Nurse Practitioner (Post-Graduate Certificate)

Admissions Criteria

A holistic review process is used when considering applications for admission.  The holistic review considers multiple criteria for admissions, including the applicant's professional career goals, academic capabilities, grade point averages, work experience, leadership, and community engagement.

The University of Louisville School of Nursing participates in Nursing's Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS), which provides you with an online application.  NursingCAS collects and processes your application documents and verifies your transcripts.  The School of Nursing will receive your application information from NursingCAS and use it to make admission decisions.

Only registered nurses holding a Master of Science degree in nursing or a terminal degree (e.g., PhD, EdD, DNP) are eligible to apply. To be considered for admission to the post graduate APRN certificate  program, the following items must be submitted:

To the Graduate School

To NursingCAS

  1. Official Transcripts representing all college course work.  Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must be from a regionally accredited institution and a CCNE-, ACEN-, or NLN-accredited nursing program. Recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. MSN-DNP recommended graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. 
  2. Applicants who have attended a college or university outside of the United States are also required to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcripts through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).   Recommended graduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  3. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your academic and/or professional capabilities and potential. Recommendations should be requested from former faculty members, current or immediate past employers, or other nursing/health professionals. Recommendations must have been completed within the last year. 
  4. Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV) including RN license number.
  5. Unencumbered RN license from a US state board of nursing. 
  6. Response to all questions asked on the Nursing CAS application.
  7. Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency.

Additional requirements for acute care specialties:

Neonatal specialty: Minimum of one year of RN clinical experience in a Level III or Level IV NICU required prior to admission. All NNP applicants must have the equivalent of two years of full-time RN clinical experience (within the last 5 years) in Level III and/or IV NICU inpatient settings before beginning clinical courses.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care specialty: One year of RN experience in the ICU or one year of RN experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year of RN clinical practice in an ICU  before beginning clinical courses.  Applicants that do not have one year of RN experience at the point of application, but will complete one year prior to beginning clinical courses, will satisfy the work requirement.   

Pediatric Acute Care specialty: One year of RN experience in an acute care setting or one year of RN experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year in an acute care setting before beginning clinical courses.

Prerequisite Requirements

Core Courses
NURS 740Advanced Pharmacology 13
NURS 741Advanced Pathophysiology4
NURS 742Advanced Physical Assessment 13
Minimum Total Hours10

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Specialty Requirements

Minimum clinical hour requirements:  APRNs seeking an additional specialty will complete a minimum of 504 population-specific clinical hours.  All other students will be required to complete a minimum of 672 clinical  hours. Pediatric acute care nurse practitioner specialty requires a minimum of 588 clinical hours if there is no documentation of well-child care in primary certification. 

A program of study for postgraduate applicants will be created based upon a gap analysis of all official college transcripts and professional credentials.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required in all course work to meet graduation requirements. 

Adult Gerontology Acute Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NUPRCNPAGPA

The patient population of the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner practice includes the entire spectrum of adults including adolescents, adults, and aging adults. Acute care nurse practitioners work in the intensive care unit (ICU), progressive care unit (PCU), other  hospital units and specialty provider's offices.

Courses
NURS 760Gerontology Pharmacology1
NURS 776Procedures and Diagnostics for the Acute Care NP I 1
NURS 777The Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP Role1
NURS 779Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care I4
NURS 780Procedures and Diagnostics for the Acute Care NP II2
NURS 781Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care II3
NURS 782DNP Clinical Completion 21-6
NURS 783Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care III1
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours17-22

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NUPRCNPAGP

The patient population of the adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner practice includes the entire spectrum of the adults including adolescents, adults and aging adults.  An Adult-Gerontology NP could work in the following settings:  internal medicine offices, health clinics, a specialty office, hospital rehab or a hospice unit; long term care facility, fast-track ER, or adult urgent care facility.

Courses
NURS 753Adolescent Well Child Theory1
NURS 754Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing 1
NURS 755Diagnosis and Management of Adult Health in Primary Care4
NURS 756Procedures & Diagnostics for Adult Health2
NURS 757Diagnosis and Management of Women's Health in Primary Care2
NURS 758Diagnosis and Management of Mental Health in Primary Care2
NURS 759Diagnosis and Management of the Older Adult in Primary Care2
NURS 760Gerontology Pharmacology1
NURS 782DNP Clinical Completion 21-6
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours19-24

Family Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NUPRCNFNP

The family nurse practitioner (FNP) is prepared to care for individuals and families across the lifespan. An FNP could work in the following settings:  health clinic, adult or pediatric primary care office, inpatient rehab or hospice unit, school, fast-track ER, or urgent care facility.

Courses
NURS 754Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing 1
NURS 755Diagnosis and Management of Adult Health in Primary Care4
NURS 756Procedures & Diagnostics for Adult Health
NURS 757Diagnosis and Management of Women's Health in Primary Care 2
NURS 758Diagnosis and Management of Mental Health in Primary Care2
NURS 760Gerontology Pharmacology1
NURS 761Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory2
NURS 762Diagnosis & Management of Pediatrics in Primary Care2
NURS 782DNP Clinical Completion 21-6
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours18-23

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NUPRCNPNNP

Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) provide health care to neonates, infants, and children through 2 years of age.  The NNP role includes the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic illness in neonates, infants, and children.

Courses
NURS 761Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory2
NURS 763Advanced Neonatal Physiology & Pathophysiology I3
NURS 764Neonatal Diagnostic Reasoning I1
NURS 765Advance Neonatal Physiology & Pathophysiology II3
NURS 766Neonatal Diagnostic Reasoning II1
NURS 767Neonatal Residency I3
NURS 768Neonatal Residency II3
NURS 769Neonatal Residency III3
NURS 784Advanced Neonatal Pharmacology3
NURS 785Advanced Neonatal Assessment3
NURS 786Human Embryology and Genetics3
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours31

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NURPCNPPSY

Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) focus on individuals across the lifespan, families, and populations across the lifespan at risk for developing and/or having a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders or mental health problems. This includes assessment, diagnosis, and management of mental health and psychiatric disorders across the lifespan.

Courses
NURS 770Advanced Psych Assessment & Clinical Interview2
NURS 771Psychopathology2
NURS 772Psychopharmacology2
NURS 773Management of Psychiatric/Mental Health Conditions: Foundation of Individual Psychotherapy3
NURS 774Diagnosis and Management in Psych/Mental Health: Group Psychotherapy and Care of Special Populations3
NURS 775Diagnosis and Management of Special Populations in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing3
NURS 782DNP Clinical Completion 21-6
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours19-24

Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSCPGPAC

The pediatric acute care nurse practitioner (PACNP) is educationally prepared to provide advanced nursing care to meet the specialized needs of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with complex, acute, critical, and chronic health conditions, including the delivery of acute care services, as delineated in the acute care nurse practitioner competencies. PACNPs work in hospital-based pediatric acute care areas, pediatric intensive care units, pediatric cardiac intensive care units, emergency departments, and pediatric specialty practices that manage acutely ill patients.

Courses
NURS 761Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory2
NURS 762Diagnosis & Management of Pediatrics in Primary Care2
NURS 782DNP Clinical Completion 21-6
NURS 800Pathophysiology for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 801Pharmacology for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 802Procedures for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 803Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care I: Special Needs in Chronic Illness3
NURS 804Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care II: Acute Illness2
NURS 805Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care III: Critical Illness3
NURS 806The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role1
NURS 807The Professional Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse 3
Minimum Total Hours20-25
1

Course not required for Neonatal specialty.

2

NURS 782 is a variable credit course and can be completed at the student's desired pace.  Students may elect to take the course 1-6 credit hours per semester.  One (1) credit hour = 84 clinical contact hours.  APRNs seeking an additional specialty will complete a minimum of 504 clinical hours.  All other students will be required to complete a minimum of 672 clinical hours (8 credits).

Graduates from the APRN certificate program are eligible for national certification in an advanced practice specialty upon graduation; however, educational preparation does not guarantee professional licensure. If you have questions regarding Kentucky APRN licensure, please contact the Kentucky Board of Nursing. For APRN  licensure questions in other states, please contact the respective state board of nursing (https://ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm).