Released on August 13, 2024
GREENVILLE, N.C. (August 12, 2024) — East Carolina University School of Nursing and ECU Health are launching the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program, a new graduate-level certificate program that will prepare more specialized nurse practitioners for acute care settings across the state.
“North Carolina has many nurses who do an amazing job caring for patients in intensive care units and other highly demanding healthcare settings, and because the need is so high and there is a critical nursing shortage, we want to expand the knowledge, skills and capabilities of our current nurses,” said Dr. Julie Linder, dean of Advanced Nursing Practice Education. “This new program will provide them with the educational and clinical experiences they need to meet the needs of our patient population.”
According to the American Nurses Association, only 6.1 percent of nurses specialize in adult gerontology acute care. The aging population is growing nationwide, creating a continuing shortage of healthcare workers. The collaboration between the School of Nursing and ECU Health will strengthen the healthcare workforce in eastern North Carolina, improving health outcomes and increasing access to specialized care for older adults in these areas.
“ECU Health values our strong partnership with ECU and the School of Nursing, especially in solving the national health care worker shortage,” said Pam Rudisill, vice chancellor for nursing excellence at ECU Health. “Our success as an academic health system depends on combining clinical and academic excellence to provide high-quality health care to Eastern North Carolina, which relies on collaborative solutions from institutions like ECU Health and ECU to meet the needs of our region and improve its health and well-being.”
ECU Health's Chief Nursing Office supports employees by supporting certification programs and offering tuition reimbursement as a commitment to helping employees improve their education and skills.
Classes for the first cohort of ECU's Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Certification Program will begin in spring 2025. Students who complete the course requirements of the recommended study plan are expected to graduate in May 2026. Upon graduation, these students will be eligible to take the specialty exam to become certified as an adult gerontology acute care nurse.
The application deadline for the first cohort is December 15, 2024. Review the application requirements and procedures and curriculum prerequisites.
This certificate program is a post-master's program, so applicants must already be certified as advanced practice nurses. The education students receive will equip them with the skills to work in an acute care setting. ECU offers prerequisite courses if applicants have not already completed them.
“Prospective students should contact us if they require prerequisite courses before starting their core classes,” Linder said.
The ECU School of Nursing and ECU Health have established an academic-practice partnership and previously developed a pathway for the future development of nursing care in eastern N.C., building on a five-year, $1.5 million investment from ECU Health that provided the ECU School of Nursing with the opportunity to hire faculty and purchase resources to support students in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Certification Program.
The first cohort will consist of approximately 12 students, with at least six spots allocated to ECU Health employees and the remaining spots open to applicants interested in advancing their careers in critical care.
ECU joins three other nursing programs in North Carolina to offer AGACNP certification.
###
East Carolina University News Service
Howard House, 1001 E. 5th Street
Greenville, NC 27858
Email:
Phone: 252-328-6481
https://news.ecu.edu
