Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate

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Specialize in providing patient-centered primary care to adult and aging patients—a fast-growing population in the U.S.—with the high-demand AGPCNP certificate.

Locations

  • Online (Fall entry)
  • Students physically residing in AL, AZ, CO, ID, LA, MO, NE, ND, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN or WA cannot enroll in the program.
  • Other students residing outside of GA or SC may only enroll in the didactic portion of the program and must complete clinicals in GA or SC.

Why Earn Your AGPCNP Certificate at Georgia Southern?

  • Advance your career with a high-demand specialized nursing certification.
  • Provide holistic primary care to adult and aging populations.
  • Flexible and affordable online curriculum fits your life.
  • Get prepared for national AGPCNP certification exams.
  • 19 credit hours to completion.

As the number of elderly adults in the U.S. continues to climb, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNPs) are in increasingly high demand. AGPCNPs are trained to provide holistic, high-quality primary care to adult and aging patients. 

Georgia Southern’s AGPCNP certificate program gives working advanced practice nurses an opportunity to care for this significant population and accelerate your career with a nursing specialty. Designed to fit into your current work schedule, our program is affordable, flexible and individualized. Many of your online courses can be completed at your convenience, freeing you to study at your own pace. You’ll graduate equipped and empowered, ready for national AGPCNP certification exams.

To enroll in this post-MSN certificate program, you must have a master’s degree or higher and currently hold national certification as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).

Ready to Apply?

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What Can You Do with an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate?

The AGPCNP certification trains advanced practice nurses in delivering primary care to adult and elderly patients. You’ll build long-term patient relationships, provide preventive care and treat everyday illnesses and medical conditions. 

Because the need for health care providers with expertise in caring for aging or geriatric patients is so great, AGPCNPs can find employment in a wide variety of settings, including primary care offices, wellness centers, outpatient clinics, community health centers, long-term care facilities, specialty clinics, home health agencies and more. You’ll collaborate with other care providers as you strive to support your patients through the ups and downs of life.

$ per year

Median annual salary for nurse practitioners.

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Expected growth of nurse practitioner jobs by 2033—significantly faster than average.

%

The percentage of the U.S. population that will be 65 or older by 2030.

Where our graduates work:

  • St. Joseph’s/Candler
  • Memorial Health
  • Emory Healthcare
  • Wellstar Health System
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Coram CVS/specialty infusion services
  • HCA Healthcare
  • Medical University of South Carolina
  • Grady Health System
  • Navicent Health
  • Piedmont Healthcare
  • AdventHealth
  • Athens Regional Inc
  • Hospice Savannah
  • Southeast Georgia Health System
  • Archbold Medical Center
  • Ascension

What our graduates do:

  • Nursing professor
  • Adult nurse practitioner
  • Director of nursing
  • Advanced practice registered nurse

What You’ll Learn

The AGPCNP certificate program offers the opportunity to augment your master’s degree in nursing with an additional specialization. The coursework for this certificate is dependent on the coursework that was completed in your previous master’s degree. Our graduate program director will perform a gap analysis to create an individualized program of study for you. 

The program blends didactic courses with clinical experiences. Most of the coursework is asynchronous, but some live, real-time sessions will be required in selected online courses. You’ll begin with a deep dive into the psychodynamics of health, which will build a foundation for further learning. Other courses will cover primary care management of adult clients experiencing minor and chronic health deviations, with emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. You’ll explore the theoretical, regulatory, legal and ethical dimensions of providing care before concluding your studies by practicing in several clinicals.

See the Curriculum

Build Your Experience

Find the support and community connections you need as you further your education with resources from Georgia Southern’s School of Nursing.

Get Involved

From advising and professional development to nursing associations and study abroad options, Georgia Southern offers a range of resources to students continuing their nursing education.

Graduate Handbook

Get quick access to all the information you need for your graduate studies in the School of Nursing handbook.

Personalized Focus

Since students come from a variety of educational backgrounds, we provide a gap analysis to help create an individualized program of study for you.

Take Action

Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application: 

  • Visit our website for the College of Graduate Studies. Complete the requested information and create a login name and password.
  • Follow this link and initiate an online application. The cost for the application is $50. After completing this online form, the application must be supported by transcripts, GRE scores, two letters of recommendation, and a statement of your career goals and research interests. International students should submit scores from the TOEFL exam (Test of English as a Foreign Language), and have transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES).

Admission Requirements

  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a college accredited by the appropriate accrediting association (i.e., NLN or CCNE) with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • Must be certified as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).
  • Undergraduate introductory course in statistics with grade of C or better
  • Undergraduate health appraisal/physical assessment course with grade of C or better.
  • The MAT or GRE is not required for admission.
  • Submission/completion of all of the following materials:
    • Complete College of Graduate Studies online application with payment of required fee.
    • Georgia Southern University Health Services Form
    • Three letters of recommendation. Forms in the online application are acceptable, or you can attach 3 recommendation letters to the application.
    • Proof of American Heart Association Level C (2 person-BLS) CPR certification.
    • Proof of Georgia RN licensure (write COPY) over any replication of license submitted.
    • Resume or CV with work history
  • One year of full-time registered nurse (RN) clinical nursing experience before the start of Advanced Health Assessment.

Applicants will be pooled for admission consideration. Interviews with individuals under consideration may be conducted prior to admission.

Upon Acceptance

  • Nursing Student Health forms
  • Proof of current RN malpractice liability insurance (policy cover page) with name, dates of coverage and amount (1 million incident/3 million aggregate)
  • Proof of “Student NP” malpractice insurance before entering ANY clinical NP courses that require clinical hours or involve direct patient care.
  • NP students will be required to complete all clinical practicums with a qualified preceptor. NP students must be proactive and secure preceptors for the clinical practicums.

All admission application materials must be received by March 1 for admission consideration to the fall cohort. Students who are admitted to the Post-MSN Certificate program will be provided with an individualized year-round program of study upon acceptance.

Apply as a Graduate Student

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master’s degree program in nursing/Doctor of Nursing Practice program and/or post-graduate APRN certificate program at Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

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  • Integrate core knowledge from the liberal arts, sciences and nursing as the foundation for advanced level professional practice.   
  • Use knowledge of organizational systems, leadership principles and resources to become responsible, safe and accountable advanced level professional nurses that demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical and legal conduct.
  • Demonstrate advanced level clinical judgment/decision making by using health care

information, technology, scholarship, inquiry and current evidence to improve individual and population health care outcomes.

  • Collaborate using advanced interprofessional communication to develop partnerships with other members of the health care team that improve patient health outcomes.

Upon completing the Post-MSN Certificate curriculum, you will be fully prepared for educational eligibility for certification in your given area of study. At this juncture, you can leave the program with your Post-Master’s Certificate or apply for admission to the Post-MSN-DNP program. 

Graduates of non-APRN master’s programs may apply for transfer credit into the Post-BSN-DNP, but are not eligible for the Post-MSN Certificate or the Post-MSN-DNP programs.

The School of Nursing anticipates that graduates of this program will seek certification as adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP) and state licensure as an APRN.

The School of Nursing has determined that the required classes and educational activities of this online academic program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the board examinations listed above, which are used by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The School of Nursing only supervises clinical placements in Georgia and South Carolina. All students enrolling in the program must have an active Georgia or South Carolina nursing license or an eNLC compact license. The program cannot enroll any student physically residing in AL, AZ, CO, ID, LA, MO, NE, ND, NY, OH, PA, SD, TN, or WA. Before enrolling, students physically residing in states other than Georgia or South Carolina, must attest that they will complete clinical hours in Georgia or South Carolina and that they will seek initial licensure as an APRN in Georgia or South Carolina.

Georgia Southern makes every effort to ensure information about educational requirements for licensure or certification is current; however, state requirements may change. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants for jurisprudence examinations, background checks, proof of RN license, proof of clinical hours, or additional training. For more information, as well as for a list of applicable state boards, visit the Georgia Southern State Authorization and Professional Licensure web page.

For all online programs:

Federal law requires colleges and universities to make certain disclosures to prospective students of these programs. These disclosures include information on the University’s authority to operate outside of Georgia, complaint processes, adverse actions, and refunds.

For required disclosures in general with regard to online programs offered by the University, visit the Office of Legal Affairs website.

Many of the clinical programs offered by the Waters College of Health Professions require a clinical internship or practicum experience to fulfill degree requirements.  Pursuant to the University’s legal agreements, participants in clinical experiences are required to abide by the workplace rules of the clinical site. Sometimes these rules include vaccination requirements. As always, WCHP will continue to make every effort to place students at clinical sites. However, please be aware that we may be unable to locate a site to accept unvaccinated students, which may cause a delay or inability to progress and complete the program of study.

Take the Next Step

Care for adults as they age while advancing your nursing career. Learn more about earning your adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner certificate at Georgia Southern.

Contact Us

Graduate Program Administrative Assistant
Chelsea Doyle
Office: Armstrong Campus-Ashmore Hall 266
Phone: 912-344-2973
Email: chelseadoyle@georgiasouthern.edu

Georgia Southern University 
School of Nursing

Armstrong Campus
Department 4158
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419

Statesboro Campus
P.O. Box 8158
Statesboro, GA 30460