Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, M.S.N.

Contact Information

Stephanie S. DeBoor, PhD, APRN, ACNS_BC, CCRN
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
Associate Professor
University of Nevada, Reno
Orvis School of Nursing
1664 N. Virginia Street MS 0134
Reno, NV 89557
775 682-7156

deboors2@unr.edu

Program Objectives/Student Learnig Outcomes

The new track is the Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. This specialty provides the full spectrum of primary care health care services to include health promotion, disease prevention, health protection, anticipatory guidance, counseling, disease management, palliative, and end-of-life care. These nurse practitioners will be specifically educated to serve the population of young adults to the very aged geriatric patients.

1. Integrates scientific findings from nursing, biopsychosocial fields, genetics, public health, quality improvement, and organizational sciences for the continual improvement of nursing care across diverse settings.
2. Provide advanced, ethical, evidence-based nursing services for multi-cultural and ethnic individuals, families, aggregates, and select populations.
3. Apply patient-care and communication technologies to deliver, enhance, integrate, and coordinate care.
4. Collaborate with other professionals and members of the community to provide optimal health care to individuals, families, special populations, and communities with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.
5. Respect diversity and address complex health care needs of persons, including the unserved and under-served, populations and communities, in the role of nurse leader, educator and/or advanced practice nurse.
6. Participate in the ethical organization, management, and policy negotiations of health care delivery systems to use advocacy strategies to influence health and healthcare.
7. Participate in the application of safe patient care and quality healthcare practices.
8. Participate in the development of nursing as a science, through the use of theory, research, and scientific processes while acquiring a foundation for doctoral study.

Admission Requirements

This is a two-step process, wherein the applicant must first meet the university’s Graduate School requirements as well as the Orvis School of Nursing MSN requirements. All application materials must be received by the Graduate School on or before March 1 for consideration for the fall semester. In addition, sutdents must have;

• Have an overall undergraduate grade-point average of at least a 3.0.
• Completed a baccalaureate degree with an upper-division major in nursing,or completed an associate’s degree in nursing and a baccallaureate degree in another discipline (BA, BS, etc.). Nursing degrees must be  from and NLNAC-or CCNE accredited nursing school.  Previous degree curriculum must include the following specific course work:
  • Statistics
  • Growth and development (must cover lifespan)
  • Basic research
  • Health assessment
• Have verification of current unemcumbered licensure to practice as a registered nurse in the United States. Students must be eligible to practice as a registered nurse in Nevada.
• Submit a statement of intent including graduate-study goals.
• Provide three letters of reference to the graduate program director using the form on the OSN website.
• Successful completion of a graduate level applied statistics course prior to fall admission.

An interview may be required.

The total of required units for completing the degree varies according to the option the student selects. The minimum number of required units for completion of the MSN (AGPCNP) is 44. With graduate advisor approval, MSN students may apply more than 3 S/U units to the 44 units required.

Applicants who plan to apply graduate-level credit earned at another university to the University of Nevada, Reno may be able to satisfy specific course requirements in the nursing program. Applicants must provide specific course information for review to determine if the transferred courses are equivalent to university requirements. If approved, such courses may be included in the official program of study.

I. Program Requirements

II. Total Units (44-46)