Join the School of Nursing and Health Sciences faculty and Graduate Admissions staff for a tour of campus and our nursing facilities. This event is designed for those interested in our Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program.
Join the School of Nursing and Health Sciences faculty and Graduate Admissions staff for a tour of campus and our nursing facilities. This event is designed for those interested in our Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program.
North Park University is launching a new graduate degree program for students and career changers—a Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. The program will prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to provide safe, competent, and compassionate care to patients.
“This new program is a perfect example of North Park University’s ability to capitalize on our historic strength in nursing and health sciences education,” said North Park University President Mary K. Surridge. “We are building new capacity to educate and equip more and more highly skilled and ethical professionals to positively impact the city of Chicago and beyond.”
Students in the five-semester program will complete clinical rotations that align with their coursework and prepare them to enter the field with skill and confidence. All clinical rotations are held in hospitals and community sites recognized for nursing excellence, including Swedish Hospital, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Lawndale Community Health Center, and others.
After completing the degree requirements through North Park’s Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program graduates will be qualified to apply for the professional nurse licensing examination, the NCLEX-RN. Graduates who pass this exam become licensed registered nurses (RNs) and are eligible to work in a healthcare setting. Graduates will also have the academic foundation necessary to pursue further education in the field, such as a post-master’s certification in an advanced practice specialty, nursing leadership, and management, or earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
North Park Provost Michael Carr said graduates of this program “will have learned to Integrate core scientific and ethical principles, advanced nursing knowledge, professional values, and clinical excellence in a nursing practice that reflects the Christian principles of the philosophy of the North Park University School of Nursing.”
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing at North Park University is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in another academic major. Students can apply to the program through NursingCAS, the centralized application for nursing programs. Application fee waivers are available for those who qualify.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories Press, Stories
During the near-dawn hours, North Park’s Coordinator of Anatomical Resources Dr. Jeff Nelson leads visits to the Cadaver Lab—as early as 6:30 am.
Students have all different ways of starting their morning. Some with a cup of java or a work-out at Helwig Recreation Center or hitting snooze a couple of times. But for both the science-driven major as well as any student interested in anatomy, the morning starts with access to North Park’s Cadaver Lab.
During the near-dawn hours, North Park’s Coordinator of Anatomical Resources Dr. Jeff Nelson leads visits to the Cadaver Lab—as early as 6:30 am. “This time of day is perfect for students to openly converse which also sets the tone for professionalism,” says Dr. Nelson.
Learning together early in the morning, when all is quiet on campus and classes have not yet started, distils distractions and focuses the learning experience on exploring anatomy. Supervised by Dr. Nelson, students meet two times a week and every three to four weeks where fellow students can see the work to-date and refresh their knowledge of anatomy. Dr. Nelson readily greets the groggy-eyed yet ready-to-learn undergrads from a variety of majors—psychology to art to health sciences—opening the doors into the world of anatomy where students learn by conversing, observing, handling, and exploring.
If a student is interested in optometry, they can study the eyes; if there’s an interest in physical therapy then they can look at the muscles. To keep track of the areas of the body already studied, students maintain their own logs. In the Cadaver Lab, it’s the students who are actually doing the work with the cadaver. “There’s an element of discovery and mystery that’s experienced during these wee hours of the morning that gets students to start thinking about their interests and career path,” says Dr. Nelson.
Dr. Nelson encourages students to have their own experience with anatomy. For many, being in the Cadaver Lab is about having their first patient experience and for others, it’s about what is yet-to-be-discovered. Modeling the peer-teaching style, students prepare to teach to their fellow classmates, a necessary skill developed in medical school.
North Park University is unique in having its own cadaver lab for undergraduate students. Located in the basement level of the state-of-the-art Johnson Center, the Cadaver Lab provides students with hands-on learning experiences found right here on campus. Before the Cadaver Lab existed on campus, students traveled to nearby hospitals such as Rush Medical Center to receive this sophisticated level of learning most often found in graduate schools.
“North Park is fortunate to have the Cadaver Lab on campus and the students really enjoy expanding their knowledge and skills alongside their peers,” remarks Dr. Nelson.
To participate in a Cadaver Lab session with Dr. Nelson, set your alarm and look for the sign-up sheet outside his office in the Johnson Center, room 020.
Author Ana SeklerPosted on Categories News, Stories
