Nursing: Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (Post Master’s Certificate)

This program prepares RNs or NP’s who have an Master’s degree in nursing to function as Nurse Practitioners in ambulatory or community-based areas. AGNPs provide comprehensive care to the entire spectrum of adults including young adults, adults and older adults; theyprovide primary care services incorporating health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and disease management. Graduates of this specialty are eligible to take the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner certification examination prepared by an approved national organization as accepted by the Board of Registration in Nursing and to apply to practice in the expanded role in their state based on regulatory guidelines.

The 12- or 21-credit certificate program is designed to assist RNs or NP’s who have an MS degree in nursing to acquire the knowledge and clinical experience that will prepare them to sit for national certification exams as gerontological practitioners.

The 21-credit option is open to RNs with a master’s degree in nursing from an NLN- or CCNE-accredited program. The program of study includes 9 credits of didactic study and 12 credits of clinical course work, including 600 hours of clinical practice in the gerontology specialty area. It may be completed in two semesters full-time or four semesters part-time.

The 12-credit option is open to RNs with strong clinical backgrounds, a master’s degree in nursing, and current national certification as a family, adult, pediatric, or gerontological nurse practitioner, who wish to sit for certification exams in a second specialty area. Students complete a minimum of 6 credits of didactic and 6 credits of clinical course work, including 300 hours of clinical practice. Participants concentrate in gerontology nursing advanced practice nursing. The program may be completed in one semester full-time or two semesters part-time.

All prerequisite and required certificate courses are offered online.

Students are invited to contact the program director to determine which of the two programs will meet their individual needs. With permission of the program director, and subject to the general University transfer credit policies outlined in the “General Academic Regulations” section of this publication, students may transfer one equivalent graduate-level course into the certificate program.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites for the program include evidence of graduate coursework in advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and the role of the advanced practice nurse. If the applicant’s coursework in advanced pharmacology exceeds 5 years, they will need to repeat the course.

Applicants are not required to submit Graduate Record Examination Scores.

21 Credit Option for RNs

Open to RNs with an MS in nursing from an NLN or CCNE accredited program. The program of study includes nine credits of didactic study and 12 credits of clinical practice in gerontology practice.

Note: Both prerequisite and required certificate courses are offered online. If you are not a Massachusetts resident and are considering applying to an online nursing program please see if your state is eligible at https://umb.edu/academics/cnhs/nursing/professional_development/family_nurse_practitioners.

12 Credit Post-Master’s Option in Gerontology Nursing Practice

Open to Adult NP’s with an MS in nursing and current national certification as a family, adult, or pediatric, nurse practitioner. Acute care NPs will be considered based on their evidence of experience and course content in primary care. Students must complete a minimum of six credits of didactic and six credits of clinical coursework, including 300 hours of clinical practice.

Both prerequisite and required certificate courses are all offered online. If you are not a Massachusetts resident and are considering applying to an online nursing program, please see if your state is eligible at https://umb.edu/academics/cnhs/nursing/professional_development/family_nurse_practitioners.

Clinical Experiences

All students in the 21-credit option must complete 600 hours of documented supervised clinical experience. Students in the 12-credit option must complete 300 hours of clinical experience. Students need to arrange their own clinical experiences.

All practicum experiences are subject to the approval of the certificate program director. The agency must be under contract agreement with the UMass Boston College of Nursing and Health Sciences and that working agreement will be facilitated by the post master’s program assistant prior to the start of the clinical course. Students are advised that preceptors must be either Master’s prepared NPs, or MDs with evidence of current licensure.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for all graduate studies programs listed in the “Admissions” section of this publication, prospective students applying to the Post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Certificate Programs must also meet the following requirements:

A master’s degree in nursing from an NLNAC- or CCNE-approved graduate program in nursing
A cumulative grade point average in undergraduate work of at least 2.75
A cumulative grade point average in graduate work of at least 3.0
Evidence of grades of B or better in graduate- level courses in advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced physiology within the past 7 years (pharmacology within the past 5 years)
A current unrestricted Massachusetts license in nursing or a current license in another state in which the student lives and is doing their clinical practicum
Evidence of at least two years of strong professional nursing experience
Evidence of clinical placement commitments (necessary to fulfill the clinical objectives of the certificate) with master’s-prepared nurse practitioners
Evidence of national certifications in advanced practice nursing specialty
Residence in a state whose Board of Education has no restrictions related to out-of-state online program offerings

NOTE: If you are not a Massachusetts resident and are considering applying to an online nursing program, please see if your state is eligible by clicking here.