Online Post Graduate Nursing Certificate

Post Graduate Certificate - Family Nurse Practitioner

Take the next step after your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and pursue a post-graduate Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate. CTU’s FNP Certificate program is designed to help nurses with an MSN degree prepare to become advanced practice Family Nurse Practitioners.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of advanced practice nurses, including nursing practitioners, is expected to grow 38 percent from 2022 to 2032.¹ Prepare for your advanced licensure and national certification exam with the FNP certificate program at CTU.

Program Credits

5 Weeks

Course Length

Online

Location

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Program Overview

The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) post-graduate certificate program will help the MSN prepared nurse prepare to become an advanced practice Family Nurse Practitioner capable of managing the health care of individuals across the lifespan by providing preventive and primary care, promoting optimal health and wellbeing, and management of chronic illnesses.

Nurse practitioners are involved in patient history taking, physical examination, diagnostic testing, diagnosis, and treatment. Nurse practitioners are educated at the graduate level, prepared to take the national certification exam, and then licensed by the state to practice at an advanced level.

The FNP certificate integrates a foundation of evidence-based practice, population health, health policy, informatics and nursing theory, with concentration courses in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and assessment, to help the student prepare for rigorous FNP didactic and clinical coursework. The program’s 630 direct-care clinical hours are designed to provide the student with the clinical experience needed to develop in their new role and deliver primary care for families. Combining didactic coursework with direct care clinical experience, students study how to manage care that is interdisciplinary, collaborative and culturally appropriate as well as provide primary care to diverse, underserved, and vulnerable populations across the lifespan.

FNPs work independently as well as collaboratively with other clinicians and health care and social service professionals in a variety of settings, such as clinics, schools, hospitals, homes, workplaces and community-based organizations.

The PGC-FNP prepares nurses for advanced licensure and to sit for the national certification exam. Certification exam applicants may be denied exam eligibility based on a past criminal record.

College of Nursing Mission Statement

Through an innovative curriculum and student-centered teaching, the nursing faculty teaches, supports, and inspires students to become competent, caring, and accountable professionals who serve a diverse client population within a dynamic health care environment.

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Courses

Courses - Concentration		Credits
NRSG650 This course builds upon prior undergraduate pathophysiology competencies to assist the student in preparation for the advanced practice registered nurse role. This course will examine normal physiology, pathology, clinical manifestations, and disease states as it relates to the care of individuals across the lifespan.Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	Advanced Pathophysiology for the Nurse Practitioner	4
NRSG651 This course builds upon prior undergraduate pharmacology competencies to assist the student in preparation for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse role. The course will examine pharmacotherapetics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics related to the care of individuals across the lifespan. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	Advanced Pharmacology for the Nurse Practitioner	6
NRSG652 This course builds upon prior undergraduate physical assessment competencies to assist the student in preparation for the advanced practice registered nurse role. This course will provide the student an opportunity to develop advanced physical assessment skills for patients across the lifespan. This course has a 2 credit lab component. Students must successfully complete both the lab component, NRSG653 Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner Lab, and didactic component, NRSG652 Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner, to pass this course. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner	4
NRSG653 This course provides students with an opportunity to apply skills and competency instruction delivered during NRSG652 Advanced Physical Assessment in a lab setting. This course requires the student to attend a face-to-face clinical competency verification with College of Nursing faculty. This course is taken in conjunction with NRSG652 Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner. Failure to successfully complete this lab course will result in a failing grade in both NRSG652 Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner and NRSG653 Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner Lab. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	Advanced Physical Assessment for the Nurse Practitioner Lab	2
NRSG654 This course will evaluate the advanced practice roles in nursing. Students explore concepts related to the Nurse Practitioner role, scope of practice and regulatory requirements. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	Role of the Nurse Practitioner	3
NRSG655 This course allows students the opportunity to synthesize knowledge from advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment into the development of holistic patient-centered plans of care for adult, geriatric and frail elderly patients. Students will be required to utilize evidence-based practice in the treatment and evaluation of healthcare outcomes of the patient across the adult life continuum. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPI Advanced Nursing Practice: Care of the adult, geriatric and frail elderly	6
NRSG656 This course allows students the opportunity to synthesize knowledge from advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment into the development of holistic patient-centered plans of care for women across the lifespan. Students will be required to utilize evidence-based practice in the assessment, treatment and evaluation of healthcare outcomes of women across the life continuum. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPII Advanced Nursing Practice: Women’s Health	2
NRSG657 This course allows students the opportunity to synthesize knowledge from advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment into the development of holistic pediatric patient-centered plan of care. Students will be required to utilize evidence-based practice in the assessment, treatment and evaluation of healthcare outcomes of the pediatric patient. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPIII Advanced Nursing Practice: Pediatrics	2
NRSG660 This course allows the Family Nurse Practitioner student the opportunity to apply newly learned theory from advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment into the development of holistic patient-centered care for adult, women, geriatric and frail elderly patients. Students will be required to demonstrate the use of evidence-based practice in the treatment and evaluation of healthcare outcomes of the patient across the adult life continuum, including pregnancy. This course is taken as a series of NRSG660A (3 credits), NRSG660B (3 credits), NRSG660C (2 credits), which must be completed sequentially in separate sessions. This series requires completion of 240 supervised direct care practicum hours (80 of which are in women’s health) with the adult population. The entire series must be completed in order for a grade to be granted. The preceptor must be approved by the College of Nursing prior to enrollment in this course. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPI Practicum: Advanced nursing care of the adult, geriatric and women patients	8
NRSG661 This course allows the Family Nurse Practitioner student the opportunity to apply newly learned theory from advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment into the development of holistic pediatric patient-centered care. Students will be required to demonstrate evidence-based practice in the assessment, treatment and evaluation of healthcare outcomes of the pediatric patient. This course is taken as a series of NRSG661A (3 credits) and NRSG661B (3 credits), which must be completed sequentially in separate sessions. This course requires completion of 180 supervised direct care practicum hours with a pediatric population. The entire series must be completed in order for a grade to be granted. The preceptor must be approved by the College of Nursing prior to enrollment in this course. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPII Practicum: Advanced nursing care of the pediatric patient	6
NRSG662 This course allows the Family Nurse Practitioner student to integrate core nursing concepts such as evidence-based practice, population health, policy, informatics, nursing theory, and Family Nurse Practitioner competencies in preparation for an independent advanced practice registered nurse role. This course is taken as a series of NRSG662A (3 credits) and NRSG662B (2 credits) and NRSG662C (2 credits), which must be completed sequentially in separate sessions. This course requires completion of 210 supervised direct care practicum hours with patients across the lifespan. The entire series must be completed in order for a grade to be granted. The preceptor must be approved by the College of Nursing prior to enrollment in this course. This course has a 2 credit lab component and NRSG662B and NRSG662C are taken in conjunction with NRSG663A (1 credit) and NRSG663B (1 credit), respectively. Students must successfully complete both NRSG662 FNPIII Practicum: Advanced nursing care across the lifespan and NRSG663 FNPIII Advanced nursing care across the lifespan, Lab to pass this course. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPIII Practicum: Advanced nursing care across the lifespan	7
NRSG663 This course provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate skills and competencies delivered throughout the program of study. This course requires the student to attend a face-to-face Family Nurse Practitioner competency verification with College of Nursing faculty. This course is taken sequentially as NRSG663A (1 credit) and NRSG663B (1 credit), in separate sessions in conjunction with NRSG662B and NRSG662C, FNPIII Practicum: Advanced nursing care across the lifespan, respectively. Failure to successfully complete this lab course will result in a failing grade in both NRSG662 FNPIII Practicum: Advanced nursing care across the lifespan and NRSG663 FNPIII Advanced nursing care across the lifespan, Lab. Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in all core and concentration courses to pass the course in the program.	FNPIII Advanced nursing care across the lifespan, Lab	2
	Total Credit Hours:	52

Total Credit Hours: 52

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Learning Outcomes

FNP Certificate Program Outcomes:

Integrate technology in patient care management to improve health outcomes.
Operate as an independent practitioner in the management of healthcare for patients across the lifespan.
Formulate ethical plans of care which incorporate knowledge from current research, clinical guidelines, practice and assessment to improve health outcomes.
Employ complex and advanced leadership skills in guiding change to improve health outcomes.

Faculty

Dr. Rose Nieves

University Dean

Dr. Rose Nieves is the Dean of the College of Nursing for Colorado Technical University. In this role, she leverages her vast experience as a nursing leader, educator and healthcare provider to help assess, mold, develop and direct the College of Nursing.

Dr. Kelly White

Executive Program Director

Dr. Kelly White is the Executive Program Director of Nursing and Health Studies at Colorado Technical University. With more than 25 years of experience in nursing education and leadership, she has actively participated in the changing needs of nursing students, faculty and in the transforming healthcare arena.

For more faculty profiles please visit our Leadership and Faculty page.
For more information visit the College of Nursing.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Possess a Master of Science in Nursing (in non-FNP concentration) from a programmatically accredited program.
MSN GPA of 3.0
Provide a current resume which demonstrates a minimum of one year recent direct care experience.

CTU has made a determination that this curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

CTU has made a determination that this curriculum does not meet the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia.

This information is subject to change; CTU will update these lists as information becomes available.

Resources

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¹ “Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, visited April 29, 2024. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm. These job titles do not reflect specific degree program outcomes, but are provided as general industry career paths. This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.
² Tuition cost and program length assume a student will enter the program with the minimum or maximum prior MSN courses applicable to the CTU certificate, will be continuously enrolled, and will satisfactorily complete all program requirements for graduation. The total tuition cost will increase and program length may change due to academic failure of courses and/or withdrawals and drops. Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. CTU cannot guarantee transfer or other credit will be accepted; please see University Transfer Credit Policy.

At this time, Colorado Technical University cannot accept inquiries for this certificate program from residents of the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming, or the European Union (EU).

CTU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement.
Not all programs are available to residents of all states. Programs vary by location and modality; see the University Catalog for details.