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University of Maryland School of Nursing to Offer Combines Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Program This Fall

July 29, 2008

Baltimore, Md. —The University of Maryland School of Nursing will be the first nursing school in the state of Maryland to offer a combined Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (ANP-GNP) master's program, beginning in fall 2008. This nursing specialty program addresses current demographic trends by preparing more advanced practice nurses with specialized knowledge in the care of older adults across multiple health care settings, and was developed in response to a recommendation by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

The new program comes at a time when our nation's aging population is rapidly increasing. According to the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, the number of Americans ages 85 and older is expected to increase by 40 percent between now and 2015, and those ages 65 and older will double to 71.5 million by 2026.

“People are living longer and patients have more complex health issues than those of the past,” said Jane Kapustin, PhD, RN, CRNP, co-director of the ANP-GNP program and assistant dean for graduate studies at the School of Nursing. “Combining these nursing specialty programs helps equip students with the necessary skills to care for our aging population. It also expands the scope of practice for gerontological nurse practitioners, who traditionally could only care for people over the age of 55. All students graduating from this new program will be able to provide care for patients ages 16 and up.”

ANP-GNP students are prepared as advanced practice nurses in adult and gerontology care with expertise in the diagnosis and management of common acute illnesses, disease prevention, and management of stable chronic illnesses across the lifespan. The curriculum emphasizes course work, case study analysis, and clinical experiences. Students work with faculty, nurse practitioners, and physician preceptors in a variety of clinical practicum sites. Graduates of the program are employed in a variety of primary care and specialty care settings ranging from offices and clinics to assisted living facilities, long-term care facilities, and home health services.

For more information about the University of Maryland School of Nursing's ANP-GNP program, call 410-706-3890 or e-mail: ANP-GNP@son.umaryland.edu