Students should, however, pay particular attention to their state’s guidelines on distance education, as there can be some rules and regulations that may impact them. These online clinical nurse specialist programs offer the same stellar education as classroom programs do, but offer a higher amount of flexibility. Colleges and universities are responding by offering more and more programs via distance learning. Online Clinical Nurse Specialist ProgramsĪs nurses seek to further their education, some find that work and family obligations make obtaining a post-graduate degree seem daunting. For example, the University of Minnesota offers an Adult/Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP which allows students to focus on subspecialty areas such as cardiology, critical care, and palliative care. They too can specialize in numerous areas of medicine. DNP Programsĭoctoral clinical nurse specialist programs go above and beyond the master's level to prepare students to manage complex health conditions and work as expert clinicians in a variety of settings. California State University-Dominguez Hills, for example, offers an MSN with a Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration. These programs also require core MSN coursework, to include things like clinical decision-making, healthcare policy, scientific writing, and more. Adult gerontology, pediatrics, and mental health are just a few of the specialization areas that clinical nurse specialists can focus on. Students opting for an MSN as a Clinical Nurse Specialist can expect to take courses which correspond to their specialty of choice. Both are excellent ways to enter the specialty, and students should consider which pathway is right for them before they start the application process. Nursing students who wish to enter a clinical nurse specialist program have two options to choose from: the master's (MSN) route, or the doctoral (DNP) route. Clinical Nurse Specialist Degree Levels Offered Some also offer "hybrid" options where students take the bulk of classes online but may be required to make a few trips to campus. With the recent upswing in distance-based learning, many schools now offer both online and campus-based options. Checking to see what arrangements a prospective school has for hands-on clinical requirements is a wise idea. Internships, externships, and other residencies are typically required and can usually be arranged in conjunction with the school. DNP-level programs usually take around 3-4 years to complete, and require approximately 75 credit hours. MSN-level clinical nurse specialist programs usually require around 40 credits and can take roughly 2-3 years to complete, depending on full-time or part-time study. Keep in mind that these tuition figures generally do not include extra mandatory fees, books, course materials, or other related expenses. Doctoral programs may be on the higher end of the cost spectrum (but not always). Program CostĬlinical nurse specialist program tuition can vary widely, but many charge between $500 and $1,000 per credit hour. Some schools and programs also hold local or regional accreditations as well. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) are two main accrediting bodies that sign off on quality clinical nurse specialist programs. One surefire way to check a program's reputation is to see what kind of accreditation it holds.
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