Concentration Overview
The Masters in Health Systems Nurse Leadership is designed for BSN nurses and focuses on advanced leadership skills and competencies. The goal is to prepare and inform health care delivery by preparing students with the capacity to identify and lead in a health care system. Students will learn financial principles, health care delivery, quality and safety principles, and management of health care systems.
Graduates will be prepared to assume roles ranging from entry-level management to mid-level management positions within acute care, ambulatory and other continuum-spanning systems, focusing on continuous quality improvement. This concentration includes the core curriculum from the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, which prepares the student to continue to the DNP program after the MSN is complete. Graduates of the program will be prepared to assume management positions within health care systems. Upon graduation and completion of the required work experience, graduates may be prepared to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL) exams to become certified in nursing leadership.
Concentration Highlights
The Health Systems Executive Leadership DNP curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to lead complex clinical environments effectively including:
- Understanding organizational behavior
- Implementing evidence-based management, practice, and quality improvement
- Integrating leadership in complex systems
- Utilizing principles of finance and healthcare economics for strategic planning
- Facilitating health policy
- Incorporating data analytics and population health into clinical systems design
Students complete a leadership practicum or residency with a senior-level mentor. This newly designed curriculum meets the New AACN Essentials for graduate nursing programs at the level 2 competencies.
Sample Course Sequence
NOTE: Courses and sequencing are subject to change.
Didactic 1 credit hour = 15 contact hours
Clinical 1 credit hour = 60 clinical contact hours
Total contact hours = 990
| Term 1 | Credit Hours | Didactic Contact Hours | Clinical Contact Hours |
| Spring NURS 6420 Health Promotion Theory & Population Health | 3 | 45 | - |
| NURS 6523 Foundations of Scholarly Writing and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 | 45 | - |
| TERM 2 | |||
| NURS 6327 Health Systems Policy | 3 | 45 | - |
| NURS 6500 Leadership & Collaboration for Quality & Safety | 3 | 45 | - |
| TERM 3 | |||
| NURS 5110 Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 | 45 | - |
| NURS 5812 Designing Care Delivery Alternatives | 3 | 30 | 60 |
| TERM 4 | |||
| NURS 5101 Advanced Pathophysiology for Primary Care | 3 | 45 | - |
| NURS 6325 Informatics, Economics, & Financial Principles | 3 | 45 | - |
| TERM 5 | |||
| NURS 5121 Advanced Health Assessment | 3 | 30 | 60 |
| TERM 6 | |||
| NURS 5811 Applied Economics and Finance for Health Systems | 3 | 45 | - |
| NURS 6527 Strategic Planning | 3 | 15 | 120 |
| TERM 7 | |||
| NURS 6526 Quality and Performance Improvement in Health Systems | 3 | 15 | 120 |
| NURS 6525 Leadership and Management Practicum | 3 | - | 180 |
| TOTAL | 39 | 450 | 540 |
Admissions Requirements
- BSN from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
- Transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended
- Cumulative GPA from undergraduate work 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
- Unencumbered/unrestricted RN License to practice in Missouri
- Two Professional references from individuals who can address academic skills including oral and written communication skills and clinical competence
- Current CV or Resume
- A personal statement of personal attributes and experiences that will help you be successful in this program
The Admissions Department may provide a 10-year forgiveness for cumulative GPA calculation. The student should submit a petition for forgiveness of prior grades to the Admissions Department.
Tuition and Fees
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing reserves the right to adjust tuition and fees at any time. For additional information, please contact our Business Office.
