Post-Master's Certificate: Nurse Practitioner (Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner)

Individuals who have a master's degree in nursing may be considered for admission to a Post-master's Certificate as a Nurse Practitioner.

Those students admitted to the Certificate program must have completed a graduate Physical Assessment course, a Pharmacology course, and a course in Pathophysiology with a grade of B or better (The three 'Ps'). The Pharmacology course must have been successfully completed within 6 years of the anticipated completion of the Post-Master's Certificate. Prerequisite courses for the Post-Master's Certificate are not required that are part of the MSN degree since all students admitted to the Certificate program must have a master's degree in nursing. Therefore, courses within the MSN are waived as pre-requisite except the Assessment, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology.

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who holds a master’s or doctoral degree in a specific population focus.  These include family, adult-gerontology (primary or acute care), neonatal, pediatrics (primary or acute care), women’s health, or psychiatric-mental health populations.  Texas Woman’s University offers programs for family, adult-gerontology (primary and acute care), pediatric primary care, women’s health, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner tracks.

The Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse practitioner provides initial, ongoing, and comprehensive care, which includes taking comprehensive histories, providing physical examinations and other health assessments and screening activities, and diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with acute and chronic illnesses and diseases within a specialty or inpatient setting. One year of Critical Care or Intensive Care Unit experience is required prior to admission to this program.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

1. Work well with teams and complete project work.
2. Collect and analyze information, problem-solve, and make decisions.
3. Effectively communicate through a variety of mediums and modes.

Admissions

All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.

The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.

Certificate Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours Required

27 semester credit hours (SCH).

Prerequisites

These courses are considered prerequisites to a Post-Master's Certificate. If a student is practicing as an advanced practice registered nurse and is currently credentialed by the Texas Board of Nursing as an advanced practice registered nurse, the pharmacology course must have been completed no more than six years earlier (must be current within six years of anticipated certificate completion). If not, this coursework will need to be repeated for the new certificate. 

Required Courses