Post-Master’s Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) Certificate: Adult-Gerontology Emphasis
Program offered in select states including 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.
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. Upon graduation, you could be prepared to lead nursing teams, make ethical decisions and communicate to diverse audiences. Some of the specific course topics you can study include the following:
- Physiology and pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Health assessment and diagnostic reasoning
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Adult-gerontology acute care
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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.
A post-master’s acute care NP certificate with an emphasis in adult-gerontology is a program designed for graduate-level nurse practitioners who want to expand their role into the area of adult-gerontology acute care. The curriculum in an AGACNP post-master’s certificate program can prepare nursing students to provide general care for adults and geriatric patients with acute, critical and chronic health issues.
Graduates of the post-master’s acute care nurse practitioner certificate are eligible to sit for a national nurse practitioner certification exam in adult-gerontology acute care. The AGACNP certification exam is administered by either the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). Once a graduate passes the national certification exam, they will be able to apply for certification in their state to practice as a certified registered nurse practitioner in adult-gerontology acute care.
The post-master’s acute care adult-gerontology nurse practitioner certificate program at GCU is offered in a hybrid format, which involves online classes.2 The courses are available through GCU’s online learning platform in select states. In addition to the online courses, students must also complete 675 hours of supervised clinicals and two on-campus experiences at GCU which include both classroom instruction and hands-on simulation practice.
Certified acute care nurse practitioners are also referred to as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). They provide specialty healthcare for adult and geriatric patients. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners have a median annual wage of $126,260 as of May 2023.1
Primary care nurse practitioners typically work with patients who require routine healthcare or who have chronic conditions that do not require immediate medical attention. Acute care nurse practitioners will work with patients who need short-term care for more severe illnesses and health conditions.
A post-master’s acute care NP certificate program with an emphasis in adult-gerontology can provide a way for nurses who did not previously specialize is their master’s program to gain specific skills geared toward caring for the adult and geriatric population. Earning this certificate may help you position yourself for possible career advancement or prepare you to seek greater responsibility or role expansion.
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.
1 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), Nurse Practitioners as of May 2023, retrieved on April 24, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 and 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as nurse practitioners, nor does it reflect earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc., against a pool of candidates.
2 While all courses are completed online, you will need to attend clinical, practicum and immersion hours in person locally.
3 Grand Canyon University does not administer AGACNP certification exams and must be completed through an external certification provider.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course focuses on advanced physiology and pathophysiology principles across the life span. This course is used to guide the advanced nursing practice learner 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: NUR-590 or NUR-590A.
Course Description
This course focuses on the basic concepts and principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and their practical implication in clinical practice across the life span. 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 learner's undergraduate and clinical assessment skills, offering advanced health assessment content to provide the foundation for the advanced practice nursing role across the life span. 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. Learners learn a systematic method of diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making to establish differential diagnoses. Prerequisites: NUR-631, and either NUR-632, NUR-633, or NUR-635.
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. Learners 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. Learners 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. Learners 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. Learners 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. Learners synthesize data from a variety of health resources related to the care of the adult-gerontological patient. Learners 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 learners 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. Learners 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, learners 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 learners 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. Learners 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, learners 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 2-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. Learners 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, learners 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 2-day, on-campus experience. Prerequisite: ANP-652.
- GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
- Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
- Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change
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