Master of Science in Nursing Informatics

Academic Director: Margaret Reilly, DNS, APRN, CNE
CUNY School of Professional Studies
101 West 31^st Street, 7^th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Email Contact: Nursing@sps.cuny.edu

Mission

The mission and vision of the School of Professional Studies online nursing programs is to offer a liberal arts-based educational experience which will guide students in attaining the knowledge, skills, and values essential for professional nurse leaders and managers, including the ability to make sound judgments and address the health needs of diverse cultural groups.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate effective communication with diverse client populations, disciplines, and staff ensuring optimal health promotion.
2. Apply leadership skills to guide and educate nursing staff to make sound judgments in the provision of safe, quality nursing care.
3. Assume a leadership role in collaborative teams to improve care outcomes and advocate for policy changes through knowledge creation, distribution, and application.
4. Develop health policies that address local and global population health issues.
5. Analyze current and emerging technologies and informatics systems to support safe practice environments, and optimize quality care, cost-effectiveness, and health outcomes.
6. Demonstrate effective management of patient care across disciplines to ensure best possible health care outcomes including clinical prevention strategies.
7. Conduct research; implement evidenced-based care; and quantify the impact on quality and safety.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of how healthcare delivery systems are organized and financed and how this impacts patient outcomes; and identify the economic, legal, and political factors that influence health care.
9. Integrate nursing and related sciences in the design, delivery, and evaluation of health care for diverse populations.

NI1. Integrate organizational science and informatics theory to make changes in nursing practice.

NI2. Provide oversight and guidance in the selection and integration of technologies to document patient care and improve health outcomes.

NI3. Analyze current and emerging technologies for applications in safety and quality improvement, research and evidence based practice, and nursing education.

The Program

The M.S. in Nursing Informatics program prepares Nurse Informaticists who are able to integrate nursing science, computer science and information science to better manage and communicate information, data and knowledge to promote the health of people, families, and communities. Students learn to:  

• Synthesize organizational science and informatics theory to make changes in nursing practice;
• Provide oversight and guidance in the selection and integration of technologies to document patient care and improve health outcomes;
• Analyze current and emerging technologies for applications in safety and quality improvement, research and evidence-based practice, and nursing education.
• Conduct research in a variety of informatics topics that impacts both caregivers and consumers.

The program will culminate with a practicum, which will include a placement in a nursing information technology setting.

Progression and Retention

All students will maintain a 3.0 overall GPA per semester and at graduation. To ensure this criteria is met, a minimum grade of “B” is required in all courses Nursing major courses.  Students earning less than a “B” grade in a Nursing course may repeat the course one time and must attain a grade of “B” or better. A second earned grade of less than “B” in any Nursing Program Course will result in dismissal from the program.

Accreditation

 The MS in Nursing Informatics at CUNY School of Professional Studies is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Admissions Criteria

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited college or university, and accredited nursing program;
• Hold an unencumbered nursing license and a current registration; Nursing License Verification: Current unencumbered RN licensure and registration will be verified at the time of admission by the college Admissions Office and again prior to the start of clinical practicums. Students will set up and submit required clinical clearance documents to their Castlebranch account for review and verification prior to clinical practicums.  
• Earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 in nationally accredited bachelor’s and master’s programs and provide all  transcripts;
• Completed an undergraduate Health Assessment course and an undergraduate pathophysiology course;
• Demonstrate the potential to successfully pursue graduate study through an admission essay highlighting education and career achievements. Essay to include specific examples of problem solving while working in the practice setting, leadership experience at the bedside or in other settings, and professional and community awards; Verifying potential to pursue graduate study: The ‘potential to pursue graduate study’ will be gleaned from the recommendation letters as well as the applicant’s admission essay and resume. There is not a specific number of years of nursing experience required.
• Submit three letters of recommendation, one from a Master’s or doctoral prepared faculty, one from a nurse leader who was an immediate supervisor, one from a community leader;
• Submit a copy of an evidence-based practice project that was completed in nursing school or in the practice setting; and,
• Submit a resume.

Transfer Credits:

Consistent with CUNY SPS policy, MS in nursing programs will accept up to 12 credits of Masters in nursing graduate credits for transfer. Transfer credits will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine applicability to the MS in nursing program at CUNY SPS. There is no statute of limitation for transfer credits.