LAS VEGAS — WGU Nevada is now accepting applications for a new online master’s degree program aimed at preparing nurses to better analyze and interpret data in healthcare. Designed in collaboration with industry experts, the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) — Nursing Informatics program provides the advanced training graduates need for a rewarding career as specialists in the field of nursing informatics.
Offered through WGU Nevada’s College of Health Professions, the MSN — Nursing Informatics program trains graduates to prepare, gather, document, and analyze data that will serve as a foundation for data-driven decisions. Developed to support students in applying their understanding of nursing informatics to real-world situations, the MSN — Nursing Informatics program will help students rely on the use of information and communication technologies for delivering and coordinating care across multiple settings.
Students can start their MSN — Nursing Informatics program as early as February 1, 2017, and have the option of going through one of two academic tracks. The first track is for registered nurses (RNs) with an associate’s degree or diploma in nursing and a current RN license who wish to move into nursing informatics. This RN to MSN option will build on the foundation of previous nursing education at the associate or diploma levels.
The second option, BSN to MSN, is available for RNs with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and a current RN license who wish to move into nursing administration. The BSN portion of the degree focuses on contemporary nursing practice and the development of skills and competencies using technology-based learning. The master of science portion of the degree prepares graduates for the field of nursing informatics.
“Because of the progressive infusion of technology in the healthcare industry, information systems experts are becoming increasingly valuable," said Spencer Stewart, Chancellor of WGU Nevada. "This new program will enable students, especially nurses, to apply systems-thinking strategies to clinical practice in an effort to improve healthcare delivery.”
The MSN — Nursing Informatics program, like all WGU Nevada programs, is online and competency-based, which allows working professionals to apply what they already know to move more quickly through their coursework. Competency-based learning allows students to study and learn on their own schedules, completing courses as soon as they demonstrate proficiency in the subject matter. When paired with WGU Nevada’s affordable tuition of about $6,500 per year, this flexibility provides students with the opportunity to earn a recognized, accredited degree on a busy schedule and tight budget.
