Post-Graduate Completion Program Outcome

The Post-Graduate Completion Program is designed to provide an opportunity for the student to become a leader. The graduate makes significant contributions to the improvement of health care and influences health care policy through advanced clinical practice and research in order to meet the current needs of society.

Education at the post-graduate level prepares graduates to assume leadership roles in clinical practice, nursing administration and nursing education. Advanced nursing practice graduates are prepared for entry into doctoral education.

Upon completion of Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston’s post -graduate program, learners should be able to:

1. Demonstrate mastery of specialized knowledge and skills that will promote functioning in an advanced nursing role.
2. Integrate nursing science with knowledge from ethics, informatics, and the biophysical, psychosocial, and organizational sciences into advanced nursing practice.
3. Integrate evidence into practice to achieve optimal health care outcomes.
4. Collaborate within interprofessional teams to promote delivery of safe, value-driven, equitable, and high-quality health care.
5. Utilize leadership skills to change health outcomes for diverse individuals and populations.

The non-degree Post-Graduate Completion Programs of study combine online courses with face-to-face courses and clinical experiences offering flexibility to students. The curriculum varies per track. Students have the following areas from which to choose:

• Post-Graduate Completion: Nursing Leadership and Administration
• Post-Graduate Completion: Emergency/Trauma
• Post-Graduate Completion: Nursing Education

Post-Graduate Completion Program:

Non-Degree Post-Graduate Completion Nurse Practitioner Curriculum

Students enrolled for a Post-Graduate Nurse Practitioner completion program must meet the following requirements. Students may meet these requirements by either taking the courses, achieving course objectives using validation procedure, or through equivalency credit (for courses from another university). Equivalency credit is not granted for clinical courses and preceptorships.

All students must complete the following Advanced Practice Core courses or have written approval and verification of having taken them:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NURS 6152W	Advanced Physical Examination and Differential Diagnosis Didactic	2
NURS 6152B	Advanced Physical Examination and Differential Diagnosis Practicum	1
NURS 6165W	Adv Practice Role in Population Health	3
NURS 6151W	Adv Pathophysiology	3
NURS 5529W	Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Pract	3
NURS 6551W	Diagnostic Tests and Procedures	2

Post-Graduate Completion Nurse Practitioner - Required Courses

Advanced Practice Core Course

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Advanced Practice Core Course
NURS 6152W	Advanced Physical Examination and Differential Diagnosis Didactic	2
NURS 6152B	Advanced Physical Examination and Differential Diagnosis Practicum	1
NURS 6154W	Transition to Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 6165W	Adv Practice Role in Population Health	3
NURS 6151W	Adv Pathophysiology	3
NURS 5529W	Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Pract	3
NURS 6551W	Diagnostic Tests and Procedures	2

Clinical Courses

NXXXX         (Didactic & Clinical/preceptorship courses specific to track)                          15-17                              

                                                                                                                                                                   Total          31-33                                                    

Students with an MS or MSN in population but with a different advanced practice role (i.e., CNS to NP) must take:

Advanced Practice Core Courses (or have equivalency credit) Clinical Sequence including N6154W Transition to Advanced Practice Nursing Preceptorship (4-5 credit hours, 240-300 clinical clock hours) – hours vary by track requirements. The total clinical hours for the new role is 660.

Students with an MS or MSN in another specialty and a different role must take:

Advanced Practice Core Courses (or have equivalency credit) Clinical Sequence including N6154W Transition to Advanced Practice Nursing Preceptorship (4-5 credit hours, 300 clinical clock hours) – hours vary by track requirements. The total clinical hours for the new role is 660.

Students with an MS or MSN in another population but in the NP role (i.e. FNP to PMHNP) must take:

Advanced Practice Core Courses (or have equivalency credit) Clinical Sequence excluding N6154W Transition to Advanced Practice Nursing Appropriate Preceptorship Hours (2-4 credit hours, 120- 240 clinical clock hours) – based on gap analysis of prior faculty-supervised academic clinical experiences and those needed to develop competencies in the new population-focused areas of practice – hours vary by track requirements. The minimum total clinical hours for the new population is 540.

Academic Requirements for Progression

To be eligible for completion with a Post-Graduate Completion Program, a student must:

• have a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average;
• successfully complete the prescribed curriculum for which they are registered and must meet all other requirements of the Cizik School of Nursing;
• submit official transcripts of any courses taken outside the Cizik School of Nursing to the UTHealth Houston Office of the Registrar;
• Complete the graduate curriculum within five years from admission for MSN students or three years for post-graduate students or have been granted an extension by the Master’s Council.
• apply to graduation in MyUTH prior to the established deadline each term;
• pay the required graduation fee of $150;
• complete the clearance packet and clear through all designated offices; and
• be enrolled during the term of graduation program completion.

See policy G5440 Eligibility for Graduation/Completion for more information.