MS-Nurse Practitioner Programs

Primary Care
The primary care option in advanced practice nursing prepares students to be nurse practitioners in adult, family, gerontology, and pediatric nursing. Special emphasis is placed on the delivery of care to vulnerable populations in a changing health system.

Specialty advisors from the graduate faculty will assist students in developing individualized programs of study and in monitoring progress toward program completion. All specialties require a minimum of four semesters of full-time study. Part-time study may also be arranged.

The total number of credits required varies depending on the clinical specialty. The program consists of graduate core courses, advanced practice nursing courses, and specialty nurse practitioner courses including supervised clinical hours. The number of clinical hours required ranges between 540 and 630 hours depending on the specialty. A thesis option (6 credits) is available. Graduates of the primary health care option are eligible to take national certification exams in the nurse practitioner area of specialty.

All NP students take the following courses in addition to the specialty coursework below:

• N620 Methods & Measures in Nursing Research (3) 
•  N N612 Advanced Assessment & Clinical Reasoning (2)
•  N612(L) Advanced Assessment & Clinical Reasoning Lab (1) 
•  N613 Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice (3) 
• N625 Advanced Practice Nurse Role Course (3) 
• N605 Health Promotion/Disease Prevention (3)
•  N629 Pharmacology for Nurses in Advanced Practice (3)
• N733 Care of Populations (3)

PEDIATRIC 47 total credits
Mariailiana Stark, DrPH, MSN, RN
stark@hawaii.edu
(808)956-3450

• N647 Family Systems in Health & Illness (3)
• N633 Child Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
• N634 Child Health: Acute & Chronic Care (3)
• N628 Child Health: Special Needs (3)
• N675 Advanced Practice Clinical: Fourteen N675 Clinical Credits (630 hours) are required for graduation (1 credit N675 = 45 clinical hours)

FAMILY 52 total credits
Program Director: Mirella Vasquez Brooks, PhD, MSN, RN
vasquesz@hawaii.edu
(808) 956-3269

• N647 Family Systems in Health & Illness (3)
• N621 Acute & Episodic Care (3)
• N635 Women's Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
• N640 Chronic Illness Management (3)
• N633 Child Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
  " N695 Successful Aging: Physiologic (3)
• N675 Advanced Practice Clinical: Thirteen N675 clinical credits (585 hours) are required for graduation (1 credit N675=45 clinical hours)

ADULT 45 total credits
Program Director: Terri LaCoursiere Zucchero MN, APRN, FNP-BC
zucchero@hawaii.edu
(808) 956-3884

• N621 Acute & Episodic Care (3)
• N635 Women's Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
• N640 Chronic Illness Management (3)
• N695 Successful Aging: Physiologic (3)
• N675 Advanced Practice Clinical: Twelve N675 clinical credits (540 hours) are required for graduation (1 credit = 45 clinical hours)

GERONTOLOGY 48 credits
Program Director: Terri LaCoursiere Zucchero MN, APRN, FNP-BC
zucchero@hawaii.edu
(808) 956-3884

Gerontology elective (3) (Courses are available through PH (636, 637, 639, 640), SOC (453), SPA (622), LAW (521), independent study with faculty, or may be taken at another institution with advisor approval)

• N621 Acute & Episodic Care (3)
• N635 Women's Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
• N640 Chronic Illness Management (3)
• N695 Successful Aging: Physiologic (3)
• N675 Advanced Practice Clinical: twelve N675 Clinical Credits (540 hours) are required for graduation (1 credit N675 = 45 clinical hours) and at least 4 of those credits must be in long-term care setting.

ADULT/GERONTOLOGY DUAL 50 credits
Program Director: Terri LaCoursiere Zucchero MN, APRN, FNP-BC
zucchero@hawaii.edu
(808) 956-3884

Gerontology elective (3) (Courses are available through PH (636, 637, 639, 640), SOC (453), SPA (622), LAW (521), independent study with faculty, or may be taken at another institution with advisor approval)

• N621 Acute & Episodic Care (3)
• N635 Women's Health: Promotion and Maintenance (3)
• N640 Chronic Illness Management (3)
• N695 Successful Aging: Physiologic (3)
• N675 Advanced Practice Clinical: twelve N675 Clinical Credits (540 hours) are required for graduation (1 credit N675 = 45 clinical hours) and at least 4 of those credits must be in long-term care setting.

Post-Master's Option
Master's-prepared nurses who wish to pursue advanced education and additional specialization as an NP should contact the NP Program Directors about the post-master's option. Program Directors will work with applicants to develop the specific program of study with consideration of previous coursework, clinical experience, and requirements for board certification. This may include course work to re-establish a base of knowledge in a particular area as well as courses in advanced practice not included in the original masters program