MSN in Patient Safety | Quality and Safety Education for Nurses

Online Degrees
Master's Degrees
Nursing Patient Safety & Quality (MSN)

Become a Leader in Patient Safety & Quality

Focus your approach and specialize your education with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Patient Safety and Quality online program from Southern New Hampshire University. Based on the competencies defined by the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," the 13-course, 39-credit MSN Patient Safety and Quality program prepares nurses for their emerging roles and the rising demands within healthcare. The competencies defined in the IOM report include critical thinking/critical decision-making, communication, ethics, professional development, nursing technology and resource management, and much more.

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See Yourself Succeed in Patient Safety & Quality

The patient safety and quality program focuses on healthcare quality improvement, risk assessment, communication, legal issues and strategies that contribute to building a culture of safety and assuring accountability and reliability in care processes, among others.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your MSN online at SNHU include:

Accredited. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master’s degree program in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202.887.6791.
Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
Efficiency and flexibility. With five terms per year, you can complete your MSN degree in 20 months
Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
Minimal requirements. No GMAT or GRE required for admission
Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for tips and career opportunities
Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study

Admission Requirements

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms. You can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials. To apply, simply contact an admission counselor, who can help you explore financial options. Your counselor can also walk you through the application process, which involves completing a graduate application ($40 fee) and providing undergraduate transcripts.

MSN Admission Requirements:

Must maintain an active unencumbered Registered Nurse license. Licensure exam must be equivalent to NCLEX-RN examination. (If a student holds active licenses in more than one state/jurisdiction all licenses must be unencumbered.)
Must have an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited nursing program (ACEN, CCNE, and CNEA) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
Provisional acceptance may be extended to applicants with an undergraduate GPA between 2.67 and 2.99

SNHU nursing programs are not authorized in the state of Washington or US territories and we are not accepting students residing in Washington state or US territories into Nursing programs at this time. Currently enrolled students who move into the state of Washington or a US territory will not be able to continue in nursing courses until they move out of the state of Washington or the US territory. Prospective students are encouraged to contact Admission, and current students should contact their Advisor, for more information.

Career Outlook

The Institute of Medicine identifies a growing demand for qualified nurses who are prepared to meet the complex and changing needs of the 21st-century healthcare workforce. The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice has recommended that at least two-thirds of the workforce hold baccalaureate or higher degrees in nursing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nurses with advanced skills and other medical and health services managers is projected to grow 20% through 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.*

Top treatment centers - including ANCC Magnet hospitals - are actively looking for nurses with advanced degrees to take their patient care to the next level. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Patient Safety and Quality can expand your nursing career employment and leadership opportunities.

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Patient Safety and Quality degree online program, you'll be able to:

Propose informatics systems initiatives and technologies that facilitate effective decision-making in delivering and enhancing patient care
Employ research practices, methodologies and a spirit of scholarly inquiry to motivate change and drive real-world improvement in healthcare
Create client-centered, culturally appropriate health prevention and promotion initiatives that improve the health, safety and quality of life for people and their communities
Generate data-driven solutions for operational challenges that navigate the intersection of quality and cost in ensuring excellence in healthcare across diverse settings
Advocate for ethically responsible policies and effective systems that empower practitioners and meet the needs of healthcare consumers
Model leadership and professional practices in healthcare by building effective working relationships and facilitating ethical and strategic decision-making across organizations
Develop continuous improvement of the patient care process through analysis and measured change to current clinical programs in the inpatient and outpatient environments

Curriculum

The patient safety and quality online program will provide you with an advanced education focused on healthcare systems and processes that contribute to risk reduction, evidence-based practice, knowledge of the healthcare environment, leadership, accountability, professionalism and business skills.

View Full Curriculum in the Catalog

MSN in Patient Safety & Quality

Courses May Include

NUR 506 Evidence-Based Practice

Graduate nursing students build upon previous learning of nursing research and evidence-based practice in order to become proficient in critiquing, generating, translating research evidence into practice, and disseminating results to advance nursing knowledge. Emphasis is placed on identifying a researchable practice question, analysis of research findings for evidence-based practice, and ethical issues in nursing research. Students demonstrate proficiency in selection of methodologies which may be used to generate research evidence for practice.

NUR 507 Transition to Graduate Nursing Practice

This course is designed to assist the registered nurse with a BSN degree to transition to graduate study in order to maximize their performance and opportunities for success. The course will cover such topics as the standards for scholarly writing, using evidence, study habits, and managing a graduate-level workload. The role of the Master's-prepared nurse as a clinical scholar, clinical expert and as leader in evidence-based practice and transformation of health care will be emphasized. The course will introduce the final capstone course and the development of a professional portfolio.

NUR 515 Advanced Nursing Concepts

In this course, students will analyze the history and evolution of nursing conceptual models and theories. Students examine the linkages between empirical, aesthetic, ethical, personal, and sociopolitical patterns of knowing with the conceptual models and paradigms of nursing. Students will explore the components of conceptual-theoretical-empirical structures for theory-generating, theory-testing research, and application to practice. Students who successfully complete the course (B- or better, course work & projects) will receive 45 indirect practice hours.

NUR 530 Systems Leadership and Collaborative Practice

This course provides students with the strategies and tools necessary for leadership roles in systems management and inter-professional practice. Ethical leadership concepts, analysis of diverse organizational systems across the healthcare continuum, change agency and communication skills are emphasized in the processes of coalition building, negotiating conflict, workforce planning and inter-professional team relationship building to produce quality patient outcomes. The course will enhance student ability to think systematically and develop comprehensive understanding of core competencies required to initiate and sustain change in organizations.

NUR 683 Patient Safety and Quality Capstone

Explore the MSN/Patient Safety & Quality role with an authentic demonstration of program outcomes and competencies. Students synthesize prior learning to implement a scholarly project to facilitate change in a healthcare setting of their choice. Analysis of the project's results and dissemination of findings in a comprehensive written summary and presentation complete the successful achievement of program outcomes.

IHP 501 Global Health and Diversity

This course provides students with broad foundation in the structure of healthcare delivery systems; the political, financial and social constructs affecting the healthcare systems; and how policy and social determinants of health influence access, equity and outcomes in health. Utilizing this foundation and authentic real world scenarios, students will evaluate the efficacy of existing policy and interventions as well as lead interdisciplinary teams in the design of culturally relevant strategies to prepare students to advance the health for a specific population.

IHP 525 Biostatistics

This course provides students with a basic foundation of biostatistics and its role in public health and health sciences. The course covers the statistical principles that govern the analysis of data in public health and health sciences. Included in this course are exploratory data analysis, probability theory, confidence interval testing, hypotheses testing, power and sample size determination, and multivariable methods.

IHP 604 Healthcare Quality and Improvement

Gain a broad view of US healthcare quality including its evolution and trajectory given the dynamic US healthcare landscape and changing demographics. Explore key concepts including the integration of health information and technologies to promote healthcare quality at the organizational level.

IHP 610 Health Policy and Law

Students in this course examine the role of health law and policy in the healthcare system. Students explore concepts and principles of law, public health, health law, health policy, finance, legal control, and risk management, as well as their application to the healthcare environment through the lens of the professional discipline. Students evaluate the impact of health law and policy and multicultural, socioeconomic, and political factors on access disparities. Students examine ways to articulate the needs of individuals, communities, and vulnerable populations to consumers, health system officials, and government officials. Students also focus on the opportunities for key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, to shape health laws and policies.

IHP 630 Healthcare Finance and Reimbursement

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the healthcare reimbursement system and financial principles relevant to strategic planning for the healthcare organizations. Topics explored include the healthcare reimbursement system, managed care, prospective payment, insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, financial and managerial accounting principles, and long-term financing and capital investments.

IHP 640 Measurement, Analysis, & Models for Performance Improvement

This course examines the principles of measurement, analysis and models for performance improvement to promote continuous quality improvement. Design and data collection will be explored including sampling methodology, operational definitions, establishment of benchmarks, and data integrity and differentiating between structure, process and outcome measures. Topics for measurement and analysis examined include using statistics to describe data (e.g. mean, median, standard deviation); using statistical process control charts to identify trends and distinguish between common and special cause variation; using tools to evaluate a process or display data (e.g. fishbone, run charts, Pareto chart, control chart, etc.); and evaluating data to support decision-making. Students will also explore models for performance improvement including PDSA, Six Sigma and Lean. Nursing students who successfully complete the course with a B- or better will receive 45 indirect practice hours.

IHP 645 Regulatory Compliance, Accreditation and Promoting a Patient Safety Culture

This course explores the history of the patient safety movement, regulatory requirements and accreditation standards for healthcare organizations. Principles of patient safety and error science will include methods for risk assessment and safety improvement and analysis of errors through Serious Reportable Events, Root Cause Analysis and Failure Mode Effects Analysis. Students will be introduced to advanced communication strategies including group dynamics, power structures, team and team roles, hand-offs, chain-of-command, and error disclosure. Utilizing a systems thinking approach students will explore change management, collaborative practice, human factors, just and punitive cultures, and creating a high reliability organization through standardization of processes and transparency. Nursing students who successfully complete the course with a B- or better will receive 45 indirect practice hours.

IHP 670 Program Design, Planning and Evaluation

This course explores program design, planning and evaluation utilizing needs assessment, data analysis, resource allocation, and evaluation methodologies. This course provides the student with a strong foundation in the development of a program proposal.

Total Credits: 39

Program Outcomes

Propose informatics systems initiatives and technologies that facilitate effective decision-making in delivering upon and enhancing patient care
Employ research practices, methodologies, and a spirit of scholarly inquiry to motivate change and drive real-world improvement in healthcare
Create client-centered, culturally-appropriate health prevention and promotion initiatives that improve the health, safety, and quality of life for people and their communities
Generate data driven solutions for operational challenges that navigate the intersection of quality and cost in ensuring excellence in healthcare across diverse settings
Advocate for ethically responsible policies and effective systems that empower practitioners and meets the needs of healthcare consumers
Model leadership and professional practices in healthcare by building effective working relationships and facilitating ethical and strategic decision making across organizations
Develop continuous improvement of the patient care process through analysis and measured change to current clinical programs in the inpatient and outpatient environments

Students enrolled in the MSN Generalist and MSN Patient Safety and Quality programs must comply with requirements of the healthcare organizations where their practicum experiences will be completed. At least one term in advance of the capstone course students will need to submit a letter of mentor support. It is recommended, but not required that nursing students carry their own medical malpractice insurance. If an affiliation agreement is indicated there may be additional requirements which may include (but are not limited to) criminal background checks and verification of licensure, immunization records, health insurance, and medical malpractice insurance. Students may incur additional costs to meet the healthcare organization requirements.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer a 25% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Graduate Programs	Per Course*	Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates	$1,881	$627
Degree/Certificates (U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)	$1,410	$470

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed Annually.

Additional Costs:
$40 Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

Students enrolled in MSN programs may be subject to ongoing licensure checks through a third party vendor, additional fees will apply and may vary by state.

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) as well as several other accrediting bodies.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/Management/Medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (viewed online December 14, 2017). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.