The Postgraduate Certificate program enlarges the focus of nursing, using as its foundation the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Students admitted to the Postgraduate certificate program are not matriculated for a graduate degree. A certificate is received upon completion of the coursework and graduates are eligible to sit for national certification/credentialing exams. The Postgraduate certificate program is primarily provided via the internet. It is designed to allow practicing RNs to pursue further graduate work within their home community. Students complete the requirements for certification through a combination of online courses and preceptor guided practicums in the student s community. All students are required to attend a focus session at the Independence campus.
The FNP concentration prepares nurses to perform in the expanded role, caring for families in a variety of settings. The student’s area of study incorporates a blend of theory and research with an emphasis on guided practice in clinical areas.
The curriculum builds on the core master s courses with the addition of essential FNP courses. All didactic and clinical courses are planned following the guidelines of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) to meet the requirements for national certification.
To qualify for a postgraduate certificate, each candidate must have:
Focuses on preparing the MSN and post-graduate certificate student to be successful in an online graduate program of study. Includes mandatory completion of selected tutorials, review of academic policies, pre-clinical HIPAA and Standard Precaution requirements, and participation in pre-scheduled Live Chat sessions. Information related to university resources and services available to support successful progression and completion of the selected program of study is provided. Successful completion within the first term of enrollment is required for progression in the selected program of study. (Graded on a Pass/Fail basis.)
Provides the graduate advanced practice nursing student foundational knowledge and application of pharmacotherapeutics to meet the health care needs of clients, from childhood through the older years. Content focuses on the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and provides an overview of selected therapeutic drug classes and complementary/alternative treatments, which allows students to evaluate client situations and determine therapy within the context of the overall treatment plan. Prerequisite: NURS5440.
Builds on health assessment skills developed during the professional nurses basic educational program. The course teaches students how to obtain a comprehensive assessment and use this information to develop and/or evaluate evidence based treatment plans for diverse patients with common acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is placed on the process of clinical/diagnostic reasoning to enable the student to identify problems and make accurate diagnoses. The use of technology and electronic medical records are important components of this course.
Provides a foundational knowledge of the multifaceted role of the Advanced Practice Nurse in the primary care setting; addressing selected advanced practice procedures diagnostic test interpretation and analysis of the APN as a member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Focuses on assessment of selected advanced practice competencies during a mandatory face-face focus session on the Independence Campus. Prerequisite: NURS5143 (Prerequisite must be taken no more than 2 terms in advance of lab course.), Corequisite: NURS5193 (FNP).
Examines the common, acute, and chronic health problems occurring in infancy through adolescence using a body-system scheme and a physical, emotional, psychosocial, spiritual, intellectual, and cultural approach. Advanced pathophysiology, assessment and diagnostic strategies specific to acute and common problems in children will be emphasized. Nursing strategies to enhance, maintain and restore health will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS5100, NURS5143.
Provides the graduate nursing student with a well-grounded understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of disease to serve as a foundation for clinical assessment, decision making, and management. Content focuses on etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of selected altered health states across the lifespan.
Examines common acute and chronic health problems occurring in adults using a body-systems approach, and incorporates the physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, intellectual and cultural aspects of the individual when planning care. Students will utilize and integrate advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and nursing theory to formulate differential diagnoses based on appropriate patient history and physical examination in order to create holistic treatment plans. Strategies used to enhance, maintain and restore health will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS5100, NURS5440.
Focuses on a holistic approach to health care from infancy through adolescence incorporating the principles of well child care, health promotion, and disease prevention including the concepts of growth and development, and screening procedures. Emphasizes advanced pathophysiology, assessment and diagnostic strategies specific to acute and common problems in children. Stresses clinical interventions to enhance, maintain, and restore health in context of family and community environments. Develops skills for collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and effective utilization of community resources. This course requires 180 clinical hours and a minimum of 180 pediatric patients. Documentation and the care is to be entered into the nurse practitioner tracking system. In addition, all clinical hours must be completed within the United States and its territories. All hours must be with pediatric patients ages birth-18 and include well visits, acute, and chronic care. No specialty hours will be allowed in this practicum. Pre or Corequisite: NURS5200, Prerequisites: NURS5194, NURS6800.
Focuses on a holistic approach to health care of the adult in diverse settings incorporating the principles of health promotion, disease prevention, and primary health care concepts. Culturally sensitive care will be provided/coordinated using an interdisciplinary approach and with patient/family involvement. Information from other core courses will be used to integrate research, theory, and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) into management of adults in the context of their family and community environment. Emphasis is placed on advanced pathophysiology, physical assessment, diagnostic strategies, and culturally sensitive treatment plans specific to chronic/acute health problems in adults across the life span. Emphasis is also placed on independent practice management skills. Leadership roles will be assumed to help develop health care policies that impact patient/health outcomes. This requires understanding of organization design/structure and resources allocated to provide accessible, affordable, and quality health care to diverse populations at all levels, community, state, federal, and national. Pre or Corequisite: NURS6200, Prerequisite: NURS6800.
Exploration, development and implementation of advanced roles for nurses. Emphasis will be placed on the standards of practice, requirements for, regulation of, and socialization into advanced nursing roles. Students will use critical thinking skills to examine barriers and opportunities for nurses in advanced roles and propose a plan for transitioning into their new role. Encourages leadership roles and fostering of collaboration with other disciplines to improve health care outcomes. Promotes the use of scientific inquiry, evidence-based practice, and joining professional organizations to influence advanced nursing practice and enhance health care outcomes of a population focus. Emphasis on the organization of health care delivery systems, health care finance, health care policy, and ethical and legislative issues affecting health care planning and delivery of accessible, affordable, and quality care to multicultural groups in complex settings. Sociopolitical and legal issues will be examined as they impact the formation of policies and the nursing profession.
Capstone course of the family nurse practitioner program requiring independent clinical management of acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan. This care will be coordinated with an interdisciplinary approach in addition to patient and family decision making while meeting the needs of multicultural groups. Patient education and treatment plans will incorporate health promotion and disease prevention. Student will be required to use knowledge obtained from previous core courses as they integrate research/theory into improving advanced nursing practice. This course will prepare student in assuming advanced leadership roles within healthcare teams and the community to improve health outcomes. It requires the understanding of organizational structure and resources to deliver care. Synthesis of practice management skills pertaining to economics, reimbursement for services, policy development, and management will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS6740 and NURS6760.
Focuses on preparing the MSN and post-graduate certificate student to be successful in an online graduate program of study. Includes mandatory completion of selected tutorials, review of academic policies, pre-clinical HIPAA and Standard Precaution requirements, and participation in pre-scheduled Live Chat sessions. Information related to university resources and services available to support successful progression and completion of the selected program of study is provided. Successful completion within the first term of enrollment is required for progression in the selected program of study. (Graded on a Pass/Fail basis.)
Provides the graduate advanced practice nursing student foundational knowledge and application of pharmacotherapeutics to meet the health care needs of clients, from childhood through the older years. Content focuses on the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and provides an overview of selected therapeutic drug classes and complementary/alternative treatments, which allows students to evaluate client situations and determine therapy within the context of the overall treatment plan. Prerequisite: NURS5440.
Builds on health assessment skills developed during the professional nurses basic educational program. The course teaches students how to obtain a comprehensive assessment and use this information to develop and/or evaluate evidence based treatment plans for diverse patients with common acute and chronic health problems. Emphasis is placed on the process of clinical/diagnostic reasoning to enable the student to identify problems and make accurate diagnoses. The use of technology and electronic medical records are important components of this course.
Provides a foundational knowledge of the multifaceted role of the Advanced Practice Nurse in the primary care setting; addressing selected advanced practice procedures diagnostic test interpretation and analysis of the APN as a member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Focuses on assessment of selected advanced practice competencies during a mandatory face-face focus session on the Independence Campus. Prerequisite: NURS5143 (Prerequisite must be taken no more than 2 terms in advance of lab course.), Corequisite: NURS5193 (FNP).
Examines the common, acute, and chronic health problems occurring in infancy through adolescence using a body-system scheme and a physical, emotional, psychosocial, spiritual, intellectual, and cultural approach. Advanced pathophysiology, assessment and diagnostic strategies specific to acute and common problems in children will be emphasized. Nursing strategies to enhance, maintain and restore health will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS5100, NURS5143.
Provides the graduate nursing student with a well-grounded understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of disease to serve as a foundation for clinical assessment, decision making, and management. Content focuses on etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of selected altered health states across the lifespan.
Examines common acute and chronic health problems occurring in adults using a body-systems approach, and incorporates the physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, intellectual and cultural aspects of the individual when planning care. Students will utilize and integrate advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and nursing theory to formulate differential diagnoses based on appropriate patient history and physical examination in order to create holistic treatment plans. Strategies used to enhance, maintain and restore health will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS5100, NURS5440.
Focuses on a holistic approach to health care from infancy through adolescence incorporating the principles of well child care, health promotion, and disease prevention including the concepts of growth and development, and screening procedures. Emphasizes advanced pathophysiology, assessment and diagnostic strategies specific to acute and common problems in children. Stresses clinical interventions to enhance, maintain, and restore health in context of family and community environments. Develops skills for collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and effective utilization of community resources. This course requires 180 clinical hours and a minimum of 180 pediatric patients. Documentation and the care is to be entered into the nurse practitioner tracking system. In addition, all clinical hours must be completed within the United States and its territories. All hours must be with pediatric patients ages birth-18 and include well visits, acute, and chronic care. No specialty hours will be allowed in this practicum. Pre or Corequisite: NURS5200, Prerequisites: NURS5194, NURS6800.
Focuses on a holistic approach to health care of the adult in diverse settings incorporating the principles of health promotion, disease prevention, and primary health care concepts. Culturally sensitive care will be provided/coordinated using an interdisciplinary approach and with patient/family involvement. Information from other core courses will be used to integrate research, theory, and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) into management of adults in the context of their family and community environment. Emphasis is placed on advanced pathophysiology, physical assessment, diagnostic strategies, and culturally sensitive treatment plans specific to chronic/acute health problems in adults across the life span. Emphasis is also placed on independent practice management skills. Leadership roles will be assumed to help develop health care policies that impact patient/health outcomes. This requires understanding of organization design/structure and resources allocated to provide accessible, affordable, and quality health care to diverse populations at all levels, community, state, federal, and national. Pre or Corequisite: NURS6200, Prerequisite: NURS6800.
Exploration, development and implementation of advanced roles for nurses. Emphasis will be placed on the standards of practice, requirements for, regulation of, and socialization into advanced nursing roles. Students will use critical thinking skills to examine barriers and opportunities for nurses in advanced roles and propose a plan for transitioning into their new role. Encourages leadership roles and fostering of collaboration with other disciplines to improve health care outcomes. Promotes the use of scientific inquiry, evidence-based practice, and joining professional organizations to influence advanced nursing practice and enhance health care outcomes of a population focus. Emphasis on the organization of health care delivery systems, health care finance, health care policy, and ethical and legislative issues affecting health care planning and delivery of accessible, affordable, and quality care to multicultural groups in complex settings. Sociopolitical and legal issues will be examined as they impact the formation of policies and the nursing profession.
Capstone course of the family nurse practitioner program requiring independent clinical management of acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan. This care will be coordinated with an interdisciplinary approach in addition to patient and family decision making while meeting the needs of multicultural groups. Patient education and treatment plans will incorporate health promotion and disease prevention. Student will be required to use knowledge obtained from previous core courses as they integrate research/theory into improving advanced nursing practice. This course will prepare student in assuming advanced leadership roles within healthcare teams and the community to improve health outcomes. It requires the understanding of organizational structure and resources to deliver care. Synthesis of practice management skills pertaining to economics, reimbursement for services, policy development, and management will be emphasized. Prerequisites: NURS6740 and NURS6760.
