Apr 19, 2024  
OHIO University Graduate Catalog 2020-21 
    
OHIO University Graduate Catalog 2020-21 [Archived Catalog]

Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate


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Post Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate – CTFNPG

School of Nursing
Athens Campus (Main Office)
Grover Center E365
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701
740-593-4494
800-560-0144 (toll free)
nursing@ohio.edu

Delivery Mode: Online

Terms of Entry: Fall, Spring, Summer

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

Certificate Overview

The Post-Masters Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate is designed to give active nurses the skills, confidence, and autonomy needed to become a family nurse practitioner (FNP). The program provides students with the current theory and advanced practical knowledge necessary to be able to assess and manage the health of patients ranging from children to adults. The program is designed for advanced practice nurses in other specialties, as well as those who hold a master’s degree in nursing and have at least one year of clinical nursing experience.  The program prepares students for providing care to patients of all ages and in a wide array of medical settings as an FNP. The program 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

Family Nurse Practitioners are prepared to work collaboratively in diverse primary care settings such as: primary care offices, school-based health clinics, hospice/homecare medical practices, retail health clinics, and community health clinics.

Admission Requirements

  • Awarded Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a regionally accredited institution
  • Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or equivalent on previous graduate course work 
  • Statement of professional goals
  • Resume or CV
  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s ability to complete graduate-level coursework and practice abilities. A minimum of 2 of these must be from individuals prepared at or above the master’s level. One must be from an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse or Registered Nurse.
  • Residents of and evidence of valid, unencumbered RN licensure in an approved state (https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/nursing/graduate/masters/msn-application-process)
  • A web-based admission interview with faculty

Prerequisites to Admission

Students must have completed the following courses or the equivalent with a minimum of a B (3.0):

  • NRSE 6221 - Health Appraisal for Nurse Practitioners
  • NRSE 6230 - Advanced Pharmacology
  • NRSE 6210 - Advanced Pathophysiology

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

Pre-Clinical Requirements

See Graduate Nursing Handbook.

  • Specified health status/clinical requirements (i.e., immunization status, BLS certification)
  • Federal and state background checks free from disqualifying offenses
  • Evidence of malpractice insurance

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.

Completion Requirements

The program of study includes 19 credit hours of track-specific content designed to meet the core competencies and clinical hour requirements for eligibility for national certification as an FNP. These courses are as follows:

Culminating Experience


The culminating experience for the major includes a comprehensive exam.

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