Master of Science in Nursing: Population Health Track
For today’s nursing leaders, healthcare is so much more than providing quality care
for the sick. It’s about educating those in their communities and working together
with public health organizations to prevent disease in the first place. Healthcare
is an ever-changing field, and McKendree’s MSN students are at the forefront of it. Our Population Health track blends courses in
education and leadership to transform nurses and health administrators into the movers
and shapers of the future of healthcare.
What is Population Health?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say Population Health “provides an
opportunity for healthcare systems, agencies, and organizations to work together in
order to improve the health outcomes of the communities they serve.” McKendree’s newly
created Population Health track prepares MSN students to lead the collaboration between
local health departments, hospitals, healthcare staff, and patients to prevent illness
and limit the effects of chronic disease in their communities.
Individualized Coursework Shaped to Meet Your Career Goals
Our MSN students are full-time nurses, managers, health educators, and administrators
with busy lives and long working hours. We understand what it’s like to work in healthcare,
which is why we make it our mission to shape course curricula around the needs of
each individual student.
With three different tracks to choose from, MSN students can hone in on areas of particular
interest to their career goals, including Nursing Education, Nursing Management/Administration,
or Population Health. Graduates in Population Health will be well-versed in population-based
education, disease management, palliative care, prevention, and leadership principles.
Learn Online While Connecting In-Person with Your Peers through Cohorts
McKendree is known for its strong one-on-one connections between students and faculty,
and even in an online learning format, that bond is not diminished. Our MSN students
come everywhere from major cities to rural hospitals; therefore, all of our Nursing
coursework is available online. Even in this virtual setting, we keep our class sizes
small to ensure you receive the personalized guidance you need from your instructor.
Our unique cohort method also enables you to go through the MSN program with peers
in your area, whether you’re co-workers in the same facility or are located nearby.
“Two of my coworkers and I were all accepted into the MSN program together as an unofficial
cohort,” said Ellen Reynolds ‘22, MSN education student and nurse home visitor. “It was really nice to have someone
else to talk to about assignments or questions face-to-face. One thing that sets McKendree
apart from other schools is the passion and dedication of the instructors. They are
truly invested in the success of their students, and the small class sizes make it
very personable with lots of one-on-one attention and help.”
McKendree MSN Evolves to Meet the Changing Focus of Healthcare
Our MSN program is grounded in evidence-based practices and is always evolving to
stay up to date with the changing nature of healthcare. The curriculum that makes
up McKendree’s Nursing program ensures students are well-versed in the latest health
practices and concepts recognized by our partners, major healthcare organizations,
advisory boards, and the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 landmark report The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health.
You’ll also have the opportunity to put what you learn into practice through an innovative
capstone course and practicum experience. In the Population Health track, students
complete a scholarly project, in which they effectively implement a Population Health
improvement in a real world setting. Our students gain experience creating meaningful
change in health outcomes before they even graduate, setting them up for success from
the start.
Strong Connections with Local Healthcare Systems through Grants and Partnerships
Not only relevant course material, but also involvement with the local healthcare
community makes the McKendree Nursing program stand out in its mission to advance
the future of healthcare. The university continues to collaborate with health organizations
and obtain grants that fund scholarships and provide students with opportunities to
work directly with outside groups on important projects and initiatives.
“Addressing the needs of our rural populations is more critical than ever as we move toward Population Health,” said Dr. Albers.
For this reason, McKendree secured a grant with the Telligen Community Initiative
and partnered with the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network, public health departments,
and many other groups to improve health issues for rural populations. The grant also
funded student scholarships and encouraged student involvement in working toward this
mission. Most recently, the McKendree Nursing program has been exploring a grant that
would give students the chance to work with organizations to address Covid-19 vaccine
hesitancy in rural Illinois counties.
Job Prospects for MSN Graduates
The global pandemic has created a shortage of nurses and an even greater need for
nurse leaders skilled in Population Health practices, such as community education
and disease prevention. McKendree’s strong local reputation for Nursing is another
factor that led our Class of 2021 MSN graduates to have a 100 percent job placement
rate.
Career opportunities in Population Health include:
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Hospice
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Home health
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Leadership and hospital education
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Public health practices
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Case managers
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School nurses
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County health officials
A Word from Our Current Students
Barbara Stevenson ‘22 is an MSN Population Health student and administrator at her county health department.
She chose the Population Health track because it was most aligned with her current
job in the health department and her desire to work on prevention health.
“McKendree instructors are personally involved even without being in class together,”
she said. “The staff worked with me to provide an alternative schedule to meet the
needs and demands of my job.”
Ellen Reynolds ‘22 is an MSN Education student and a nurse home visitor with a Nurse Family Partnership
Agency in central Illinois. In her job, she enrolls women during their pregnancies
and works with them for the next two years on their life and education goals, parenting
skills, child development, and community resource connection. Her goal is to become
her agency’s full-time home visiting educator.
“I have been teaching a Breastfeeding Basics class for my clients since 2019, and I used concepts from my Education courses to make the class better organized and more interactive,” she said. “The pandemic forced me to pivot to a virtual platform, which can feel somewhat disconnected. I was able to apply some of the Education tactics to make it more engaging, and since then, I have noticed an increase in the number of clients who attend my class!”
Get a great graduate education with location and format options to fit your busy lifestyle. Make it McKendree!
