The Family Nurse Practitioner program is designed to prepare competent, caring practitioners who manage the health care of families in primary care settings. Emphasis is placed on health advocacy and attaining the knowledge and skills necessary for disease prevention, assessment, and management of common acute and chronic illnesses. Clinical experiences are in public, private, community, and international primary care settings. Upon completion of the program, the graduate is eligible to take the certification examination for family nurse practitioners. The program requires the completion of 42 credits of core and clinical courses and prepares the advanced practice nurse to function in the role of the family nurse practitioner in caring for families in primary care settings.
Special consideration is given to community, cultural, and environmental health.
Students are encouraged towards interdisciplinary collaboration. Special seminars are given on issues in practice management and the changing health care system. The clinical and didactic courses begin the fall semester and continue sequentially. Clinical experiences are arranged during each semester to ensure that students acquire the necessary skills in each phase of learning. Faculty and preceptors supervise clinical experiences in public, private, and community-based primary care settings.