Certificate Title:  Post-Master’s Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Certificate Name and Number:  Post-Master’s Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate – CTANPG

Department(s)/Unit(s):  School of Nursing                                       

Delivery Mode: Hybrid

Terms of Entry: Fall

Enrollment Eligibility: Current degree-seeking or non-degree status

Certificate Overview:  Acutely ill patients increasingly dominate the inpatient population, and research has shown that, in these settings, nurse practitioners provide quality care, decrease length of stay, and improve patient and family satisfaction. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNP) are needed to help assess and manage acutely ill patients within the inpatient/hospital setting and across hospital-to-clinic settings, including the emergency department, intensive care unit, specialty labs, acute and sub-acute wards, specialty clinics, or any combination of the above.

The Post-Master’s AGANCP certificate is designed for those who already hold a master’s degree in nursing and wish to expand their knowledge to the advanced practice role of the AGACNP. They are expert in the care of acutely ill patients with multiple complex problems. The certificate can be completed in 3 semesters. https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/nursing/graduate/certificates

Certificate Learning Outcomes: 

Students will be able to:

• Synthesize knowledge derived from a scientific foundation and evidence-based practice to demonstrate expertise in advanced nursing practice.
• Analyze health care policies to enhance and improve population health outcomes across diverse clinical practice settings.
• Demonstrate leadership and interprofessional collaboration for improving clinical prevention and health outcomes.
• Synthesize and apply quality improvement strategies to promote positive health outcomes.
• Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and confidence for entry-level advanced nursing practice.
• Integrate knowledge and skills related to healthcare informatics in the advanced nursing practice role.

Opportunities upon Completion: 

This certificate provides specific specialty content required for board eligibility for AGACNP certification. This national certification is required by many healthcare organizations for employment as a nurse practitioner in acute care settings such as:

• Trauma units
• Subacute (step down) care units
• Emergency rooms
• Highly specialized clinics
• Cardiac care units
• Schools of nursing
• Private practice

Graduates are also well-prepared and eligible for doctoral education programs such as the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Ph.D.

Completion Requirements:  The proposed program of study includes 20 credit hours of track-specific content designed to meet the core competencies and clinical hour requirements for AGACNP’s set forth by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), our accrediting body.  These courses include:

• NRSE 6721 - AGACNP Practicum (6) (50 practicum hrs)
• NRSE 6826 - AGACNP Management of Common Adult Health Problems I (7) (200 practicum hrs)
• NRSE 6827 - AGACNP Management of Common Adult Health Problems II (7) (200 practicum hrs)

Culminating Experience: The culminating experience for the certificate includes a portfolio evaluation of having met specific standards.

Financial Aid Eligibility Information:

• Non-degree-seeking students enrolled in this certificate are not eligible for federal financial aid.
• Current degree-seeking students may use federal financial aid only for 1) coursework fulfilling requirements of their degree, including required elective hours, or 2) coursework toward a second financial aid-eligible program.
• Students receiving federal financial aid may not take courses for this certificate unless they are also enrolled full-time (9 hours) in their degree program during the same academic term. Financial aid may be used for courses that count toward both degree requirements and the certificate.

Admission Requirements: 

• Registered Nurse (RN) with currently active license
• Completed a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited university
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or equivalent on previous graduate course work
• Three letters of recommendation
• Goal statement reflecting professional/educational background and goals
• Resume/curriculum vitae
• Faculty Interview
• Have current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification

Admission Pre-requisites:

Students must have completed the following courses or the equivalent with a minimum of a B prior to admission into the certificate program:

• NRSE 6210 - Advanced Pathophysiology in Nursing Practice (3)
• NRSE 6221 - Health Appraisal for Nurse Practitioners (3)
• NRSE 6230 - Advanced Pharmacology (3)
• NRSE 6231 - Applied Clinical Pharmacology for the AGACNP (2)
• NRSE 6232 - Advanced Diagnostics and Procedures for Clinical Decision-Making (2)

Students who have not had these pre-requisites may take them as non-degree seeking students prior to admission. Please contact the MSN program at MSN@ohio.edu for further information.

International Students:  This certificate program does not permit full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 cannot be issued based on admission to this program.