Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP) BSN-DNP and Post-Graduate Certificate to DNP

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Students who apply to and are accepted into this track must complete all course work for both nurse practitioner specialties prior to being awarded the dual degree; a separate degree is not awarded for each specialty. Students who desire only the FNP specialty must apply to and be accepted into the regular FNP track. Likewise, students who desire only the AGACNP specialty must apply to and be accepted into the regular AGACNP track. Students entering the Dual Role (FNP/AGACNP) track must have at least one year of recent (within the past five years) direct patient care experience in the Emergency Department (ED) or the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Specialty areas such as the Cath lab, GI lab, Radiology, OR, Recovery Room etc. do not qualify.

▼ Support Courses

Students applying for a new certification must complete Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Physical Assessment Across the Life Span if the student has not yet taken them.

▼ NP Clinical Skills Intensive

Students in the Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron Acute Care NP) specialty are required to attend two NP Clinical Skills Intensives (CSI) provided by the USA Simulation Program. These on-campus Clinical Skills Intensives include basic skills workshops, simulation labs, and clinical exams.

All students in the Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron Acute Care NP) specialty are required to attend two mandatory on-campus NP Clinical Skills Intensives (CSI) provided by the USA Simulation Program. These on-campus CSI orientations include basic skills workshops, simulation labs, and clinical exams in the summer before each component of the Dual Role Program.

Students have the opportunity to request their preferred CSI group on a first come, first serve basis through the USA Simulation department after the request is sent out during the spring term. Various clinical skills workshops will be held during the orientation.

Prior to enrolling in AHN 548 and AHN 549, the first clinical course for the FNP Component, students in this program are required to attend FNP orientation and FNP Clinical Skills Intensives provided by the USA Simulation Program.

Please note the dates listed are for Clinical Skills Intensives only. The coordinator for each specialty track will provide full orientation dates:

FNP Clinical Skills Intensive Orientation Dates Phase 1:

Session 1 – July 14-15, 2022 (Th/F)
Session 2 – July 18-19, 2022 (M/T)
Session 3 – July 20-21, 2022 (W/Th)
Session 4 – July 25-26, 2022 (M/T)
Session 5 – July 27-28, 2022 (W/Th)
Session 6 – August 1-2, 2022 (M/T)

In the following year, prior to enrolling in AHN 552 and AHN 553, the first clinical course for the AGACNP Component, students will return to campus for AGACNP orientation and acute care clinical skills intensives.

In the summer, students will attend one of the three AGACNP orientation and clinical skills intensives. Students have the opportunity to request their preferred group on a first come, first serve basis through the simulation department after the request is sent out during the spring semester.

AGACNP Clinical Skills Intensive Orientation Dates Phase 2:

Session 1 - June 21-22, 2022 (T/W)
Session 2 - June 23-24, 2022 (Th/F)
Session 3 - June 27-28, 2022 (M/T)
Session 4 - June 29-30, 2022 (W/Th)
Session 5 - July 5-6, 2022 (T/W)

▼ Clinical Affiliations

Specialty tracks within the College of Nursing’s graduate program require a practice component. Although faculty assists students in locating appropriate practice/clinical sites, it is the student’s responsibility to secure a site and preceptor if indicated. Students who are unsuccessful in being accepted by an agency in their home community may have to travel to another area to complete practice requirements. Please review the list of Clinical Affiliations on the College of Nursing Web Site. If there is not a clinical site listed near you or you are interested in a site not listed, negotiations should be initiated as soon as you begin the program through the Track Coordinator for your specialty.

▼ DNP Residency

The program does not require a thesis or dissertation; however, students are required to complete an evidence-based scholarly project that results in a quality improvement change and has a substantial effect on healthcare and patient outcomes. Residency requirements for the scholarly project can be completed in the student’s home region with an approved mentor.

▼ Curriculum

BSN-DNP students complete all support, MSN core, MSN specialty, DNP Core, DNP Project Planning & Development and Residency courses for a total of 81 credit hours. Both MSN and DNP degrees must be completed within seven years. The MSN portion must be completed within the first five years of the program.

MSN-DNP students adding a new specialty must complete the support courses if they have not previously completed the courses in their MSN program. They must complete the specialty courses and support courses, if needed, to complete the Post-Graduate Certificate. The DNP core, DNP Project Planning & Development, and Residency courses are required for completion of the DNP degree. This program is a total of 72 or 81 credit hours, if support courses are needed. The Post-Graduate Certificate must be completed within two calendar years. The student has seven years to complete both the Post-Graduate Certificate and DNP degree for this program.

MSN-DNP for Advanced Practice Roles must only complete the DNP core, DNP Project Planning & Development, and Residency courses to complete the DNP degree. This is a total of 36 credit hours. The student has a total of five years to complete the degree requirements.

Curriculum
Support Courses
NU 518 - Advanced Nursing Assessment 3 credit hours
NU 545 - Physio-pathological Basis of Advanced Nursing 3 credit hours
NU 578 - Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses 3 credit hours
Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron Acute Care NP) Specialty Courses
AHN 538 - Health Promotion/Disease Prevention & Issues for Dual Role 2 credit hours
AHN 548 - Family Primary Care NP I 4 credit hours
AHN 549 - Family Primary Care NP Practicum I - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
AHN 550 - Family Primary Care NP II 4 credit hours
AHN 551 - Family Primary Care NP Practicum II- 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours
AHN 552 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP I 4 credit hours
AHN 553 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum I - 240 Clinical Hours 4 credit hours
AHN 554 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP II 4 credit hours
AHN 555 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP Practicum II - 300 Clinical Hours 5 credit hours
DNP Core Courses
NU 607 - Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing Practice 3 credit hours
NU 608 - Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Healthcare 3 credit hours
NU 610 - Healthcare Policy and Finance 3 credit hours
NU 613 - Organizational & Systems Leadership 3 credit hours
NU 611 - Translating Evidence Into Practice Systems 3 credit hours
NU 612 - Clinical Prevention and Population Health 3 credit hours
NU 615 - Quality Improvement and Outcomes Assessment 3 credit hours
NU 616 - Data Management & Decision Making in Complex Healthcare Systems 3 credit hours
Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Geron Acute Care NP) DNP Project Planning & Development and Residency
Adult-Geron Acute Care NP (DR)
AHN 670 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP (DR) Project Planning & Development 3 credit hours
AHN 671 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP (DR) Residency I - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours
AHN 672 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP (DR) Residency II - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours
AHN 673 - Adult-Geron Acute Care NP (DR) Residency III - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours
OR
Family NP (DR)
AHN 680 - Family NP (DR) Project Planning & Development 3 credit hours
AHN 681 - Family NP (DR) Residency I - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours
AHN 682 - Family NP (DR) Residency II - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours
AHN 683 - Family NP (DR) Residency III - 180 specialty clinical hours 3 credit hours

▼ Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certification

The University of South Alabama Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program provides the skills necessary for a rewarding career. Graduates are eligible and prepared to complete the appropriate national certification exam and apply for licensure to practice as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). It is the graduate’s responsibility to ensure the program meets the requirements to practice in their selected state or U.S. territory.

▼ Graduate Readmission

Graduate Readmission

▼ Important Links

Contacts

Please feel free to contact Dr. Misty Guy for more information about this specialty: mguy@southalabama.edu.