Post-Graduate APRN Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Track

If you are a Master’s prepared RN with the desire to become a Family Nurse Practitioner, The Post-Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate (FNP-C) is designed for you.

Certificate

School of Nursing

13 months


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The Post‑Graduate APRN (FNP‑C) certificate track prepares nurses for advanced clinical practice caring for individuals and families across the lifespan in diverse healthcare settings. Grounded in AACN Essentials and NONPF core competencies, the program emphasizes evidence‑based practice, advanced clinical reasoning, ethical and culturally responsive care, and leadership. Graduates are prepared to assess, diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions, promote health and disease prevention, collaborate interprofessionally and apply quality improvement, informatics and regulatory frameworks. Upon completion, graduates are practice‑ready, entry‑level Family Nurse Practitioners equipped to meet the evolving demands of primary care.

  • Format: Online classes with 3 starts a year
  • Program Length: 13 months*
  • Credit Hours: 28 total credit hours
  • Tuition: $725 per credit hour

*If the student has not completed the required pre-requisite courses then the total credit hours and program length will be increased.

Who This Track Is For

This track is for Registered Nurses with a Master of Science in Nursing who are:

  • Seeking to advance into an advanced practice provider role as a Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Passionate about delivering primary care across the lifespan
  • Committed to improving access to care, population health outcomes, and health equity
  • Desire to practice in diverse settings, including primary care, community health, rural health, and underserved populations

What You Will Learn

  • Integration of advanced clinical competencies
  • Development of advanced clinical and diagnostic reasoning skills
  • Creation of comprehensive differential and final diagnoses
  • A focus on health promotion, health maintenance, and disease prevention with a holistic perspective
  • Strengthened communication and collaboration skills
  • Expansion of leadership skills to navigate and lead in complex healthcare systems
male nursing student

Your Future Impact

Graduates are prepared for entry‑level practice as FNPs, delivering high‑quality, evidence‑based primary care to individuals and families across the lifespan in diverse healthcare settings. Grounded in a Christ‑centered mission, graduates are equipped to provide compassionate, ethical care, lead interprofessional teams, contribute to quality improvement and influence healthcare delivery at the patient and systems levels. Graduates are also prepared to sit for national certification examinations through ANCC and AANPCB, supporting APRN licensure and expanded clinical and leadership opportunities.

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Track Outcomes

Upon completion of this track, students will be able to:

  1. Obtain and perform comprehensive and problem-focused history and physical examinations across the lifespan.
  2. Analyze the relationship between normal physiology and alterations that occur in specific systems as a result of disease processes and abnormal health conditions.
  3. Select evidence-based pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic interventions for the management of health conditions, incorporating individual patient variation, clinical context and principles of cost-effectiveness.
  4. Synthesize the appropriate use of diagnostic and screening tests, including laboratory, imaging, and other current and emerging technologies, along with health promotion, disease prevention strategies and evidence-based clinical guidelines and standards of care to inform the diagnosis and management of health conditions across the lifespan.
  5. Manage patient care by integrating cultural, environmental, ethical, genetic/genomic, legal, political, psychosocial, socioeconomic and spiritual factors to include holistic, person-centered care that considers the complexities of diverse needs and care environments.
  6. Demonstrate characteristics and responsibilities of the FNP including relevant professional competencies and interprofessional components in the delivery of care.

Commonly Asked Questions

While much of the learning takes place online, students will need to complete their practicum hours in an approved state. Please contact your state board of nursing to verify if this track meets the educational requirements.

All students must submit a “Request to Transfer Credit” form, the course description(s), and a copy of the catalog cover and the course syllabus to the program director/coordinator prior to beginning a graduate program. To determine transferability of credit, please contact the appropriate program director to receive a recommendation for transfer.

To be admitted into Olivet Nazarene University’s FNP-C post-graduate program, an applicant must meet these prerequisites:

  • Submit a completed Olivet Nazarene University application form: https://www.olivet.edu/apply
  • Hold an associate’s degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution or a diploma from a school for registered nursing education
  • Submit a copy of your current, unencumbered RN license
  • Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 from all institutions previously attended
  • Submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions

If you have any questions, our admissions team is ready and available to answer your questions at 877.965.4838.

Graduates of the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate track are prepared for entry level practice as Family Nurse Practitioners, delivering high-quality, evidence-based primary care to individuals and families across the lifespan in diverse healthcare settings. As certified FNPs, individuals may work in primary care, family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, urgent care and community health clinics. Additional opportunities include roles in specialty clinics, retail health settings, telehealth, occupational health and school-based care. FNPs may also pursue leadership, administrative, or academic roles, including clinical education and preceptorship.

Discounts are available for our practice partners, alumni and faculty. For a compiled list of available scholarships click here!

Upon completion of this track, students are educationally prepared to take the national FNP certification examination from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate track may be completed in as little as 24 months.

All courses are delivered online; however, students are required to complete clinical hours in their local area under the supervision of an approved, self-selected preceptor. The FNP-C track includes 4 clinical courses, with a cumulative requirement of 750 clinical hours.

Our school is dedicated to supporting students throughout their clinical placement process. Initially, students are encouraged to leverage their personal and professional networks to find a preceptor and practicum site, allowing them the opportunity to choose a location and preceptors with whom they might already be familiar or prefer. This autonomy in selection is highly beneficial, as it allows students to align their practicum experience with their specific interests and geographical preferences.

However, we also recognize that finding a preceptor can be challenging. Our MSN Program provides substantial support in finding a preceptor(s). At this stage, the program works closely with the student, employing the school’s resources and networks to ensure a placement is found. While this collaborative effort prioritizes securing a quality educational experience for the student, it may not always align with the student’s preferred location. The emphasis shifts towards the importance of completing the practicum at a site that offers a comprehensive learning opportunity, even if it means considering locations beyond the student’s initial preferences.

Where Your Future Begins

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