Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

I. Contact Information

Stephanie DeBoor
(775) 682-7156
deboors2@unr.edu

II. Brief Introduction

The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) program prepares nurses to provide advanced practice in acute care settings through a program of study focused on the care of acutely ill patients and their families. An ACNP can diagnose and treat medical conditions. In collaboration with the physician and other members of the health care team, ACNPs provide direct care to patients from hospital admission through discharge. With an increasing inpatient population of acutely and critically, research has shown that nurse practitioners within these settings demonstrated evidence of reducing length of stay, hospital costs, and patient complications, while improving communication among the health care team, along with patient and family satisfaction.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

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.

IV. 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. Both schools must receive all application materials on or before March 1 for consideration for the fall semester.

• Have an overall undergraduate grade-point average of at least a 3.0.
• Complete a baccalaureate degree with an upper-division major in nursing from and NLNAC-or CCNE accredited nursing school. The baccalaureate degree curriculum must include the following specific course work:
  
  • Statistics
  • Growth and development (must cover lifespan)
  • Basic research
  • Health assessment
• Have verification of current 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.
• Submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). (Optional, required for those students applying for the MSN/MPH program of study).

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 is 35. With graduate advisor approval, MSN students may apply more than 3 S/U units to the 35 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.

V. Program Requirements

• NURS 705 - Diagnosis, Symptom, and Illness Management (3 units)
• NURS 706 - Introduction to Management of Acute Care Patients Lecture (2 units)
• NURS 707 - Introduction to Acute Care Practicum (2 units)
• NURS 709 - Advanced Prescribing Pharmacology for the Acutely Ill Patient (3 units)
• NURS 710 - Management of Chronic Illness in Acute Care Lecture (2 units)
• NURS 711 - Management of Chronic Illness in the Acute Care Patient Practicum (3 units)
• NURS 712 - Management of Comorbid Conditions in Acute Care Lecture (1 unit)
• NURS 713 - Management of Comorbid Conditions in Acute Care Setting Practicum (3 units)
• NURS 714 - Advanced Practice Introduction to Critical Care I Lecture (2 units)
• NURS 715 - Advanced Practice Introduction to Critical Care Practicum (5 units)
• NURS 716 - Advanced Ambulatory Pharmacy (1 to 3 units)
• NURS 717 - Advanced Pathophysiology (3 units)
• NURS 735 - Intro to Knowledge Development and Scientific Inquiry (3 units)
• NURS 736 - Health Care Policy and Social Justice (3 units)
• NURS 737 - Populations and Aggregate Health Issues (3 units)
• NURS 750 - Advanced Health Assessment (3 units)
• NURS 798 - Research Project (1 to 3 units) OR
• NURS 797 - Thesis (1 to 6 units)

VI. Program Total Hours (48-50 units)