Chamberlain University Online Nurse Practitioner Programs – FNP, AGNP, PMHNP

What to Expect from the Chamberlain University Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the College of Nursing & Public Health at Chamberlain University must hold an unencumbered RN license in their approved state of practice. Online applications must include an application fee, official transcripts, an admissions essay, and two letters of recommendation. All nursing applicants must show proof of a current, unencumbered RN license.

International students must also provide proof of English language proficiency, and transcripts evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES).

• Program-Specific Admission Requirements
• MSN: Hold a BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution or a program accredited by an agency recognized by the CHEA; have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA; AGACNP applicants must have a minimum of two years of acute or critical patient care work experience within the previous five years
• RN to BSN to MSN (ADN Bridge Option): Be a current student in the Chamberlain BSN program, applying for the RN to BSN to MSN program or hold a diploma or ADN from an accredited program; ADN or diploma coursework must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. RN to BSN coursework must be completed with a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA
• Post-Master’s Certificates: Hold an MSN degree from a regionally accredited institution or a program accredited by an agency recognized by the CHEA; the earned MSN must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA

State Restrictions: While Chamberlain University accepts students from most states, applicants outside of Illinois should check the State Authorization page through Chamberlain University and contact graduate admissions as the NP programs do not accept students from every state. Currently, the NP programs do not accept students from Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC. In addition, the AGPCNP and AGACNP specializations are not authorized in Arizona, Oregon, and Washington, and the PMHNP specialization is not authorized in California.

Study Plan: The Chamberlain University online nursing programs are delivered 100% online, and practicums are completed locally. All NP programs require one to three, weekend campus visits for intensives and review sessions. Courses are offered in an 8-week format, with two courses being completed per semester. The MSN program can be completed in eight semesters, the RN-BSN to MSN in 10 semesters, and the Post-Master’s FNP Certificate in 5 semesters. The programs begin six times yearly in January, March, May, July, September, and November.

MSN Curriculum: The MSN – FNP and AGPCNP programs comprise 45 credits each and include 625 clinical practicum hours plus 25 hours of faculty-supervised lab experiences. The MSN – AGACNP program comprises 48 credits, 700 clinical practicum hours, and two faculty-supervised lab experiences of 25 hours each, totaling 50 hours. The MSN – PMHNP program comprises 47 credits and 625 clinical hours. Core and NP core courses include Foundational Concepts and Advanced Practice Roles; Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice; Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice; Population Health, Epidemiology & Statistical Principles; Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice; and Healthcare Policy and Leadership. Additionally, students complete Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Pharmacology Fundamentals; and Advanced Physical Assessment.

FNP specialty courses include Advanced Pharmacology for Care of the Family; Differential Diagnosis and Primary Care Practicum; Primary Care of the Maturing and Aged Family Practicum; Primary Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family Practicum; Advanced Clinical Diagnosis and Practice Across the Lifespan Practicum; and an FNP Capstone Practicum and Intensive.

AGPCNP specialty courses include Advanced Pharmacology for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner; Differential Diagnosis in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care; Primary Care Management of Adolescents and Adults; Primary Care Management of Older Adults; Palliative Care in Adult-Gerontology Across the Spectrum; and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Capstone and Intensive.

AGACNP specialty courses include Advanced Pharmacology for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner; Differential Diagnosis in Acute Care Practicum; Common Diagnosis and Management in Acute Care Practicum; Complex Diagnosis and Management in Acute Care Practicum; Advanced Acute Care Management and Lab; and Acute Care Practicum I-II.

PMHNP specialty courses include Advanced Pharmacology: Psychopharmacology for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; Psychiatric Assessment for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners; Differential Diagnosis in Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan Practicum; Diagnosis and Management in Psychiatric-Mental Health Across the Lifespan Practicum I-III; and Psychiatric-Mental Health Capstone Practicum and Intensive.

RN to BSN to MSN Curriculum: The RN to BSN to MSN program comprises 161-164 credits, 77 of which may be transferred in from an ADN or diploma in nursing, or have already been completed in the BSN program. The remaining 84-87 credits include general requirements and nursing courses. Students in this program also complete Statistical Reasoning for the Health Sciences; Transitions in Professional Nursing; RN Evidence-Based Practice; Political Science; and RN Community Health Nursing. Next, each student advances to their respective MSN portion of the program, completing all required MSN coursework and practicums as listed above. Upon completing the MSN portion, students will have earned both a BSN and an MSN degree.

Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s FNP and AGPCNP Certificates comprise 30 credits plus 625 clinical practicum hours. The AGACNP Certificate comprises 33 credits plus 700 clinical hours, and the PMHNP Certificate comprises 32 credits plus 625 clinical hours. Courses for all specializations include Population Health, Epidemiology, and Statistical Principles; Healthcare Policy and Leadership; Advanced Pathophysiology; Advanced Physical Assessment; and Leadership and Role Development of the Advanced Practice Nurse.

Post-master’s Certificate students then complete Advanced Pharmacology for their specialization plus the five practicum experiences listed for the MSN.

Online Experience: Chamberlain University uses Canvas as its online Learning Management System (LMS). Canvas offers a multitude of learning tools that enhance the learning experience and allow faculty and students to communicate effectively and create an experiential learning environment. Through Canvas, students can view videos, complete assignments, take assessments, participate in online discussions, exchange emails, view syllabi and grades, and much more. Nursing students have access to several key success tools, including Chamberlain Care Student Success Strategies, which help with time management, writing skills, and library use.

A personal tour of the online Canvas system can be arranged with an admissions advisor. There is also an online classroom demonstration video series available to students. Additionally, students gain support from professors who devote time and attention to personalized communication, the student services team who provides financial and academic advice, the Tutoring Center Smarthinking online tutoring service, an online library, ASPIRE counseling services, and 24/7 technical support.

On-Site Requirements: Students in the MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate – FNP, AGPCNP, and PMHNP degree options are required to attend two immersion weekends. The first is a 25-hour supervised lab experience as part of the Advanced Physical Assessment course. This immersion is held at the Q Center Training Facility in St. Charles, Illinois. During this Friday through Sunday experience, students interact with peers and faculty and conduct clinical observations and evaluations. Each student is assessed on his/her clinical assessment skills to ensure they are ready for the practicum experiences. As well, an intensive review session is included at the end of the program. AGACNP students attend these campus experiences, plus an additional campus visit for a second 25-hour lab experience.