Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (MS/CAGS)
Overview
Nurse practitioners provide primary care across the life span through direct nursing care, consultation, collaboration, coordination, and referral. These health care services are provided in a variety of settings including neighborhood centers, private practices, and in the home.
The Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program is a specialty track within the MS Nursing program that prepares adult/older adult nurse practitioners to provide quality primary care.
In addition to our on-ground program, we offer an online program. This offers coursework online while you attend your clinical rotations locally. Most of the coursework is asynchronous* with a few synchronous remote meetings in some courses. Students in the online program will come to Northeastern’s campus twice during the program for long weekend clinical intensives to connect with faculty, perfect clinical skills, and prepare for certification exams.
In addition to the traditional Master’s Primary Care Nursing program, we offer a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) for nurses who possess an MS degree in Nursing with a nurse practitioner specialty.
Upon completion of the primary care program, graduates are eligible to sit for all national certification exams in their area of practice.
The Northeastern University Nurse Practitioner and Certified Nurse Anesthetist Programs prepare nurses for professional licensure as Nurse Practitioners within a population focus or as Nurse Anesthetists. The program in which you are enrolled prepares you to practice in any state, based on the information posted on each state’s nursing licensure website as of 2021. Please refer to the complete list of state licensure requirements here: professional licensure disclosures on the University’s Consumer Information page. Please contact your program director with any questions about professional licensure.
*Asynchronous courses are not live class so you can do them in your own time.
Learn more about our
online concentrations
Tuition and Fees
Online courses are offered at a discounted rate. Students admitted to an online program will take all courses online at the discounted rate. Students admitted to the Boston campus program may also have access to the online discounted rate for core courses at the discretion of the program director and when room is available in the online section.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program must have a current US Nursing license for admission to the program. GRE scores are not required. To apply, applicants must also have the following:
- Minimum GPA of 3.0, with grades of ‘B’ or better, is required in all nursing courses
- Successful completion of a statistics course that includes probability theory and hypothesis testing
- Three letters of recommendation (academic and professional)
- Curriculum vita
- Baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited USA program (a baccalaureate degree in another field will be considered at the discretion of the Program Director)
- Current RN licensure
- At least 1 year of active full-time nursing experience. Attention will be given to former nursing positions that required a high level of independence. Experience in care of adult as well as elder adult populations is encouraged.
- Letter of intent to study
- Official transcript from baccalaureate program and all college coursework
Please note that all letters of recommendations and Official transcripts must be submitted via NursingCAS.
Curriculum
The graduate program* at Northeastern University enables nurse practitioners to articulate a theoretical base for practice and recognize competencies necessary for the provision of health care to individuals, families, and communities. Graduate preparation expands the comprehensiveness of the nurse practitioner role to include participation and use of research development, implementation of health policy, leadership, education, case management, and consultation.
*Curriculum subject to change.
Sample Curriculum
MS
Prerequisite Course
Successful completion of a statistics course that includes probability theory and hypothesis testing.
Required Courses and Semester Hours
Professional Core
- NRSG 7105 Translating Research Evidence into Practice
- NRSG 7110 Evidence Based Practice Research Application
- NRSG 5121 Epidemiology and Population Health
- NRSG 5118 Health Care System and Professional Development
- Elective
Clinical Core
- NRSG 5126 Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice
- NRSG 6115 Health Assessment
- NRSG 5117 Advanced Pharmacology
Clinical
- NRSG 6249 Health Promotion of Adult/Older Adult
- NRSG 6449 Health Promotion of Adult/Older Adult Practicum
- NRSG 6253 Primary Care of Adult/Older Adult Problems
- NRSG 6254 Primary Care of Adult/Older Adult Complex Patients
- NRSG 6450 Adult/Older Adult Practicum I
- NRSG 6451 Adult/Older Adult Practicum II
- NRSG 6222 Pharmacology of Adults and Older Adults
Total Credits Required for MS: 43
CAGS
Prerequisite Courses or Equivalent
- NRSG 5126 Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice
- NRSG 6115 Health Assessment
- NRSG 5117 Advanced Pharmacology
Required Courses and Semester Hours
- NRSG 6222 Pharmacology of Adults and Older Adults
- NRSG 6249 Health Promotion of Adult/Older Adult
- NRSG 6253 Primary Care of Adult/Older Adult Problems
- NRSG 6254 Primary Care of Adult/Older Adult Complex Patients
- NRSG 6449 Health Promotion of Adult/Older Adult Practicum
- NRSG 6450 Adult/Older Adult Practicum
- NRSG 6451 Adult/Older Adult Practicum
- Elective
Total Credits Required for CAGS Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Specialization: 24
Experiential Learning and Clinical Placement
You will apply your classroom learning in a wide array of health care settings such as major teaching hospitals in Boston and Southern N.E., rehabilitation hospitals, specialty clinics, occupational health centers, and university health centers.
You will also learn how to provide care to people in their homes and communities. Your clinical rotations in hospital and community settings will equip you to pursue employment in any specialization after graduation.
Online Program Experiential Learning and Clinical Placements
Northeastern will partner with students to identify clinical placements within 100 miles of their home. The online students will be responsible for identifying and proposing a clinical preceptor for review and approval by their program director.
We’ll work to ensure clinical affiliations are in place but require 6 months to expedite contracts.
Students will be expected to travel to the Boston campus for two 2-3 day clinical intensives over weekends. Students will be responsible for cost of travel, room and board for the on-campus intensives.
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Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner