Curriculum

The Nursing@Simmons curriculum is designed to prepare Registered Nurses, who do not hold a bachelor’s degree, to become Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) who are able to serve the holistic needs of their patients and meet the challenges that are presented in today’s primary care settings.

The academically rigorous curriculum focuses on developing evidence-based Nurse Practitioner skills and a strong background in conducting research, enabling you to immediately apply what you learn in your current role. Coursework focuses on promoting health and well-being, as well as assessing, preventing, and managing chronic illness and disease.

Program Requirements

Nursing@Simmons students will complete 68 course credits and a minimum of 836 clinical hours. Full-time students complete the program over a period of eight terms. Part-time students complete the program over a period of 10 terms. For both full-time and part-time students, each term lasts 14 weeks.

The full-time program can be completed in as few as 32 months while the part-time program can be completed in as few as 38 months.

Curriculum Components

Learn more about what you need to be successful in Nursing@Simmons and how building both evidence-based skills and conducting research will prepare you for clinical practice.

Prerequisite Skills

To be a successful Nursing@Simmons student, you should already have experience and knowledge in the following areas prior to beginning the program:

Mastering the foundational, research, and clinical components that make up the Nursing@Simmons curriculum requires a high level of organization and dedication. The program’s courses build upon each other, allowing you to synthesize what you have learned and continuously enhance your skills for caring for patients throughout the life span.

Foundational Courses

As a Nursing@Simmons student, you will use case study analysis to gain a thorough understanding of primary care issues across the life span.

The foundational courses will help you think critically and act like an advanced practice nurse. You will take courses focused on pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment, which will require knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology. You will learn about which medications to prescribe and why, and you will perform a live physical assessment to demonstrate your skills.

Research Project

In addition to building foundational knowledge, you will work on a scholarly research project that will teach you how to conduct qualitative and quantitative research. The research component of the program fosters your ability to apply critical thinking by having you critique qualitative and quantitative interdisciplinary studies. This will help you to better answer questions from patients.

You can choose to do one of the following for your project:

• A quality improvement proposal
• A critique of existing medical literature
• Your own research, approved by the Simmons Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Through close collaboration with Simmons faculty and classmates, the research project is a great networking opportunity and sets Simmons’ program apart from those that have discontinued this key component.

Clinical Practice

Clinical courses help you think and perform as an FNP. During clinical rotations, you will practice the skills you have learned throughout the foundational and research courses while providing acute and chronic care across diverse populations.

In addition to learning to conduct a head-to-toe physical examination, you will:

• Advance your knowledge of prescribing medications
• Improve your communication skills
• Become familiar with diagnosing acute and chronic illnesses
• Turn to resources to develop plans and follow-ups for patients
• Understand the synthesis of various medications

Request more information about Nursing@Simmons, or speak with an Admissions Counselor at Phone Number: 1-855-461-7466.