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

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. Students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project customized to support their unique aspirations.

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

Graduates of the Post Baccalaureate Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program are prepared to practice as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and increase access to acute care medical and surgical services. 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 with 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. Describe a clinical experience that demonstrates your critical thinking and readiness to enter doctoral study.
   2. Explain how you use a nursing theoretical/conceptual lens to improve care.
   3. Tell us about a U.S. policy or health issue you are passionate about and why.
5. Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.

Degree Requirements

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