Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) provide care for adult and geriatric patients experiencing acute, critical or complex chronic health conditions in diverse health care settings. The MSN AGACNP concentration at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College prepares students for dynamic and evolving advanced practice nursing roles through rich, immersive experiences in a diverse, world-class environment. Barnes-Jewish Hospital is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top hospitals and #1 in St. Louis and Missouri. It is also among an elite group of hospitals in the U.S. that have maintained American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition^® status since the program launched in 2003.

The AGACNP concentration offers 2 tracks for BSN prepared registered nurses interested in advancing their nursing careers to become MSN prepared nurse practitioners:

The intensivist track focuses on preparing students for intensivist roles in critical care. In collaboration with experienced advanced practice providers (APPs) and Washington University Physicians, students are immersed in the multi-disciplinary critical care environments at Barnes-Jewish Hospital . Clinical sites and preceptors are pre-arranged and include the surgical/burn/trauma, neuro, cardiothoracic, and medical intensive care units (ICUs). Additional clinical time is gained in telemedicine and in the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, the emergency department, and the diabetes center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Elective hours are also included to allow students the ability to tailor the program to their identified needs and interests.

The hospitalist track focuses on preparing students for nurse practitioner roles with hospitalist and specialty services. Like the intensivist track, students will be immersed within multidisciplinary teams and environments at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and affiliate community hospitals. In collaboration with the Washington University Division of Hospital Medicine, students will collaborate with experienced APPs and Washington University School of Medicine physicians in a variety of pre-arranged clinical sites including hospitalist services, telemedicine, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, emergency medicine, diabetes, and other specialty services. The Division of Hospital Medicine is growing and gaining a national reputation as one of the premier programs. Led by a Past-President of the Society of Hospital Medicine and Founding Editor of the Journal of Hospital Medicine, members of the Division are actively engaged in education, research, and quality improvement projects.

Graduates of the MSN AGACNP concentration will:

• Obtain health histories and perform physical exams;

• Order and interpret laboratory and imaging studies;

• Diagnose and design plans of care;

• Integrate invasive and noninvasive technologies, interventions, and procedures into plans of care, including the performance of invasive procedures;

• Collaborate and communicate with patients, families, and other members of multidisciplinary health care teams;

• Design and use innovative strategies that promote safe, cost-effective, equitable, patient-centered care; and

• Apply principles of quality improvement, ethics, and safety at both the individual and systems levels

Our Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner concentration has many benefits for students.

Pre-Arranged Clinical Sites & Preceptors

Clinical experiences are pre-arranged by faculty and emphasize gaining competence as a practitioner in the acute and/or critical care environments at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Students work with an experienced group of acute care nurse practitioners, other advanced practice providers, and Washington University School of Medicine hospitalists, specialists, critical care, and emergency medicine physicians.

Experienced Faculty

From the classroom to clinical settings, our highly skilled clinical faculty bring their real-world experience to bear throughout the full learning process and maintain an active clinical practice in critical care. Our students also benefit from expert guest faculty from Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, which complement the program’s didactic and lab components.

Small Class Sizes and Individual Support

Our small class sizes allow for personalized attention as each student progresses through the program and our curriculum.

Convenience for Working Students

Courses are online, offering both flexibility and convenience for busy students. Students will be expected to come to campus approximately 1-2 times during the term for Advanced Health Assessment, Invasive Procedures and Skills for the ACNP, and the clinical courses.

Goldfarb is conveniently located on the Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital campus where most of our clinical experiences take place.

State-of-the-Art Clinical Simulations

We offer high-fidelity patient simulation through our world-class Clinical Simulation Institute. Simulated learning experiences provide students with additional exposure to problems frequently seen in acute and critical care settings or those that may result in significant morbidity and mortality. The Clinical Simulation Institute also provides the perfect environment for gaining hands-on experience with procedures and skills commonly utilized in these settings.

Dedicated Invasive Procedures & Skills Course

Gain additional support and experience through a dedicated course where you’ll perform invasive procedures like central line insertion, arterial line insertion, airway management, and lumbar puncture in a simulated environment. Students are also introduced to critical care ultrasound, ECG interpretation, and mechanical ventilation management. An introduction to the interpretation of chest and abdominal radiology is provided by Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology physicians followed by designated clinical hours in the radiology reading rooms at Washington University School of Medicine.

Accreditation 

Graduates of the accredited Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner concentration will be prepared to take the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) certification exam to become certified in the field. 

Career Prospects

Our students secure jobs in a variety of settings and with a variety of patient populations and can typically be found practicing in critical care, emergency medicine, and acute care services within hospitals.

Successful Program Outcomes

• Certification exam pass rate for first-time takers: 99%  
• Overall certification exam pass rate: 100%
• Employment rate within 6 months of graduation: 96%
• Student retention rate: 96%.

The following items are required when applying to the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program:

·    BSN from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning

·    Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all undergraduate coursework

·    Active RN license in good standing

·    Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate or graduate statistics course recommended

·    1 year recent experience as an RN (ICU or emergency medicine required for intensivist track)

·    Current ACLS provider status

·    Official transcripts from all institutions where credit was earned

·    Two letters of reference from individuals who can address the applicant's academic and clinical potential

·    Personal statement that addresses desired area of specialization, personal attributes that will contribute to successful accomplishments of the program and career goals

·    CV or resume