Post-Graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner Program

College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Dean
Carrie Keib, College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Graduate Nursing Program Director
J. Kimberly Higginbotham, PhD, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

Family Nurse Practitioner Coordinator

Post-Graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner Program

The Post-Graduate APRN Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program prepares advanced practice nursing students with a broad-based education, including three graduate-level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, pharmacology, health assessment, and direct care clinical experiences. The FNP curriculum integrates the scientific process, current evidence, and national standards of care with a holistic approach to equip students to provide primary care across the lifespan.

Certification Disclosure:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) graduates are qualified to seek national certification through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Licensure Disclosure:

The Ashland University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, Health Systems Leadership Graduate Nursing Certificate and Nurse Educator Graduate Nursing Certificate meet the requirements to apply for licensure and are authorized in the following states and U.S. territories: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

 The Ashland University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Post-Graduate APRN Certificate, Health Systems Leadership Graduate Nursing Certificate and Nurse Educator Graduate Nursing Certificate do NOT meet the requirements to apply for licensure and are NOT authorized in the following states and U.S. territories: Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Delaware, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, the Virgin Islands, Washington and Wyoming.

 If a student’s permanent residence is in a state or territory that is not authorized and does NOT meet the requirements to apply for licensure, they can only enroll in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, Master of Science in Nursing Program, Post-Graduate Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Certificates, and Graduate Nursing Certificates if they agree that, upon graduation, they intend to seek employment in a state that meets the requirements to apply for licensure. Students must sign a formal attestation form.

 If a student’s state of residence changes during the enrollment in the graduate nursing program the student may be at risk for residing in a state that does NOT meet the requirements to apply for licensure. Students must sign a formal attestation form

Admission Requirements

1. Earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science/Master of Science in Nursing with a minimum 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale). Applicants with a GPA <3.0 (>2.50) may apply and be considered for admission) with evidence for academic success.

2. Submission of official transcript from an accredited baccalaureate degree in nursing program and Master of Science/Master of Science in Nursing program. Transcripts must show completion of undergraduate statistics course.

3. Submission of active, unencumbered registered nurse licensure in the United States.

4. Submission of two academic or professional letters of recommendation (faculty or employer supervisor).

5. Completion of essay questions to be evaluated on overall content and writing competence.

6. RN work experience (one year of experience preferred).

7. Interview with graduate nursing faculty (Upon request).

*Students that have earned an ADN to MSN must submit an official transcript from a Master of Science/Master of Science in Nursing Program..

How to Apply

Applications can be submitted online at https://www.ashland.edu/apply.

1. Completed Ashland University Application

2. Submit a $30 application fee

3. Submit official academic transcript(s) from accredited institutions of higher education documenting all undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded.

4. Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above

5. Submit a copy of active RN Licensure

Ashland University
Attn: Enrollment Services
401 College Avenue
Ashland, OH 44805

Official Electronic transcripts should be submitted to: enroll-grad@ashland.edu

For further information, contact a Graduate Admission Representative at 419.521.6849 or 419.289.5738 or email: grad-admissions@ashland.edu.

Program Completion Timeline

Post-Graduate APRN Certificate students must complete all requirements within three years after matriculation in the program. Students in NP tracks are at risk of not meeting state Board of Nursing pharmacology time constraint requirements if program curriculum plan is not followed.

Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Program Curriculum

The online format of the program allows flexibility. Students enrolled in the Post-Graduate APRN Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner Program have required on campus experiences during the specialty track courses.

*Gap Analysis: Formal gap analysis of past graduate education (didactic, clinical hours, and courses) to determine additional didactic courses and faculty supervised clinical hours to meet the NP program outcomes.

Post-Graduate APRN Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Post-Graduate APRN Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner Program, the student will be able to:

1. Synthesize and translate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as a framework for clinical judgement, evidence-based practice, and ethical decision making for advanced nursing practice.

2. Integrate health care priorities and societal needs to evaluate health policy and advocate for person centered care of diverse individuals, families, and populations.

3. Coordinate with interprofessional partnerships using informatics and healthcare technologies to facilitate safe, quality, and equitable care across complex systems of healthcare.

4. Cultivate dimensions of professionalism, personal well-being, and leadership growth in advanced nursing practice with life-long sustainability.

5. Demonstrate competence in advanced nursing practice with specific tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.