The Colby-Sawyer College nursing post-master’s certificate programs offer nurses with an MSN degree an opportunity to acquire specialized skills that may not have been offered in their master's degree program. The post-master's certificates will prepare the student for formal certification by professional organizations. Offered in an on-line format.
Academic Policies for Post-Master’s Certificate Program
Admission for Students Interested in Post-Master's Certificate Program
The post-master’s certificate program at Colby-Sawyer College is extremely selective. To be successful in the program, applicants should hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher; hold an MSN from an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA or higher; and have completed an undergraduate or graduate statistics course.
A maximum of three courses (9-12 graduate credits) will be allowed for transfer to the CNL post masters certificate program only after evaluation by the Registrar. The remaining credit hours must be Colby-Sawyer College sponsored. The Capstone course (if required) must be taken as the last course in the program.
The post-master certificate program will follow all other academic policies as the MSN program.
Application Checklist:
- Complete online application form
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Goal statement
- Official transcripts from all schools attended
- Evidence of current nursing license
Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL):
The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) post-master’s certificate program for individuals who hold a master’s degree in nursing that has prepared them for practice in another advanced generalist role or in an advanced nursing specialty. Post-master’s students must successfully complete graduate didactic and clinical requirements of a master’s CNL program through the graduate-level certificate program. Post-master’s students are expected to master the same outcome competencies as master’s CNL students, including the Master’s Essential core competencies and the CNL competencies.
Courses may be waived if the individual’s master’s transcript indicates that he/she has successfully completed the CNL required course or its equivalent. Course waivers and exceptions may be granted for individual students through a gap analysis by the Director and Chair of the nursing program. In addition, graduate level content or courses in epidemiology, nursing research, pharmacotherapeutics, physiology/pathophysiology and health assessment is required and must be documented.
Post-master’s CNL students are required to complete a minimum of 320 hours in a supervised clinical immersion practicum that provides the opportunity to practice in the CNL role. In addition, the post-master’s CNL student must have completed the required clinical experiences for the Clinical Nurse Leader.
Student Learning Outcomes of Clinical Nurse Leader Post-Master’s Certificate
- Identify clinical and cost outcomes that improve safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, quality and the degree to which they are patient-centered.
- Use information systems and technology at the point of care to improve health care outcomes.
- Participate in systems review to critically evaluate and anticipate risks to client safety to improve quality of client care delivery.
- Assume accountability for healthcare outcomes for a specific group of clients within a unit or setting, recognizing the influences of the meso- and macro systems on the clinical microsystem; applies evidence-based information to design, implement and evaluate the client plans of care.
- Assimilate and apply evidenced-based information to design, implement and evaluate the client plans of care.
- Synthesize data, information and knowledge to evaluate and achieve optimal client and care environment outcomes.
- Use appropriate teaching/learning principles and strategies as well as current information, materials and technologies to facilitate the learning of clients, groups and other health professionals.
- Effect change through advocacy for the client, the interdisciplinary health care team and the profession.
- Communicate effectively to achieve quality client outcomes and integration of care for a cohort of clients.
- Actively pursue new knowledge and skills as needs of clients and the role of the nurse in the health care system evolve.
- Properly delegate and utilize the nursing team resources (human and fiscal) and serve as a leader and partner in the inter-professional health care team.
Prerequisites: Graduate Level:
- Advanced Health Assessment
- Advanced Physiology/pathophysiology
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Curriculum (25 credits):
The total number of credit hours needed and the time to completion may be less, depending on the specific courses taken in the prior master’s program. The courses needed will be evaluated on an individual basis during the admission process.
Nursing Education:
The nursing education certificate program is based on the National League for Nursing (NLN) Competencies for Nursing Education and the AACN Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing. The post-master’s certificate in nursing education is designed to prepare the student for the nurse educator role in academic settings or healthcare organizations. Upon completion, students are eligible to sit for the CNE exam.
Student Learning Outcomes of Nursing Education Post-Masters Certificate:
- Synthesize concepts and theories of education and related sciences to the design of curricula and the evaluation of program outcomes in a variety of settings.
- Incorporate the best available evidence from nursing and related sciences to build a foundation for practice as a nurse educator in an academic or healthcare delivery setting.
- Apply leadership strategies to advance nursing practice and education and advocate for policies that improve nursing education at local and national levels.
- Utilize knowledge of continuous improvement methodology and informatics, employing collaborative strategies, to improve the design, coordination and evaluation of patient-centered care and utilize research to analyze the outcomes of interventions to improve nursing practice and enhance pedagogy.
Prerequisites: Graduate Level:
- Advanced Health Assessment
- Advanced Physiology/pathophysiology
- Advanced Pharmacology
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Curriculum (15 credits):
Nursing Management and Executive Leadership:
The nursing management and executive leadership certificate program is designed to prepare the student to assume greater responsibility across all levels of a healthcare organization in order to impact and improve systems and processes to improve patient outcomes. Upon completion, students are prepared to sit for the ANCC National Certification Exam of Nurse Executives.
Student Learning Outcomes of Nursing Management & Executive Leadership Post-Master’s Certificate
- Synthesize concepts and theories from nursing and organizational science and informatics to make changes in the healthcare environment to improve health outcomes to diverse groups.
- Demonstrate the ability to use complexity science and systems theory in the design, delivery and evaluation of health care and analyze how policies influence the structure and financing of nursing practice and outcomes.
- Incorporate the best available evidence from nursing and related sciences to build a foundation for practice as an organizational leader and promote improvement in healthcare outcomes.
Prerequisites: Graduate Level:
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Curriculum (12 credits):
GNUR 586: optional