Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

#23 Best Program Variety

• BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• BSN to DNP – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Psychiatric Mental Health Care Nurse Practitioner
• Post-Graduate Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP Certificate
• Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate
• Post-Graduate Psychiatric Mental Health NP Certificate

Saint Francis Medical Center (SFMC) College of Nursing offers MSN and BSN to DNP with Family (FNP), Psychiatric-Mental Health (PMHNP), Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGACNP), and Neonatal (NNP) nurse practitioner specializations. In addition, Post-Graduate Certificates are offered in all but the NNP track.

The FNP track requires three campus visits and the AGACNP requires four visits during clinicals. The PMHNP track may require a visit and the NNP specialization is 100 percent online. Clinical preceptorships are completed at approved sites local to the student. SFMC is a private, Catholic college and follows the ideals of Saint Francis of Asissi of love and service to God and humans, particularly the poor and sick.

Nurse practitioners work in a variety of environments depending on their specialty. For example, adult-gerontology acute care NPs work with adults in critical care situations such as in intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments, and specialty clinics for neurology, cardiology, oncology, and endocrinology. The neonatal nurse practitioner program seeks to educate nurses to work with acute and critically ill neonates and most NNP graduates work in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).

Family nurse practitioners work in many different locations including schools, primary care clinics, private practice, hospitals, long-term health care situations, and home health care. Psychiatric-mental health NPs may work in hospitals, treatment centers, rehabilitation centers, counseling facilities, schools, government facilities and correctional institutions, among others.

Upon graduation, students are eligible to take their respective nurse practitioner certification exams through organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the National Certification Corporation (NCC). The NP programs through Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing are accredited through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Saint Francis Medical Center is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is located in Peoria, Illinois.

What to Expect

Admission Requirements: Entry into the MSN and post-graduate certificate programs requires a 2.8 minimum GPA while the BSN to DNP program requires a 3.0 minimum GPA. All applicants must hold an unencumbered RN license in their state of residence. A personal health history and required lab work must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the first term.

BSN to DNP students must hold a bachelor of science in nursing degree from an ACEN, CNEA, or CCNE accredited program. Prospective MSN students must hold a BSN degree and certificate students must have earned an MSN degree or higher with a minimum GPA of 2.8 from an accredited program. All applicants must have completed undergraduate nursing research and health assessment courses with a grade of C or better. Application materials include an application, application fee, resume or CV, proof of RN licensure, three letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and an essay.

FNP and AGACNP applicants must have at least one year of professional nursing experience. NNP applicants must have at least two years of full-time RN experience in a Level 3 or 4 NICU by the time clinicals start. PMHNP must have at least one year of psychiatric-mental health work experience within the past five years before beginning clinicals. Students may need to complete an interview if requested. No GRE is required.

Students whose primary language is not English must also provide proof of English language proficiency and international students may have unique application requirements.

State Restrictions: While SFMC accepts students from most states, distance education is restricted in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. In addition, the curriculum may not prepare students for NP licensure in California. Finally, students from Kansas can only be accepted into the PMHNP and NNP specializations.

As a rule, students outside of Illinois should check with the admissions department to make sure they are eligible for the nursing programs. As well, students should contact the licensing board of their specific state of residence to determine if the program meets state requirements for NP licensure.

Study Plan: SFMC admits students to the MSN and BSN to DNP programs in the Fall. The MSN – NNP can be completed in three years, the FNP in three and one-half years, and the AGACNP and PMHNP in four years. The BSN to DNP – NNP can be completed in five years, the FNP in five and one-half years, and the AGACNP and PMHNP tracks in six years. Typically students take two courses in the Fall and Spring and one course in the summer.

The Post-Graduate Certificates begin in the summer with the course Roles and Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing. Then the FNP track continues for five Fall and Spring semesters and the AGACNP and PMHNP continue for six. Students in all programs complete clinicals near where they live and work in approved states. In addition, BSN to DNP nursing students complete a DNP project.

MSN Core Curriculum: Each NP specialization requires some or all of the following courses: Theoretical Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice; Roles and Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice; Principles of Epidemiology and Health Promotion in Advanced Nursing Practice; Analysis of Evidence-Based Practice; Biostatistics; Information Systems and Technology for Transformation of Healthcare; and Organizational Management and Leadership in Healthcare Systems.

• MSN – AGACNP Curriculum: The MSN – AGACNP comprises 53 credits and requires the completion of 700 practicum hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan; AGACNP Theory I-III; AGACNP Practicum I-IV; and Principles of Gerontology in Advanced Nursing Practice.
• MSN – NNP Curriculum: The MSN – NNP comprises 42 credits and requires completion of 640 clinical practicum hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for the Neonate; Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan; Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Neonate; Advanced Neonatal Pharmacotherapeutics; Neonatal Management I-II; and Neonatal NP Practicum I-II.
• MSN – FNP Curriculum: The MSN – FNP comprises 50 credits and requires completion of 700 clinical practicum hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan; Family Health Care Management I-II; Advanced FNP Practicum I-II; Principles of Gerontology in Advanced Nursing Practice; and Family Nurse Practitioner Practicum.
• MSN – PMHNP Curriculum: The MSN – PMHNP comprises 49 credits and requires completion of 640 clinical hours. Specialty courses include Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan; Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan; Family Mental Health Psychopharmacology; Advanced Assessment and Therapeutic Interventions; FPMHNP Practicum I-IV; Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing – Diagnosis and Management of Children and Adolescents; and Advanced Psychiatric Nursing – Diagnosis and Management of Adults and Specialty Populations.

Post-Graduate Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Graduate Certificates follow the courses for the MSN, although not all courses are included. A transfer of up to 12 credits is allowed. The certificates comprise 35 to 38 credits and follow the required clinical practicum hours for the corresponding MSN specializations.

BSN to DNP Curriculum: The AGACNP specialization comprises 77 credits and includes 1,212 clinical hours. The PMHNP specialization includes 77 credits and 1,152 clinical hours. The NNP specialization comprises 73 credits and includes 1,152 clinical hours. The FNP comprises 75 credits and includes 1,212 clinical hours. In addition to the core and specialization courses for the MSN, BSN to DNP students may also take Cultural Competency for Advanced Practice; Translation of Evidence into Practice; Impact of Ethics and Law on Healthcare; Healthcare Policy and Financial Management; Organizational Management and Leadership in Healthcare Systems; DNP-C Project I-III; and DNP-C Residency.

Online Experience: Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing utilizes Canvas as its online learning management system and delivers nursing courses both synchronously and asynchronously. The online system allows students to interact with and collaborate with peers and faculty, and access course syllabi, materials, and assignments. Student tools include Microsoft Online, Elsevier Evolve (a system for accessing learning materials and exams), practice labs, the Student Information System (SONIS), and access to the online student community. Most courses for the online programs are fully online and may require some campus visits during clinical practicums. There is a required online new student orientation. Students also have access to a host of student support services and technical support.

On-Site Requirements: Students come to the Peoria, IL campus for on-site requirements for some specializations. The FNP track requires two 4-day visits during practicum courses and the final assessment during the last clinical experience for a total of three visits. All AGACNP programs require one visit lasting from one to four days for each of the practicums for a total of four visits. The PMHNP specialization may require a campus visit, and the NNP track does not require an on-site presence.