Flourish as a caregiver for the adult population
Vault your nursing career to the next level with Herzing University. Go from Registered Nurse (RN) to Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP, commonly referred to as AGNP) in as few as two years to begin a rewarding new career path. As a primary care AGNP you’ll be a trusted advisor for preventative care, counseling, and coordinating a long-term healthcare plan.
Your first step is earning a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Learn online in Herzing’s Everywhere Classroom: at your pace, on your schedule
- Class topics include core undergraduate nursing classes, health promotion, clinical decision-making, roles for nurse practitioners, and much more
- Prepare for key AGNP industry certifications: the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP) certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Certification (AGPCNP-BC) from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Registered nurses who already hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) may be eligible to enroll in our 20-month MSN-AGPCNP program.
Classes Start September 7th
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Choose your path to go from RN to AGNP
Earn your BSN, then begin working towards your master’s degree.
- Curriculum built to help you earn a BSN and MSN faster
- How long? 32 months on average
- Earn a bachelor’s degree that may be required by some employers
Bridge right to AGPCNP in the Herzing Accelerated RN to MSN program.
- Complete your MSN faster than stopping out for a BSN
- How long? As few as 2 years (24 months)
- Best for nurses looking to enter the workforce as soon as possible
RN to AGPCNP program classes & curriculum details
Our program is designed to help associate and diploma-level nurses earn the education and skills needed to apply for certification as an AGPCNP.
All classes are delivered online with 585 total clinical hours, including a 180-hour immersion experience designed to help you earn your first job as a primary care nurse practitioner.
| Program | Monthsi | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a Concentration in Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner - Accelerated RN-MSN (MSNAGPCNP) | 24 | 64 |
i. Average number of months for students to complete program. Program availability varies by location.
Required Bridge Courses
All courses, 16.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Core Courses
All courses, 15.00 semester credit hours, are required.
Required Direct Care Core Courses
All courses, 9.00 semester credit hours, are required.
*Students in the AG PC NP program must take NU 610 and NU 611 in the same semester.
Required Courses in AGNP-PC Concentration
All courses, 24.00 semester credit hours, are required.
How to go from RN to BSN to MSN-AGPCNP
This pathway combines our online RN to BSN and BSN to MSN-AGPCNP degree programs. You can view their respective curriculums with all course information here:
Tuition & Cost
Our goal is your career advancement. That’s why we are always working to improve our curriculums and processes to make our RN to AGPCNP program as affordable as possible while preparing you best for success in your work.
With Herzing University, you are never alone, and we offer many options to help you invest in yourself and earn your master’s degree in nursing. Financial aid options include:
RN to AGPCNP program enrollment prerequisites
Enrollment requirements are the same whether you choose the accelerated RN to MSN-AGPCNP or pursue RN to BSN to MSN-AGPCNP path. Prerequisites include:
- Live in a state where Herzing University is authorized to offer the RN to MSN program
- Hold a current, active and unrestricted license as a registered nurse (RN) in the same state in which they practice
- Hold an associate degree (ADN/ASN/AASN) in nursing from a nationally or regionally accredited college or university
- Participate in an interview to identify your goals and determine if the program is right for you
Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District Of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Your clinical placement is our pledge.
We understand securing clinical placement as part of an RN to AGPCNP program is one of the biggest concerns students face. At Herzing, we offer guidance and support through our step-by-step Clinical Guidance Process to ensure you can get the clinical practice experiences you need.
As a Herzing student, we’ll encourage you to find your own preceptor and clinical sites as there are many benefits to doing so. However, we provide extensive support should you find difficulty along the way. With Herzing, you are never on your own.
Because of our strong relationships with healthcare providers across the U.S. and our comprehensive Clinical Guidance Process, we are confident in our ability to help you find clinical placement. So much so that if you are unable to find a clinical site on your own, we pledge to step in and help you secure clinical placement.*
* Subject to terms and conditions outlined in the enrollment agreement.
Pursue a growing career path
The evidence suggests qualified caregivers for the adult and elderly population will be in huge demand in the coming decades.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that for the first time in U.S. history, people older than 65 will outnumber those under 18 by the year 2034. By 2030, all baby boomers will be older than age 65, meaning about 1 in every 5 U.S. residents will be at retirement age. Combined with a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projection of 52% growth in the nurse practitioner profession from 2020-2030, the need for NPs capable of delivering adult and geriatric care appears ready to surge.
AGPCNP represents an opportunity for you to join the ranks of a collaborative team dedicated to managing patients’ long-term healthcare needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), core competencies for Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners include:
- Contributes to improved knowledge and care of the adult gerontology population
- Uses scientific knowledge and theoretical foundations to detect psychological, physiological, and sociological development and aging
- Be a leader facilitating the coordination and planning to deliver care to the adult gerontology population
- Promotes safety and risk reduction
- Continually evaluates the quality of care delivery models
- Integrates appropriate technologies into deliver healthcare in remote, face-to-face encounters
- Aids in the development of health promotion programs within a health community or system
- Provides wellness promotion and disease prevention services balancing the costs, risks and benefits to individuals
That’s just a sample! As an AGNP you will carry many different responsibilities as a crucial member of a healthcare team.
While both jobs involve outpatient primary care under the “general NP” umbrella, the biggest difference between AGNP and FNP is the patient population. FNPs are trained for family practice across the lifespan, including children, while AGNPs are trained only for the adult lifespan (adolescent through end of life).
According to 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners earn an average salary of $114,510 per year ($55.05 per hour).*
NPs specializing in adult gerontology in primary care may increase their earning potential by becoming board certified, gaining valuable experience and continuing their education.
Yes.
In the past, there were separate designations for Adult Nurse Practitioners (ANP) and Geriatric Nurse Practitioners (GNP). Now the two roles have been combined into Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP). The knowledge and skills developed in an MSN-AGNP program will best prepare you to work with geriatric/elderly patients.
Graduating with an MSN and becoming board certified as a primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP-BC) will qualify you to practice as an NP and pursue a geriatric specialty.
We offer multiple options for current nurses of all types, including pathways for ASN/ADN, BSN, and MSN degree holders.
View our available online Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner programs.
Primary care AGNPs are responsible for providing continuous, comprehensive medical care for patients across the adult lifespan (13 and older). AGNPs work primarily in outpatient care settings helping patients develop their personal healthcare assessments and manage long-term chronic illnesses.
AGNPs work under the supervision of a physician, with varying degrees of autonomy. They do not “specialize” in a traditional sense, acting as big picture managers of a patients’ healthcare plan and facilitating connections to specialized care as necessary. However, nurses can begin their NP career in primary care and branch into a specialty of their choosing later, such as acute care or mental health.
Practicing as an AGNP requires close collaboration with a team of healthcare staff dedicated to the long-term health needs of their patients.
While there are some similarities between the two main types of adult gerontology nurse practitioners, these are the biggest differences between primary care NPs and acute care NPs:
There are two types of general NPs: Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (AGPCNPs) and Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP). Both NPs provide ongoing health counseling, prevention and management for their patients.
The primary difference is the patient population they care for: FNPs practice across the lifespan in family practice, including pediatric, adult, and geriatric care. AGNPs work only with adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.
If you are open to working with children you may choose the FNP path, while those who prefer to work with adults only may choose the AGNP path.
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RN to MSN - Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Degree Programs
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Accreditation & Disclosures
1. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and master's degree program in nursing at Herzing University - Madison are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin.
Herzing University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
View Herzing University Accreditation and Approvals
Eligible states for enrollment: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District Of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
