The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) Post-Professional Certificate is designed for graduate prepared Nurse Practitioners (NP) or Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) who are seeking to expand their roles via nurse practitioner certification in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care. The curriculum prepares nurse practitioners to function as generalist, principal providers of care for adults and older adults with acute, critical and complex chronic health problems across the continuum of acute care services.

AG-ACNP students may choose a clinical emphasis in cardiopulmonary, critical care, oncology, trauma emergency preparedness or directed study.  The directed study allows students to design clinical experiences around a particular area of interest (i.e. internal medicine, general surgery). The curriculum consists of NP and AG-ACNP specialty courses and clinical practice hours.

Graduates of the AG-ACNP Post-Professional Certificate are eligible to sit for the national certification examination in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or American Association of Critical Care Nurses.  Successful passing of the national certification examination entitles the graduate to apply for certification as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care by the State Board of Nurse Examiners of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

All applications to the School of Nursing are reviewed by faculty in that specific major/area of concentration. Applicants must meet a variety of criteria in order to be considered.

Qualified applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era.

Qualifying students can receive credit by course exam for a portion of the clinical hours (up to 300 hours).

Criteria for admission to the (AG-ACNP) Post-Professional Certificate include:

• Valid registered nurse license in state where clinical experiences are performed
• Minimum of one year nursing experience recommended
• BSN required
• Previous MS, MSN or DNP as a NP or CNS (from accredited program (ACEN, NLN, ACICS, or CCNE)
• GPA ≥ 3.0 in the MS, MSN or DNP degree
• Pre-admission interview
• Complete online application
• International applicants: see the School of Nursing Admissions page and the Office of International Services page
• Spring Term Admission Only

Tuition for online programs at the University of Pittsburgh is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition rates and student fee information can be found at the Pitt Online Tuition and Fees page.

Please visit the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate page for a full list of program courses and descriptions. Some courses at the School of Nursing include exams that are proctored. Pitt Online will work with students to identify an approved testing center in their area. Please note that proctoring sites typically charge a fee for this service, which may range from $20 – $50 per test. Pitt Online will help students to identify the most economical testing center in their area.

If you have questions about enrollment or registration, please contact School of Nursing Student Affairs & Alumni Relations Office.

Phone: 412-624-4586
Toll Free: 1-888-747-0794
Email: sao50@pitt.edu

School of Nursing
3500 Victoria Street
240 Victoria Bldg.
Pittsburgh, PA 15261