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Masters Specialty Area
| FYI/Facts: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) Specialty | |
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The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
UCSF's acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) program remains the only one of its kind in Northern California. Graduates of the ACNP program exit as master's prepared nurse practitioners, eligible for national certification and expert in the care of acutely ill patients with multiple complex problems.
Research has shown that ACNPs provide quality care, decrease length of stay, and improve patient and family satisfaction. Furthermore, the addition of ACNPs to the health care team improves communication and overall patient care.
In short, ACNPs are needed to help assess and manage acutely ill patients within the inpatient/hospital setting and across hospital-to-clinic settings, including the emergency department, intensive care unit, specialty labs, acute care wards, specialty clinics, or any combination of the above.
The ACNP can legally diagnose and treat medical conditions. In addition, some ACNPs provide direct patient management from admission to discharge in collaboration with the physician and other members of the healthcare team. ACNPs also may continue to follow the patient into the outpatient setting to ensure successful transition after discharge and complete resolution of transition needs. The structure of the role depends upon the collaborative agreement with physicians and other members of the health care team.
| Quick-Links: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | ||||||||||||
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| Definition | · | Program | · | Faculty | · | Graduates | · | Courses | · | Questions | · | Applying |
| "The faculty demonstrated a strong real-world approach to this area of nursing.
The wide availability of clinical sites allowed each student to address his or her needs and move quickly into an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner role." Mike Christensen, RN, MS, ACNP, Trauma NP at San Francisco General Hospital |
The program has three areas of emphasis: critical care, cardiopulmonary, and Emergency Department/Trauma. Yet the program is flexible enough to enable students with other clinical specialties (such as neurosurgery, transplant, or oncology) to concentrate on those areas.
The ACNP student receives academic and clinical training in a variety of areas including:
Graduates of the program typically work as nurse practitioners in settings that range from cardiology and the emergency room to nephrology, neurology, and general and orthopedic surgery.
This curriculum option is designed for nurses who already have a Master's degreee in nursing and desire additional training in health assessment, managing acutely ill/injured adults, pharmacology, physiology, etc., in a four quarter (twelve month) program.
This program option provides a certificate at completion and eligibility for national ACNP certification. The number of admissions is limited and determined by the availability of faculty resources.
All applicants must have one year of acute care nursing experience with critical care, trauma, or ED (emergency) preferred. (MEPN applicants must "step out" for one year and be successful in one of these clinical settings.)
| "After working for more than a decade as a staff nurse in the ICU and emergency department,
I decided to pursue an advanced practice degree. (I chose) UCSF because of its ranking as one of the top graduate nursing programs in the nation . . . .
(T)he ACNP faculty is an outstanding and supportive group of researchers and clinicians." Rosalie Bravo, RN, MS, ACNP, Emergency Department ACNP at UCSF Medical Center |
| Quick-Links: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | ||||||||||||
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| Definition | · | Program | · | Faculty | · | Graduates | · | Courses | · | Questions | · | Applying |
Roxanne Garbez
Roxanne Garbez, RN, MS, CNS, ACNP, is the director of the ACNP specialty area. She is a graduate of the UCSF Critical Care Trauma CNS program and the UCSF post-master's ACNP program. She has been faculty for the ACNP program since 1999 and is currently working towards a PhD.
Roxanne also continues to maintain a clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in an emergency department in California's Central Valley. Her past nursing experience includes emergency, flight nursing, ICU, and ED clinical nurse specialist.
"Acute Care Nurse Practitioners are finding opportunities for growth in many areas, and the future promises new challenges as well as great rewards."
Jill Howie Esquivel, RN, PhD, NP, is the former director of the ACNP program. She has been faculty in the program since it began in 1997.
Her clinical experience includes work as an ACNP on the Medical Service at UCSF and work with Skilled Nursing and Acute Rehab patients. She also has many years of ICU experience, was a clinical nurse specialist and critical care nurse educator, and has expertise with cardiology and general medical patients.
She maintains an active clinical practice in which she precepts many students.
"When we began this program, very few people had heard of an acute care nurse practitioner. Unsurprisingly, then, the program drew a fairly adventurous group of people--and continues to do so. They believe when they come into the program they will find what they want when they get out--and most graduates have done just that."
Mark Hawk, RN, MSN, CEN, ACNP, received his Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Texas in 1991. He completed the Post-Masters ACNP program at UCSF in 1999. Mr. Hawk has functioned in clinical, administrative and clinical nurse specialist roles in the clinical settings of critical care and emergency.
As an ACNP he has worked in the specialty areas of emergency, inpatient cardiology and, presently, with the trauma service at San Francisco General Hospital, the only Level I trauma center in the city.
"I am very interested in the affects of trauma on the growing geriatric population."
Bob O'Malley, RN, MS, NP, joined the faculty of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program during the summer of 1999. His clinical experience includes surgical intensive care, air medical transport, trauma care, and general surgery.
He currently works as a nurse practitioner for the Trauma and Emergency Service at the University of California, Davis Medical Center and in a private practice that specializes in women's health.
Mr. O'Malley's primary responsibility is supervision of the second-year clinical rotations. He also substitutes for faculty during lectures and seminars.
| Left to Right:
Jill Howie Esquivel, Mark Hawk, Bob O'Malley | ||
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| Quick-Links: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | ||||||||||||
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| Definition | · | Program | · | Faculty | · | Graduates | · | Courses | · | Questions | · | Applying |
Mike Christensen, RN, MS, ACNP
Class of 2000
"I am currently working as a trauma nurse practitioner at San Francisco General Hospital. I was very happy with the preparation for professional practice that the Post-Master's program afforded me. The faculty demonstrated a strong real-world approach to this area of nursing.
"The wide availability of clinical sites allowed each student to address his or her needs and move quickly into an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner role."
Rosalie Bravo, RN, MS, ACNP
Class of 2000
"Since completing the ACNP program I have worked as an acute care nurse practitioner in the Emergency Department at the UCSF Medical Center. My role includes the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with a broad variety of acute and chronic illnesses.
"After working for more than a decade as a staff nurse in the ICU and emergency department, I decided to pursue an advanced practice degree. The likely choice was the ACNP program at UCSF because of its ranking as one of the top graduate nursing programs in the nation. Moreover, the ACNP program focuses on the acutely ill or injured patient in the inpatient setting.
"The curriculum includes physiological theory, pharmacology, ethics, and a clinical residency with an emphasis on evidenced-based practice. The ACNP faculty is an outstanding and supportive group of researchers and clinicians."
Vagn Petersen, RN, MS, ACNP
Class of 2003
"The ACNP Program at UCSF has been a solid compliment to my career in Critical Care/Trauma. (At present, I am a trauma nurse practitioner at San Francisco General Hospital.)
"This program was instrumental in cultivating my skills as an advanced practice practitioner and building my confidence in caring for patients in my chosen specialty.
"The faculty are supportive and continually share their wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in advanced practice nursing."
Kimberly Y. Lau, RN, MS, ACNP
Class of 1998
"Today I am working at Kaiser San Francisco on the Cardiac Service Line. Having been a critical care nurse for many years, I was very pleased that there was finally a nurse practitioner program with a critical care focus.
"The ACNP program has provided a fundamental base in enhancing my ability to function as an independent clinician, consultant and educator.
"Also, the program has an emphasis on scientific research, which allows me to understand the importance of evidence-based practice."
| Quick-Links: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | ||||||||||||
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| Definition | · | Program | · | Faculty | · | Graduates | · | Courses | · | Questions | · | Applying |
ACNP Curriculum information (including post-masters) is available from the following web page.
Q: What if I have a specialty that is not critical care, ED, or cardiopulmonary?
A: Some of the students have had specialty areas such as neurology/neurosurgery, nephrology, or thoracic surgery. The faculty can discuss specialties that would complement the current courses and may be able to customize the curriculum to meet your special goals.
Q: Why would I choose ACNP instead of ANP or FNP?
A: The focus of the ACNP program is to learn skills in managing ACUTELY ILL (hospitalized or emergency department patient) adults. The focus is not on primary care, although there are components of primary care in the program.
Q: How does an ACNP differ from a Physician's Assistant (PA)?
A: To the consumer an ACNP often appears to do the same role as a PA. However, the training is very different. An NP from UCSF receives a Master's Degree, is trained in evaluating research, and is recognized in the State of California as a licensed NP. The NP does not practice under the license of a physician the way a PA does. A Nurse Practitioner also remains part of a larger structure, the Registered Nurse role, which provides a large voice and recognition for the staff nurse and advanced practice roles.
Q: What can I do to make my application "glowing"?
A: Each applicant is reviewed as a whole. Goal statement, letters of reference, extracurricular activities, language skills, activities on-the-job, research activities, work experience, professional organization activities, and GPA are ALL considered when the application is reviewed. List all of these aspects. Be sure to ask colleagues to review your goal statement. Include examples of on-the job activities. Describe any volunteer and professional activities. Make sure to ask your colleagues for "excellent" references and have them give specific reasons why they believe in your success.
Q: What does my GPA need to be for admission into the program?
A: A GPA of 3.0 is expected for admission into the School of Nursing although special circumstances can be discussed.
Q: What should I write in my goal statement?
A: You should be very clear about why you want to study in the ACNP program. Your statement should reflect how you have made this decision and your future goals. You need to state why you have chosen Acute Care NP as your specialty.
Q: How much can I work during the program?
A: Students can work, but full-time work is not possible. Students find the most flexibility and best learning opportunities when they have per diem positions.
Q: Am I responsible for finding my own preceptors?
A: The faculty will work with you to find the preceptors who are best suited for your area of specialization. Our experience is that students often provide input in selecting and planning their clinical experiences and participate in this process of selecting preceptors.
Q: What if I want to study part-time?
A: This program is a progressive and additive program that must be taken within two years. Part·time status is not available.
Q: How do I find housing in the area? Is it expensive?
A: Many of our students find that sharing housing is a good approach to solving both the availability and cost issues. Housing in the Bay Area may be expensive, but help can be found with the Student Affairs Office and previous graduates can often give advice. Contact Jill Howie to make arrangements to talk with previous graduates.
Q: What will help me prepare for school?
A: Rest and relaxation before school starts is helpful! Also computer proficiency including word processing, internet/web, and email is very essential.
| Quick-Links: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | ||||||||||||
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| Definition | · | Program | · | Faculty | · | Graduates | · | Courses | · | Questions | · | Applying |
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