Adult Health/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

Faculty Coordinator:
Christine Mueller, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
612-626-4922 or cmueller@umn.edu

Specialty Area Information:
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, with a specialty in adult health and gerontological nursing as a nurse practitioner, prepares nurses for leadership as advanced practice nurses and clinical experts to provide advanced nursing care to adults and elders in a variety of settings. This  DNP program is for students who already hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing, and involves both coursework and practicum experiences as well as a final internship where the student has the opportunity focus on a sub-specialty area (e.g. oncology, cardiology, palliative care), if desired. Graduates work in primary care/ambulatory care settings, hospitals, group practices of advanced practice gerontological nurses that manage care of adults and older adults in nursing homes, transitional care settings, and assisted living, and specialty practices.

The adult health and gerontological specialty offers leadership preparation for nurses desiring expertise in advanced nursing assessment and management for health promotion and disease prevention, management of complex health conditions, and working with interdisciplinary teams to provide care and services for persons ranging from adolescents, adults and older adults. Students ground their studies in the science of nursing interventions, moral/ethical issues, and nursing research. Practicum experiences are arranged to meet the individual needs of students while also meeting accreditation and certification requirements. In addition to completing core studies in the specialty, students also gain skills in evidence-based practice, program evaluation, informatics, teaching/learning, health economics, health care policy, and epidemiology. A final project that is a systematic investigation of a practice problem is planned, implemented, and completed during the curriculum.

Multiple opportunities are available for students to:

• Work with nationally and internationally recognized faculty members conducting research on health care issues of adults and the elderly.
• Become an active member in and have access to resources available from the School of Nursing Center for Gerontological Nursing
• Apply as a Hartford Nursing Geriatric Education Scholar  (includes a 1 year career development program with financial resources)
• Practice with renowned practitioner preceptors in innovative health care settings.
• Attend lectures/seminars/conferences presented by prominent leaders in nursing and gerontology.
• Participate in innovative interdisciplinary education experiences.

Jobs/Roles of ANP/GNP
ANP/GNPs work in collaboration with physicians in a variety of settings, the most common providing primary care to adults and elders in long term care facilities, transitional care units, and assisted living facilities. ANP/GNPs also work in ambulatory clinics, health maintenance organizations, and in independent or specialty practices.

Certification
Completion of required coursework and practice hours in adult health and gerontological nursing provides eligibility to take both the adult nurse practitioner and gerontological nurse practitioner certification examinations through the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Admission to the ANP/GNP Area of Study
ANP/GNP course work starts fall term and includes approximately 1000 hours of clinical experience. Efforts are made to provide students with practica in a variety of clinical settings within their geographical area. Practica are under the direction of ANP/GNP certified faculty, and supervised by certified nurse practitioner preceptors or physicians. Applicants are required to have at least one year of experience working with the adult and elderly population.

Those students interested in ANP/GNP specialty that are not selected may be placed on a waiting list. If placed on a waiting list, it does not ensure entrance into the ANP/GNP area of study for the following year. If you are not selected from the waiting list, you must reapply to be considered for admission.

Those students already enrolled in Graduate School at the School of Nursing may apply for the ANP/GNP specialty by completing a new School of Nursing application and a Graduate School Change of Status form.

Students who have completed a Master's of Science degree in nursing and are interested in pursuing coursework which would allow them to take the ANCC GNP certification examination  or the ANCC ANP certification exam may apply for the Post-Masters Certificate Program.


Courses in the Curriculum

• Assessment and Management of Health for Advanced Practice Nurses I*
• Assessment and Management of Health for Advanced Practice Nurses II*
• Advanced Nursing Care for Older Adults*
• Adv Practice Nurse Internship*
• Advanced Physiology
• DNP Proseminar
• DNP Seminar 1
• DNP Seminar 2
• DNP Seminar 3
• Economics of Health Care
• Epidemiology
• Evidence Based practice
• Health Care Leadership for a Changing World
• Health Policy Leadership
• Health Promotion and Primary Care of Adolescents, Adults and Elders I
• Holistic Health Assessment
• Interdisciplinary Healthcare
• Informatics
• Introduction to Complementary & Alternative Therapies
• Moral & Ethical Positions in Nursing
• Nursing Research
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacotherapeutics
• Program Evaluation
• Reproductive Health Care for Women*
• Science of Nursing Intervention
• Statistics
• Teaching & Learning in Nursing

*Includes practicum hours