BSN–DNP Dual NP Program

Prepare for both Adult-Gerontology Acute Care and Family Nurse Practitioner roles.

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Gain the skills to care for adults, older adults, and patients across the lifespan.

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This BSN-to-DNP program prepares you for both the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) roles, enabling you to practice across the lifespan and continuum of care while enhancing your marketability and professional flexibility. Upon completion, you will be eligible to pursue certification in both specialties. Designed for nurses who hold a BSN and have at least one year of acute care experience, our program allows students to complete the majority of coursework online, studying full-time or part-time.

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Unparalleled Training

  • Small classes – personalized learning
  • Prepared for two NP roles
  • Eligible for two certification exams
  • CCNE accredited
  • Accessible and competitive tuition
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AGACNP Impact

  • Provide advanced acute care for adults and older patients – You’ll assess, diagnose, and manage complex, critical, and rapidly changing conditions.
  • Lead care in high-acuity settings – You’ll collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to stabilize patients and guide treatment.
  • Improve complex clinical outcomes – You’ll apply evidence-based practice to reduce complications, support recovery, and enhance patient safety.

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FNP Impact

  • Provide comprehensive primary care across the lifespan – You’ll assess, diagnose, treat, and manage acute and chronic conditions for patients of all ages.
  • Focus on prevention and whole-person health – You’ll promote wellness, provide screenings, and address physical/mental/social needs.
  • Expand access to quality care – You’ll serve diverse communities while delivering cost-effective, patient-centered care in outpatient settings.

More FNP Details

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Take Most of Your Courses Online!

Students in this program may take the majority of their courses online via the RIC Hyflex model. This model is designed to provide the highest quality education coupled with the flexibility and accessibility needed by adult learners. Synchronous sessions are offered in both in-person and remote formats, allowing students the flexibility to participate in each class in the way that best meets their needs.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) are advanced practice registered nurses who provide specialized care to adult and older patients with acute, critical, and complex conditions. They assess and diagnose patients, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, and manage rapidly changing or severe health issues. Practicing in settings such as hospitals and specialty care units, AGACNPs combine advanced clinical expertise with a focus on high-acuity care, evidence-based practice, and improving patient outcomes. If you're looking for further clarity on the AGACNP role our AGACNP frequently asked questions may help!

Certification

Program graduates will be eligible to sit for both Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification. The AGACNP certification boards include The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AANC) and The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Family Nurse Practitioner Role

Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are advanced practice registered nurses who provide comprehensive, primary care across the lifespan—from infants to older adults. They assess and diagnose patients, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, and manage both acute and chronic conditions. Practicing in settings like community clinics, private practices, and health systems, FNPs combine clinical expertise with a strong focus on prevention, education, and whole-family care. If you're looking for further clarity on the FNP role our FNP frequently asked questions may help!

Certification

Program graduates will be eligible to sit for both Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification. FNP certification boards include The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

More Program Specifics

Learn more about admissions requirements, courses, retention, program outcomes, and tuition & fees.

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Frequently Asked Questions About AGACNPs

On average, AGACNPs have about 6.3 years of professional experience.

Full-time AGACNPs earn a median total annual income of $113,000, which includes base salary, productivity bonuses, incentive payments, and other compensation.

The top clinical focus areas for AGACNPs are critical care, cardiovascular care, and hospitalist practice.

AGACNPs most commonly practice in hospital inpatient units and hospital outpatient clinics.

The most common diagnoses treated by AGACNPs include hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions About FNPs

On average, Family Nurse Practitioners have about 9.8 years of professional experience.

Full-time FNPs have a median total annual income of $115,000, which includes base salary, productivity bonuses, incentive payments, and other compensation.

The top clinical focus areas for FNPs are family practice, primary care, and urgent care.

FNPs most often practice in hospital outpatient clinics, private group practices, and private physician practices.

The top diagnoses treated by FNPs include abdominal pain, urinary tract infections, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The RIC Advantage

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Rhode Island College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

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To begin the process you will need to sign up for an account with CollegeNET. Once you have a CollegeNET account, you will be able to log in any time and see your Activity Log which shows you a personalized status page.

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Program Details

Admission Requirements

  • completed application form accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee
  • baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited program.
  • minimum of one year RN experience in an adult acute care setting within the last 3 years is recommended. 
  • applicants with international degrees must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited institution in the United States
  • official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records
  • minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate coursework
  • preferred undergraduate minimum GPA of 3.0 in science courses
  • official report on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from international applicants for whom English is not their first language
  • professional resume or curriculum vitae
  • 3 professional references - one must be from a clinical supervisor
  • statement of intent that demonstrates the candidate’s leadership and practice experience and reasons for pursuing doctoral study (Please Note: The statement should be representative of the applicant’s writing ability. The statement should be two-to-four typed pages, double-spaced and written in 12-point font.)
  • proof of residency required for in-state tuition
  • interview may be required

Course Information

Here we provide information on course descriptions and recommended plan of study.

Course Requirements

DNP Course Descriptions

Retention Requirements

  • All students are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 (grade of B) or greater in their graduate program.
  • Students who earn less than a B, including a grade of U, in a required nursing course will have their status reviewed by the DNP program director.
  • Students who do not achieve a minimum grade of B in Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology or Advanced Pharmacology must repeat the course and may not progress in clinical courses.
  • Students who earn a grade less than B- in the required science courses, including BIOL 535 and BIOL 536, will be placed on probationary status.
  • Students on probationary status must achieve a minimum grade of B in all required nursing courses over the next 9 credits.
  • Two grades below a B are sufficient cause for consideration of dismissal. The decision regarding a student's status will be made by the DNP program director in consultation with the dean.
  • Students may be required to repeat a course at the discretion of the DNP program director.

DNP Program Outcomes

Students of the DNP Program will demonstrate mastery of all of the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) and the AACN (2021) Competencies and level-2 Sub-competencies within the Ten Domains for Nursing, leading to achievement of the following DNP End-of-Program Outcomes: 

  • demonstrate the integration, translation, synthesis, and application of established and evolving knowledge from basic science, nursing knowledge and other ways of knowing, and other disciplines that results in clinical judgment founded on a broad knowledge base [Domain 1] [DNP Essentials I, III, VIII]
  • evaluate person-centered care at the advanced nursing level across the organization/system, provider, patient, and/or population level that focuses on the individual within multiple complicated contexts, including family and/or important others [Domain 2] [DNP Essential II, V, VI, VII, VIII]
  • design population health systems that span the healthcare delivery continuum from public health prevention to disease management of populations [Domains 3, 6, 9] [DNP Essentials VI, VII, VIII]
  • generate, synthesize, translate, criticize, apply, and disseminate nursing knowledge that improves health and transforms health care [Domains 1, 4, 5, 7, 10] [DNP Essentials I, II, III, IV, V, VIII]
  • optimize health and healthcare outcomes using principles of health, quality, safety, and implementation science, through both system effectiveness and individual performance [Domain 5, 7] [DNP Essentials I, II, IV, VII, VIII]
  • lead collaborative initiatives across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes [Domains 2, 6,7] [DNP Essentials V, VI, VII, VIII]
  • design evidence-based methodologies, system-thinking, business, and financial acumen to provide safe, quality, evidence-based and equitable care to diverse populations [Domains 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials , II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII]
  • analyze information and communication technologies and informatics processes to gather data, support care delivery, and inform decision making [Domains 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials , II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII]
  • cultivate an advanced-level professional nursing identity that encompasses self-reflective practice, commitment to inclusivity and social justice, accountability, collaborative disposition and ethical comportment that reflects nursing’s values [Domains 6, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials I, II, V, VI, VIII]
  • foster organizational commitment to promote personal health, resilience, well-being; contribution to lifelong learning; expansion of nursing expertise, and the assertation of leadership [Domains 9, 10] [DNP Essential VIII] 
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Rhode Island Nursing Education Center

Rhode Island Nursing Education Center (RINEC) is a Providence-based facility for baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral level nursing instruction for RIC's Zvart Onanian School of Nursing and URI's College of Nursing.