NSG 530 — Advanced Pathophysiology
This course provides an overview of the normal physiologic and pathologic mechanisms of disease and serves as one primary component of the foundation for clinical assessment, decision-making and management. The course will prepare the advanced practice nurse for interpreting changes in normal function that results in symptoms indicative of illness in patients across the lifespan (Credits: 3).
NSG-506. Advanced Practice in Adult Gerontology Clinical I
Advance practice nursing students integrate theories from nursing and other sciences that are evidence-based and sensitive to cultural and ethical issues. Promoting quality outcomes in the adult-gerontology population across the spectrum of young adults, adults, and older adults is the focus of this clinical experience in primary care settings. Advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and development of therapeutic interventions for self-limiting conditions occurs. Opportunities for interdisciplinary experience and collaborative practice are provided. The seminar component of the course is designed to develop critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. (Seminar, Residency and 250 clinical practice hours).
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-546. Family Nurse Practitioner I
Family/Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner students integrate theories from nursing and other sciences that are evidence-based and sensitive to cultural and ethical issues. Promoting quality outcomes in the family population across the lifespan is the focus of this clinical experience in primary care settings. Advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and development of therapeutic interventions for self-limiting conditions occurs. Opportunities for interdisciplinary experience and collaborative practice are provided. The seminar component of the course is designed to develop critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. (Seminar, Residency and 250 clinical practice hours)
Pre-Requisites: NSG-500, NSG-530, NSG-533, NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-552. Psychopharmacology
This course is designed to assist the P-MH nurse practitioner to develop competence in prescribing and monitoring psychopharmacological agents used in the treatment of common psychiatric-mental health disorders across the lifespan. This course will examine the major classes of psychopharmacological agents on neurobiological function with a particular emphasis on the clinical management of target psychiatric symptoms. Drugs of abuse, side effects, issues of polypharmacy, and management of advanced practice prescriptive privileges are also explored.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-533; Credits: 2
Curriculum Sample
Below is a sample list of courses you will take as part of the online Post-Graduate/APRN Certificate program. All courses are 12 weeks long. To see the full program curriculum, access your free program guide.
NSG 533 — Advanced Pharmacology
This course provides the basic principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics for broad categories of drugs. Purpose of action, common interactions and contraindications of major drug categories are highlighted. Case studies are integrated to provide students the opportunity to demonstrate application of pharmacological theory in advancing nursing practice (Credits: 3).
NSG-535. Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing I
This foundational clinical course introduces students to advanced practice psychiatric nursing in a variety of mental health settings. Students acquire skills in completing comprehensive mental health assessments. Students identify and apply concepts, theories, and principles to the practice of individual, family, and group psychotherapy, with emphasis on process dynamics. Considerations and challenges in providing psychotherapy to culturally diverse individuals, families, and groups are explored and discussed. Skills are gained in assessing psychopathological symptoms across the lifespan and in implementing planned interventions. Students integrate theory and practice of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse in a supervised clinical practicum (Total: Residency and 250 practice hours).
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550, NSG-552; Credits: 3
NSG-554. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care I
This course is designed to prepare primary care nurse practitioner students to provide primary health care to the adult and older adult population during wellness and acute/episodic illness. The course integrates nursing theories that are evidence-based with health assessment and diagnostic reasoning of acute/episodic primary care health problems. Health promotion, protection and disease prevention interventions are provided with consideration of culturally diverse populations.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-554. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care I
This course is designed to prepare primary care nurse practitioner students to provide primary health care to the adult and older adult population during wellness and acute/episodic illness. The course integrates nursing theories that are evidence-based with health assessment and diagnostic reasoning of acute/episodic primary care health problems. Health promotion, protection and disease prevention interventions are provided with consideration of culturally diverse populations.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the United States will be short at least 120,000 family medicine providers by 2030. Earning your family nurse practitioner (FNP) certification online through Wilkes' APRN post-graduate program allows you to be part of the solution.
As an FNP, you can make a difference in patients' lives by expanding your knowledge and skills beyond treatment. With your new experience, you will be able to provide disease prevention and management, counseling, and health and wellness education for families.
Some of the most rewarding nursing positions are APRN roles. Our online APRN-FNP track gives you the critical thinking skills to have a positive impact on patient outcomes physically, psychosocially, spiritually, cognitively and developmentally. Our program fully prepares you to pass the ANCC and AANP national certification exams.
The role of the psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is to assess, diagnose and treat the mental health needs of patients, including children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. If you’re passionate about offering psychiatric health care services to underserved patients, our APRN-PMHNP track gives you the skills you need, such as competency in prescribing and monitoring medications for patients with mental health disorders or substance abuse problems.
You will develop knowledge of clinical modalities and theories used in health promotion to identify individuals and populations at risk of mental illness. In this role, you will offer primary prevention in mental health, with consideration to culturally diverse, rural and underserved populations. Our program fully prepares you to pass the ANCC and AANP national certification examinations.
In recent years, people are living longer than ever. The aging population presents unique challenges to healthcare professionals. If you desire increased autonomy and authority in your role as a nurse practitioner, a post master’s certificate in adult-gerontology might be right for you.
Wilkes University's online APRN adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner track will give you the skills necessary to integrate evidence-based nursing theories with diagnostic reasoning. With this new knowledge, you will be better prepared to offer exceptional chronic and acute primary healthcare solutions to adults of all ages. Our program fully prepares you to pass the ANCC and AANP national certification exams.
NSG 550 — Diagnostic Reasoning for Nurse Practitioners
The nurse practitioner will develop processes for formulating differential diagnoses of acute and chronic physical and mental illnesses in the primary care setting across the lifespan. A case-study approach is integrated to prepare students for management of health status of patients through the implementation of strategies specific to the synthesis of data from multiple sources that promote quality of care outcomes for patients (Prerequisites: NSG 530, NSG 533; Credits: 2).
NSG-515. Advanced Practice in Adult Gerontology Clinical II
Advanced Practice nursing students integrate theories from nursing and other sciences that are evidence-based and sensitive to cultural and ethical issues. Promoting quality outcomes in the adult and gerontology population across the spectrum of young adults, adults, and older adults is the focus of this clinical experience in primary care settings. Advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and development of therapeutic interventions for complex health conditions occurs. Opportunities for interdisciplinary experience and collaborative practice are provided. The seminar component of the course is designed to develop critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. (Seminar, Residency and 250 clinical practice hours)
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-526. Clinical Modalities in Advanced Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice
This course provides a foundation in the major systems of therapy for individuals and groups used in advanced psychiatric mental health nursing and other disciplines engaged in mental health practice. Focus will be on therapeutic modalities such as brief psychotherapy, group processes and practices, milieu therapy and crisis intervention as they relate to advanced nursing practice in mental health.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550, NSG-552; Credits: 3
NSG-536. Advanced Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing II
This clinical course focuses on refining assessment, diagnosis, and pharmacological and psychosocial management of individuals of all ages with mental illness. Individual, family, and group psychotherapies are refined. Students gain skills in identifying individuals/populations at risk for mental illness and primary prevention in mental health. Mental health needs of culturally diverse, rural, and underserved populations are explored. Leadership and advocacy roles of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse as an agent of healthcare policy change are emphasized. Students integrate theory and practice of the advanced practice psychiatric nurse in a supervised clinical practicum (Total: Residency and 250 practice hours).
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550, NSG-552; Credits: 3
NSG-548. Family Nurse Practitioner Role with Children and Families
This course is designed to prepare Family Nurse Practitioner nursing students to provide primary health care to the pediatric client and their family. The course integrates nursing theories that are evidence-based with health assessment and diagnostic reasoning of acute primary care health problems. Health promotion, protection and disease prevention interventions are provided with consideration of culturally diverse populations.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-500, NSG-530, NSG-533, NSG-550; Credits: 2
NSG 556 — Health Perspectives of Culturally Diverse, Rural and Underserved Populations
This course is designed to introduce the advanced practice nursing student to the issues facing culturally diverse, rural and underserved populations. The theory can be integrated into clinical practice for patients and families in primary care settings to promote an understanding of differences and issues that impact the comprehensive planning of healthcare services (Credits: 2).
NSG-527. Psychopathology, Theories, and Advanced Clinical Modalities
This course focuses on the most frequently observed pathologies in psychiatry and mental health, the various conceptual models and theories related to the practice of psychiatric mental health nursing, and the most advanced clinical modalities congruent with the analysis of the best evidence.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550, NSG-552; Credits: 3
NSG-549. Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical with Children and Families
Family Nurse Practitioner nursing students integrate theories from nursing and other sciences that are evidence-based and sensitive to cultural and ethical issues. Promoting quality outcomes in the pediatric population across the lifespan is the focus of this clinical experience in primary care settings. Advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and development of therapeutic interventions for complex health conditions occurs. Opportunities for interdisciplinary experience and collaborative practice are provided. The seminar component of the course is designed to develop critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. (Seminar, Residency and 84 clinical practice hours)
Pre-Requisites: NSG-500 NSG-530 NSG-533 NSG-550; Credits: 1
NSG-555. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care II
This course is designed to prepare primary care nurse practitioner students to provide chronic primary health care to the adult and older adult population. The course integrates nursing theories that are evidence-based with health assessment and diagnostic reasoning of chronic, primary health care problems. Health promotion, protection and disease prevention interventions are provided with consideration of culturally diverse populations.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-547. Family Nurse Practitioner II
Family/Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner students integrate theories from nursing and other sciences that are evidence-based and sensitive to cultural and ethical issues. Promoting quality outcomes in the family population across the lifespan is the focus of this clinical experience in primary care settings. Advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and development of therapeutic interventions for complex health conditions occurs. Opportunities for interdisciplinary experience and collaborative practice are provided. The seminar component of the course is designed to develop critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills through case presentations. (Seminar, Residency and 250 clinical practice hours)
Pre-Requisites: NSG-500, NSG-530, NSG-533, NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG 591: Scholarly Preparation for Nurse Practitioner Boards
In this course the student will synthesize and review topics relevant to their NP specialty area of clinical practice. This course is designed as a review of specialty focused curriculum for the nurse practitioner national board certification examination.
NSG-555. Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care II
This course is designed to prepare primary care nurse practitioner students to provide chronic primary health care to the adult and older adult population. The course integrates nursing theories that are evidence-based with health assessment and diagnostic reasoning of chronic, primary health care problems. Health promotion, protection and disease prevention interventions are provided with consideration of culturally diverse populations.
Pre-Requisites: NSG-550; Credits: 3
NSG-500 — Advanced Health Assessment
This course presents an overview of the full and comprehensive health assessment of patients across the life span. Emphasis on multiple aspects of assessment including physical, functional, and mental health assessment along with transcultural variations, will prepare the student for advanced nursing practice.