Governors State University

Nursing Programs Offered

DNP Programs (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
Nursing Science - Master's degree
RN to BSN Programs
RN to MSN Programs

RN to BSN Program Details

At Governors State University, we know nurses are often the hardest working professionals in healthcare. We also know the difference a BSN can make in a nurse's career. So we’ve created an RN to BSN program with the flexibility and online enhancements you need to make it to class – and to make your living, too.

We also offer responsive, one-on-one advising, so you can get the attention – and answers – you need when you need them.

Our program is part-time or full-time, depending on your needs. And Governors State remains one of the most affordable universities in the State of Illinois—so your education won’t break your bank.

Most important, the RN to BSN program in the College of Health and Human Services will make you a better nurse. We'll enhance your clinical skills. We’ll increase your understanding in the sciences. We’ll build your knowledge of the profession. When you complete our program, you’ll have the skills to be a better communicator and a better manager. Moreover, you’ll approach patient care with a greater expertise.

RN to MSN Program Details

In an evolving profession like nursing, and in a nation making its way through complex healthcare reform, it's more important than ever for nurses to pursue advanced education.

The Department of Nursing offers an outstanding post-baccalaureate program that will prepare you for your future as a highly educated, advanced practice nurse.

We're keeping pace with your needs and the rapidly changing healthcare system by establishing four new advanced practice nursing tracks. These tracks are designed to open new doors and present the flexibility you need to take your career where you want to go.

Our curriculum is comprehensive, preparing you for the full range of challenges that come with patient care — and more. Our curriculum will empower you to put your knowledge, experience, and education to use preparing the future of nursing. You'll be ready to teach the next generation of nurses -- in the community college classroom or as a leader in the world of healthcare.

Nurse Administrator: The MSN concentration in Nursing Administration draws upon the expertise of the College's Nursing and Health Administration departments to provide superior preparation for nurses who want to manage the profession for the best and most efficient care of patients — and institutional resources.

The Nursing Administration Concentration combines a proven core curriculum in Nursing with a powerful specialty curriculum that covers all aspects of management, from marketing and negotiation strategies to informatics and outcomes management.

Nursing Informatics: Based on the impact of new healthcare technology and healthcare reform initiatives, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for 12,000 additional informatics nurse specialists by the year 2016.

The Nursing Informatics program will help meet the increased demand for nursing informatics specialists to manage the integration of patient data with best care practices, ultimately leading to improved health care quality, patient safety, and cost savings under health reform.

Family Nurse Practitioner: Currently more than 65 million Americans live in areas experiencing a severe shortage of primary health care providers. This physician shortage has led to the need for Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP). This sequence will prepare the advanced practice nurse to serve the health needs of clients across the life span in a variety of primary care settings.

Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Option: For nurses who have already attained a master's or a doctoral degree in a clinical specialty, we now offer a Certificate option for those nurses who aspire to work as a nurse practitioner in an advanced practice setting.

Forensic Nursing: Poised at the intersection of nursing practice and the legal system, forensic nurses work as sexual assault examiners, accident and death investigators, expert witnesses, correctional nurses, risk managers, legal nurse consultants and court-appointed special advocates, among other roles. In an increasingly violent and litigious society, the forensic nurse's skills are invaluable.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

The doctor in nursing practice (DNP) provides a professional practice doctorate in nursing that is designed for applicants to matriculate at two entry points: post baccalaureate or post master’s degree with a major in nursing. The degree prepares the graduate for a career with a focus on one of the following advanced professional practice specialties:

-direct practice
-community behavior
-leadership/administration
-practitioner/educator