Degree Options
Master of Science in Nursing
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The acute care nurse practitioner track is a 43-credit-hour, 600-clinical-hour program that prepares students to provide direct patient care to adults with complex, acute illnesses. Many times these patients have multiple problems and chronic underlying conditions. Graduates will be eligible for certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Association as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. The program is designed for either part-time or full-time study. You must have a minimum of two years' recent full-time critical care or emergency department experience before applying.
The curriculum focuses on adults with complex, acute illnesses who are cared for in intensive care units, emergency departments, trauma units, or specialty practices. The track emphasizes critical thinking, case analysis and problem solving, and the research process in collaboration with other health care professionals.
What is a nurse practitioner (NP)?
Nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who use theory, research, and clinical expertise to improve the health of people of all ages. As a health care provider, the nurse practitioner may:
- Assess patient health status
- Provide disease prevention and health promotion services
- Diagnose and treat common acute health problems
- Manage care for stable, but chronically ill, patients
- Manage prenatal care during pregnancy
- Participate in, or manage, clinical research projects
Potential employment opportunities for acute care nurse practitioner graduates include:
- Intensive care units
- Trauma units
- Specialty practices
- Cardiopulmonary
- Neurology
- Surgery
- Oncology
- Emergency departments
- Long-term care facilities
- Home health care
Curriculum (43 Credit Hours) (Clinical Supervised Hours -600)
Please note: The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track application and materials are to be postmarked on or before September 15 for spring admission. This track admits only once a year. Also, please speak with the ACNP Coordinator before enrolling in any courses.
Review the list of School of Nursing course descriptions.
| Core courses (12 credits hours) | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| N502 | Nursing Theory I | 3 |
| N504 | Leadership for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| R500 | Nursing Research | 3 |
| R590 or R699 | Scholarly Project (3 credit hours) or Thesis (6 credit hours) | 3 |
| Courses in the track (31 credits hours) | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Y515 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| F570 | Assessment of Individuals, Families and Communities | 3 |
| Y612 | Pharmacology | 3 |
| S674 | Management of Acutely Ill Adult I | 6 |
| S675 | Management of Acutely Ill Adult II | 6 |
| S676 | Management of Acutely Ill Adult III | 6 |
| Y600 | Clinical Reasoning & Diagnostic Processes in Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
For specific questions about this major, please contact:
Julie Settles MSN, APRN, BC, ACNP, CEN
Assistant Clinical Professor
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Coordinator
jsettles [at] iupui [dot] edu
