About the Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program

An acute care nurse practitioner is an advanced practice nurse with a specialty certification in acute care.  The ACNP has the expertise to care for the acutely ill adult patient—in emergency rooms, intensive care units, trauma centers, and/or advanced diagnostic areas such as cardiac catheterization.

Penn Nursing's Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program evolved from one of the first in the United States to prepare acute care nurse practitioners for the management of patients with specialized health care needs. Graduates are eligible to apply for national certification from the American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). Upon successful completion of the exam candidates are eligible to become certified or licensed to practice.