Expanding Advanced Nursing Education

Through a partnership with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH), Seattle University College of Nursing and Health Sciences is launching the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The program, with its first cohort beginning this June, addresses a critical workforce need and is designed to meet clinical operational needs within the VMFH system.

Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are advanced practice nurses who enhance health care at multiple levels by improving patient outcomes, supporting and mentoring nursing staff and leading system-wide practice improvements. Rather than focusing only on individual patient care—generally provided in direct patient care roles—graduates of this program will be prepared to work across teams to implement evidence-based practices and improve care delivery at scale.

“The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program addresses a clearly articulated regional workforce need in Washington state. Clinical Nurse Specialists already contribute to improved client outcomes and optimized organizational performance for our clinical practice partner, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, and other hospital systems in the area,” says Vice Dean for Nursing Melissa Owen, PhD, RN, CNE, CHFSA. “By expanding our successful Acute Care program to include a CNS track, SU is well positioned to supply health care systems with well-trained providers to support initiatives to improve care delivery systems.”

Open to RNs with a bachelor's degree, starting with nurses currently employed by VMFH, this three-year, full-time program provides practicum experiences within the VMFH system, alongside simulation and team-based training in Seattle University’s Clinical Performance Lab, preparing nurses for advanced clinical leadership roles.

The partnership with Virginia Mason reflects a shared commitment to advancing equitable, high-quality care across communities.

“At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we recognize that the Clinical Nurse Specialist is a critical and often underutilized resource in advancing high-quality, patient-centered care,” says Heather Coleman, Chief Nursing Officer at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. “As our region faces growing demand for complex care—particularly among adult and aging populations—this program directly addresses a significant gap in our advanced practice workforce. We are proud to support Seattle University's expansion of this track and look forward to the impact these highly skilled clinicians will have on care delivery across the Pacific Northwest.”

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health serves communities across the Puget Sound region through hospitals, clinics and specialty care centers. Students will gain experience within a large, complex health system, building leadership skills that translate across units, departments and organizations.

“The AGCNS role is one of the most powerful levers we have for transforming care at scale and it has been critically underrepresented in our region's advanced practice workforce,” says program director Kate McCusker, DNP, ARNP, AG-ACNP. “They are trained to improve outcomes simultaneously at the patient, nurse and systems level, building the conditions that make excellent care possible across entire units, departments and health systems.”

Focused on improving care for adult and older adult patients, graduates will develop the leadership skills needed to implement system-wide improvements to address the needs of an aging population and ensure access to high-quality care.

“Developing this program reflects SU's mission to educate and inspire leaders to transform health care,” says McCusker, “and its focus on the adult-gerontology population responds directly to the growing complexity and volume of care this population demands.”

Applications for the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP program are currently being accepted.