Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate Program

The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate program provides a formal program of study for Master's-prepared nurses interested in taking the national certification exam to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner.  In order to be eligible to take the certification exam students must "successfully complete graduate didactic and clinical requirements of a master's nurse practitioner program through a formal graduate-level certificate or Master's level NP program in the desired area of practice".  The FNP Certificate program offers a formal program of study to meet this need for students who already have the Master of Science in Nursing degree without requiring them to complete a second masters degree.  

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the program will be based on competitive selection from the pool of applicants who meet the College of Graduate Studies admission requirements from the designated home campus.

Additional admission requirements for the Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program include:

1. A Master's degree in nursing from an accredited program (NLNAC or CCNE).

2. Satisfactory completion of the following courses at the Master's level:

• Advanced Health Assesment : 3 semester hours
• Advanced Health Assessment - Clinical or lab : 1 semester hour
• Advanced Pathophysiology : 3 semester hours
• Advanced Pharmacology : 3 semester hours

3. Eligibility to practice as a Registered Nurse in Tennessee or the state in which clinical assignments are completed.  Appropriate licensure/authorization must be obtained during the first semester following admission to the program.

4. Overall G.P.A. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

5. TOEFL score of 600 if native language is not English

6. A written document prepared by the applicant that includes a resume, a discussion of prior professional experience, future career goals, and reasons for pursuing graduate study.

7.  Letters of recommendation from at least three persons (a minimum of one academic) familiar with the applicant's academic and professional background and experience in nursing practice, specifying in detail the applicant's capabilities for graduate study and for future practice as an advanced practice nurse.

CURRICULUM

Students in the FNP Certificate program will complete all courses in the FNP option of the Advanced Practice Concentration in the MSN-RODP.