Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate
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Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGAC-NP) Certificate Overview
Are you an RN with a master’s degree? It’s time to take the next step in your career. Earn a valuable nurse practitioner certificate online and gain the expertise to treat and care for acutely ill adult and elderly patients.
- Provide direct care management, including diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Manage acutely ill medical, surgical, and critical care adult or gerontology populations while working with an interprofessional team.
- Prepare to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification or the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ (AACN) Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certification.
- Complete an acute care skills lab using an Oculus VR headset for a virtual lab experience.
- Learn from faculty with decades of nursing experience who bring real-world knowledge to the classroom.
Respected Accreditations
The online Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate at Purdue Global is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Purdue Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Clinical Practice Experience
Gain valuable experience by applying what you’ve learned in a real-world setting. You’ll participate in a series of clinicals at a health care facility or clinical site as part of the program.
Note: At this time, residents of the following states and territories may not enroll in this program: District of Columbia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Guam. In addition, international students are not eligible to enroll in this program.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Calculate Your Time and Cost
Estimate how much your prior learning credits can reduce your tuition and time to graduation.
What Courses Will I Take?
This postgraduate certificate program is focused on helping you build skills to manage the direct care of acutely ill adults in medical, surgical, and critical care.
Sample Courses
- Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
- Advanced Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics
- Specialized Pharmacology for the AGACNP Acute Care NP
- AGACNP Acute Care Diagnosis and Management
- AGACNP Critical Care Management
Program Requirements
1 semester credit hour = 1.5 quarter credit hours
Admissions Requirements
A master's degree with an upper-level major in nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and an approved criminal background check is required. You will need to provide an official transcript that shows your degree completion with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited institution, though an unofficial copy may be provided during the application process. Additional requirements apply. Refer to the program-specific policy page in the University Catalog or speak to an Advisor to learn more.
Upcoming Start Dates
We offer multiple start dates to give you flexibility in your education, life, and work schedules.
Prepare for Certification
Upon completion of the postgraduate certificate program, you may be eligible to sit for the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner certification exams offered by the following organizations:
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
After earning your acute care nursing certification, you may be academically eligible for licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse in any state in which the program is available for enrollment.
Faculty With Real-World Experience
Our faculty has decades of nursing experience and brings real-world knowledge to the classroom. Many hold doctorates or advanced nursing certifications; all faculty members possess at least a master’s degree.
See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Ways to Save on Time and Tuition
Purdue Global works with students to find ways to reduce costs and make education more accessible. Contact us to learn about opportunities to save on your educational costs.
Transfer Credits
Earn credit for prior coursework completed at eligible institutions.
Financial Aid
Learn about federal financial aid programs available for many of our degree programs.
Grants and Loans
Learn about federal and state grants and loan programs that may be available.
Corporate Partner Benefits
Employees of Purdue Global partner organizations may be eligible for special tuition reductions.
Military Tuition Reduction
Graduate tuition savings for military include a 17–30% reduction per credit for current servicemembers and 14% per credit for veterans for graduate programs.
Prior Military Experience
Earn credit for your military training. We offer credit for ACE-evaluated training and CLEP and DANTES examinations.
View the total cost of attendance for your program.
Career Opportunities
Responsibilities in acute care nurse practitioner careers may include diagnosing and treating patients, ordering tests, interpreting results, preparing treatment plans, and prescribing medication (in many states).
Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners serve in environments such as hospitals, medical surgical units, and critical care or specialty units.
Average Salary
Range
Job Growth
In Your State
General labor market and salary data are provided by Lightcast and may not represent the outcomes experienced by Purdue Global graduates in these programs. Purdue Global graduates in these programs may earn salaries substantially different or less than the amounts listed above. The skills and employers mentioned are a representation of the hiring needs within the labor market generated by Lightcast and may change over time. There can be no guarantee that any listed employer is or will be hiring in the future or will hire a Purdue Global graduate. Salary and employment outcomes vary by geographic area, previous work experience, education, and opportunities for employment that are outside of Purdue Global's control. The default state is Indiana for those outside of the U.S.
Purdue Global does not guarantee employment placement, salary level, or career advancement. See Notes and Conditions below for important information.
Possible Behavioral Interview Questions for This Field of Study
- Share an example of a time when you had to shift priorities quickly. How did you handle that situation?
- Tell me about a time when you had to adapt quickly to a change in plans. How did you handle it?
- Describe a time you motivated your team to achieve results. What was your approach?
- Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a patient.
Sample Skills Developed and Used in This Field
- Acute Care
- Treatment Planning
- Care Coordination
- Chronic Disease Management
- Clinical Practices
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Digital Literacy
- Direct Patient Care
- Electronic Medical Record Entry
- Patient Education and Counseling
- Patient Management Software
- Leadership
- Treatment Planning
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Get to Know Our Faculty
Purdue Global faculty members are real-world practitioners who bring knowledge gained through the powerful combination of higher learning and industry experience.
Faculty members who have advanced degrees
Faculty publications in 2024–2025
Professional development hours logged by faculty in 2024–2025
Statistics include all Purdue Global faculty members and are not school- or program-specific calculations. Source: Purdue Global Office of Reporting and Analysis, August 2025. 2024–2025 academic year.