Adult Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Is This Program Right for Me?

Our post-graduate certificate program is uniquely designed for APRNs who have completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and are seeking to align their certification with their current or future scope of practice.

In this fast-paced program, graduate learners will be prepared to care for persons with complex, acute health conditions; expanding their ability to manage the health needs of adults and older adults across the care spectrum.

Consider the following as you decide to pursue your AGACNP certification:

• Adult Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) graduates practice most frequently in the following specialties¹:
  • Cardiovascular Care (20.5%)
  • Critical Care (12.1 %)
  • General Hospitalist (6.3%)
• AGACNPs typically practice in the following settings¹
  • Hospital (28%)
  • Hospital-based specialty clinic (16%)
  • Private practice (7.7%)
  • Public university (6.5%)
• Roughly half the AGACNPs employed in hospital settings are credentialed to independently perform invasive procedures which include the following²:
  • Placement of arterial lines and central venous catheters
  • Intubation
  • Chest tube insertion and removal
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Paracentesis and Thoracentesis
• The health conditions most frequently treated by AGACNPs most frequently include¹ 
  • Hypertension
  • Heart failure
  • Upper respiratory illness

Why Adult Gerontological Acute Care?

• AGACNPs improve healthcare access, reduce readmissions, improve care quality, support physician training, and improve care continuity in hospital and critical care settings³
• Projected retention in the AGACNP specialty is high with 64.7% of AGACNP respondents stating they would stay in their current position for 6-10 years or more. ¹
• The work is satisfying. Results of the AANP survey demonstrated that 88% of the AGACNPs were satisfied with their position.¹
• The role and scope of practice for AGACNPs is growing, providing more diverse opportunities for employment than ever before⁴

Why the University of Minnesota?

• Our post-graduate certificate program is the only one of its kind in the Twin Cities 
• We understand that DNP professionals seeking additional certification often have multiple responsibilities and time commitments. We designed our program with this in mind.
  • Our faculty use flexible content delivery methods including online and hybrid platforms
  • Asynchronous teaching methods
  • Limited on-campus days with combined hands-on learning experiences and lectures
• We partner with acute care hospitals across the Twin Cities, offering a wide range of clinical experiences