Post-Master’s Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate – CTANPG

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: 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.

Admission Requirements

• Awarded Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum grade point average of 3.0 for unconditional admission 
• 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

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 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

• Specified health status/clinical requirements (immunization status, ACLS certification, etc. as delineated in the current Graduate Nursing Handbook)
• 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 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.  The courses are listed below.