SPECIALITIES IN NURSING

Masters and advanced nursing

programs
Presented by- Priya Singh
M.Sc Ist year
 Introduction
• The scientific and technological advances in medicine along with social
changes have resulted in emergence of new diseases and the development
of specialities and super specialities. 
• Health problems are more complex and creative problem solving are
expected of care providers.
• An advanced, competent nursing education and practice has become need
of the hour.
 Indian Nursing council believes that
• PG program is essential to prepare nurses to improve the quality of nursing education and
practice in India.
• PG program in nursing builds upon and extends competence acquired at the graduate levels
These programs also:
• Prepares nurses for leadership position in nursing and health fields
• Provides the basis for the post masteral programme in nursing.
• Encourages accountability and commitment to lifelong learning which fosters
improvement of quality care.
 To define “Advanced Nursing education
program”?
• “Advanced Nursing education Program” means a program of study in a
college of nursing or other eligible entity which leads to a master’s and/or
doctoral degree and which prepares nurses to serve as nurse practitioners,
clinical nurse specialists, nurse-midwives, nurse anaesthetists, nurse
educators, nurse administrators, public health nurses or other advanced
nurse specialists
 Specialities in nursing
• MSc Nursing
• M. Phil Nursing
• Ph.D. Nursing
• Nurse practitioner critical care programme
(NPCC)
 M.Sc Nursing
First two years course in masters of nursing was started at RAK College of Nursing
in 1959 and in 1969 in CMC Vellore.
At present there are 500 colleges imparting M Sc Nursing degree course in different
specialties. Such as-
• AIIMS, New Delhi
• RAK College
• Jamia Hamdard
• ILBS
• Amity University, Gurugram
• Holy family
 Philosophy
• Built on bachelor’s curriculum.
• Prepares nurse leaders
• To meet with the needs of the social change.
• Encourage accountability and commitment to life long
learning .
 Objectives
At the end of the training program the students will be able to:
• Utilize /apply the concepts, theories and principles drawn from nursing and allied
sciences in her/ his area of nursing specialty.
• Demonstrate advance competence in practice of nursing in her/his area of nursing
specialty.
• Function effectively as educator and manager of nursing and allied health disciplines.
• Demonstrate leadership abilities to initiate and bring about change in her/his area of
practice in the health delivery system.
• Demonstrate competence in conducting nursing research and interpret and utilize the
findings of health related research
• Demonstrate interest in continued learning for personal and professional advancement.
 Specialities
The various clinical specialties in masters programme are-
• Medical Surgical Nursing
(CTVS Nursing, Critical care Nursing, Oncology Nursing, Neurosciences
Nursing, Nephro-Urology Nursing, Orthopedic Nurisng, Gastroenterolgy
nursing)
• Obstetric & Gynaecological Nursing
• Child Health (Paediatric) Nursing,
• Mental Health(Psychiatric) Nursing
• Community Health Nursing.
 Eligibility criteria for
MSc Nursing
• RN,RM
• B.Sc. Nursing / B.Sc. Hons. Nursing / Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing in an
institution which is recognized by Indian Nursing Council.
• Minimum education requirement 55%.
• Medically fit
Guidelines for the establishment of MSc Nursing Program
Any organization under:
• (i) Central Government/State Government/Local body
• (ii) Registered Private or Public Trust
• (iii) Missionary or any other organization registered under Society Registration Act
• (iv) Company incorporated under section 25 of company’s act are eligible to establish M.Sc.
(N)College of Nursing.
An institution offering B. Sc (N) Programme wherein one batch has passed out is eligible to
establish M.Sc. (N) Programme.
Or
Super specialty hospital having the following requisite beds are eligible to establish M.Sc (N)
Programme.
Specialities Bed
Cardiothoracic 50-100 beded cardiac hospital which has CCU, ICCU, ICU unit with own thoracic unit or affiliated thoracic
unit
Critical care 250-500 bedded hospital, which has 8 -10 beds, critical care beds and ICIs
OBG 50 bedded parent hospital having:
i. Mother and neonatal unit
ii. Case load of minimum 500 deliveries per year.
iii. 8-10 level II neonatal beds
iv. Affiliation with level III neonatal beds.
Neuroscience Minimum of 50 bedded neuro care institution with advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and state of the art
clinical facilities.
Oncology 100 beds with medical, surgical oncology units with chemotherapy, RT, palliative care, and other diagnostic
facilities.
Orthopedic 250-500 bedded Hospital, which has 50 beds & rehabilitation units
Psychiatry Minimum of 50 bedded institutes of psychiatry and mental health having all types of patients (acute,
chronic, adult psychiatric beds, child psychiatric beds and de-addiction facilities)

Pediatrics 50-100 bedded pediatric Hospital/ unit with pediatric surgery and level II or III neonatal units

Nephrology 50-100 bedded Nephro urology hospital with dialysis and kidney transplants, urosurgery.
 Physical facilities
• Minimum 2 additional classrooms and one classroom as per the number of
electives.
• Note: Proportionately the rooms & other facilities will increase/decrease
according to the number of students admitted.
 Nursing teaching faculty
If parent hospital is super-specialty hospital like cardio-thoracic
hospital/cancer with annual intake 10 Msc (N) in cardio thoracic/cancer
• Professor cum coordinator: 1
• Reader / Associate Professor: 1
• Lecturer: 2
S.NO DESIGNATION Bsc. Nsg. (40-60) Msc. Nsg. (10-25)

1. Professor cum PRINCIPAL 1 1

2. Professor cum 1 1
VICE- PRINCIPAL

3. Professor 0 1

4. Associate professor 2 1

5. Assistant professor 3 3

6. Tutor 10-18  
Qualifications & experience of teachers of
college of nursing
SL.NO POST, QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
1. Principal cum Professor: 15 years experience with M.Sc.(N) outof which 12 years
should be teaching experience with minimum of 5 years in collegiate programme.
Ph.D.(N) is desirable
2. Vice- Principal cum Professor: 12 years experience with M.Sc.(N) out of which 10 years
should be teaching experience with minimum of 5 years in collegiate programme.
Ph.D.(N) is desirable
3. Professor: 10 years experience with M.Sc.(N) out of which 7
years should be teaching experience.
Ph.D.(N) is desirable
4. Associate Professor : M.Sc. (N) with 8 years experience
including 5 years teaching experience
Ph.D.(N) desirable
5. Assistant Professor : M.Sc. (N) with 3 years teaching experience
Ph.D.(N) desirable
6. Tutor : M.Sc.(N) Or B.Sc.(N)/P.B.B.Sc.(N) with 1 year experience
 Hours of instruction
• First year
Sl No. Subject Theory Practical
1 Nursing education 150 150
2 Advanced Nursing Practice 150 150
3 Nursing research and statistics 150 150
4 Clinical speciality 1 150 650
  Total 600 1100
• Second year
Sl No. Subject Theory Practical
1 Nursing management 150 200
2 Nursing research (dissertation) - 300

3 Clinical speciality -11 150 800

  Total 300 1300
 Regulations for examinations
Eligibility for appearing for the examination:
• 80% of the attendance for theory and practicals.
• 100% attendance practical attendance must be completed before the award of
degree as per Indian Nursing Council .
Classification of results:
• 50% pass in each of the theory and practical separately.
• 50-59% Second division
• 60-74% first division
• 75% and above is distinction
For declaring the rank aggregate of 2 years marks to be considered
Practicals
• 4 hours of practical examination per student.
• Maximum number of 10 students per day per specialty.
• The examination should be held in clinical area only for clinical
specialties
• One internal and external should jointly conduct practical examination
Examiner –
• Nursing faculty teaching respective specialty area in M.Sc. nursing
programme with minimum 3 years experience after M.Sc. nursing.
 Dissertation
• Evaluation of the dissertation should be done by the examiner prior to
viva
• Duration: Viva-voce -minimum 30 minutes per student
Guidelines for Dissertation
• 1. Submission of the research proposal -End of 9th month of 1st year
• 2. Submission of dissertation –Final at end of 9th month of IInd Year
Note: - Administrative approval and ethical clearance should be obtained
 Research guide
a) Qualification of Guide
• Main guide : Nursing faculty / nursing expert in the same clinical specialty
holding Ph.D./M.Phil/M.Sc. Nursing with a minimum of 3 years experience
in teaching in the Post Graduate Programme in Nursing.
• Co-Guide : A Co-Guide is a nursing faculty/expert in the field of study (may
be from outside the college but should be within the city.)
b)Guide – Students Ratio, maximum of 1:4 (including as co-guide)
c) Research Committee
• There should be a research committee in each college comprising of
minimum 5 members chaired by the Principal, College of Nursing.
 Duration
Duration of the course is 2 years for M.Sc. (N):
• Available : 52 weeks
• Vacation :4 weeks
• Examination :2 weeks
• Gazetted holidays :3 weeks
• Total weeks available :43 weeks
• 40 hours per week 1720 hours
• Total hours for 2 years 3440 hours
 RESEARCH ARTICLE 1

Dynamics of self-directed learning in M.Sc. nursing students: A qualitative research

FATEMEH SHIRAZI,1 FARKHONDEH SHARIF,2* ZAHRA MOLAZEM,3 and MAHBOOBEH ALBORZI4
Abstract
• Introduction:
• Working in the complex and ever changing healthcare settings forces the nurses and nursing students to be
equipped with lifelong learning skills. One of the lifelong learning skills is self-directed learning. This study
aimed to explore the M.Sc. nursing students’ self-directed learning activities.
• Methods:
• A qualitative design using conventional content analysis approach was used in this study. Semi-structured
interviews were conducted with twelve Iranian M.Sc. nursing students who were selected using purposive
sampling.
Results:
Data analysis indicated that the M.Sc. nursing students performed different activities in their
self-directed learning. These activities were categorized into four main themes and ten
subthemes. The main themes were “sensory perceptions”, “knowledge construction”, “problem-
centered orientation”, and “interaction with others”.
Conclusion:
According to the findings, the M.Sc. nursing students performed different intellectual and
experiential self-directed activities for promoting their learning. Besides, the students’
perseverance and inquisitiveness played an important role in their self-directed learning in the
challenging clinical environments.
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMME
IN NURSING
• In 1980 RAK college of nursing started an M.Phil programme as a regular
and part time course.
• Since then several universities started taking students for the M.phil
course in nursing.
• Prominent among these are: MGR Medical University, Rajive Gandhi
University of Sciences, SNDT University and Manipal Academy of
Higher Education
 Philosophy
• Nursing shares with the whole university a main focus of preparing its students
for services and assisting them to achieve a meaningful philosophy of life. The
student is encouraged to develop judgement and wisdom in handling
knowledge and skills and achieve mastery of problem solving and creative
skills.
• Commitment of life long learning is the mark of truly professional person. In
order to maintain clinical competencies and ehance professional practice the
student must stay abrupt of the new developments and contribute to the
advancement of nursing knowledge
 Objectives
• To strengthen the research foundations of nurses for encouraging research
attitudes and problem solving capacities
• To provide basic training required for research in undertaking doctoral
work
Duration- Duration of the full term M.Phil course will be one year and part
time course will be two year.
 COURSE OF STUDY
• At the time of admission each candidate will be required to indicate her priorities in regard to
the optional courses. A candidate may offer one course for M. Phil programme from the
department of Anthropology, education, sociology and physiology or any suitable department.
The M. Phil studies will be into two distinct parts.
• Part 1- It consist of 3 courses, i.e research methods in nursing, major aspects of nursing, allied
disciplines
• Part 2- After passing the part 1 examination, student shall be requires to write a dissertation.
The topic and the nature of the dissertation of each candidate will be determined by the
advisory committee consist of 3 members. The dissertation may include results of original
research, a fresh interpretation of existing facts, and review article of critical nature may take.
 PhD in Nursing
• DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY IN NURSING
• PhD programmes in nursing was first started in India in 1992 at RAK College of
Nursing.
Universities where PhD programmes are conducted in India include-
• PhD Consortium by Indian Nursing Council, RUGHS and WHO
• RAK College of Nursing
• NIMHANS Bangalore
• Manipal University
• AIIMS
• IGNOU
 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
• The candidate should be post graduate in nursing with more than 55% of
aggregates of marks (50% for SC ST)
• Candidate with M Phil with 55% aggregate (50 % for SC /ST)
• Should have research background
• May or may not published articles in journals
 Objectives
The doctoral prepared nurse will be able to:
• Conduct research relevant to nursing
• Develop nursing theories and nursing science
• Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other allied sciences to develop
and test theory that affects health status.
• Demonstrate the leadership skills in nursing practice, education and
research.
• Disseminate the results of theory development and research
 Duration of course
The course duration is-
• regular PhD course is 3 years
• for part time is 5 years
Course description of PhD in Nursing
o Nursing leadership in HCDS
o Current health issues and policies
o Nursing informatics
o Nursing theories and theory development
o Philosophy of Nursing science and practical perspectives
o Research methodology and applied statistics
 Dissertation
• A summation of original research, conducted solely by the candidate on a
topic of significance to the development of nursing science.
• Upon successful defense of a dissertation proposal, a student begins
conducting dissertation research.
• A committee comprising of School of Nursing faculty, as well as external
members, directs and evaluates the research and writing of each
candidate's dissertation
 Board of research studies (medical sciences)
members
• Dean and the head of the departments concerned.
• Principals/ head of institutions recognized for post graduate medical
studies.
• Two members nominated by the medical academic council.
• Three persons nominated by the medical faculty( for their special
knowledge in the medical science.
 Calendar of events in PhD
• Provisional registration
• Pre –PhD examinations
• Confirmation of registration
• Submission for ethical clearance
• Submission of final synopsis
• Submission of PhD thesis
• Final vice-voce examination
 Nurse practitioner
• A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice registered nurse 
and a type of mid-level practitioner.
• NPs are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and
laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe treatment plans
. NP training covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and he
alth promotion, but does not provide the depth of expertise needed to reco
gnize more complex conditions.
 Aim

• The critical care NP program prepares registered BSc

nurses for advanced practice roles as clinical experts,
managers, educators and consultants leading to M.Sc
degree in critical care NP
 Objectives
On completion of the program, the NP will be able to
• 1. assume responsibility and accountability to provide competent care to critically ill
patients and appropriate family care in tertiary care centres.
• 2. demonstrate clinical competence / expertise in providing critical care which includes
diagnostic reasoning, complex monitoring and therapies.
• 3. apply theoretical, patho-physiological and pharmacological principles and evidence base
in implementing therapies / interventions in critical care.
• 4. identify the critical conditions and carry out interventions to stabilize and restore patient’s
health and minimize or manage complications.
• 5. collaborate with other health care professionals in the critical care team, across the
continuum of critical care.
 Program Description
• The NP program is a Nursing residency program with a main focus on
Competency based training. The duration is of two years with the curriculum
consisting of theory that includes core courses, advanced practice courses and
clinical courses besides clinical practicum which is a major component.
• Standards/Requirements to start the NP program The teaching institution must
accept the accountability for the NP program and its students and offer the
program congruent with the INC standards. The hospital should be a parent
tertiary care centre with a minimum of 500 beds and above having Medical ICU,
Surgical ICU, Cardio/thoracic ICU and Emergency care unit with a minimum of
10 beds and above in each ICU, to a total of 40-50 ICU beds in the hospital.
 Guidelines for starting the nurse practitioner
critical care programme (npcc)
The teaching institution must accept the accountability for the NP program
and its students and offer the program congruent with the INC standards.
The hospital should be a parent tertiary care centre with a minimum of 500
beds and above having Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, Cardio/thoracic ICU and
Emergency care unit with a minimum of 10 beds and above in each ICU, to
a total of 40-50 ICU beds in the hospital.
 Physical and Learning Resources at
college/Hospital
• One classroom/conference room at the clinical setting
• Skill lab for simulated learning (Hospital/college)
• Library and computer facilities with access to online journals
• E- learning facilities
Student Recruitment/Admission Requirements

• Applicants must possess a registered B.Sc. nurse with a minimum of one year
clinical experience, preferably in any critical care setting prior to enrolment.
• Number of candidates: 1 candidate for 5 ICU beds
• Salary:
• 1. In-service candidates will get regular salary
• 2. Salary for the other candidates as per the salary structure of the hospital
where the course is conducted
 Nurse practitioners work in a variety of
specialties, including:
• Cardiology • Oncology
• Emergency • Paediatrics
• Family practice • Primary care
• Geriatrics • Psychiatry
• Neonatology • School health
• Nephrology • Women's health
 NP program in India:
Nurse Practitioner Critical Care Programme (NPCC)

• Currently in India there is just one nurse practitioner course. Started in the field
of critical care. First post graduate nursing residency program in India.
• Critical Care Nurse Practitioner Program is intended to prepare registered BSc
Nurses to provide advanced nursing care to adults who are critically ill.
• The nursing care is focused on stabilizing patients’ condition, minimizing acute
complications and maximizing restoration of health.
• These NPs are required to practice in tertiary care centers. 
 Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
• Their primary clinical focus area is obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN).
• WHNPs are educated and skilled in partnering with women to address
their total health needs, from managing chronic health conditions affecting
women to gender-focused disease prevention and health promotion.
 Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
• The top practice settings for GNPs include hospital outpatient clinics and
long-term care facilities and their focus area mainly is primary care.
• They have received advanced education to provide services that address the
health issues that impact older adults, as well as the resultant cognitive,
physical, psychological and social impairments.
• Their expertise equips them to diagnose, treat and manage chronic and acute
conditions and geriatric symptoms associated with age and provide therapeutic
interventions or, at times, palliative treatments and end-of-life care.
 Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
• Their primary practice setting is hospital outpatient facilities, although they can
provide care anywhere from hospitals to physicians’ offices.
• Their clinical focus area is generally primary care.
• Similar to pediatricians, PNPs work autonomously or with other healthcare providers
to serve patients from infancy through young adulthood.
• The services they provide to their patients include diagnosing illnesses; prescribing
medication and therapy, in some states; conducting routine check- ups, well-child
exams and childhood immunizations; ordering patient lab tests; and counseling young
patients and their families on health-related issues. 
 Family Nurse Practitioner
• Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) by far represent the largest category in the NP population.
• The largest percentage of FNPs work in a private group practice setting, or conventional
doctor’s offices, but they also work in clinics, schools, hospitals and private homes.
• Their main clinical focus is primary care. Because they are working with a diverse patient
population, FNPs are trained to provide a wide range of healthcare services for every member
of the family, such as conducting exams; performing screening evaluations and diagnostic
tests; treating mild ailments and serious conditions; promoting healthy lifestyle habits and
preventative care; prescribing medications; and counseling.
• They also serve as administrators and policymakers.
 Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• NNPs are advanced practice nurses that are trained in giving care to newborns,
particularly those in need of specialized attention, during the first 28 days of life.
• They serve as the primary caregivers for sick or premature newborns and assume full
responsibility for their patients.
• They perform numerous duties, from monitoring specialized equipment and
dispensing medications to performing diagnostic tests and other procedures
• Generally practice in the hospital inpatient clinic setting, including neonatal
intensive care units (NICU), delivery rooms, emergency rooms and specialty clinics.
 Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) primarily work in clinical settings
such as private psychiatric practices and in-patient or out- patient psychiatric/mental health
facilities.
• However, they also provide care at domestic violence shelters, schools, correctional
facilities and residential substance abuse facilities.
• Their primary clinical focus is psychiatric and they work with a wide range of patients to
provide specialized intensive mental health services.
• PMHNPs are specialists who are certified to assess and diagnose mental health issues and
manage pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic interventions as means of treatment.
 Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs)
• Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs) work in emergency care settings, which
often are complex and unpredictable, and provide healthcare services for
individuals of all ages either autonomously or through interdisciplinary
collaboration.
• Some of the provided services include health promotion; disease and injury
prevention; assessing, diagnosing and managing acute episodic and
exacerbations of chronic illnesses; and administering education or counseling
services to patients and their families. Because of their knowledge and
expertise, ENPs also serve as researchers, advocates and consultants.
 Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNPs) account for about 7.7 percent of the NP
population and they typically work within an inpatient setting.
• They are among the medical professionals trained to provide care for patients
experiencing brief yet severe episodes of injury, illness or trauma, including
respiratory distress and heart attacks.
• This care generally consists of emergency medical interventions and involves
diagnosing and treating acute medical conditions through an immediate process.
• ACNPs might be skilled and trained in a specialty areas specific to a patient
population, setting, condition or disease type.
 RESEARCH ARTICLE 2
A concept analysis of nurse practitioner autonomy
Michelle Peacock 1, Stephen Hernandez 2
Abstract
Background: Nurse practitioner (NP) autonomy is often misunderstood and
misconstrued. These misconceptions cause a confusing interplay of words
that impedes advocating for policy change and ultimately hinders the
profession.
Objective: To develop a clear definition of NP autonomy to describe the
professional role.
Data sources: Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was used to undertake a concept
analysis of NP autonomy. The terms used to search for possible uses and definitions of NP
autonomy in electronic databases included NP, autonomy, and concept analysis. In addition, the
websites for nursing organizations, Google, Google Scholar, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary
were searched and included in this analysis. This search yielded 29 articles, consisting of
literature reviews, meta-synthesis, position papers, and qualitative and quantitative studies.
Conclusions: Nurse practitioner autonomy should be defined as the NP's use of their experience,
clinical judgment, and responsibility to practice without restriction in professional collaboration
with other health care professionals. Autonomy allows NPs to practice to the maximum extent of
their advanced education, participate in productive and voluntarily collaborations, and continue
to positively influence health care discrepancies throughout the United States.
 Conclusion
• Nursing has a long and dignified history as a service and caring
profession.
• As with every profession nursing continues to evolve to meet
the needs of changing society and rapidly developing health
care technology.
• An advanced, competent nursing education and practice has
become need of the hour.
 References

• http://www.indiannursingcouncil.org
• https://main.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/579961544
51447054846_0.pdf
• https://targetstudy.com/courses/phd-nursing.html
• https://collegedunia.com/courses/phd-nursing