WGU launches master nursing program
INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — WGU Indiana is aiming to alleviate healthcare shortages by launching a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner program. The program is being offered in 10 additional states and provides students with clinical training and specialized classes required for the FNP national certification exam, and is designed for licensed RNs who hold a bachelor of science in Nursing degree.
The program includes 16 courses and 48 competency units, which equals a traditional credit hour. The degree is designed in five 6-month terms, but WGU says it’s possible for students to graduate earlier.
“My goal is to continue at my current employer and work as a family nurse practitioner in some form and continue to learn from some of the amazing FNPs and Family Practice Physicians that we have at our facility,” said Kayla Kellams, WGU Indiana graduate, nurse at Sullivan County Community Hospital and the first WGU FNP student nationwide. “Eventually, I plan to specialize in geriatrics and potentially see patients in local long-term care facilities. My hope is to always be able to provide care to those in my local community.”
The program is developed for nurses ready to move into advanced clinical practice, a field in which the U.S. Bureau of Labor expects a 19% growth rate in 2020.