School Nurse Services Credential (SNSC)

APU’s School Nurse Services Credential (SNSC) program prepares nurses who have completed a bachelor's degree to be effective, compassionate practitioners of health in K-12 schools.

This specialty (nondegree) program includes core academic courses and those required for the school nurse services credential, preparing registered nurses who have completed a bachelor’s degree to be effective practitioners of school health. Students develop theoretical and practical expertise in nursing and education applied to basic health services in the public schools (K-12), learning to establish, maintain, and coordinate a comprehensive school health program. This includes planning health programs, assessing the health of children, providing health care and health referral, and contributing to the formulation and evaluation of health policy. To maximize children’s ability to learn in school, candidates for the credential emphasize child health maintenance, illness prevention, restoration of health, and childhood wellness. This program is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

Admission requirements are the same as those for the Master of Science in Nursing program. Students must also take a California-approved audiometry course to meet SNSC requirements.

Requirements

Academic Core Course3
GNRS 504Bioethics and Healthcare Policy3
Advanced Practice Core Courses6
GNRS 510Family Theory in Health Care2
GNRS 511Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment and Health Promotion 14 (3/1)
or GNRS 612 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Advanced Practice Specialty Courses17
EDUC 537Curriculum Development, Revision, and Evaluation Process3
GNRS 550ATheory and Practice in School Nursing6 (3/3)
GNRS 589Adolescent Health Care2 (2/0)
GNRS 590CPrimary Health Care of the Young Family for the School Nurse Services Credential6 (3/3)
Total Units for the SNSC 226
1

Numbers in parentheses are classroom/clinical units.

2

Students must also take a California-approved audiometry course to meet SNSC requirements.

Admission

University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admission to the University). Program-specific application requirements are available online.

International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:
  1. Articulate a Christian worldview, demonstrating respect for the dignity and uniqueness of others, valuing diversity, and applying spiritual concepts.
  2. Engage in scholarly inquiry and critical thinking, including evaluation and application of evidence-based research.
  3. Appraise and apply knowledge to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that promote health and prevent disease.
  4. Demonstrate thoughtful analysis of the legal, political, ethical, and/or financial factors impacting health care.
  5. Use information systems and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, promote quality, mitigate error and support decision-making.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to coordinate and collaborate with other health care team professionals.
  7. Engage in clinical reasoning, effective communication, and act as change agents to develop professional identity and practice skill.