Thomas Jefferson University Nursing School Review

Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) in Pennsylvania is committed to providing the highest quality of training in the healthcare field. Since 1824, the university has been training healthcare professionals; it trains future doctors, pharmacists, nurses, therapists, and many other types of healthcare professionals. Its location in downtown Philadelphia allows Thomas Jefferson University to offer its students hands-on experience in Philadelphia’s prestigious hospitals.

For prospective nurses and nurses who wish to continue their education, Thomas Jefferson University provides a variety of opportunities through the Jefferson School of Nursing. The programs have a high rate of success; the school boasts a pass rate of over 95 percent on licensing exams, a 100-percent job placement rate, and a high average starting salary for graduates. All the nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Pre-licensure

The Jefferson School of Nursing (JSN) is an upper division school, which means that prospective nursing students must complete two years of coursework at another college before transferring to Thomas Jefferson University. The university has a long list of partner colleges who offer the required background courses; students may also take the background, general education courses through Thomas Jefferson University’s General Studies Department. Once enrolled in the nursing program, a student completes four semesters of nursing courses and clinical rotations. For graduation, a student must earn 123 credits, sixty-four of which are for nursing courses. Completing the program allows a graduate to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN).

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Plan A College Education Admission (PACE) Advanced Admission Program

A high school senior who already is certain that he wishes to pursue a career in nursing can guarantee a spot in the BSN Pre-licensure program through the PACE Advanced Admission Program. If accepted, he will complete two years of general education coursework at another college before beginning the BSN pre-licensure program in the fall of his junior year.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing– Facilitated Academic Coursework Track (FACT)

The Facilitated Academic Coursework Track (FACT) of the BSN program is designed for students who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field. In addition to the bachelor’s degree, an applicant to the FACT program must complete twenty-six credits of prerequisite coursework. Once enrolled, she can complete her BSN degree in twelve months. It is an intense year of study, requiring fifty-five credits of undergraduate nursing classes, as well as nine credits of graduate nursing classes. At the end of the year, the student receives a BSN degree, takes the NCLEX_RN, and continues on to a second year of graduate studies. In the second year of the program, the student works toward a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), specializing in clinical practice as a Nurse Practitioner or a Clinical Nurse Specialist, or specializing in nursing administration, studying Community Systems Administration. During the second year of the program, regardless of the MSN area of specialization, a student must earn thirty-six credits. At the end of the intense, two-year program, a graduate is ready to take a leadership position in the nursing field.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing – Accelerated MSN

The Accelerated MSN curriculum is exactly the same as the FACT curriculum, but it takes longer to complete and is less intensive. Like the FACT program, the Accelerated MSN program is open to students who already hold a degree in a field other than nursing and have completed the required twenty-six credits of prerequisites. Instead of earning a BSN degree in twelve months, however, students in the Accelerated MSN program take twenty-seven months to earn the BSN degree. Then they take fifteen months to complete the MSN degree, as opposed to the twelve months that students in the FACT program take. As with the FACT program, students in the Accelerated MSN program can choose to specialize in clinical nursing, working toward certification as a Nurse Practitioner or Clinical Nurse Specialist, or in nursing administration, studying Community Systems Administration. A student in the Accelerated MSN program also has the option of completing the program on a part-time basis.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN

A graduate of an associate degree program or a diploma program can complete a BSN degree through the RN to BSN track. This track is available in two formats: online and hybrid (partly online and partly on-site). The program consists of twenty-seven-and-a-half credits; on a full-time basis, a student can complete it in two semesters. He also has the option of completing it on a part-time basis.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN/MSN

An RN who is a graduate of an associate degree program or a diploma program also has the option of bridging directly from the BSN program into an MSN program through the RN to BSN/MSN program. First she must complete the BSN degree, which can be done in two semesters of full-time study, either online or in a hybrid format. Then she transitions into the MSN program, working with an advisor to plan out an appropriate curriculum based on her planned area of specialization.

Master of Science in Nursing

The Jefferson School of Nursing offers a flexible MSN program designed for working students. On a full-time basis, students can complete the MSN degree in as little as fifteen months (beginning in the summer), or they may opt to complete it on a part-time basis. Classes are available in the evenings as well as well as online. The core nursing curriculum consists of eighteen credits. All MSN students complete these core classes before moving into classes in an area of specialization. The Jefferson School of Nursing offers a wide range of specializations with the MSN program.

Acute Care Advanced Practice Nurse

The Acute Care Advanced Practice Nurse track of the MSN program requires eighteen credit hours in addition to the core curriculum. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (Acute Care ANP) certification exam or Clinical Nurse Specialist exam, which are offered by the American Nurses’ Association.

Adult Advanced Practice Nurse

The Adult Advanced Practice Nurse track of the MSN program prepares graduates to provide primary care to adults. The program requires eighteen credit hours in addition to the core curriculum. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) certification exam or Clinical Nurse Specialist exam, which are offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Community Systems Administration

Nurses who wish to focus on the administrative side of nursing can complete the Community Systems Administration (CSA) track of the MSN program. This requires eighteen credits hours on top of the core classes, and prepares the graduate to earn certification as an Advanced Public Health Nurse. A student in the CSA track may also simultaneously work toward certification in another area of specialization. By earning thirty credits on top of core graduate nursing classes, he may pursue dual certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and as an Advanced Public Health Nurse. Or he may pursue dual certification as an Advanced Public Health Nurse and as a Nursing Informatics Clinical Nurse Specialist, which also requires thirty credits on top of core graduate classes.

Family Advanced Practice Nurse

The Family Advanced Practice Nurse track of the MSN program prepares graduates to provide primary care to patients of all ages. The program requires eighteen credit hours in addition to the core curriculum. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification exam or Clinical Nurse Specialist exam, which are offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

A Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) specializes in the care of infants and their mothers. This track of the MSN program requires eighteen credits on top of the core nursing classes, and allows a graduate to sit for the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification exam offered by the National Certification Corporation.

Nurse Anesthesia

The Nurse Anesthesia (CRNA) track is more intense than any of the other MSN specializations. In total, a student on CRNA track must earn seventy-four credits. Unlike the other MSN areas of specialization, the CNRA track takes eight semesters (thirty months) to complete. The program includes over 1000 clinical hours, and it must be completed on a full-time basis. The CNRA program has additional certification from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs.

Nursing Informatics

An RN can earn certification as a Nursing Informatics Clinical Nurse Specialist (offered by the American Nurses’ Association) through the Nursing Informatics (NI) track of the MSN program. This area of specialization requires eighteen credits in addition to the core graduate nursing courses.

Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurse

The Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurse track of the MSN program prepares graduates to provide primary care to children. The program requires eighteen credit hours in addition to the core curriculum. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Pediatric APN) certification exam or Clinical Nurse Specialist exam, which are offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certification exam, which is administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

The Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) track of the MSN program requires eighteen credit hours in addition to the core curriculum. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner certification exam.

Master of Science in Nursing – Minor in Nursing Education

In addition to the core MSN curriculum and the classes in an area of specialization, an MSN student may opt to complete a minor in nursing education. This requires twelve credits.

Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health Dual Degree – MSN/MPH

In cooperation with the Jefferson School of Population Health, the Jefferson School of Nursing offers a dual degree in nursing and public health. The Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health (MSN/MPH) program requires seventy-two credits. A student in the program first completes the MSN degree, specializing in Community Systems Administration or Nursing Informatics (thirty-six credits total), and then completes the public health classes (thirty-six credits). The program can be completed on a part-time or a full-time basis.

Post-master’s Certification

A nurse who has already earned an MSN degree may complete the classes for a different area of specialization without completing the core graduate nursing classes. By earning eighteen credits, he can prepare for certification as an Acute Care Advanced Practice Nurse, an Adult Advanced Practice Nurse, A Family Nurse Practitioner, a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, a Pediatric Advanced Practice Nurse, or a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. By earning twenty-one credits, he can prepare for certification in Nursing Informatics. By earning twelve credits, he can prepare to be a Nurse Educator.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

A nurse who has already earned an MSN degree may achieve the highest professional level in her field by completing the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This requires thirty-six credits. Students have the option of completing the program on a full-time basis (which will take two years) or on a part-time basis (which can take up to five years).

Contact:
Thomas Jefferson University
1020 Walnut Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19107