Clarkson College Online Nurse Practitioner Programs – FNP, AGACNP, PMHNP

#16 Best NP School Overall

• BSN to DNP – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP)
• BSN to DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN to DNP FNP)
• BSN to DNP – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (PMHNP)
• MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• MSN – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (ADN bridge)
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner
• MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (ADN bridge)
• MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health NP (ADN bridge)
• MSN – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Post-Master's Certificate – Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP
• Post-Master's Certificate – Family Nurse Practitioner
• Post-Master's Certificate – Psychiatric Mental Health NP

Clarkson College offers several online nurse practitioner programs with three specializations: Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). These are as follows:

• MSN
• RN to MSN
• Post-Master’s Certificate
• BSN to DNP

Coursework is 100% online with one campus visit for the Advanced Health Assessment course for all programs. Students also complete their preceptorships at approved locations near them.

These online NP programs offer hands-on, real world applications of the material presented. Classroom content is undergirded with the understanding and skills necessary to apply the material in real-world settings. Online content includes presentations from guest speakers who are leaders in the nursing field.

The BSN to DNP nurse practitioner program prepares nurses as leaders in evidence-based practice. DNP-prepared graduates will be able to complete competency goals in critical thinking, technology, diversity, communication, and professionalism.

Graduates of all Clarkson College NP programs are eligible to take the appropriate nurse practitioner certification exams through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).

Clarkson College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. All nursing programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

What to Expect from the Clarkson College Online NP Programs

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the Clarkson College online NP programs must hold a current, unencumbered RN license and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Application materials include an application, application fee, a scholarly essay, official transcripts, two professional letters of recommendation, completion of Acute Care Skills Assessment form, and a current resume. The applicant must also provide documentation of professional licensure and earned certifications. NO GRE or GMAT is required. Students whose primary language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency. Students are expected to have 1-2 years of professional nursing work experience before beginning FNP or AGPCNP specialty courses.

• Program Specific Admission Requirements
• MSN: Hold a BSN degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• RN to MSN: Hold an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a 3-year nursing diploma from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Post-Master’s Certificates: Hold an MSN degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• BSN to DNP: Hold a BSN degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA

State Restrictions: While Clarkson College accepts students from most states, applicants outside of Nebraska should check with the Nursing Department at Clarkson College to make sure they are eligible for the nursing programs. Students from the following states may not enroll in the NP programs at this time: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Finally, interested students should contact their state licensing board to determine if the online NP program meets state requirements for NP licensure.

Study Plan: NP programs begin in the fall, spring, and summer. All programs are offered both full and part-time. The MSN can be completed in six to nine semesters on a full-time basis and 12 or more semesters on a part-time basis. Most MSN students complete the program in three years. The Certificate programs can be completed in 18 months, and the BSN to DNP and RN to MSN programs in three to five years depending on the number of courses taken per semester. Nursing students have up to seven years to complete the programs. Students also come to the Omaha, NE campus for one graduate weekend during Advanced Health Assessment Omaha.

MSN Curriculum: The MSN FNP and AGACNP programs comprise 49 credits plus 650 clinical hours. The PMHNP track comprises 51 credits All specializations complete courses which include Essentials of Scholarly Writing; Advanced Physical Assessment; Theories and Concepts of Advanced Practice Roles; Applied Statistics; Healthcare Delivery Systems and Managed Care; Application and Evaluation of Theory in Nursing; Nursing Law and Ethics; Research Design and Methods I-II; Interprofessional Education; Foundations of Adult-Gerontologic Healthcare; Advanced Nutrition; Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health; Pharmacology for Practitioners; and Advanced Pathophysiology.

• FNP Specialty Courses: Primary Health Care I-II; Primary Care of Children and Adolescent; Primary Care of Women; and Family Nurse Practitioner Transition to Practice
• AGACNP Specialty Courses: Introduction to Acute Care Concepts; Applying Acute Care Concepts; Complex Acute Care Concepts; Advanced Acute Care Concepts; and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Transition to Practice
• PMHNP Specialty Courses: Pharmacology for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; Introduction to Psychiatric-Mental Health Concepts; Application of Psychiatric-Mental Health Concepts; Complex Psychiatric-Mental Health Concepts; Advanced Psychiatric-Mental Health Concepts; Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Transition to Practice

RN to MSN Curriculum: The RN to MSN program comprises 81 credits for both FNP and AGACNP specializations plus 650 clinical hours. The PMHNP specialization comprises 83 credits. This is in addition to 93 transferred credits from previous schooling. Required courses for the BSN portion include a choice of three health care courses, Interprofessional Education, and either Statistics or Applied Statistics. BSN Major courses include Evidence-Based Inquiry in Healthcare for the RN-BSN/MSN Student; Principles of Leadership and Management for the RN to BSN/MSN, Population Health for the RN to BSN/MSN, and Capstone/Practicum for the RN to BSN/MSN. The support course is titled Pathophysiology and Pharmacology: Current Practices. Courses then follow the MSN core and specialty tracks.

Note that students who have two or more years of work experience in population health, leadership, or evidence-based nursing may be eligible for transfer credit of one 400-level nursing course. In addition, students may enroll in some graduate-level courses while completing the BSN portion of the curriculum.

Post-Master’s Certificate Curriculum: The Post-Master’s Certificate programs comprise 33 credits for the FNP and AGACNP specializations, plus 650 clinical hours. The PMHNP specialization requires the completion of 35 credits. The certificate curriculum follows the specialty courses listed for the MSN program specializations plus Theories/Concepts of Advanced Practice Nursing; Advanced Physical Assessment; Foundations of Adult-Gerontologic Healthcare; Advanced Nutrition; Pharmacology for Practitioners; Advanced Pathophysiology; and Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health. A GAP analysis may be done to determine the exact courses needed to complete the certificate program.

BSN to DNP Curriculum: The BSN to DNP program comprises 71 credits for the FNP and AGACNP specializations, while the PMHNP specialty comprises 73 credits. Students also complete at least 950 clinical hours and can complete an extra 8 credits of electives which would add to the total credit requirements. The following courses are required for all specializations: Outcomes of Healthcare in a Global Society; Healthcare Informatics and Data Analytics; Organizational Systems and Behaviors; Health Care Policy and Law; Leadership; Biostatistics and Epidemiology; Healthcare Economics and Financial Management; Evidence-Based Practice; DNP Scholarly Project I-III; and Interprofessional Education.

Other required courses for the three specializations include Essentials of Scholarly Writing; Theories and Concepts of Advanced Practice Roles; Pharmacology for Practitioners; Application and Evaluation of Theory in Nursing; Advanced Physical Assessment; Advanced Nutrition; Primary Health Care I-II; Applied Statistics; Foundations of Adult-Gerontologic Healthcare; Foundations of Psychiatric-Mental Health; and Advanced Pathophysiology.

Four credits of electives are required and students may complete up to 12 credits. Choices include Entrepreneurship, Learning Theories and Adult Education Methods; Program Planning and Evaluation; Teaching and Learning Strategies for the Nurse Educator; and DNP Scholarly Project IV and V. Students also complete the specialty courses for their respective track as listed for the MSN degree above.

Online Experience: Clarkson College utilizes Canvas as its online Learning Management System (LMS). Through this platform, students are able to access online content, collaborate with faculty and peers on assignments, discuss readings and assignments through discussion boards, submit coursework, view syllabi and grades and complete other tasks. Help for Canvas is available round the clock and students have access to a Student Success Guide which leads them through an introduction to the online Canvas LMS. The guide shows students how to use the platform and helps them develop online learning skills for greater success in the online program. In addition, the learning format allows students and faculty to correspond 24/7. Online resources include faculty office hours, an online library and bookstore, admissions counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, and technical support.

On-Site Requirements: The NP programs require students to come to campus for one graduate weekend for the Advanced Health Assessment course. During this weekend intensive, students are evaluated on their clinical skills and learn information related to clinical course content. Failure to attend the entire weekend will result in the failure of the course. All other coursework is online and students complete local clinicals.