This track prepares the student to utilize evidence-based guidelines while diagnosing and managing health problems of acutely and critically ill individuals across the adult lifespan. Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioners work in acute and complex care settings such as critical care units, hospitalist or specialty services, and in other settings where patients may be physiologically unstable, technologically dependent, requiring frequent monitoring and intervention, and are highly vulnerable to complications.
The development of the curriculum is based on:
- Nurse Practitioner (NP) Competency Implementation Guide (2024)
- Nurse Practitioner Role Core Competencies (2022)
- Standards for Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, 6th Edition (2022)
- The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Practice (2021)
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) Scope and Standards for Adult-Gerontology and Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (2021)
Certification: Graduates of the Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track are eligible to apply for certification as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses or the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track-Specific Curriculum
For students in the Fall 2024 Cohort:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NR.401.700 | Introduction to Acute Care Fundamentals | 4 |
| NR.401.701 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I Diagnostic Reasoning | 3.5 |
| NR.401.702 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II Diagnostic Reasoning | 2 |
| NR.401.703 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III Diagnostic Reasoning | 3 |
| NR.401.704 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV Diagnostic Reasoning | 3 |
| NR.401.710 | Introduction to Acute Care Clinical Management | 1 |
| NR.401.712 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I Clinical Management | 2 |
| NR.401.713 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| NR.401.714 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| NR.401.715 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| Total Credits | 26 | |
Track Total [25cr/840CL]
For students in Fall 2023 or earlier cohorts:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NR.210.660 | Introduction to Acute Care | 4 |
| NR.210.661 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I | 6 |
| NR.210.662 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II | 4 |
| NR.210.663 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III | 4 |
| NR.210.664 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV | 6 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
Track Total [24cr/784CL]
Program of Study FA 24
DNP Advanced Practice Track: Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program of Study: 3 year plan
For students in the Fall 2024 Cohort
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| NR.400.700 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Part I | 2 |
| NR.400.706 | Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Part I | 2 |
| NR.400.717 | Application of Biostatistical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
| NR.400.721 | Health Promotion and Disease Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NR.400.723 | Advanced Health Policy | 2 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.400.701 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Part II | 2 |
| NR.400.704 | Advanced Health Assessment and Measurement?for Advanced Practice Nurses | 3 |
| NR.400.707 | Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Part II | 2 |
| NR.400.712 | Diagnostic Skills and Procedures for Advanced Practice Nursing Part I | 1 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.401.700 | Introduction to Acute Care Fundamentals | 3 |
| NR.401.710 | Introduction to Acute Care Clinical Management | 1 |
| NR.400.719 | Application of the Research Process to Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.400.727 | Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Healthcare | 2 |
| NR.400.732 | Healthcare Finance for Advanced Nursing Practice | 2 |
| NR.401.701 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I Diagnostic Reasoning | 3.5 |
| NR.401.712 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I Clinical Management | 2 |
| Credits | 9.5 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.400.725 | Inquiry for Scholarly Practice | 3 |
| NR.400.740 | Scholarly Project Discovery | 2.5 |
| NR.400.742 | Scholarly Project Discovery Practicum | 0.5 |
| NR.401.702 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II Diagnostic Reasoning | 2 |
| NR.401.713 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| Credits | 10.5 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.400.729 | Translation of Evidence for Advanced Nursing Practice | 1 |
| NR.400.734 | Advanced Clinical Data Management for Evidence-Based Practice and Performance Improvement | 2 |
| NR.400.744 | Scholarly Project Advancement | 2.5 |
| NR.400.746 | Scholarly Project Advancement Practicum | 0.5 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.400.748 | Scholarly Project Application | 1.5 |
| NR.400.750 | Scholarly Project Application Practicum | 0.5 |
| NR.400.738 | Advanced Applications of Information Technology in Healthcare Delivery | 2 |
| NR.401.703 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III Diagnostic Reasoning | 3 |
| NR.401.714 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| Credits | 9.5 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.400.736 | Clinical data management and analyses for advanced practice | 2 |
| NR.400.752 | Scholarly Project Evaluation and Dissemination | 1.5 |
| NR.400.754 | Scholarly Project Evaluation and Dissemination Practicum | 0.5 |
| NR.401.704 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV Diagnostic Reasoning | 3 |
| NR.401.715 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV Clinical Management | 2.5 |
| Credits | 9.5 | |
| Total Credits | 69 | |
Program Total: 70 Credits [cr]/840 Clinical Hours [CL]/160 Project Practicum Hours [PPR]
Program of Study
For students in Fall 2023 or earlier cohorts
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credits | |
| NR.210.606 | Biostatistics for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.806 | Health Finance | 2 |
| Credits | 5 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.608 | The Research Process and Its Application to Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.600 | Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology | 4 |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.610 | Health Promotion and Risk Reduction Across the Lifespan | 2 |
| NR.210.602 | Clinical Pharmacology | 4 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.210.607 | Context of Health Care for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.601 | Advanced Health Assessment and Measurement | 3 |
| NR.210.822 | Health Information Systems and Patient Care Technologies | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.609 | Philosophical, Theoretical & Ethical Basis of Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.605 | Diagnostic Skills and Procedures for Advanced Practice Nursing | 2 |
| NR.210.802 | Advanced Nursing Health Policy | 2 |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.660 | Introduction to Acute Care (56CL) | 4 |
| NR.210.886 | Problem Discovery (56PPR) | 2 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.210.661 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care I (168CL) | 6 |
| NR.210.803 | Nursing Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.805 | Translating Evidence into Practice | 3 |
| NR.210.662 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care II (168CL) | 4 |
| NR.210.887 | Project Advancement (56PPR) | 2 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NR.210.817 | Analysis and Evaluation of Individual and Population Health Data | 3 |
| NR.210.663 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care III (168CL) | 4 |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| NR.210.664 | Advanced Practice in Acute Care IV (224CL) | 6 |
| NR.210.888 | Project Application (56PPR) | 2 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NR.210.804 | Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care | 2 |
| NR.210.818 | Clinical Data Management and Analyses | 2 |
| NR.210.889 | Project Evaluation and Dissemination (56PPR) | 2 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 78 | |
Program Total: 78 Credits [cr]/784 Clinical Hours [CL]/224 Project Practicum Hours [PPR]