About the Program
Program Details
The Second Careers and Nursing (S.C.A.N.) Program combines preparation in basic nursing sufficient to prepare students to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam, with preparation for an advanced practice role in a clinical nursing specialty. For the first five semesters, students take all of the pre-licensure theory and clinical courses and selected graduate nursing courses, followed by an internship, to prepare them to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
After passing the licensure exam, students then take more graduate courses, selecting the nursing specialty practice area they wish to pursue. Upon successful completion of all graduate coursework, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) are both awarded.
Students pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing must also complete coursework for a specialized clinical area of nursing, such as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner, Parish Nursing, or School Nurse Services Credential.
Students may also fulfill the specialty requirement through one of the School of Nursing’s unique combined programs.
Master of Science in Nursing students may choose to also earn a Nursing Administration Specialty or Nursing Education Specialty in addition to the primary specialties offered. These two secondary specialties are not offered in conjunction with the MSN alone; students must earn a primary specialty as part of the MSN program and then may continue on to complete the coursework for the Nursing Administration or Nursing Education secondary specialty.
Nurses who already have an MSN and specialty from APU or another institution may enroll in the Nursing Administration or Nursing Education secondary specialty.
Philosophy
Consistent with the mission and purpose of the university, the School of Nursing is a Christian community of disciples, scholars, and practitioners. Its purpose is to advance the work of God in the world through nursing education, research, professional practice, community, and church service.
Health is defined and understood by the faculty as totality or completeness whether for an individual, family, or community. That totality or completeness, within this conceptual definition, cannot be seen apart from the constitutive element of spirituality. Our conceptual approach to health highlights our distinctive as a Christian university and provides the discipline of nursing with a distinctive domain for research.
Program Outcome Objectives
A graduate of the S.C.A.N. Program:
- Synthesizes knowledge from theory and research to evaluate its applicability to professional nursing practice and health policy.
- Evaluates delivery of health care to individuals, families, and communities based on a theoretical frame of reference.
- Demonstrates competence in an advanced nursing role incorporating consultation, leadership, management, and teaching in a specialized area of nursing practice.
- Utilizes the research process to improve health care and contribute to the body of nursing knowledge.
- Applies bioethical and spiritual concepts in nursing practice and health policy.
- Articulates how the basic tenets of the Christian faith inform nursing practice.
- Provides spiritual care with an understanding of the influential elements of one’s own spiritual formation and beliefs.
