Nurse educators serve as faculty in nursing schools and teaching hospitals, sharing their knowledge and skills to prepare the next generation of nurses. Channel your experience and knowledge into a rewarding career with the MSN–Nursing Education specialization.
In this program specialization, you will:
- Prepare to teach in a variety of settings, including the clinical environment, classroom, and patient and staff development settings.
- Be mentored by Walden’s outstanding School of Nursing faculty. The school’s teaching faculty are all doctoral degree holders with the practical expertise to help you develop as an educator.
- Apply what you’ve learned in a real-world setting through fieldwork experience.
The BSN Track is for registered nurses who already hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Students who enter the program with a BSN will complete the following core curriculum and then advance to the courses in the Nursing Education specialization.
If you hold a hospital diploma, associate degree in nursing, or bachelor’s degree (other than BSN), see the RN Track.
Progress at Your Own Pace
The competency-based option is designed for working professionals. Your progress is measured by the mastery or demonstration of skills, abilities, and knowledge in a particular area of study.
Each competency included in the MSN-Nursing Education program has been carefully designed by expert faculty with input from employers, with both your education and future employment in mind.
Completion Requirements
- 53 total quarter credits
- Core Competencies (23)
- Specialization Competencies (30)
Core Competencies
Foundations for Graduate Study (NURS 6003)
- FG001 Networking for Academic and Professional Success: Develop an academic and professional network.
- FG002 Academic and Professional Strategies and Resources: Identify academic resources and strategies for success.
- FG003 Academic and Professional Integrity: Apply strategies to promote academic integrity and professional ethics.
- FG004 Scholarship and Nursing Practice: Analyze peer-reviewed research related to issues in nursing practice.
- FG005 Professional Development Plan: Create professional development plans for academic success and professional practice.
- FG006 Standards of Practice: Justify selection of the MSN specialization using standards and scope of practice.
Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health (NURS 6050)
- PA001 Agenda Setting: Evaluate federal agendas to promote healthcare issues within the policymaking system/process.
- PA002 Legislation: Advocate a position on a population health-related bill.
- PA003 Regulation: Analyze how regulations influence the nurse's role and the delivery, costs, and access to healthcare.
- PA004 Design and Implementation: Assess outcomes of population health program/policy evaluations.
- PA005 Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation: Assess outcomes of population health program/policy evaluations.
- PA006 Global Healthcare Issues: Analyze the impact of nurse advocacy on addressing global health issues.
Transforming Nursing and Healthcare Through Technology (NURS 6051)
- TN001 What is Informatics? Analyze frameworks and tools for the role of the nurse as an informaticist and knowledge worker.
- TN002 The role of Nurse Informatics in Healthcare: Analyze the role of the nurse informaticist in nursing informatics projects to improve outcomes or efficiencies in healthcare organizations.
- TN003 Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom: Analyze how standardized terminologies impact the practice of healthcare and nursing informatics.
- TN004 Technologies Supporting Applied Practice and Optimal Pat: Analyze nursing informatics research on the application of clinical systems to improve outcomes and efficiencies.
- TN005 The Nurse Leader and the Systems Development Life Cycle: Define the role of the nurse for participation on an implementation team as a component of the systems development life cycle.
- TN006 Policy and Regulation Supporting Informatics and Technology: Evaluate legislative policies and regulations for health and nursing informatics and their impact on improvement for outcomes and efficiencies in nursing practice.
Essentials of Evidence-Based Practice (NURS 6052)
- EB001 Evidence-based Practice (EBP) and the Quadruple Aim: Analyze the relationship between evidence-based practice and the Quadruple Aim in healthcare organizations.
- EB002 Research Methodology: Analyze research methodologies described in peer-reviewed articles.
- EB003 Clinical Inquiry, Problem-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome-Time (PICOT), and Searching Databases: Analyze relevant, peer-reviewed articles in support of PICOT questions.
- EB004 Critical Appraisal, Evaluation/Summary, and Synthesis of Evidence: Recommend best practices based on critical appraisal of evidence-based research.
- EB005 Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Recommend evidence-based organizational changes using an evidence-based practice approach to decision-making.
- EB006 Disseminating Evidenced-Based Practice Changes: Analyze dissemination strategies for evidence-based practice changes in healthcare.
Interprofessional Organizational and Systems Leadership (NURS 6053)
- IO001 Healthcare Environment: Analyze the impact of national healthcare trends on organizational leadership practice.
- IO002 Professionalism: Assess organizational policies and the promotion of ethical practice in addressing healthcare issues/stressors.
- IO003 Leadership: Create a leadership philosophy to promote transformational leadership in nursing practice.
- IO004 Promoting Organizational Health: Recommend evidence-based strategies to create healthy work environments and promote positive organizational health.
- IO005 Organizational Change: Create comprehensive plans for meaningful organizational change.
Specialization Competencies
Advanced Pathopharmacology and Advanced Health Assessment (NURS 6380)
- AH001 Concepts of Advanced Health Assessment for the Nurse Educator: Perform comprehensive and systematic health assessments at an advanced clinical reasoning level.
- AH002 Concepts of Advanced Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for the Nurse Educator: Analyze pathophysiology and pharmacotherapeutic interventions of common disorders across the lifespan.
- AH003 Case Presentation: Synthesize plans of care for case presentation.
Foundational Skills for Nurse Educators in Academic and Healthcare Environments (NURS 6370)
- NE001 The Roles of the Academic Nurse Educator and the Nursing Professional Development Practitioner: Differentiate the roles of the Academic Nurse Educator and the Nursing Professional Development Practitioner.
- NE002 Learning Theories in Nursing Education: Apply learning theories for nursing education in academic and practice settings.
- NE003 Educational Design Process: Apply the educational design process to educational activities that meet defined learning needs.
- NE004 Organizational Alignment: Align professional activities with the mission, vision, and strategic plan of a professional organization/institution.
- NE005 Nursing Professional Development as a Nursing Specialty Practice: Apply the Nursing Professional Development Scope and Standards of Practice into all areas of professional development practice.
- NE006 Role of the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator: Integrate core competencies for academic clinical nurse educators into academic education practice.
- NE007 Leadership in Nursing Education in Academic and Practice Settings:
Analyze leadership in nursing education in academic and practice settings
Curriculum Development, Assessment, and Evaluation (NURS 6321)
- AE001 Foundational Concepts and Principles of Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction: Explain foundational concepts and principles related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and evaluation.
- AE002 Learning Theories and Nursing Education: Analyze nursing education curriculum designs guided by learning theories.
- AE003 Curriculum Design Approaches and Processes: Analyze curriculum design approaches, components, and processes.
- AE004 Curriculum and Assessment Development: Create standards-based nursing curriculum, assessments, and evaluations designed to improve health and performance outcomes.
Teaching Learning Strategies; Integrating Technology into Nursing Education (NURS 6331)
- TL001 Instructional Strategies and Technologies in Nursing Education: Identify types and purposes of educational technologies for nursing education.
- TL002 Technology-Infused Lessons and Diverse Learner Needs: Analyze lesson plans for effective use of technology to meet diverse learner needs.
- TL003 Lesson Design and Implementation: Design, implement, and evaluate lessons that integrate technology to achieve learning objectives and outcomes.
- TL004 Virtual Learning Experiences: Develop asynchronous, online, and media-based lessons to improve nursing practice and patient care.
Specialty in Clinical Nursing (NURS 6341)
- SN001 Focus and Objectives for Advanced Practice: Identify a focus within a clinical specialty and formulate objectives for advanced nursing practice.
- SN002 Comprehensive and Systematic Assessment: Plan and conduct comprehensive and systematic assessments on patients using advanced levels of decision making within a clinical specialty.
- SN003 Patient Care: Recommend evidence-based interventions in advanced nursing practice to ensure positive outcomes for patients.
- SN004 Self-Assessment in Advanced Practice: Use multiple measures to self-assess performance for advanced skills and practice within a clinical specialty.
Role of the Nurse Educator (NURS 6351)
- RN001 Nurse Educator Roles and Settings: Analyze roles of nurse educators in a variety of nursing settings.
- RN002 Professional Goals and Roles: Identify professional goals as a nurse educator and analyze settings and roles related to those goals
- RN003 Conflict Management: Apply strategies for the nurse educator to prevent and manage conflict in nursing education.
- RN004 Supporting all Learners: Apply strategies to create positive learning environments and to support learner needs, perspectives, and performance.
- RN005 Career Advancement and Changing Roles: Write resumes, cover letters, and professional profiles to advance in the field of nursing education.
