Nursing: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (D.N.P.)

The Post-Baccalaureate DNP (PB-DNP) program is for nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who are seeking certification as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and leadership development. 

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. DNP graduates are innovative leaders prepared to translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care, and measure health outcomes in diverse settings. As students transition to the role of an advanced practice nurse, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), they are challenged to assess clinical practice sites for opportunities in quality improvement. Students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project customized to support their unique aspirations.

Graduates of the Post-Baccalaureate Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program are prepared to practice as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP).  Building upon a background in nursing, graduates can apply newly learned knowledge and skills within the acute care setting, including and not limited to hospitals and ambulatory care centers. Successful completion of this program permits students to sit for national certification with the AACN or ANCC.

Admission Requirements:

1. Registered Nurse licensure: An unencumbered registered nurse license in the United State
2. Letters of recommendation: Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character are required.
3. Updated resume
4. Professional statement: The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following:
   1. Your interest in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program and the AGACNP role.  Include specific professional interests, experiences, or research in this area.
   2. Immediate and long-range goals as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in either:
      1. Healthcare Quality Improvement
      2. A local or global policy or health issue you are passionate about and how you believe the University of New Hampshire's Doctor of Nursing Practice program can assist you in your leadership development with the goal of improving policy or heath issues.
5. Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 500*

*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 851, NURS 853, NURS 855, NURS 857, NURS 859.

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Nursing, the graduate student is expected to:

• Employ strategic leadership skills to shape practice environments to produce positive, patient centered, healthcare outcomes at individual and system levels.
• Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
• Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
• Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
• Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
• Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
• Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety
• Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
• Applies leadership principles that support inter-professional practice.
• Facilitate interprofessional collaboration to implement practice models, peer review, practice guidelines, health policy, and standards of care.

In addition, the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner graduate will:

• Meet eligibility requirements for certification as an AGACNP with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or as an ACNPC-AG with the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN)
• Meet state requirements for certification, licensure, and prescriptive authority
• Obtain federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authorization to prescribe controlled substances (Schedules II through IV) for patients within the AGACNP’s practice area
• Participate in the education of future AGACNPs through preceptorship
• Be lifelong learners

Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

The University of New Hampshire offers a number of academic programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification in New Hampshire. However,  completing a UNH degree/program does not guarantee professional licensure or certification. Eligibility may also depend on factors like years of work experience, professional examinations, passing a background check, and other criteria.

UNH does not guarantee that its professional licensure programs will satisfy the criteria of professional licensure boards in other states. Some states maintain different requirements for professional licensure or certification and requirements can change frequently. Federal regulations require the University to make public disclosure of certain information regarding professional licensure or certification programs, regardless of the modality the program is offered (i.e., in-person or online). The University provides guidance below but recommends students contact their state/territory licensing or certification board to ensure a program meets specific state/territory requirements.

Visit the Office of the Registrar's website for information about whether this program meets professional licensure requirements in your state.