Nursing: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, D.N.P. - CHHS, UNH

Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP): Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP):The Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP) program is designed for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who aspire to become certified as Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) and develop leadership skills for advanced nursing practice.

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. Graduates emerge as innovative leaders equipped to translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care, and measure health outcomes across diverse settings.

As part of the program, students transitioning to the role of an AGACNP will assess clinical practice sites to identify opportunities for quality improvement. They will design, implement, and evaluate a customized quality improvement project tailored to their professional aspirations.

Program Outcomes
Graduates of the BSN-DNP AGACNP program are fully prepared to practice as Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners in acute care settings such as hospitals and ambulatory care centers, apply advanced clinical knowledge and skills acquired through the program to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery and sit for national certification exams offered by the AACN or ANCC.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the BSN-DNP program must meet the following requirements:

1. Registered Nurse Licensure- Hold an unencumbered RN license in the United States.

2. Bachelor of science in nursing

3. Letters of Recommendation - Submit three letters of reference that address academic ability, professional competency, and personal character.

4. Updated Resume - Provide a current resume detailing relevant education, work experience, and professional achievements.

5. Professional Statement - Include a written essay addressing the following topics:

   • Professional Goals: Discuss your immediate and long-term goals as an AGACNP, focusing on one of the following areas:
     • Healthcare quality improvement.
     • A local or global policy or health issue you are passionate about and how the University of New Hampshire's DNP program can help develop your leadership skills to address this issue.
   • Interest in the AGACNP Program: Explain your specific professional interests, experiences, or research in this area and your motivation to pursue the AGACNP role.

6. Interview - Applicants may be contacted for an interview following the initial review of their application.

Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 750*

*

Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 851, NURS 853, NURS 855, NURS 857, NURS 859.

Clinical Requirement

In addition to 750 clinical hours of direct patient care for the AGACNP component, the DNP component requires 500 hours of practicum work in the project courses NURS 980 Doctoral Scholarly Project I, NURS 981 Doctoral Scholarly Project II and NURS 982 Doctoral Scholarly Project III. Students are required to successfully complete DNP coursework, produce a publishable scholarly paper, and present their DNP Project. 

Program Learning Outcomes

• Integrate, translate, and apply knowledge from nursing and other disciplines, to formulate clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice as well as synthesize comprehensive knowledge of advanced nursing practice, integrating scientific principles and clinical expertise to enhance patient outcomes.
• Design person-centered care that builds on a scientific body of knowledge focusing on individuals with multiple complicated circumstances, including family and/or important others as well as critically analyze the effectiveness of person-centered care on patient outcomes, healthcare systems, and policy development through rigorous assessment and continuous quality improvement processes.
• Advocate for healthcare delivery from public health prevention to disease management through collaborative activities for equitable population health outcomes as well as formulate and evaluate strategies to improve health outcomes for diverse populations, addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities.
• Disseminate nursing knowledge to improve health care as well as critically evaluate current research and evidence-based practices in nursing, identifying areas for improvement and innovation.
• Integrate established and emerging principles of safety as core nursing values to enhance quality and minimize harm to patients and providers as well as implement and evaluate quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and care outcomes, utilizing evidence-based practices to minimize risks and optimize healthcare delivery.
• Lead collaborative care teams to optimize patient outcomes and improve health care experiences as well as facilitate and evaluate effective collaboration with interprofessional teams to improve patient and population health outcomes, fostering a culture of teamwork and communication.
• Coordinate resources for diverse populations to provide safe, quality, and equitable care as well as analyze and influence healthcare systems to optimize care delivery, advocating for policies and practices that enhance system efficiency and patient outcomes.
• Utilize informatics and communication technologies in developing and delivering optimal healthcare services according to best practice and professional and regulatory standards as well as integrate and evaluate informatics and healthcare technologies to improve patient care, utilizing data analytics to inform clinical decision-making and enhance health outcomes.
• Cultivate a sustainable professional nursing identity that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values as well as exemplify professionalism in all aspects of practice, demonstrating ethical behavior, accountability, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
• Utilize leadership skills, change theories, and effective decision making in advanced nursing roles in the provision of care as well as engage in continuous personal and professional development, demonstrating leadership in clinical practice, education, and healthcare policy.

Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (D.N.P.)

Location/Delivery: School of Nursing [Online Program]

This program is designed to prepare graduates for professional licensure/certification as follows:

Nurse Practitioner

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification

The University of New Hampshire has determined this program meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in:¹
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont

Additional information and related resources are available on the Office of the Registrar's website.

¹

State specific post-education requirements are subject to change. Students are responsible for confirming these requirements in their state of residence and intended practice.

Apply now

Deadlines

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following.

1. Describe a clinical experience that demonstrates your critical thinking and readiness to enter doctoral study.
2. Explain how you use a nursing theoretical/conceptual lens to improve care.
3. Tell us about a U.S. policy or health issue you are passionate about and why.

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Enrollment Deposit

This program requires an enrollment deposit of $200. If admitted the deposit will be due by the deadline specified in your admit letter. For more information please see our enrollment deposits help page.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.