Saint Peter's College

Nursing Programs Offered

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

RN to BSN Program Details

The School of Nursing offers an upper-division BSN program which is open to any eligible student who already possesses a diploma or associate degree as a registered nurse. The purposes of the program are to equip the graduate with a breadth of knowledge, skills, and values from both general and professional education, prepare the graduate for generalist professional practice in a variety of settings, and provide a foundation for graduate education in nursing. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

BSN Program Details

The Nursing Program at Saint Peter’s College will prepare students who are high school graduates (or transfer students from other colleges) for professional nursing (RNs) practice. The program is four years in length and students who successfully complete the program will be awarded the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program is supported by the 25 years of success of the College’s existing Nursing programs, which include the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for career RNs and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. The School of Nursing at Saint Peter's College has received provisional accreditation from the New Jersey Board of Nursing for this program.

MSN Program Details

The 37 credit curriculum consists of 3 levels. Level 1 contains the core courses which encompass nursing theory, research, current issues, financial concepts and organizational behavior. The core courses provide the foundation for graduate study in nursing and for courses in the specialization and functional areas. Levels 2 and 3 contain the specialization and functional nursing components of the curriculum. These are the role courses. Level 2 emphasizes the clinical and theoretical bases required for nursing case management and administrative practice. Courses focus on case management, client education, clinical management of client aggregates and administration. Level 3 stresses the application of theory and culminates in practical in nursing administration and in case management where role synthesis and role enactment are achieved.

Courses in case management are designed to prepare nurses to coordinate care, provide clinical management for groups of clients and act as client advocates. Students will become knowledgeable about health care delivery systems and the managed care environment; develop expertise in case management models and process, teaching, outcome measurement, and coordinating services and resources for clients.

The functional concentration in nursing administration focuses on preparing graduates for middle and upper level management roles in health care facilities. Students will develop skills in leadership and management, acquire an understanding of organizational design, health care economics, human resource development, and quality improvement tools.

RN to MSN Program Details

The RN to MSN Bridge program permits registered nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree in a field other than nursing to apply to the Master of Science in Nursing program. The student does not earn a BSN degree.

Undergraduate nursing competence will be demonstrated by successful completion of the following courses with a grade of 3.0 or higher:

Undergraduate Statistics course - 3 credits
Undergraduate nursing research course - 3 credits
NU 470 Bridge course - 4 credits

Students must satisfactorily complete the above courses prior to enrolling in graduate course work.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

Saint Peter’s College is proud to offer through its School of Nursing the first Doctoral Program at the Englewood Cliffs Campus. The Doctor of Nursing Practice is the highest degree for nurses engaged in advanced practice and those who wish to impact the quality and standards of care for those in need of or receiving services from the health care system. Based on the guidelines from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and other advanced practice regulatory organizations, the two tracks offered will prepare graduates whom will have an impact on patient care via health care policy development, economics and cost containment strategies, and/or practice based on evidence rather than convenience.

The projections for the future in terms of providing primary care to the majority of the population are not comforting. There is a severe shortage of general practitioners or primary care physicians for many reasons. The most important question is however, who will provide this care? Several studies have answered this quandary with the same resounding response: nurse practitioners. There is a movement to make the DNP the minimum preparation for this important health care provider, similar to the PharmD for pharmacist or the DPT for physical therapist. Saint Peter’s has a strong history of preparing excellent primary care adult nurse practitioners, and the development of the DNP seemed a natural evolution.

The DNP at Saint Peter’s is presently offered as:

-A 39 credit posted MSN program
-Designed especially for nationally certified nurse practitioners or nurse executives/administrator
-One evening a week
-Each track culminates with the Capstone Project which is an evidence-based health care focus problem investigation.