Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioner Advanced Practice Area
Ways to Study
- Distance-Based
Carolina Nursing’s top-ranked Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) specialty offers the following distance-based degree options:
The AGPCNP specialty equips students with the skills and knowledge to provide exceptional care for patients aged 13 through end of life, ensuring they are prepared to lead in the field of advanced practice nursing.
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- Doctor of Nursing Practice: 7th
- Master of Science in Nursing: 6th
Curriculum and Clinical Experience
The program requires course content in research, professional and clinical cores, and the advanced practice area with a selected focus. Graduates will be skilled in implementing and evaluating interventions across adult healthcare settings as well as throughout the trajectories of illness. Nurses are educated for practice that is evidence-based, collaborative, and reflective of an understanding of current healthcare delivery, as well as economic, ethical, and professional issues.
Students complete five clinical courses which include a core course in advanced diagnostic reasoning, three clinical courses that emphasize management of common adult health problems and one course that emphasizes the management of complex adult health problems related to a focus area of choice.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the American Nurses’ Association (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification examination for AGPCNP practitioners.
Courses and Plans of Study
“Carolina was the most affordable option, and once I was in the program, I discovered teaching opportunities within the School of Nursing that helped offset the cost of tuition. These opportunities also gave me valuable exposure to faculty and the academic side of nursing, which sparked my interest in teaching. It not only helped pay for my education but also shaped my career in a meaningful way.”
Chaely Medley, MSN, RN, AGNP-C
Oncology Focus
The School of Nursing offers courses leading to a specialty focus in Oncology. Applicants are admitted to the AGPCNP advanced practice area and complete an additional four credits of coursework and selected clinical hours focused in Oncology. Students who elect this option receive advanced knowledge and skills in both the prevention and management in the care of adults at risk for, or with, cancer.
Graduates who complete additional clinical hours in oncology after graduation may also qualify to sit for the Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner (Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation) exam.
All Advanced Practice Areas
Dr. Tracy Vernon-Platt earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996 and 2005, respectively. Most recently, she earned a doctor of nursing practice from Duke University in 2020. She began her nursing career in medical-surgical nursing at UNC Health Care, then spent 4.5 years working in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit. That is where she developed her passion for chronic disease management and cardiovascular diseases. She began working as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in 2005 with the cardiac surgery team at UNC Health. She maintains in active clinical practice with that team.
Dr. Vernon-Platt started teaching in the graduate nursing program here at UNC Chapel Hill in 2012. She now serves as the faculty lead for the adult-gerontology primary care NP program (AGPCNP). She is a member of the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the American College of Cardiology.
Email: tevernon@email.unc.edu