Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner (PHCNP) Certificate

Program Requirements - PHCNP Certificate 

The requirement for the PHCNP Certificate is successful completion of seven PHCNP Certificate courses. Five of the seven PHCNP courses are one semester courses and two are taken over two terms. Full-time students have a maximum of 1 Year or 3 terms to complete the program requirements and part-time students have a maximum of 3 years or 9 terms.

Course requirements, assignments and methods of evaluation vary by course but may include scholarly papers, seminars presentations, performance demonstrations and/or examinations or evaluations by self, peers or others. Students receive letter grades in all seven courses.

Guidance from expert faculty will enhance the nurse practitioner student’s capacity to contribute to knowledge development through the identification of critical questions. Evidence based practice principles are incorporated throughout each course to assess, diagnose, and manage health issues appropriate to the population served. The PHCNP courses are taught by faculty in the COUPN consortium who possess the expert knowledge to teach the courses relevant to the Nurse Practitioner – Primary Health Care professional area.

Students will have the opportunity to share their different experiences and backgrounds, as well as the diverse client situations they encounter in the clinical settings. The students will apply legislative regulations and ethical models to a variety of simulated and actual practice situations through assignments, seminar discussions, and clinical practice situations. These include, but are not limited to consultation, prescriptive authority, the ordering of laboratory and diagnostic tests and the certification of death. Effective strategies to influence health and social policy will be incorporated into discussion and assignments throughout the program.

Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnosis I and Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnosis II courses are each scheduled on-site over a 13 week term in 3-hour seminar blocks in addition to the 6 hours clinical per week or 78 hours per course per semester.

Therapeutics I and Therapeutics II courses are scheduled on-site over a 13 week term in 3-hour seminar blocks in addition to the 6 hours clinical per week or 78 hours per semester.

Pathophysiology is a 13 week course scheduled over two terms and uses a distance method for course delivery. On-line chats are scheduled every other week. There are no clinical requirements for this course.

Roles and Responsibilities is a 13 week course scheduled over two terms and uses a distance method for course delivery. On-line chats are scheduled every other week. There are no clinical requirements for this course.

Integrative Practicum is scheduled on-site with a seminar every other week over a 13 week period (May-August) in addition to the 455 clinical hours.

The clinical practicum component of the PHCNP courses provides opportunities for the application of advanced nursing practice, and related theories and research to varied health issues and client needs.

Throughout the program, students use a variety of learning modalities that strongly promote the integration of theory, practice, and self-direction as essential elements in the professional role of the nurse practitioner.