DNP in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum prepares a registered nurse in the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner role. The AGACNP specializes in the care of patients in acute settings such as medical/surgical units, emergency departments, intensive care units, skilled nursing facilities, and in ambulatory specialty clinics managing diverse patients with complex acute and chronic health conditions across the entire adult age spectrum.
The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) strongly recommends obtaining a DNP degree as a pathway for preparation and entry into the nurse practitioner role by 2025.
The competencies of the AGACNP are centered on assessment and advanced care for critically ill patients to diagnose and treat chronic, acute, and critical medical conditions. The AGACNP curriculum is designed with in-depth content about pathophysiology and management of complex patient problems with various illnesses intended to help both the patient and family achieve the highest degree of wellness possible.
The AGACNP is “job ready” based upon practice experience and nurse competency skills to find employment working in acute care settings such as trauma, emergency care, critical care, surgical services, rehabilitation units, and specialty settings.
Scholarly Project
The Elms AGACNP program culminates in a practice-focused quality improvement project completed over the course of several semesters. This DNP capstone project must demonstrate a student’s ability to synthesize scientific evidence and develop new systems or population health approaches for improved outcomes in practice settings.
Certification
Upon program completion, students are prepared to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners certification examination as Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Curriculum
Click to view course requirements for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) DNP.
Foundational Core – 10 Credits (BS-DNP only)
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Technology: Methods and Tools for Graduate Study | 1 | |
| Translating and Integrating Evidence into Practice | 3 | |
| Nursing Knowledge and Practice | 3 | |
| Health Care Policy and Advocacy | 3 |
Clinical Core: Advanced Practice – 15 Credits
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Diagnostic Analysis, Health and Physical Assessment with 30 hours of supervised lab practicum practice hours | 4 | |
| Advanced Pathophysiology | 4 | |
| Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics | 4 | |
| Clinical Decision Making and Diagnostic Reasoning for the Advanced Practice Nurse | 3 |
DNP Theory Core – 30 Credits
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Organizational Systems and Quality Improvement | 3 | |
| Biostatistics and Informatics | 3 | |
| Research Methods and Translation for Advanced Practice | 3 | |
| Financial Management in Health Care Delivery | 3 | |
| Population Health and Epidemiology | 3 | |
| Leadership and Collaboration in Health Care Organizations | 3 | |
| DNP Immersion I: Role Development of the APRN Nurse Practitioner | 3 | |
| DNP Immersion II: Scholarly Project – Project Idea | 2 | |
| DNP Immersion III: Scholarly Project – Project Development | 2 | |
| DNP Immersion IV: Scholarly Project – Project Implementation | 2 | |
| DNP Capstone: Scholarly Project – Project Evaluation | 3 |
Advanced Practice Specialty: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nure Practitioner (AGACNP) – 25 Credits
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Adult-Gerontology Health Care I and Practicum | 5 | |
| Adult-Gerontology Health Care II and Practicum | 5 | |
| Adult-Gerontology Health Care III and Practicum | 4 | |
| Adult-Gerontology Health Care IV and NP Practicum | 4 | |
| Clinical Procedures in Critical Emergency Care | 2 | |
| Ethics for Advanced Practice | 3 | |
| Transition into Practice and Certification Seminar | 2 |