Streamlined Plans of Study for Adult, Gerontology, and Acute Care NPs

HomeAcademicsDoctoral ProgramsDNP: Doctor of Nursing PracticeDNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Streamlined Plans of Study for Adult, Gerontology, and Acute Care NPs
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Adult, Gero, and Acute Care NPs: Qualify for ANCC and AANP certification or change your area of specialty through a streamlined plan of study.

Option 1: Are you an adult NP or gerontology NP who needs to update your certification to the current advanced practice nursing consensus model?

If you are an adult NP or a gerontology NP and your certification has lapsed, you must complete a degree or certificate to be eligible for the adult-gerontological NP certification exam.

This will allow gerontology NPs to expand their scope of practice to include all adults aged 18 and older.

  • Are you already a Doctor of Nursing Practice?
    Complete a postdoctoral certificate in a minimum of two semesters (13 credits).

  • Are you a master’s-prepared NP?
    Qualify for certification and earn your DNP with a minimum of 48 credits and only 630 hours of clinical practicum.

Option 2: Are you an acute care nurse practitioner who wants to add or change your area of specialty to primary care?

This is a great fit if you work in an outpatient clinic for post-discharge patients.

  • Are you already a Doctor of Nursing Practice?
    Complete a postdoctoral certificate in a minimum of three semesters (19 credits).

  • Are you a master’s-prepared NP?
    Change your area of specialty and earn your DNP with a minimum of 50 credits and only 720 hours of clinical practicum.

Plans of Study:

Option 1: DNP for Adult NPs

Three-Year Plan of Study

If you’d like a four- or five-year plan of study, your advisor can develop a personalized plan for you.

Fall Semester, Year 1

NRSG 790

Methods for Research Evidence-based Practice

3

NDNP 795

Biostatistics for Evidence-based Practice

3

NRSG 785

Professional Writing

1

NDNP 804

Theory for Evidence-based practice

3

Spring Semester, Year 1

NDNP 807

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care

2

NDNP 808

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care - Practicum

1 (45 hours)

NURS 834

Translating Evidence to Practice

3

Summer Semester, Year 1

NDNP 720

Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management

2

NURS 810

Evidence-based Health Policy

3

Fall Semester, Year 2

You may need to complete course work in Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology.
If your prior NP coursework does not meet requirements for certification, you may need to take one or more of the following:

  • NPHY 612 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
  • NURS 723 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics across the Life Span
  • NDNP 819 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
    If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment and Health Promotion to meet the lifespan requirement.

NDNP 814

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems

3

NDNP 817

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems Clinical Practicum

2 (90 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 2

NDNP 810

DNP Project Identification

1

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

3 (135 hours)

Summer Semester, Year 2

NDNP 811

DNP Project Development

1

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

2 (90 hours)

Fall Semester, Year 3

NDNP 812

DNP Project Implementation

1 (45 hours)

NDNP 838

Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

4 (180 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 3

NDNP 813

DNP Project Evaluation/Dissemination

1 (45 hours)

 

Elective or additional clinical hours as needed for certification
Adult NPs seeking new certification will need to complete additional clinical hours to meet the 500-hour requirement for the certification exam.

3


** All clinical placement will be geared toward filling any educational practice gaps from your prior APRN education to meet the requirements of the AGPCNP certification.

Total Credits: 48

Clinical Hours: 630

Option 1: DNP for Gerontology NPs

Three-Year Plan of Study

If you’d like a four- or five-year plan of study, your advisor can develop a personalized plan for you.

Fall Semester, Year 1

NRSG 790

Methods for Research Evidence-based Practice

3

NDNP 795

Biostatistics for Evidence-based Practice

3

NRSG 785

Professional Writing

1

NDNP 804

Theory for Evidence-based practice

3

Spring Semester, Year 1

NDNP 807

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care

2

NDNP 808

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care - Practicum

1 (45 hours)

NURS 834

Translating Evidence to Practice

3

Summer Semester, Year 1

NURS 810

Evidence-based Health Policy

3

Fall Semester, Year 2

You may need to complete course work in Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology.
If your prior NP coursework does not meet requirements for certification, you may need to take one or more of the following:

  • NPHY 612 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
  • NURS 723 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics across the Life Span
  • NDNP 819 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
    If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment and Health Promotion to meet the lifespan requirement.

NDNP 814

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems

3

NDNP 817

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems Clinical Practicum

2 (90 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 2

NDNP 810

DNP Project Identification

1

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

3 (135 hours)

NDNP 999

Extra Clinical Hours

2 (90 hours)

Summer Semester, Year 2

NDNP 811

DNP Project Development

1

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

2 (90 hours)

Fall Semester, Year 3

NDNP 812

DNP Project Implementation

1 (45 hours)

NDNP 838

Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

4 (180 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 3

NDNP 813

DNP Project Evaluation/Dissemination

1 (45 hours)


** All clinical placement will be geared toward filling any educational practice gaps from your prior APRN education to meet the requirements of the AGPCNP certification.

Total Credits: 45

Clinical Hours: 720

Option 1: Postdoctoral Certificate for Adult NPs

Fall Semester

Courses taken during your original NP preparation may meet course requirements for this semester.

Course

Title

Credits

NPHY 612

Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology

3

NURS 723

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Across the Life Span

3

NDNP 819

Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
Note: If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion to meet the life span requirement.

4

Spring Semester

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions     

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar

3 (135 hours)

Summer Semester

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Multiple Complex Clinical

Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Clinical Practicum/Seminar             

2 (90 hours)

NDNP 720

Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management             

2 

Total Credits: 13 - 23

Clinical Hours: 225

Option 1: Postdoctoral Certificate for Gerontology NPs

Fall Semester, Year 1

Courses taken during your original NP preparation may meet course requirements for this semester.

Course

Title

Credits

NPHY 612

Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology

3

NURS 723

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Across the Life Span

3

NDNP 819

Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
Note: If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion to meet the life span requirement.

4

Spring Semester, Year 1

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions     

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar

3 (135 hours)

Summer Semester, Year 1

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Multiple Complex Clinical

Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Clinical Practicum/Seminar             

2 (90 hours)

Fall Semester, Year 2

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 838

Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical Practicum/Seminar

4 (180 hours)

Total Credits: 15 - 25

Clinical Hours: 405

Option 2: DNP for Acute Care NPs

Three-Year Plan of Study

If you’d like a four- or five-year plan of study, your advisor can develop a personalized plan for you.

Fall Semester, Year 1

NRSG 790

Methods for Research Evidence-based Practice

3

NDNP 795

Biostatistics for Evidence-based Practice

3

NRSG 785

Professional Writing

1

NDNP 804

Theory for Evidence-based practice

3

Spring Semester, Year 1

NDNP 807

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care

2

NDNP 808

Info. Systems and Technology Improvement/Transformation

Health Care - Practicum

1 (45 hours)

NURS 834

Translating Evidence to Practice

3

Summer Semester, Year 1

NDNP 720

Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management

2

NURS 810

Evidence-based Health Policy

3

Fall Semester, Year 2

You may need to complete course work in Assessment, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology.
If your prior NP coursework does not meet requirements for certification, you may need to take one or more of the following:

  • NPHY 612 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
  • NURS 723 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics across the Life Span
  • NDNP 819 Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
    If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment and Health Promotion to meet the lifespan requirement.

NDNP 814

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems

3

NDNP 817

Practice Leadership Within Complex Adaptive Health Care Systems Clinical Practicum

2 (90 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 2

NDNP 810

DNP Project Identification

1

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

3 (135 hours)

NDNP 999

Extra Clinical Hours

2 (90 hours)

Summer Semester, Year 2

NDNP 811

DNP Project Development

1

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Integration of Multiple Health Problems and Complex Clinical Syndromes: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

2 (90 hours)

Fall Semester, Year 3

NDNP 812

DNP Project Implementation

1 (45 hours)

NDNP 838

Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical Practicum/Seminar**

4 (180 hours)

Spring Semester, Year 3

NDNP 813

DNP Project Evaluation/Dissemination

1 (45 hours)

 

Elective or additional clinical hours as needed for certification

Adult NPs seeking new certification will need to complete additional clinical hours to meet the 500-hour requirement for the certification exam.

3

** All clinical placement will be geared toward filling any educational practice gaps from your prior APRN education to meet the requirements of the AGPCNP certification.

Total Credits: 50

Clinical Hours: 720

Option 2: Postdoctoral Certificate for Acute Care NPs

Fall Semester, Year 1

Courses taken during your original NP preparation may meet course requirements for this semester.

Course

Title

Credits

NPHY 612

Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology

3

NURS 723

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Across the Life Span

3

NDNP 819

Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span
Note: If you have completed Adult Health Assessment, you can substitute NDNP 725: Advanced Pediatric Pathophysiology, Developmental Assessment, and Health Promotion to meet the life span requirement.

4

Spring Semester, Year 1

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 834

Diagnosis and Management 3: Acute and Chronic Complex Conditions     

4

NDNP 835

Diagnosis and Management 3: Clinical Practicum/Seminar

3 (135 hours)

NDNP 999

Extra Clinical Hours

2 (90 hours)

Summer Semester, Year 1

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 836

Diagnosis and Management 4: Multiple Complex Clinical

Syndromes

2

NDNP 837

Diagnosis and Management 4: Clinical Practicum/Seminar             

2 (90 hours)

NDNP 720

Geriatric Syndromes Assessment and Management             

2

Fall Semester, Year 2

Course

Title

Credits

NDNP 838

Diagnosis and Management 5: Professional Practice Immersion: Clinical Practicum/Seminar

4 (180 hours)

Total Credits: 19 - 29

Clinical Hours: 495