Please note: Admissions as of Fall 2025 is on hold for program review.
This post-professional certificate is targeted to licensed, registered nurses with an APRN MSN who wish to gain new skills and knowledge for board certification to provide primary care services as a family nurse practitioner. The program has been developed to address a growing demand from nurses for programming that enables them to obtain national certification as an advanced practice nurse (nurse practitioner) in the area of family care. The program will educate students in the concepts associated with illnesses and conditions across the lifespan. Students will develop knowledge in the diagnosis and management of illnesses. Students will learn to provide advanced nursing care to patients from childhood to older adulthood. Upon completing the program, application of key concepts related to diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of patients in primary care settings, with a focus on healthy promotion and disease prevention using best practices and evidence-based care to achieve the best possible patient outcomes will be understood.
Program Highlights
Prepares nurses with an APRN MSN for an additional board certification to provide primary care services as a family nurse practitioner
Students will understand key concepts related to diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management of patients in primary care settings
Completion time is 4 semesters
There are a limited number of seats for the Post-Professional Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner
Diagnose, treat, and provide preventive care to individuals and families across the lifespan. May refer patients to specialists when needed for further diagnosis or treatment.
Nurse Practitioners
$121,610
Median Salary
Diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a healthcare team. May focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostic tests such as lab work and x rays. May prescribe medication. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Physician Assistants
$104,760
Median Salary
Provide healthcare services typically performed by a physician, under the supervision of a physician. Conduct complete physicals, provide treatment, and counsel patients. May, in some cases, prescribe medication. Must graduate from an accredited educational program for physician assistants.
Registered Nurses
$73,550
Median Salary
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
Requirements
What are the requirements to apply for Post-Professional Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate) at ODU?
Students entering the Certificate program in Post-Professional Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner (Graduate Certificate) should meet the minimum university admission requirements Graduate Admission.
A completed online application and application fee. Applications to the Post-Professional Certificate Program are due on or before August 1st, and are considered for January admission.
A graduate APRN degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution
Satisfactory completion (Grade B or better) within the previous 5 years of required core courses including:
Advanced Pathophysiology
Advanced Physical Assessment
Advanced Pharmacology
Licensure as a registered nurse
Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work at regionally accredited institutions
Submission of current resume and 3 letters of recommendation
Current scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 230 on the computer-based TOEFL or 80 on the TOEFL iBT are required if the applicant’s native language is not English
This course for the family nurse practitioner focuses upon primary health care problems in the pediatric population.…
NURS 705
Primary Care Approaches for Children
This course for the family nurse practitioner focuses upon primary health care problems in the pediatric population. Emphasis is placed upon assessment and management of healthy and ill children. Prerequisites: NURS 661, NURS 670, NURS 671, NURS 672.
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop advanced practice skills for assessing families and…
NURS 719
Family and Community Primary Care Assessment
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop advanced practice skills for assessing families and family members across the life span and throughout generations. This course will focus on theoretical, research and practice foundations used to develop strategies to maximize safe, comprehensive, and holistic care given by the advanced practice nurse.
This course will explore current clinical concepts related to the care of healthy and pregnant women. Roles and…
NURS 766
Primary Care Approaches for Women
This course will explore current clinical concepts related to the care of healthy and pregnant women. Roles and responsibilities of the family nurse practitioner in these sub-specialties will also be discussed.
We believe in providing students with transparent and accessible information about the cost of attendance.
Review the estimated tuition rates for the 2024-25 academic year (subject to change). Other fees are assessed for special services and certain academic programs. Non-resident rates are charged for anyone who is not a current Virginia resident, including international students.
Virginia Resident
Cost Per-Credit$620
Technology Delivered Courses Outside Virginia and/or the United States
Cost Per-Credit$642
Non-Resident
Cost Per-Credit$1,486
Ways to Fund Your Degree
There are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending Old Dominion University, including scholarships, assistantships, and student loans. For more details about financial aid at Old Dominion, visit the Financial Aid Office page.
Are there other programs at ODU I may be interested in?
With over 120 undergraduate programs, 130 graduate programs at the master's, education specialist and doctoral levels plus a wealth of certificate and professional development programs, Old Dominion University has the program for you. Visit our academic program listing page to see other programs ODU has to offer.
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