MSN/DNP - FNP FAQS

Family nurse practitioners provide primary care across the lifespan. The MSN and DNP FNP programs at Cedarville University prepare the graduate nurse for advanced nursing practice. Each degree option provides in-depth, professional, and advanced practice study for nurses to expand their knowledge of healthcare delivery, clinical expertise, leadership, and use of evidence-based practice grounded in biblical truth.

The Cedarville University School of Nursing is uniquely positioned to provide a rigorous academic graduate program while maintaining a low student-to-faculty ratio and affordable price. The faculty is dedicated to integrating a biblical worldview into the MSN curriculum, which prepares graduates to use nursing as a ministry for Jesus Christ.

FNP students are qualified to seek national certification through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

If you reside outside of Ohio and are considering the FNP area of focus, contact your state Board of Nursing to obtain licensure requirements and additional guidance before beginning the FNP program.

The majority of FNP students maintain full-time employment. However, once you begin the clinical courses, anticipate two days a week to meet the 200-hour clinical requirement for each of the three clinical semesters. If you have flexibility with self-scheduling, 12-hour shifts, or working weekends this will be more conducive to maintaining full-time employment. We recognize that you are balancing many life demands, and your decision to apply to graduate school implies you have determined that you will be able to balance work, school, and life demands.

There are 600 clinical hours required for the FNP area of focus. The clinical hours will be spread over three semesters to include 200 hours each semester.  The clinical experience will be congruent with the clinical course. For example, NSG-6310 Advanced Concepts and Practice in the Care of Adults students will learn and apply health promotion, disease prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and evidence-based management of common primary health problems in adults. The students will be required to complete 200 hours of direct patient care.

The FNP area of focus coordinator and the MSN Clinical Placement Coordinator (CPC) will partner with you to secure clinical site placement. The CPC will initiate contact with you early in your program to establish goals and map out a tentative clinical plan. FNP students need the knowledge and skills to care for patients across the lifespan. Mapping out a clinical plan that includes the majority of hours in a primary care setting with a mix of preceptors (MD, APRN) in a variety of clinical sites will provide optimal preparation for practice and the national certification exam.

Travel is often necessary during the clinical courses. While the CPC will work with you to secure clinical site placement as close to your geographical location as possible, it may be necessary to travel to obtain required clinical hours.

The on-campus experiences are intentionally designed to meet course and program objectives and enhance curriculum delivery through teaching-learning practices for every learner. There are four required on-campus experiences for FNP students (8 days during the full time or part time year round plan of study).

The on-campus experiences include Clinical Enrichment following NSG-6170 Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Nursing Practice, Fall Enrichment, Spring Enrichment, and Summer Enrichment. The Fall/Spring/Summer Enrichments are typically two days (Thursday and Friday) during the sixth week of the semester for each clinical course.