Post-Master Of Science In Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner With An Emphasis In Adult-Gerontology Certificate
Overview
Provide Critical Care and Adult-Gerontology Services
The Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Certificate is designed for nurse practitioners who have a master’s degree in nursing and want to make a difference by caring for adult and geriatric acute care patients, sub-acute patients and patients with exacerbations of chronic illness. This College of Nursing and Health Care Professions program’s coursework includes a supervised practicum as well as two on-campus experiences.
The three-day experience in ANP-635 includes instructor-led training in suturing, incision and drainage, casting and splinting, endotracheal intubation, arterial line and central venous catheter insertion, lumbar puncture and chest tube insertion, as well as classroom instruction in radiology interpretation, ventilator management and hemodynamic monitoring. The second experience (ANP-654) provides intensive preparation for certification exams, including individualized remediation planning and specific topic reviews.
Select states may have additional requirements to meet their standards; reference your enrollment agreement or contact GCU for more information. This program is offered online in select states.
Professional Standards
The Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Certificate program is built to meet standards set by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN): The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing; the American Nursing Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice; the Inter-Professional Collaborative Practice (IPEC) Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice; and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF).
Degree Outcomes
Take Classes That Mirror Real Care Situations
Focusing on adult-gerontology, this acute care certificate program mirrors direct care practice by encouraging peer discussion and collaboration similar to the collaborative nature of care environments. The program includes supervised clinical practice with qualified preceptors to strengthen your understanding of how to apply advanced classroom theories in real-life practice.
What You Will Learn
Know the Needs of the Elderly
Throughout the coursework, learners examine topics including:
- Advanced health assessments
- Clinical diagnosis and procedural techniques for geriatric and critically ill adults
- Care management of acutely and chronically ill adult and geriatric patients
- Psychological impact of chronic illness on patients and their families
- Diagnosing and managing life-threatening health problems
- Methods for research review and application of evidence-based practices to patient care
Career Outcomes
Gain Skills Applicable to Many Care Situations
When you complete this acute care certificate program, you will have gained tools that can help you advance your career in direct adult-gerontology nursing care that is applicable to a variety of clinical care environments.
Course List
Program Core Courses
Course Description
This course focuses on advanced physiology and pathophysiology principles. This course is used to guide the advanced nursing practice student in understanding normal function and interpreting changes in normal function that result in symptoms and diagnostic markers indicative of illness. Emphasis is placed on the following systems: cellular environment and inflammatory changes; fluids, electrolytes and acid-base balance; genetics, genetic diseases, and the role of the environment; stress, disease, and the development of neoplasms; hematology and alterations in immunity. In addition, the physiology and pathophysiology of the endocrine, pulmonary, renal, digestive and integumentary, cardiovascular and lymphatic, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and neurological systems, including mood disorders, are addressed. Prerequisite: Admission to the graduate nursing program or college approval. NUR-502, NUR-504, NUR-508.
Course Description
This course focuses on the basic concepts and principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and their practical implication in clinical practice. This course also places an emphasis on the strong influence of physiological variables (age, ethnicity, or pregnancy) and pathological conditions (hepatic or renal insufficiency, cardiac dysfunction) on drugs’ pharmacological response. An in-depth understanding of the relationship between patient’s physiological/pathological variables and pharmacodynamics/pharmacokinetics can provide additional insight for practitioners in predicting potential drug interactions, and thus will provide additional guidance in prescribing strategies. This course also includes clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; clinical toxicology; and pathology and pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular, psychiatric, endocrine, respiratory, gastrointestinal, bone and joint, infectious, reproductive, and dermatological disorders. Prerequisite: NUR-631.
Course Description
This course builds upon the student's undergraduate and clinical assessment skills, offering advanced health assessment content to provide the foundation for the advanced practice nursing role. This course addresses the completion and interpretation of a head-to-toe assessment in addition to focused assessments for chief complaints that include physical, psychosocial, spiritual, risk, and functional assessments in diverse populations and across age groups. Students learn a systematic method of diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision making to establish differential diagnoses. Prerequisites: NUR-631, and either NUR-632 or NUR-633.
Course Description
This course covers preventive health care practices and integrates cultural and spiritual considerations, environmental factors, genetic influences, and national public health objectives. Emphasis is placed on development of the advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship to enhance the effectiveness of patient education, counseling, and promotion of healthy lifestyle changes. Students explore concepts relevant to acute care, including integration of the family and patient support systems into care. Specific emphasis is placed on clinical diagnostic reasoning and interpretation and the development of differential diagnoses based on clinical practice guidelines. Students examine professional and patient community resources and evaluate the use of integrative healing strategies in assisting patients to achieve health goals using evidence-based research. This course includes a required 3-day, on-campus experience. Prerequisite: NUR-634.
Course Description
This course covers preventive health care practices and integrates cultural and spiritual considerations, environmental factors, genetic influences, and national public health objectives. Emphasis is placed on development of the advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship to enhance the effectiveness of patient education, counseling, and promotion of healthy lifestyle changes. Students explore concepts relevant to acute care, including integration of the family and patient support systems into care. Specific emphasis is placed on clinical diagnostic reasoning and interpretation and the development of differential diagnoses based on clinical practice guidelines. Students examine professional and patient community resources and evaluate the use of integrative healing strategies in assisting patients to achieve health goals using evidence-based research. This course includes a required 3-day, on-campus experience. Prerequisite: NUR-634.
Course Description
This course focuses on evidence-based theory and research related to adult-gerontological patients experiencing acute illnesses with comorbidities. Students synthesize data from a variety of health resources related to the care of the adult-gerontological patient. Students analyze common problems seen in the acute care setting to develop prioritized differential diagnoses, make clinical judgments, and recommend appropriate treatments for acute alterations in health with particular emphasis on restorative care. Clinical practice affords students the opportunity to refine their clinical decision-making skills in advanced health assessment, clinical diagnosis, procedural skill acquisition, and care management of acute and chronically ill adult-gerontological patients. Practicum experiences emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of acute and critical illness on patients, family, and community. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: ANP-635.
Course Description
This course continues to focus on evidenced-based theory and research related to acute illnesses in the adult-gerontological population in the acute care setting. Students build on prior knowledge and synthesize data from a variety of health resources related to the care of the acutely ill patient. Utilizing a systems framework, students further develop clinical judgment and decision-making skills in order to recommend treatments for alterations in different systems as they develop an evidence-based plan of care. Clinical practice affords students the opportunity to refine their clinical decision-making skills in advanced health assessment, clinical diagnosis, procedural skill acquisition, and care management of acute and chronically ill adult-gerontological patients. Practicum experiences emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of acute and critical illness on patients, family, and community. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: ANP-650.
Course Description
This course serves as the final synthesis of evidenced-based theory and research related to care of complex, acute, and critically ill adult-gerontological and frail elderly patients with comorbidities. Students continue to build on prior knowledge and synthesize data from a variety of health resources related to the care of the acutely ill patient. Utilizing a systems framework, students further develop appropriate clinical judgment and decision-making skills regarding appropriate recommendations and treatments related to alterations in different systems as they develop an evidence-based plan of care for adult-gerontological patients. Practicum experiences emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of acute and critical illness on patients, family, and community, and prepare the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in the diagnosis and management of chronic, exacerbated, acute, and life-threatening health problems. This course includes a required 1-day, on-campus experience. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: ANP-652.
Course Description
This course serves as the final synthesis of evidenced-based theory and research related to care of complex, acute, and critically ill adult-gerontological and frail elderly patients with comorbidities. Students continue to build on prior knowledge and synthesize data from a variety of health resources related to the care of the acutely ill patient. Utilizing a systems framework, students further develop appropriate clinical judgment and decision-making skills regarding appropriate recommendations and treatments related to alterations in different systems as they develop an evidence-based plan of care for adult-gerontological patients. Practicum experiences emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of acute and critical illness on patients, family, and community, and prepare the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in the diagnosis and management of chronic, exacerbated, acute, and life-threatening health problems. This course includes a required 1-day, on-campus experience. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: ANP-652.
Program Locations
Online
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program's published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution's catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who started the program in the same year and then graduated within the published program length.
Online and Evening program disclosures Additional Disclosures* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.