Ursuline College introduces Emergency Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate Program

Ursuline College is introducing a new online program that awards a post-graduate certificate in Emergency Nurse Practitioner. The program, which is the first of its kind in Ohio, will give currently certified Family Nurse Practitioners the specialized knowledge and skills to work in urgent and emergency care situations. The Emergency Nurse Practitioner program is a 15 credit online program.

According to an article on Ursuline College’s website, Janet Baker, DNP, the college’s associate dean of Graduate Nursing Education, explained what an emergency nurse practitioner is and how the program will prepare participants for the career. She is quoted as saying, “According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Nurse Practitioners see on average 22 patients per day. In a typical 12-hour shift, an ENP can make 22 different [diagnoses], 22 different treatment plans, and often prescribes 22 different drugs. Their cases are more diverse than in any other healthcare setting. In just five classes, this program provides nurse clinicians with enhanced learning in assessment, stabilization, and management of these diverse emergency conditions to prevent complications and optimize patient outcomes. They are better prepared to provide comprehensive care to patients of all ages, including those with acute and life-threatening conditions, that require rapid decision-making and complex interventions.”

The webpage for the Emergency Nurse Practitioner Post-Graduate Certificate program indicates that students will take four courses: Acute Care Management, Focused Populations Acute Care NP, Prof Practice in Emergency Care, and Advanced Practice Ethical & Legal. According to the program description, it “emphasizes the assessment, stabilization, and management of diverse emergency conditions to prevent complications and optimize patient outcomes,” and “Students will develop expertise in handling high-acuity scenarios and performing critical procedures specific to emergency care.”

Patricia Sharpnack, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN, who serves as the dean of Ursuline College’s Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions, said, “This new program demonstrates Ursuline’s commitment to find more ways to improve the health and wellbeing of Northeast Ohio and beyond.”

For more information about Ursuline College, visit the school’s website.