AGACNS - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

Preparing students to be advanced practice nurses providing care to acute and chronically ill adults.

  • Offered as a master's degree, a post-master's certificate, or as a specialty track for students enrolled in the BSN to DNP pathway program
  • #7 public MSN program at Virginia's #1 nursing school
  • Full- and part-time options available
  • Two years (full-time) or three years (part-time) to complete
  • Graduates eligible for the adult-gerontology acute care CNS certification exam administered by AACN or ANCC
  • Guaranteed Admission for UVA School of Nursing alumni 
  • Application deadline: January 5

The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) is an advanced practice nurse prepared to manage adult patients in acute, critical and specialty care units. UVA's program emphasizes the advanced theoretical knowledge, practice and skills needed to manage adult gerontology patients through all phases of their hospitalization and follow-up. AGCNS students also develop exceptional diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, strategies to communicate and collaborate with clinicians and health care team members, and the ability to manage and monitor clinical outcomes. A keen focus on evidenced-based practice, quality improvement through system-based leadership, teaching and clinical research are also hallmarks.

Nurses seeking preparation for the care of acute and chronically ill adults at the master’s or post-master's level. Applicants should have at least one year of full-time RN experience before entering the program. The AGACNS is offered at the MSN, post-master's certificate, and DNP levels.

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Admission Requirements

Classes

Full-time students begin study in the fall, and complete the program in two years, including summer session in year 1. In the first year, the full-time student has didactic classes on Thursdays and Fridays (in the fall) and Wednesday-Friday (in the spring). In the second year, in addition to the didactic component, clinical practica are typically held Monday through Friday as the preceptor and student schedules permit.

MSN Core Coursework (23-24 credit hours)

  • GNUR 6010: Advanced Pathophysiology (4 credits)
  • GNUR 6020: Advanced Pharmacology (3 credits)
  • GNUR 6027: Advanced Pharmacology Specialty Seminar (1 credit)
  • GNUR 6025: Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)/GNUR 6025: Advanced Neonatal & Pediatric Assessment and Reasoning (4 credits)
  • GNUR 6031: Transition to Advanced Practice (2 credits)
  • GNUR 6050: Theoretical Foundations of Nursing (3 credits)
  • GNUR 6054: Research & Biostatistical Processes for Health Care (4 credits)
  • GNUR 6056: Health Policy: Leading Change to Advance Population Health (3 credits)

AGAC CNS Specialty Diagnoses & Management Coursework (10 credit hours)

  • GNUR 6310: AGAC Seminar I (4 credits)
  • GNUR 6121: Diagnostics & Therapeutics (3 credits)
  • GNUR 6315: AGAC Seminar II (3 credits)

AGAC CNS Specialty Practicum Coursework (10 practicum hours)

  • GNUR 7311: AGCNS Practicum I (5 credits)
  • GNUR 7313: AGCNS Practicum II (5 credits)

Clinicals

Students complete over 500 clinical hours in the AGCNS track in two semester-long preceptorships (GNUR 7311 AND GNUR 7313). The first clinical course (GNUR 7311) is typically completed at the top-ranked UVA Medical Center, which adjoins the School of Nursing. The UVA Medical Center—a top 100 hospital with a Level I trauma center—provides an excellent clinical site with a wealth of professional and technological resources. The second practicum (GNUR 7313) may be completed at another facility in Virginia with prior arrangement of the program coordinator. Clinical placement sites are assigned based upon optimal learning experiences, students' requests, interagency contracts, and availability.

The individual student determines his or her specialization focus (e.g., cardiology, digestive health, nephrology, neurology or neuro-surgery, general surgery, pulmonary, transplant, oncology, surgical-trauma, etc.) and learns to provide care across the lifespan and care settings within this specialty.

All clinical/practicum activities are generally conducted within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Clinical/practice activities may be conducted outside Virginia if the University is authorized to place students in that state and pending faculty approval.

Palliative Care

The UVA School of Nursing is a leader in integrating compassionate care and the central precepts of palliative care into the education of future nurses and advanced practice nurses. Students who attend UVA can be mentored by a growing faculty of over 15 national and international experts in palliative care—educators, clinicians, researchers. Great opportunity awaits the student to develop palliative care as a specialty in their practice—across the lifespan and all care settings. This experience is enriched by the student's access to other disciplinary programs across the University such as religion, ethics, contemplative sciences, mindfulness, and medicine.

Technology Requirements

All graduate nursing students are required to have a laptop; information about these requirements will be sent to enrolling students before classes begin. Please see the School of Nursing Computing Policies for more guidance on laptop ownership requirements.