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School of Nursing offers Nurse Practitioner acute care specialties online

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Registered nurses (RN) seeking to advance their education and clinical practice now have even more flexibility and options through one of the nation’s most trusted and respected names in nursing. Starting this fall, the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing will begin offering full-time and part-time executive online courses for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees in several acute care specializations. Enrollment for the fall 2016 semester is now open for the School of Nursing’s Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program.

Enrollment for the executive online Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs will open July 15, 2016 for the fall 2017 semester. All MSN acute care curricula will be delivered in a hybrid format that incorporates both face-to-face instruction and online learning. The majority of the coursework will be delivered online with on-campus classes meeting just once a month for intensive content delivery, simulations, procedural skills labs and competency validation. 

“The School of Nursing’s new hybrid format for MSN acute care specialties offers registered nurses the best of both worlds with face-to-face instruction as well as the convenience and flexibility they need to balance their studies with their current job or family responsibilities,” said Carolyn Clevenger, RN, DNP, assistant dean for MSN Education.

Emory’s graduate nursing program was recently ranked 8th in the nation by U.S. News & World ReportThe MSN acute care programs blend state-of-the-art simulation techniques with an established program designed to prepare nurse practitioners for management of patients across a range of high-acuity environments, including hospital medicine, critical care medicine, and specialty practices, such as trauma, cardiology, surgery, orthopedics.

Emory offers the only MSN Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program in the State of Georgia and one of only a few programs nationwide. The new online format is a significant benefit for the large number of out-of-state applicants who no longer need to relocate to attend classes. The 46 credit-hour program prepares nurses to perform comprehensive assessments, diagnostic evaluations, and symptom and disease management for neonates and infants through the age two. Students benefit from low faculty-to-student ratios and personalized attention through virtual office hours as well as through face-to-face interaction during weekend on-campus interactions. The university’s partnerships with more than 500 clinical sites offer students experience in a wide range of care settings. Faculty negotiate all clinical contracts and preceptor agreements, freeing students to focus on their studies and the needs of their patients and families. MSN Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program graduates are eligible to take the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner certification exam offered by The National Certification Corporation. Program graduates typically score well above the national average on the certification exam and are employed before or soon-after completion of the program.

The fall 2017 MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialties will follow a similar format to the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program. Previous nursing experience will be required for the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Classes will be conducted primarily online with intensive on-campus classes held once a month. 

The MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner will prepare students to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to young adults and older adults who are acutely ill. The 49 credit-hour curriculum focuses on building core competencies in advanced health assessment, clinical decision making and diagnosis, advanced pharmacology, and disease management. Seminars and clinical experiences emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of acute illness on the patient and family. Graduates of the MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner are eligible for national certification through the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).   

The 49-credit hour Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner prepares students to meet the needs of infants and children with complex and rapidly changing clinical conditions across a diverse range of acute care settings. Emphasis is placed on family-centered, culturally sensitive care. Graduates who complete the Pediatric Acute Care NP program are eligible for national certification through the Pediatric Nurse Credentialing Board (PNCB).      

For updates and information about the MSN Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs, visit: apply.nursing.emory.edu/register/info-request


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