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The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) program is a post-baccalaureate pathway that culminates in the award of a Master of Science in Nursing degree or a post-Master’s AGACNP certificate. In keeping with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s definition of CRNP practice, the AGACNP program prepares registered nurses to function as a nurse practitioner in the expanded role of meeting the acute health care needs of adult, older adult, and frail elderly populations. As such, the AGACNP program prepares its graduates to perform acts of medical diagnosis and prescription of medical, therapeutic or corrective measures in collaboration with a physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The AGACNP Program prepares graduates as collaborative care providers who practice within the expanded scope of advanced nursing practice. Students acquire the clinical and experiential knowledge and competencies that serve as the foundation for evidence-based provision of care to high-acuity, complex adult and older adult patients, from admission through discharge. For the purpose of this proposal, the AGACNP Program defines “adult-gerontology” patients in accordance with the joint NONPF/AACN (AACN, 2012) population definition as inclusive of young adults (including late adolescents and emancipated minors), adults, older adults (including young-old, old, and old-old adults), and frail elderly. The curriculum provides entry-level preparation across the entire spectrum of this adult-older adult definition and includes the continuum of care from wellness-illness.
The AGACNP diagnoses and manages acute episodic and chronic illnesses, with an emphasis on health promotion/disease prevention, teaching, and coaching. Christian moral and ethical principles serve as the guide for care-giving, communication, collaboration, and decision making as an AGACNP. The integration of nursing science with the best practices evidenced by other disciplines (including medicine, ethics, economics, and public health) will produce an AGACNP who can not only provide individual direct care services but also produce a positive impact on the health of individuals, families, populations, and the health care system.
Upon graduation, AGACNP graduates are eligible to take the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification examination offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNPC-AG) Certification examination offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The required 60-hour advanced pharmacology course exceeds the minimum required for prescriptive authority in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The program assures a broad range of clinical experiences that prepare students to work in diverse acute health care settings including hospitals, acute and long-term care facilities, and hospital-to-clinic settings. The AGACNP may follow patients from hospital to outpatient settings to ensure successful transitional care.
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