Published January 9, 2017
MONROE, La. — In Dec. 2016, the ULM Kitty DeGree School of Nursing received approval
from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to move forward with admissions to the Adult-Gerontology
Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program. Program completers will be awarded
the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree.
In 2016, Kitty DeGree initiated their first graduate nursing program which prepares
graduates as Gerontological Clinical Nurse Leaders. Students are actively engaged
in this program already.
The new AGPCNP program will share many of the same courses as the Clinical Nurse Leader
program, including courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology,
advanced pathophysiology, and health policy. Students in both programs also complete
six hours of gerontology courses as a part of their requirements. The Adult-Gerontology
program requires 40 credit hours for completion of the degree. In addition, students
in this program of study will complete over 600 clinical practice hours in primary
care clinics that are supervised by approved clinical site preceptors.
The new program offers four specific health management courses to prepare graduates
to provide primary care services for adults and geriatric patients in primary care
settings. These nurse practitioner students will be qualified to take a national certification
examination upon receipt of their MSN degree and then seek advanced practice registered
nurse licensure (APRN). As an APRN, these graduates will be able to conduct physical
assessments, order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic testing, write prescriptions
for appropriate drug therapy and provide ongoing care management for their patients,
with a strong focus on health promotion and disease prevention.
“With the aging of the nation’s Baby Boomers, there is an increased need for health
care providers to provide the primary health care needs of this expanding population
group,” said Dr. Rhonda Hensley, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the
ULM Graduate Nursing Program. “Graduates of ULM’s newest graduate nursing program
will be equipped to provide high quality care that is both patient centered and cost
effective.”
To apply for this program, applicants must first apply to the School of Graduate Studies
and then also the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing. Applicants must have an earned Bachelor
of Science in Nursing with a minimum GPA of 2.8, and have completed at least two years
of RN experience. Applicants are also required to complete the GRE exam.
For additional information on the program, visit www.ulm.edu/nursing and click on Graduate Nursing. You can also contact the Graduate Nursing Program
at 318-342-1642 or by email at hensley@ulm.edu.
