Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate

Description and Outcomes

If you are a registered nurse interested in expanding your knowledge as it relates to the role of the family nurse practitioner, consider the Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate program. This certificate program is designed to educate you on the topics of how to best deliver care as a member of an interprofessional team and how to improve the availability of evidence-based, culturally relevant health care in diverse communities. The curriculum helps you develop the skills to evaluate the health and wellness of individuals, families, and their communities. The nurse practitioner is expected to possess skills in diagnosing, treating, and managing acute and chronic health conditions, to deliver preventive care, and to participate in the development of appropriate policy and evidence-based practice.

Note: the Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate program is not available in all states. Refer to Program Availability Information for details. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information. Refer to the Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams section for additional program disclosure information.

Clinical Practice Experience

You will complete a clinical practice experience designed to provide the opportunity for application of theoretical knowledge while working with a designated, qualified preceptor. 

Refer to the School of Nursing’s Progression Requirements section for additional requirements for clinical and practicum experiences. 

Program Length

The Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate program consists of a minimum of 60 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of this program, you will be awarded a certificate.

Program Outcomes

  1. Synthesize theory and research-based knowledge that reflects the distinct and shared perspectives of nursing and other disciplines to form a foundation for clinical judgment and nursing practice.
  2. Develop holistic, culturally competent, and compassionate person-centered care through the planning and management of evidence-based practice for individuals, families, and populations. 
  3. Design partnerships that create equitable health policy and determine the socioeconomic impact of population health management. 
  4. Integrate evidence from current and relevant scholarly research that contributes to optimal, ethical, and equitable care delivery. 
  5. Create a culture of safety that incorporates evidence-based practice principles in quality care delivery for patients by the health care team while in the clinical setting. 
  6. Apply principles of effective team leadership to foster interprofessional collaboration and communication that reflect shared values among health care partners. 
  7. Differentiate levels of clinical judgment within complex health care systems to coordinate cost-effective resources to provide safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations. 
  8. Analyze information and communication technologies to deliver effective care and improve outcomes for patients, communities, and populations in accordance with ethical, legal, professional, and regulatory standards. 
  9. Show professionalism through the delivery of diverse, equitable, and inclusive nursing care while maintaining accountability to all legal, societal, and professional norms that are reflected within the professional codes of nursing. 
  10. Formulate leadership practices that promote a commitment to fostering personal well-being, resiliency, flexibility, and professional maturity while supporting the nursing profession.

Program Availability

For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.

Policies

Admissions Requirements

You must meet the below admissions requirements in addition to Purdue Global's general requirements.

You must have a master's degree with an upper-level major in nursing and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited institution. Refer to the Admissions Requirements for more information on prior degree submission.

If your master’s degree nursing focus is in one of the four advanced practice registered nurse roles (nurse midwife, registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner), or you have completed a postgraduate certificate in one of the four roles, you must also submit evidence of national certification and/or advanced practice recognition/licensure from your state in the role in order to be considered for admission to the program.

You must have an approved criminal background check. The criminal background check must not contain information that would prohibit you from being licensed as an advanced practice nurse and/or being granted prescriptive authority under your state’s Nurse Practice Act.

Progression Requirements

  1. You will complete clinical courses as part of the requirements for this program. You are required to follow University Catalog and School of Nursing Handbook requirements in completion of your clinical courses.
  2. You must submit all credit for prior learning to the School of Nursing for review and approval.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.

If eligible, upon completion of the Family Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care Postgraduate Certificate, you may sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Family Nurse Practitioner certification or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners’ Family Nurse Practitioner certification. These are primary care certifications. After earning either certification, you may be academically eligible for licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse in any state in which the program is available for enrollment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Please note that most states require nurses to be nationally certified and to have completed an accredited graduate nursing program in order to obtain licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse. Each national certification provider and state Board of Nursing will have eligibility requirements in addition to these educational requirements, such as passing a criminal background check. It is your responsibility to determine whether you will be eligible for state Board of Nursing approval and certification as an advanced practice registered nurse in your state. Please visit the following websites for more information: