Post-Graduate Adult Gerontology-Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate – CTACNG

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

Delivery Mode: Online

Terms of Entry: Fall only

Terms of Entry Requiring Program Permission: None

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 (AG-ACNP) 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-Graduate AG-ANCP 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 AG-ACNP. They are experts in the care of acutely ill patients with multiple complex problems. The certificate can be completed in 3 semesters.

Further Information

Link to Program: https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/nursing/graduate/certificates/ag-acnp

Certificate Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as a basis for clinical judgment, clinical reasoning, and innovative evidence-based education and practice.
2. Incorporate evidence-based practice in the delivery of person-centered care to enhance health outcomes and improve health systems.
3. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to select and apply principles of population health and advocacy strategies that optimize health outcomes for individuals, families, communities, and populations.
4. Integrate and evaluate evidence-based practice to inform and promote advanced clinical practice.
5. Analyze and apply quality improvement strategies to create a culture of safe, professional nursing practice that optimizes health and protects all.
6. Apply leadership skills as a member of the interprofessional team to optimize the health of individuals, families, and populations within complex healthcare environments.
7. Apply evidence-based, innovative strategies based on organizational and systems policies to enhance value, access, quality, and cost-effectiveness within complex healthcare delivery systems.
8. Integrate information technology systems to drive decision making, healthcare change and interdisciplinary communication in complex healthcare delivery systems.
9. Integrate the role of the advanced practice nurse utilizing effective professional communication and presence to promote person-centered care.
10. Contribute to an environment that promotes self-care, personal health, well-being and professional development in a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Opportunities upon Completion

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

• Caring for the Traumatically Injured
• Emergency departments
• Medical/Surgical ICUs
• Cardiovascular ICUs
• Specialized Intervention Units

Admission Requirements

• Awarded Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a regionally accredited institution. Minimum grade point average of 3.20 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
• Evidence of the equivalent of two years full-time relevant experience working as an RN within the past five years

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)

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

Pre-Clinical Requirements

• Specified health status/clinical requirements (i.e., immunization status, BLS certification) per the current Graduate 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 AG-ACNP certification. The courses are listed below.