Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (MS)

The Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing offers a 42-credit Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) program leading to a master of science (MS) degree. The program prepares nurses to assume an advanced practice nursing role as an adult-gerontology CNS in a variety of health care settings, from acute care to home care. Nurses who earn this degree are preparing themselves for advanced practice positions in medical-surgical specialties within acute care or community-based nursing services.

The program consists of 42 credits (which include the requisite 500 clinical practicum hours for specialty certification) and can be completed by full-time students in under four years. Students have five years to complete degree requirements, however, and many students earn the degree by attending part-time. Courses are offered in the late afternoons and evenings. Graduates of the program meet educational requirements for specialty certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Review our admission requirements for all nursing master’s specializations. Information on the application process is available from the Hunter College Office of Graduate Admissions.

The program prepares graduates to:

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and arts/sciences to provide a theoretical framework for advanced practice.
2. Generate a philosophy and definition of advanced practice that emphasizes full range of health services for all members of society, affirms the worth and dignity of every human being, and demonstrates a humanistic caring approach that values diversity.
3. Collaborate with clients in managing their health-illness status through the advanced practice-nursing role.
4. Foster client participation and shared decision-making in health care and health care policy to maximize health and wellness for humans and the environment.
5. Evaluate specialized knowledge and skills needed to deliver care to clients and design programs to meet the health care needs of specific groups and communities.
6. Identify appropriate nursing science phenomena for nursing research to enhance practice.
7. Describe the nature of scientific inquiry in nursing as the basis for nursing practice.
8. Demonstrate activism, advocacy, and leadership in the health care environment and in the nursing profession.
9. Identify a nursing practice issue needing change and/or problem solving and use techniques for research utilization to translate and systematically use research findings and other credible information and data sources to facilitate evidence-based nursing practice.
10. Use the research process to systematically investigate ways to enhance nursing practice, improve delivery of health care services, and recommend innovative health policy initiatives.