Family Nurse Practitioner Curriculum
FAQ
Since graduate education in nursing builds on the baccalaureate curriculum, students are expected to enter the program with prerequisite coursework and clinical nursing competence. Specific areas that will be built upon, but not repeated at the graduate level include: basic anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology; introductory pharmacology; basic growth and development; basic physical and psychosocial assessment; basic statistics; interviewing and development of therapeutic relationships; and community health nursing. Students who seek admission without some of these competencies will need to take personal responsibility for acquiring them. The College of Nursing and the University of New Mexico have coursework, clinical opportunities and faculty available to assist students, if necessary, prior to entering the program.

The total program consists of 52 credits and requires six terms of full time study. Over 800 hours of clinical experience are included in the program. The curriculum consists of general core courses required of all graduate students and specialty courses.

Curriculum Revisions FNP Concentration
Three Term Schedule (Revised February 2009)

SUMMER - TERM I
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N501 Theoretical Foundations of Advance Nursing Practice 3 3    
N503 Research in Nursing I 3 3    
N526 Pathophysiology for Advanced Nursing Practice 3 3    
TOTAL 9      


FALL - TERM II
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N504 Evidence Based Practice in Nsg & Hl Care 3 3    
N505 Health Care Policy, Systems & Financing for Advanced Practice 3 3    
N540 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning 4 2 2 96
TOTAL 10     96


SPRING - TERM III
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N543 Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics 3 3    
N548 Women’s Health 3 1.5 1.5 72
N541 Antepartum 2 1 1 48
TOTAL 8     120


SUMMER - TERM IV
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N542 Ambulatory Pediatrics I 4 2.5    
N535 Adult Health I 3 2 1.5 72
OPTIONAL Elective N593 Diagnostic Reasoning & Case Studies 1 - 2 1 - 2 1 48
TOTAL 7 - 9     120


FALL - TERM V
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N546 Ambulatory Pediatrics II 4 2 2 96
N536 Adult Health II 5 3 2 96
TOTAL 9     192


SPRING - TERM VI
COURSE CREDIT
HOURS		 DIDACTIC
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
CREDITS		 CLINICAL
HOURS
N596 Professional Paper or N597 Exam 1      
N595 Fieldwork 7   7 336
N594 Advanced Practice Seminar 1      
TOTAL 9     336

In Term III, the clinical courses (N544/N541 and N548) are common to both FNP and Nurse-Midwifery specialties. In the second half of the semester, however, each group will concentrate on its own specialty content. Classes in Terms III through VI are taught in consecutive concentrated days in two or three-week periods throughout the semester. Clinicals are arranged in two blocks between the didactic sessions. Clinicals may require travel to rural facilities in New Mexico or neighboring states; this will have additional financial implications. Semester VI is almost exclusively clinical practicum, with seminars arranged as needed.

The Primary Care concentration requires a full time commitment since the specialty courses are offered sequentially and only once per year. The core curriculum is offered each semester, and sometimes during the summer session. Students who seek admission with existing graduate degrees in Nursing (Master's or Doctorate) will be able to pursue the FNP curriculum as a Post-Master's certificate. However, their applications are considered along with all other applications.