Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Post-Master’s Certificate

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The purpose of the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate Programs at Purdue University Northwest will be to provide Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) preparation to qualified Master’s prepared nurses. CNSs are advanced practice nurses who are uniquely prepared to meet complex patients’ needs for expert nursing care. In addition, CNSs advance the practice of nursing through their positive influence on nurses, nursing practice and healthcare systems. The target audience for this program includes master’s prepared nurses that are interested in becoming clinical nurse specialists.

Admission Requirements

The admission process for the Adult Health or Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Post-Master’s Certificate Programs adheres to Graduate School Admission policies regarding English as a foreign language and parallels that for students seeking a Master’s Degree in Nursing. Specific requirements are:

Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited institution or admission and enrollment in a master’s degree program in nursing.
Minimum graduate GPA of 3.0/4.0 with the possibility of conditional admission for applicants who do not meet this requirement.
Evidence of current United States nurse licensure.
A minimum of one year or 1500 hours of experience as a registered nurse.
Criminal background check clearance (Information about testing to be obtained through College of Nursing).

Completion Requirements

The certificate requires students to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours and a maximum of 30 credit hours consisting of the following courses.