidence into practice to effectively tailor health care to diverse populations.
• Use leadership strategies at the organizational and individual level to work with interprofessional teams to recommend quality improvement initiatives to provide safe healthcare delivery and improve population health. 
• Assume accountability to influence health policy, improve healthcare delivery, decrease health disparities, and address the diversity of health care needs. 
• Utilize informatics to enhance delivery of healthcare to a population
• Communicate effectively with populations to improve health through population- centered strategies of health promotion /disease prevention education
• Analyze and apply a broad spectrum of administrative functions such as management principles and business skills to influence health care delivery systems.

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

Accreditation

The master’s degree in nursing at South Dakota State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, 202-887-6791.

Licensure

Students must provide evidence of professional registration by submitting a copy of the most current RN license.

Certification

After completing the program of study, graduates may be eligible to complete certification through several professional organizations.

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Upon Completion of the M.S. in Nursing - Nurse Administrator Specialization, students may be eligible for the following certifications:

National Certification Eligibility	Certifying Body
Nurse Executive - Board Certified (NE-BS)* *requires candidate to have held an administrative position at the nurse executive level, OR a faculty position teaching graduate students nursing administration, OR a nursing management or executive consultation position, for at least 24 months full time equivalent in the last 5 years.	American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Nurse Executive - Advanced Board Certified (NEA-BC)* *requires candidate to have held an administrative position at the nurse executive level, OR a faculty position teaching graduate students nursing administration, for at least 24 months full time equivalent in the last 5 years.	American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML)* *requires 2 years of experience (minimum of 1,040 hours per year) in a nurse manager role.	American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE)
Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP)* *requires 2 years of experience in an executive nursing role.	American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE)

 

Course Delivery Format

The program coursework is delivered online and includes a field-based practicum.