Online FNP Program | Walsh University Online

Fast Facts
Curriculum
Clinical Placement

Clinical Placement Support

We know finding preceptors for clinical rotations can be one of the most challenging and stressful parts of any MSN program. As a Walsh MSN-FNP student, you’ll be paired with a clinical placement coordinator who will collaborate with you to secure clinical sites and preceptors for your clinical courses.

Our goal is to facilitate a streamlined, high-quality clinical placement experience to help you apply newly gained knowledge, values, and skills from the classroom to the clinical area. By assisting in the management of placement logistics, we hope you’ll be free to focus your efforts where they’re needed most—on coursework and developing competencies.

Online FNP Program Curriculum

Walsh's contemporary curriculum is aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials Standards, ensuring students are equipped with the core competencies required to prepare for their board certification. Students will complete 45 credit hours and 700 direct patient care clinical hours in as few as 2 years of full-time study. Part-time study options are available. Below is a sample list of courses you will take while enrolled in the online MSN-FNP program. For a full list, please download a brochure.

NURS 610 –Advanced Pathophysiology

This course focuses on the interrelationships of human biological systems, biochemical, genetic and cellular concepts, providing the framework for the study of advanced pathological concepts. Case studies illustrate theoretical concepts and assist in the application of theory to practice.

NURS 614 – Advanced Health Assessment

This course builds on the student’s knowledge and skills of basic health assessment and provides a foundation for the advanced nurse to evaluate the health of individuals across the lifespan. Theory and research-based methodologies and skills will be incorporated to assist students in the comprehensive assessment of individuals, including advanced communication skills such as clinical interviewing and focused history taking, psychosocial and physical assessment, critical diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision making.

Interpretation of data for the purpose of differentiating normal from abnormal findings as well as for recognition of potential and/or actual health problems will also be addressed. This course requires 30 laboratory hours.

NURS 642 – Clinical Pharmcology

Clinical pharmacology builds upon NURS 612 Advanced Pharmacology. Specific requirements, responsibilities, interprofessionalism, and concerns as an APN prescriber, including safe prescription writing and medication management of patients throughout the life span, including persons with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), will be comprehensively reviewed.

NURS 718 – Healthcare Technology and Data Management

Students will explore healthcare technology and data management concepts, theories, legal and ethical implications, and application within the healthcare environment. Critical issues affecting the development and implementation of healthcare technologies (clinical, administrative, and learning), knowledge management principles, and professional practice trends will be analyzed. Students will apply new knowledge, manage individual and aggregate level information, and assess the efficacy of healthcare technology appropriate to their area of practice. (3 credit hours)

NURS 648A – FNP III: Capstone / Primary Care

This course serves as the capstone experience for the FNP program. It synthesizes all material from the previous FNP courses and focuses on refining and integrating clinical learning modalities, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and evaluation for all members of the family, including rural and underserved populations.

Didactic and clinical experiences promote a seamless transition into professional practice. (250 clinical hours)

Upcoming Start Dates

Applications are currently being accepted for next intake

CCNE Accredited Online Masters in Nursing Education

Online FNP Program Eligible States

Currently, the Walsh MSN-FNP program is available in the following states. Visit our State Authorization page for more information.

Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
New Mexico
New Jersey
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

How do clinicals work? Is there any placement support available?

Clinicals are a required portion of the program that allow you to apply the skills you learn in real-life situations. Our online MSN-FNP program includes 3 clinical rotations for a total of 700 clinical hours.

As a Walsh MSN-FNP student, you’ll be paired with a dedicated clinical placement coordinator who will work with you to secure clinical sites and preceptors for your clinical courses.

How long is the program?

The program consists of 45 total credit hours. You can complete the program in as soon as 2 years as a full-time student, but there are also part-time options available. Depending on your schedule, you can choose to take just one or two courses at a time to balance with working full-time.

What are the residency and travel requirements?

As a part of the online MSN-FNP program, you’ll participate in two intensive experiences beginning in your second year. The first intensive experience will be virtual and requires no travel. The second intensive experience will be in-person on the Walsh University campus for two days of hands-on learning, workshops and training.

Are there any tuition/financing options?

Yes, we offer competitive tuition rates at $775 per credit hour, and we also have a variety of financial aid and scholarship options available. Visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page for more details.

Online FNP Program Careers and Outcomes

Online FNP Program Salaries and Careers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 220,300 licensed nurse practitioners in the United States in 2020. That number is projected to increase by a massive 52% from 2020-2030. By comparison, the number of positions for registered nurses is expected to grow by 9% in the same time period, while the total number of jobs for all professions is projected to increase by 4%.

Family Nurse Practitioners work in a variety of environments, including:

Primary care settings
Ambulatory care centers
Clinics
Hospitals

Along with appealing job opportunities, nurse practitioners also enjoy far above-average compensation, with median wages of $109,820 in 2019. This compares to median wages of $73,300 for registered nurses in 2019 and median annual wages of $39,810 for all occupations.

Download a Brochure

An FNP Nurse Fills a Growing Demand for Primary Care Providers

Family Nurse Practitioners, or FNPs, are highly educated advanced practice registered nurses who work autonomously or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to deliver primary care to patients. An online MSN-FNP program covers a curriculum that prepares a qualified nurse to take the FNP National Certification exam. FNP nurses care for individuals and families throughout each stage of their lives, providing treatment for a range of medical problems and non-life-threatening acute conditions in outpatient settings, medical clinics and other healthcare environments.

An FNP nurse who graduates from an online MSN program or FNP Certificate program is increasingly being called upon to fulfill the essential need for primary healthcare. The National Governors Association predicts that by 2019, the number of visits to primary care providers will increase by approximately 15-25 million per year while the American Association for Nurse Practitioners (AANP) notes that less than 14% of physicians are entering primary care practice. Due to the dwindling number of primary care physicians, an FNP nurse is perfectly positioned to help to fill the gap for primary care providers.

With a focus on preventative care, health care policy, health promotion, clinical assessment and management, Walsh University’s MSN-FNP online program can help you prepare to become a confident family nurse practitioner, ready to make a difference in the lives of patients’ and entire communities as a primary care provider. An online MSN program can provide a nurse with the family care skills that healthcare organizations and clinics need.

Walsh University also offers the following MSN programs:

walsh university online testimonial ashley

The professors really get to know you.

My experience with Walsh's online MSN program has been great. With small class sizes, the professors really get to know you. With the intensives, you get to see your fellow classmate's faces and put a name to the face, and it's been really good experience being able to have those intensives.

Ashley Carey, MSN-FNP Program

^{_{The master’s degree program in nursing and doctor of nursing practice program at Walsh University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).}}

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