Michigan State University College of Nursing

Registration is all done on-line with minimal effort. Here are the items you will need: credit card and your email address.
Website: http://www.nursing.msu.edunursingforlife.aspx
Questions regarding registration please call (517) 355-6525 or (800) 605-6424 option 3.

A syllabus is currently not available for your review. However, we can enroll you in the Nursing for Life Demonstration module for your review. This module closely represents the format and type of material you will encounter in our course.

The Nursing for Life course is a self paced program that has 14 modules, that is comprised of two courses, each with 7 modules. You will take the core course first and then the specialty course for the practice area you have selected (Home Care, Ambulatory Care, Hospice/Palliative Care and Long Term Care). You will proceed through the modules at your own pace. There are learning activities and web activities as well as a quiz in each module. You have one year to complete the program but most nurses do it in less time. All of the module titles and a description of the program are on the website.

The cost of the entire program is $1,250 plus the cost of textbooks (approximately $50 - $125 depending on the specialty course).  An option to take the RN Refresher/Nursing for Life combined program is also available for $1,900.

There are several online sites that carry the textbooks - information on how to order the textbooks online is provided in the syllabus of the course. It's important to make sure that you are using the most current edition of the textbook. The textbooks may be available at most textbook stores; if they are not kept in stock, many bookstores will order them for you. We will provide you with a link to a website that allows you to shop for the best price: http://www.directtextbook.com/prices

Core Course - no textbook

Home Care - Rice, R (2005) Home Care Nursing Practice: Concepts and Application, Ed. 4.  MOSBY.  ISBN # 978-0-323-03072-4.

Hospice/Palliative Care - Ferell, B. & Coyle, N (2005). Textbook of Palliative Nursing. 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press. ISBN # 978-0-19-517549-3.

Long Term Care - Linton, A. D. & Lach, H.W. (2006) Matteson & McConnell's Gerontological Nursing:  Concepts and Practice (3rd Ed.). St. Louis: Saunders. ISBN # 978-1-4160-0166-9.

Ambulatory Care - Baker-Laughlin, C. (2006)   Core Curriculum for Ambulatory Care Nursing, Second Edition. Published for American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing by A. Jannetti, Inc.   ISBN: 0-9768125-5-X. *
* How to obtain the Ambulatory Care text: The text is available directly from American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) via their website: http://www.aaacn.org. The product number is #PO20V06. Non AAACN member price is: $89. If you become an AAACN member the price is $69.

The online format of the theory component allows for maximum flexibility for those taking the Nursing for Life program. There are textbook reading assignments in addition to the online content and the amount of reading varies depending on the module. Each student has a different background, knowledge base and expertise and will move through the module content differently, depending on their familiarity with the material and other factors. We recommend that you spend time working on the modules each week, if at all possible, and have found that students are completing about one module per week - more, if they have a goal related to when they want to return to work and plan on devoting a good amount of time to the course each week.

We allow you up to one year to finish the course. Our instructors will monitor your progress and provide feedback and assistance as you progress through the course.

You will have access to the course for a year. Once you pass the final exam we will remove your from the course.

It takes us approximately 48 hours to complete the enrollment process.

Minimal computer skills are required for this program. You need to be able to know how to navigate in a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla and have an email account. The first module provides you with an orientation to the online course platform that we use, called ANGEL. There are video clips, animations, and slide show graphics within the course itself. It is highly recommended that you have a computer with a high-speed internet access and speakers. (Some students who live in areas where high-speed internet is not available have used their local public library computers.)

NOTE - Computer Requirements for Certificate Courses:

Our courses require that you have specific technology configuration. This link provides details of these requirements: http://www.nursing.msu.edu/downloads/

CONComputerTechnologyRequirementsv2.pdf Some of our courses utilize pop-up windows. If you are using a pop-up blocker you may have to disable it in order to see all of our examples.

If you have questions or concerns, please call the MSU HELP Desk locally at 517-355-2345 or toll free at 800-500-1554.

Your phone, cable, or satellite company should be able to inform you of the availability of DSL in your area. Sometimes they offer specials to new customers. Don't forget to ask if they are running specials on first time hookups.

There are three kinds of support. MSU Help Desk is available 7 days a week 24 hours a day except for Holiday hours when students are not on campus. Specific content questions should go to the instructor of the course, and lastly our secretary may be able to answer quick questions, but the preferred method is through the Help Desk. To reach the help desk call 800-500-1554. Help desk hours and information is also available when you access the course.

We accept checks, credit cards, and purchase orders. All payments must be received upon registration, prior to beginning the module.

Fifty percent (50%) of the tuition will be refunded until you take the quiz in Module 2. Once you have completed Module 2 refunds are not available.

No, this is not a typical university course. You do not register through MSU, you register through the Professional Partnership's Office within the College of Nursing and then we enter you as a guest student. Our registration process is all handled in-house, you are not recognized as an official MSU student, instead you are a guest student taking a continuing education course.

Yes, as long as the lender gives you the check and they make the check out to either you or MSU. Because you are not a matriculated student, student loans that have to be processed through the Office of Financial Aid, will not work.

No Worker Left Behind is a program offered through the State of Michigan for Michigan residents. This program is for workers who have been displaced from a position or who meet other criteria. RN Refresher is an approved program. To determine if you qualify, you should contact Michigan Works in your area at http://www.michigan.gov/nwlb. All our eligible programs are listed on their website.

American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.

Yes, Continuing Education Nursing contact hours will be awarded for the successful completion of the course. The number of contact hours varies for each course.  60 contact hours are earned for the Core Course, and additional contact hours for the specialty areas are as follows:

Ambulatory Care - 69 additional contact hours

Long Term Care - 105 additional contact hours

Home Care - 53.5 additional contact hours

Hospice/Paliative Care - 75.5 additional contact hours

How many college credits is this course?

No college credits are available for this course.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a Certificate from Michigan State University College of Nursing. Michigan State University College of Nursing is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Michigan Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Accreditation. Provider # 06-091-PROV MNAMSU College of Nursing - Professional Education, A104 Life Sciences Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1317.

It takes about two weeks for us to send you the certificates.

RNs with an unrestricted license who desire to transition to clinical practice areas that best match their stage-of-career and current professional interests.

The RN Career Transition: Nursing for Life Program is formatted for on-line learning in Seven (7) Core Modules and Seven (7) Specialty Modules. All participants complete Fourteen (14) modules in total. Modules are self-paced, providing flexibility while employed.

1. Taking an Online course
2. Professional Roles in Community based settings
3. Pain Management
4. Assessment of the Older Adult
5. Communication in Multidisciplinary Teams
6. Cultural Care in Community Settings
7. Caregiver Issues

Currently the four Specialty Areas include: Home Care, Hospice, Long-Term, and Ambulatory Care. An 80 hour practicum is required at a facility that matches the specialty area chosen. The clinical practicum provides a structured yet supportive environment to acquire new knowledge and adapt clinical skills.

• Home Care
  • Environment of care
  • Regulatory issues and documentation
  • Patient Education
  • Hi-tech care in the home
  • Wound & skin care
  • Telehealth
  • Care of special populations
• Hospice Care
  • Environment of care
  • Pain management at end of life
  • Grief, Loss and Bereavement
  • Physiologic symptom management
  • Psychosocial/spiritual symptom management
  • Care at the time of death
• Long Term Care
  • Environment of care
  • Regulatory issues and documentation
  • Dementia
  • Wound and skin care
  • Physiologic stressors
  • Psychosocialspiritual stressors
• Ambulatory Care
  • Roles and settings
  • Administration and management
  • Telehealth nursing
  • Clinical nursing issues
  • Chronic disease management
  • Special procedures
  • Legal and quality issues in Ambulatory Care

You will need to identify one specialty care area in order to take the course. You will complete the clinical practicum in that area. If, after completing the course, you wish to take another of the specialty area courses, you can register for the theory only for an additional fee. Any questions, please email Katie Kessler, kessle24@msu.edu.

If you have not practiced nursing for five years or more, you may need to take the Refresher course as well. We have a program for RN's who need this option. The cost for this combined program is $1.900. Any questions or concerns can be answered by email at: nurse.ce@msu.edu or (517) 355-6525 and we will be happy to help you.

We collaborate with each student to plan and arrange the clinical practicum. The practicum consists of 80 hours and is completed in the specialty area setting in your home community. Nursing for Life students work directly with an RN preceptor, who is an employee of the agency. When you are about half-way through the theory modules, you will schedule a telephone conversation with one of the course faculty to discuss your clinical practicum. You will be asked to identify 2-3 potential clinical sites in your community and to make a preliminary call to the nurse recruiter at that setting. We ask you to find out who the contact person is and then we make follow up calls to discuss the specifics of the program. An affiliating schools agreement will be put in place prior to the clinical. Michigan State University College of Nursing staff will manage that process. We have developed a Getting Ready for Clinical module that you will begin after Module 7 - that will give you ample time to complete the clinical requirements and work with us to arrange your clinical practicum.

You will do the practicum in a specialty area setting with an RN preceptor somewhere near your home. The clinical practicum is done once the individual successfully completes the theory portion of the course. Any questions or concerns can be answered by Katie Kessler MSN RN, Director of Professional Partnerships at kessle24@msu.edu. We start discussions as early as possible once you register for the course. It is not necessary for a Nursing for Life student to come to campus.

We would like you to complete the 80 hour practicum in no more than six weeks and it can be less than that if you can arrange it. You will arrange the hours with agency management and RN preceptor - usually 8 hour shifts and in some cases, 12 hours. You will need to work two 8 hour days per week to complete the requirements in five weeks. If you work five 8 hour days per week, you will be finished in two weeks. We will discuss specific issues related to the clinical with you as you go through the course. The important thing is to work with the preceptor and agency to arrange a schedule that will give you a good learning experience.

When you meet with the agency personnel and preceptor, you should ask about equipment and uniform requirements. You should comply with the agency dress code. Equipment may include: Stethoscope, bandage scissors, calculator and etc.

We have established relationships and affiliating schools agreements with a number of agencies and health care systems. We can discuss those with you during our preliminary clinical planning call. You are not required to complete your clinical in one of those agencies but doing so can cut down on some of the "red tape" issues. We will need to complete an affiliating schools contract with the clinical agency prior to the start of your clinical component.

We outline all of the clinical requirements in the Getting Ready for Clinical module but here is a shortened list: A current unrestricted RN license, immunization records or titer levels, a current TB skin test, and current BLS for Healthcare providers. You will be required to complete a criminal background check and drug screening test prior to the start of your clinical practicum. The process is outlined in the Getting Ready for Clinical module.

We can provide suggestions as to where you may find a position, but we do not have any information on specific employment opportunities and do not have the resources to support job placement.

You must have an unrestricted RN license to take the clinical component of the course. You can take the theory modules while you are working on getting your RN license if it has lapsed. If there are restrictions on your license, we will discuss your situation and options with you on an individual basis. For licensing questions, contact the State Board of Nursing in your state. For Michigan residents, you can go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-27417_27529---,00.html.

Yes, you may take this course. We will work with you to identify a clinical site at a agency near you.

Please contact Katie Kessler at kessle24@msu.edu to set up a phone appointment to discuss your specific situation.

No, this program has been developed for RN's. To find information about LPN programs, see the National Association of Practical Nurses website, napnes.org or the Michigan Center for Nursing at http://www.michigancenterfornursing.org.