Grand Canyon University Online Nurse Practitioner Programs – FNP, AG-ACNP, PMHNP

What to Expect from the Grand Canyon University Online FNP, AG-ACNP, and PMHNP Programs

Admission Requirements: Applicants to the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions at Grand Canyon University must have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA for all prior coursework. Those who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for admission through GMAT or GRE graduate test scores. Online applications must include an application fee, official transcripts, a current unencumbered RN license, and all other requirements listed below for each program. Students whose primary language is not English must also provide proof of English language proficiency.

Program Specific Admission Requirements:

• MSN FNP, AG-ACNP, and PMHNP: Hold a BSN degree from an ACEN- or CCNE/NLNAC- accredited program; current CV with at least two years full-time work experience as a registered nurse in the prior two years; and a letter of intent
• Post-Master’s Certificate FNP and AG-ACNP: Hold an MSN degree from an ACEN- or CCNE/NLNAC- accredited program; current CV with at least one year full-time work experience as a registered nurse; letter of intent. FNP students must currently have full-time employment in a healthcare role or provide documentation of such a role in the two years prior to application. AG-ACNP students must be employed full-time in a hospital setting with at least one year of Adult ER experience, ICU experience, or progressive care or post-operative care experience.
• RN-to-MSN FNP and AG-ACNP Bridge: Have a current unencumbered RN license and a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field

State Restrictions: The Grand Canyon University MSN PMHNP program is available in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The MSN FNP program is available in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The MSN AG-ACNP program is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The post-master’s AG-ACNP certificate is offered in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas. The post-master’s FNP certificate is available in Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, and Colorado. The RN-to-MSN AG-ACNP bridge program is offered in select states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas.

Applicants outside of Arizona should check with the admissions department to make sure they are eligible for the nursing programs. Prospective students in approved states should also contact the licensing board of their specific state of residence to verify that the program meets state requirements for NP licensure.

Study Plan: Courses for the online MSN and post-master’s certificate programs run 16 weeks in length. Courses for the RN-to-MSN Bridge program run 5 weeks in length. Several start dates are offered throughout the year. Students should contact the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions for exact start dates for the desired program. Nursing program coursework is delivered online, and clinical preceptorships are completed locally. A total of 750 clinical hours is required for the MSN PMHNP program, and some courses also include immersive on-campus experiences. Students in the MSN FNP and MSN AG-ACNP programs will be required to complete 675 hours of supervised clinical practice. They will also attend two on-campus experience programs.

MSN – FNP, AG-ACNP, and PMHNP Core Curriculum: The MSN degree comprises 53 credits and 675 hours of clinicals for the FNP and AG-ACNP programs and 750 hours of clinicals for the PMHNP program. Courses for all three specialties include introduction to advanced registered nursing; translational research and population health management; organizational leadership and informatics; evidence-based practice project; advanced physiology and pathophysiology; advanced pharmacology; and advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning with skills.

• MSN – FNP Specialty Curriculum: Specialty courses include health promotion and on-campus experience I; family primary care I-II; and practicum and on-campus experience II.
• MSN – AG-ACNP Specialty Curriculum: Specialty courses include health promotion and maintenance and on-campus experience I; adult-gerontology acute care I-II; and adult-gerontology acute care III and on-campus experience II.
• MSN – PMHNP Specialty Curriculum: Specialty courses include foundations of psychiatric mental health on-campus experience I; introduction to psychiatric mental health assessment and diagnostic reasoning; integrative management: psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, and treatment; and advanced management of psychiatric disorders on-campus experience II.

RN-to-MSN – FNP and AG-ACNP Bridge Curriculum: The total RN-to-MSN degree comprises 77 credits and includes 675 hours of clinicals. The 24 credits of bridge courses include nursing leadership and interprofessional collaboration; health assessment; health promotion and population health; pathophysiology; applied statistics for health care professionals; nursing research and evidence-based practice; and applied evidence-based project and practicum. Students then follow their chosen MSN specialization courses.

Post-Master’s FNP and AG-ACNP Certificate Curriculum: The Post-master’s FNP and AG-ACNP certificate program comprises 37 credits. Courses include advanced physiology and pathophysiology; advanced pharmacology; and advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning with skills.

FNP specialty courses include health promotion and on-campus experience I; family primary care I-II; and practicum and on-campus experience II.

AG-ACNP specialty courses include health promotion and on-campus experience I; adult-gerontology acute care I-II; and adult-gerontology acute care III and on-campus experience II.

Online Experience: Grand Canyon University uses an innovative Learning Management System (LMS) for online learning. Students are able to watch videos, turn in assignments, view assignments and assessments, and communicate with faculty and peers. To create a collaborative environment, students complete projects and participate in discussion forums. Online courses are asynchronous and allow for greater flexibility. Students have access to 24/7 technical support, ACE tutoring, academic advising, library services, and career services.

On-Site Requirements: Nursing students come to the Phoenix, AZ campus twice: once for a three-day visit, and once for a two-day experience.