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About the Program
The Clinical Nurse Leader Program (CNL) prepares nurses to be clinical leaders with the skills to thrive in the current and future health care system while striving to improve client outcomes and reduce health care costs. The program is a second-degree, accelerated nursing program integrating didactic and clinical instruction for individuals with a baccalaureate or higher degree in a non-nursing field.
Students are prepared for the registered nurse licensure examination and graduate with a Master of Science in Nursing degree. The CNL is a generalist (not an advanced-practice nurse) with nursing knowledge, comprehension of the infrastructure of the health care system, clinical decision-making skills, resource management strategies and the ability to manage complex information.
The CNL program has partnered with several healthcare institutions to support the program’s educational efforts and provide possible career opportunities following graduation. The program and partnerships will enhance the role development of the CNL through the engagement of highly skilled clinicians, outcomes-based practice and quality improvement strategies while providing high-quality patient care in the surrounding communities throughout Georgia.
The goals of the Clinical Nurse Leader program are to prepare graduates to:
- Provide optimal patient and family centered care that is evidence-based, applied across diverse settings and throughout the life span
- Create and sustain environments for clinical excellence in patient safety and quality outcomes
- Serve as leaders and partners in interdisciplinary healthcare teams
- Become effective decision makers using information systems and technology
For more information call 706-721-9767 or visit www.gru.edu/nursing/futurestudents.htm
Career Opportunities
Primary employment is in a hospital or healthcare facility.
Salary Information
Salaries for CNLs vary based on regions or states. Average starting salaries range from $45,000 to $60,000. Salaries for experiences nurse staff can exceed $60,000.
Accreditation
The CNL Program has been fully approved by the Georgia Board of Regents and the Georgia Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Technical Requirements
Computer literacy - A laptop is required upon enrollment. See minimum laptop specifications at http://www.gru.edu/itss/computing/hardware.html.
Admission Requirements
Completed Online Application for Graduate Programs. Please check the Office of Academic Admissions website for fee information: http://www.gru.edu/Admissions/
Application deadlines for application and required materials and documents:
Early submission of all application materials is strongly advised.
Fall entry - early consideration - November 1
Fall entry - regular deadline - February 1
Early application by November 1 is encouraged. Only the most highly-qualified applicants will be offered early admission. To be considered for early admission decision, all application materials must be received by November 1; only complete files will be reviewed. If your application is not complete and/or you are not selected for early admission, your application will remain active during the admission cycle. Complete applications at each deadline will be reviewed for admission decision. Applications and supporting materials received after the published regular deadline will only be considered on a space-available basis.
GPA: Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Minimum Degree Requirement and Official Transcripts: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. To be used to satisfy degree requirement, evaluation of foreign educational transcripts must show degree(s) earned that are the U.S. equivalency of degree(s) required by the program.
Official transcripts are required from all universities and colleges ever attended. Only in the case of transcripts from international colleges/universities will an official course-by-course transcript evaluation be accepted in lieu of an official transcript.
Official transcripts should be sent to GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions. To remain official, all transcripts must remain in the original, unopened, sealed and stamped/signed envelope from the Registrar’s office of the issuing institution. Alternatively, GRU will accept official electronic transcripts from the registrar’s office at your prior institution. Electronic transcripts should be directed to admissions@gru.edu.
Transcript/Credential Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts: An official, professional course-by-course evaluation based on official transcripts and documents is required for all foreign educational transcripts and documents from one of the following three credentials evaluation services: Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Silny and WES are recommended. Official evaluations based on unofficial transcripts, documents, or copies will not satisfy this requirement.
References: Recommendations (which include a reference form and letter of recommendation) from three individuals are required. Referees should be individuals qualified to critically assess the applicant’s prior academic (usually college professors), employment, artistic, research and/or clinical experience (clinical or research supervisor/mentor) and qualifications (as applicable) as well as the applicant’s potential as a graduate student in the field/program selected.
Graduate reference forms and letters of recommendation can be submitted online only. As part of the online application process, applicants provide the names and current email addresses for three individuals they have asked to serve as their referees. Once the online application is submitted, each referee will receive an email notification directing him/her to the online site where he/she can complete the reference form and submit his/her letter of recommendation. To change a referee after the application has been submitted, the applicant is instructed to log into his/her CollegeNet account and update the name and current email address for the referee. Status updates of your referees’ submissions will be provided to you directly from CollegeNet.
GRE Requirement: Test takers who took the GRE prior to August 1, 2011 were scored on the old scoring scale of 200-800. The minimum score requirement of 900 total (combined Verbal and Quantitative Scores) will continue to be used for those who took the GRE prior to the scoring changes.
Test takers who took the GRE after to August 1, 2011 are scored on the new scoring scale of 130-170. The minimum score of 290 total (combined Verbal and Quantitative Scores) will be required for those who took the GRE after to the scoring changes.
All official GRE scores must be submitted to GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions directly from the Education Testing Service (ETS) and must be less than five years old. The institution code for submission of GRE scores to GHSU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
Millers Analogy Test (MAT) scores with a minimum score of 400 will be accepted in place of GRE scores; test must be taken within the last 5 years. All official MAT scores must be submitted to GRU’s OAA directly from Pearson Education, Inc. The institution code for submission of MAT scores to GHSU is 1108. Please do not select a department code.
TOEFL Requirement: Minimum score of 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, or 79 internet-based.
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English. The institution code for submission of TOEFL scores to GHSU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
Exemption from the TOEFL requirement is allowed for graduate students who submit proof of earning a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college/university where English is the language of instruction.
Program Specific Requirements
Prerequisite course work (must be completed prior to enrollment):
- Human Anatomy and Physiology (8 credits), completed within the last 10 years
- Microbiology (3 credits) completed within the last 10 years
- Biochemistry (3 credits) or other chemistry (6 credits)
- Statistics (3 credits)
- General Psychology (3 credits)
- Human Growth and Development - Lifespan (3 credits)
Personal Interview: Interviews by invitation only. Applicants will be selected for an interview based on an initial review of submitted application materials. Selected applicants will be notified directly by the program.
Resume or CV: Including date of most recent revision.
*Substitutions and/or waivers of minimum requirements must first be supported and approved at the program level and then formally approved by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
*While every effort is made to maintain this information as current, it may be subject to change. Please check with GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions for recent updates.
*Applications deferred to another semester are subject to all admission requirements and program requirements in effect for the semester to which they are deferred.
How to Apply
Apply online at www.gru.edu/Admissions.
For more information on this program, visit www.gru.edu/nursing/futurestudents.htm.
Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building-Administration
Georgia Health Sciences University
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: 706-721-2725
Toll-free: 800-519-3388
Fax: 706-721-7279
Email: Admissions@gru.edu
Estimated Tuition and Fees
For estimated tuition and fees, please see the Tuition and Fees information for students who matriculated at GHSU section of this catalog.
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