Program offered in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas
Focus Your ACNP Studies in Adult-Gerontology
A post-master's acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) certificate at Grand Canyon University can help you develop your knowledge and skills in a specialty area of nursing. The Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Certificate provides a focus in chronic condition care and is offered by the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions. These post-master's AGACNP courses are available to students who hold a master's degree in nursing and wish to position themselves for potential career advancement.
Locations
Tuition Rate
Online: $740 per credit [More Info]
Transfer Credits
Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)
Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer
Admission Requirements
- Undergraduate Degree*
- 2.8+ GPA
- GMAT: 500
- GRE: 300 combined**
Or Passing Test Scores:
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).
Benefits of Earning Your Post-Master's AGACNP Certificate From GCU
The online post-master's acute care nurse practitioner certificate with an emphasis in adult-gerontology focuses on adult and geriatric acute care patients.2 Curriculum in the post master's ACNP with an emphasis in adult-gerontology certificate also focuses on sub-acute patients and those who suffer from exacerbations of chronic diseases. Classes are available through GCU's online learning platform in select states. Students must undergo a supervised clinical/practicum and two on-campus experiences at GCU. In addition to online classroom instruction, students are guided in hands-on, experiential activities to sharpen their skills.
A Curriculum Designed To Enhance
Your Skills
A blend of classroom instruction and hands-on experience in a collaborative environment comprise this acute care nurse practitioner post-master's certificate experience. You will prepare to provide advanced practice nursing care with acute, critical, complex and chronic conditions of patients starting with the teenage years. Working through an evidence based AGACNP post-master's certificate program, you will practice hands-on skills of advanced health assessments, clinical diagnostics, procedural skill acquisition and the care management of diverse patient populations.
Some of the specific course topics you can study include the following:
Upon graduation, you could be prepared to lead nursing teams, make ethical decisions and communicate to diverse audiences.
Attend Immersive Nursing Simulation Experiences
Coursework in the post-master's acute care NP online certificate experience includes 675 hours of directly supervised clinical practice to align with national norms.2 You are required to attend two on-campus experiences as a student seeking a post-master's ACNP certificate. The clinical experiences explore the physiological and psychosocial effects of acute and critical illnesses.
During your first on-campus experience, there are emphases on simulation experiences, skills, procedures and specific lectures to prepare you for your clinicals. The experience also focuses on examining community resources and integrating family and support systems into care. You are given instruction and hands-on experience that can help prepare you as a nurse practitioner.3
Some of the areas of practice include:
- Suturing
- Incision
- Intubation
- Casting
- Catheter insertion
- Lumbar puncture
- Radiology interpretation
- Ventilator management
Specialized Nursing Career Opportunities With a Post-Master's Acute Care NP Certificate
Nurse practitioners qualified as acute care NPs in adult-gerontology will diagnose and treat acute medical as well as chronic conditions of patients from adolescence into advanced age. Some of the main roles of an acute care nurse practitioner in this specialty are to:
- Stabilize the patient
- Lower the risk of complications
- Restore the patient to optimal health
- Offer palliative care
- Make appropriate referrals to specialists
Since ACNPs in adult-gerontology focus on acute care and chronic care management, they may pursue work at hospitals, clinics and other outpatient facilities. As an alternative to working directly with patients, some acute care nurse practitioners may decide to pursue opportunities as postsecondary nursing instructors.
GCU Offers Accredited Nursing Certificate Programs
GCU's post-master's acute care nurse practitioner certificate program with an emphasis in adult-gerontology is designed to align with the standards established by the following organizations:
- American Nursing Association (ANA)
- Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC)
- National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials of Master's Education in Nursing
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN)
For more information on the accreditation of nursing programs and other university approvals, please visit our University Accreditation and Regulations page.
Post-Master's Acute Care NP Certificate: Adult-Gerontology Emphasis FAQs
Review some of our most frequently asked questions about the post-masters AGACNP certificate to learn more information about pursuing the career path of an acute care nurse practitioner.
Course List
Credit Summary
Major37 Credits
Degree Requirements37 Credits
Core Courses
NUR-631
4 Total Credits
Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
NUR-635
4 Total Credits
Advanced Pharmacology
NUR-634
4 Total Credits
Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning With Skills Lab
ANP-635
4 Total Credits
Health Promotion and Maintenance and On-Campus Experience I
ANP-635CE
0 Total Credits
ANP-635 On-Campus Experience I
ANP-650
7 Total Credits
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care I
ANP-652
7 Total Credits
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care II
ANP-654
7 Total Credits
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care III and On-Campus Experience II
ANP-654CE
0 Total Credits
ANP-654 On-Campus Experience II
Make an Impact in Geriatric Patient Experiences
To learn more about earning your post-master's acute care NP online certificate,2 fill out the form on this page to get in contact with a university counselor.