Nursing: Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (M.S.)

Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner

This program prepares family nurse practitioners (FNP) who are clinically competent and practice with cultural humility as advanced practiced registered nurse (APRN). FNPs provide patient centered health care to individuals, families, and communities across the life span.  Clinical practice includes health promotion, disease prevention, teaching, counseling, chronic disease management and urgent care. At the completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for national certification as a family nurse practitioner. Upon licensure, FNPs may practice autonomously as well as in collaboration with other health professionals.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are required to have an unencumbered RN license in the United States, degree in nursing or outside nursing, and successful completion of undergraduate statistics and research to be eligible to apply to this program.

1. Unencumbered, active RN license in the United States
2. Baccalaureate degree in nursing or another field
3. Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher in associate and baccalaureate programs
4. Minimum one year nursing experience preferred.
5. Successful completion of undergraduate statistics course and undergraduate research course
6. 3 letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted. References should be substantial with one academic, if available, and two current nursing professionals with graduate education background.
7. Personal Statement. Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
   1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
   2. our specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Non-BSN Admission Requirements:  RNs whose baccalaureate degree is in a discipline other than nursing may apply to the master of science degree in nursing (M.S.) program and will be considered for the track that is commensurate with their clinical experience based on faculty discretion.

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 750^*

*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 921, NURS 923, NURS 940.

Program Learning Outcomes

The Family Nurse Practitioner builds upon the skills of the baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse.

At the completion of the Master's nursing program, the graduate student is prepared to:

• 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.

In addition to the Master's Outcomes above, the Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner graduate will:

• Utilize advanced assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and evidence-based practice when partnering with individuals, families, and communities to optimize health
• Judiciously prescribe treatment modalities to manage acute and chronic conditions within state and federal scope of practice regulations
• Function as an independent practitioner to manage comprehensive primary care across the lifespan.

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.