Program Description

This post-master’s certificate option is available for nurses who hold a Master of Science in Nursing degree. A gap analysis is done to determine which courses would be needed to complete the certificate. Post-Master certificates are available for Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Family Primary Care Nurse Practitioner.

Post-Master's Certificate Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

This track prepares students to provide direct care and to take leadership in the primary care of young adults, adults and older adults. Primary care sites include outpatient clinics, work sites, college health services, emergency rooms, home health and other community-based settings. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as an Adult Gerontology Primary Care Practitioner.

Post-Master's Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate

The Family Nurse Practitioner online program is designed to prepare nurses with the skills needed to deliver cutting-edge, community-based primary health care to individuals and families across the lifespan. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Post-Master's Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program prepares nurse practitioner students to provide a full range of mental health services to clients across the life span. This specialty emphasizes prevention, diagnosis, and management of both acute episodic and chronic mental illnesses. Although not setting specific, clinical rotations will primarily occur in in-patient, outpatient, and community residential settings. Upon completion of this track, students are eligible for licensure in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and for national certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Mission

Consistent with Lasallian values, the Mission of the Nursing Program is to provide scientifically based nursing curricula to educate clinically competent, caring, nursing professionals with a commitment to excellence in practice, service, life-long learning, and scholarship.

Program Goals

• Prepare students to provide nursing services in health care agencies and communities with an emphasis on vulnerable populations
• Prepare students to provide professional nursing services in health care agencies and communities with an emphasis on vulnerable populations
• Facilitate students’ professional development in the knowledge, skills, and values to advocate for a healthy society
• Foster student and faculty engagement in inter-professional and collaborative health care services, programs, and research
• Educate students to strengthen the nursing profession and to contribute to the health of society through service and practice
• Develop a community of life-long learners among students, faculty, alumni, and community partners.

Program Specific Information

Post-master’s Certificate programs at La Salle University are accredited by the: 

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street NW, Suite 750
Washington DC 20001
202-887-6791

Degree or Certificate Earned

Certificate

Required for Program Completion

• Courses 
  • dependent upon gap analysis
• Credits
  • dependent upon gap analysis
• GPA
  • 3.0

Student Learning Outcomes

• Integrate advanced theoretical, research-based, scientific, and clinical knowledge into clinical practice to provide nursing care to diverse clients. (Essential 1)
• Practice independently and collaboratively with an inter-professional team while delivering direct and indirect care services in various types of health care systems. (Essential 2, 7, 9, 10)
• Use research findings from nursing and other disciplines as a basis for clinical decision-making to improve practice and to formulate health policy. (Essential 4, 6)
• Use ethical decision-making to promote the well-being of individuals, families, health care professionals in local, national, and international communities. (Essential 6)
• Utilize evidence-based practice recommendations and professional standards of care to promote health, prevent disease and improve the health status of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. (Essential 4, 8)
• Demonstrate communication skills, including health information management to enhance the quality of care provided at individual and aggregate levels. (Essential 5)
• Demonstrate safe, effective assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation skills in caring for individuals and groups while working in inter-professional collaborative relationships. (Essential 3, 4, 7, 9)
• Provide culturally competent care to all persons regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, culture, health care beliefs, and religion. (Essential 7, 8)
• Function as a leader and change agent in nursing and in health care delivery systems particularly to insure quality care for vulnerable and underserved populations. (Essential 7, 8)
• Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for ongoing professional development (Essential 9)

Admission Requirements

Post Master of Science in Nursing Certificate Programs

The Standards for Admission to the Graduate Program in Nursing are as follows:

1. Online application
2. Professional résumé
3. A statement articulating your professional values, future educational and career aspirations utilizing the desired certification, and the reason for your track selection.
4. Current unencumbered R.N. licensure in the United States.
5. One year of current clinical experience as a registered nurse.
6. Two professional references. One reference must be a former professor or supervisor.
7. For Post-MSN applicants who hold current CRNP licenses, one year of current NP experience in their area of NP certification.
8. Evidence of successful academic achievement in completing a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE-accredited program, or the MSN Bridge program for R.N.s with a non-nursing baccalaureate degree.
   1. Undergraduate coursework must include an introductory statistics course (including inferential and descriptive) and an undergraduate nursing research course.
9. Students with an undergraduate BSN or other RN entry level GPA of less than 2.67 are required to present test scores from the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), MAT (Miller Analogies Test) or GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test), to be considered for admission into the program. Students should aim for a score above the 50th percentile for the verbal and quantitative sections.
10. A criminal background check in the state of residence and state of Pennsylvania is required upon admission to the program and annually until graduation. If there is a positive finding on the criminal background check, a letter of explanation must be provided. This complaint/conviction will be reviewed by the graduate admissions committee and may result in rescinding of the offer of admission.

Students who have earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate program may be formally accepted into the Master of Science program upon receipt of all required documents for admission and a review by the Graduate Nursing Admissions and Progressions committee.

Course Sequence

Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

The following are track specific courses; requires a total of 512 clinical hours. 

Family Nurse Practitioner

The following are track specific courses; requires a total of 692 clinical hours. 

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The following are track specific courses; requires a total of 692 clinical hours.  

Course Descriptions

All course descriptions may be found in the main menu under Graduate > Courses: A-Z.

Faculty

Director: Rachel Spoon DNP, CRNP, AGPCNP-BC, CCCTM
Associate Professors: Dr. Tait, Dr. Donohue-Smith, Dr. Kinder
Assistant Professors: Dr. Palovcak, Dr. Spoon, Dr. Storbrauck
Adjunct: Dr. Mathew, Dr. Bronzell-Wynder, Dr Czekanski 
Professor Emerita:  Dr. Wilby

Program Contact Information