How to Apply- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, DNP

We will consider an applicant with an undergraduate cumulative GPA less than 3.0 who provides evidence of other achievements or abilities that might predict success in the program. A strong goals statement, high grades in the nursing prerequisites or other evidence of academic ability may be considered.

No. Your application will be screened by the admissions committee. If you are selected, we will contact you to set up an interview to further assess your ability to be successful in the program. Interviews typically begin in late January.

The application asks you to address your personal and professional goals. You should be clear about how your career goals fit with your selected area of study and why you chose Seattle University’s nursing program. Read over the materials you have received from SU, the College of Nursing and information available on our website. Relate your personal and professional goals to the University and College of Nursing mission. Use good language arts skills to demonstrate your writing ability.

Recommended Formatting:

• 2-3 pages in length
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Double spaced

Individuals providing your recommendations are asked to rate you on several personal and professional qualities. Choose references who have first-hand knowledge of these qualities—a current or former professor who knows you well and your employer provide a good balance, but more important than who they are is their ability to speak to the qualities that will make you successful in the program. Do not submit references from family members or friends and limit the number of references to two. When you fill out your online application, you will be asked to include email addresses for your references. They will be emailed a link to complete a secure online recommendation form.

There are no tacit or unwritten criteria for admission. The best approach is to provide the strongest evidence you can of your potential for success in the program within the stated admission criteria. Learn as much as you can about the nursing profession, advanced practice nursing and Seattle University so that you present yourself as a motivated, knowledgeable and interested applicant.

You may apply with an RN license that is outside of Washington state. If accepted into the program, you must obtain a WA state license prior to the program start in June. 

You may still apply to the program if you will not complete your BSN until after the December 1 priority deadline, however, your application will be considered a late application. The deadline for completing your BSN after the December 1 priority deadline and providing documentation of degree completion to graduate admissions is December 31.

If you will not take your NCLEX till after the December 1 priority deadline, you may still be eligible to apply for the program. The deadline for taking the NCLEX and submitting your RN license to apply for the program is January 15.

Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (AGACNPs) are specialized nurses who focus on caring for teens, adults and older patients dealing with serious, life-threatening or complicated ongoing health issues. You will find them working in the most demanding areas of hospitals—places like ICUs, emergency rooms and with teams that handle the sickest patients.

These practitioners bring extensive training to their role. They can evaluate patients, order lab work and imaging studies, create treatment plans, write prescriptions and even perform certain medical procedures. What makes them especially valuable is how they help stabilize critically ill patients while working to prevent further complications. AGACNPs are also skilled at bringing together different medical specialists and coordinating care across teams, ensuring patients get comprehensive treatment from multiple angles.

In essence, AGACNPs serve as a crucial bridge between nursing and medicine, combining deep clinical expertise with the holistic, patient-centered approach that's at the heart of nursing practice.

An adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner's typical day revolves around managing some of the hospital's most complex and unstable patients—those in ICUs, acute care floors, emergency departments and specialized inpatient units where conditions can change in an instant.

AGACNPs work with considerable independence, making critical decisions about patient care. They conduct thorough assessments, order the diagnostic tests they need, interpret results, perform procedures and prescribe medications. When they develop treatment plans, they are drawing on their advanced training to make autonomous clinical judgments. Yet this independence comes with constant collaboration—they're continuously working alongside physicians, consulting with specialists when expertise is needed and coordinating closely with bedside nurses who know their patients intimately.

The dynamic nature of acute care means AGACNPs must think on their feet. A patient's condition might deteriorate rapidly, requiring immediate intervention and swift coordination with the broader care team. They often find themselves leading morning rounds and making key decisions about care direction, while also serving as bridges between different specialties and departments.

Beyond direct patient care, AGACNPs frequently communicate with worried families, helping them understand complex medical situations. Many also mentor nursing staff, sharing their expertise and helping develop the next generation of clinicians. It's a role that demands both clinical excellence and the ability to work seamlessly within a team, balancing independent decision-making with collaborative care coordination.

When you look at advanced practice nurses like AGACNPs and physicians working in acute care settings, you'll find their day-to-day roles often mirror each other more than you might expect. Both are caring for patients with urgent, complex health needs, and in many hospital settings, they're working side-by-side—with remarkably similar responsibilities.

Take hospitalist services, for example. Whether you're talking to an AGACNP or a hospitalist physician, both are doing rounds, managing patient care plans, prescribing medications and making critical decisions about treatment. Their scope of practice in these roles aligns closely because they're addressing the same patient needs and clinical challenges.

The picture becomes more nuanced when you look at specialty services. Here, you might find physicians who have completed fellowship training in areas such as cardiology or pulmonology, giving them specialized expertise that shapes their specific role on the team. But even in these settings, AGACNPs and physicians work with tremendous synergy. Every team member—whether nurse practitioner, resident, attending physician or specialist—is contributing their unique perspective and skills toward the same goal: providing the best possible care for their patients.

What is really interesting is how scope and roles can vary significantly depending on which service you're looking at. The collaboration between AGACNPs and physicians isn't just professional courtesy—it's a partnership where each provider brings distinct training backgrounds (nursing's holistic, patient-centered approach versus medicine's disease-focused model) that complement each other beautifully in practice.

The bottom line? While their educational paths differ, AGACNPs and physicians in acute care often function as collaborative equals, with their specific roles shaped more by the needs of their particular service than by rigid professional boundaries.

The fundamental distinction between AGACNPs and FNPs comes down to patient acuity and the complexity of care required, which then shapes their specialized training and scope of practice.

AGACNPs are specifically trained to care for patients who are either on life support or at high risk of clinical deterioration—think patients in ICUs, those requiring mechanical ventilation or individuals whose conditions could rapidly become life-threatening. This high-acuity focus requires intensive specialization in advanced diagnostics, complex interventions and critical care management. Because of the sophisticated nature of these interventions and the rapid decision-making required, AGACNP training concentrates on a narrower age range—adolescents through older adults—allowing for deeper expertise in the physiological complexities specific to these populations.

On the other hand, FNPs care for stable patients across the entire lifespan, from newborns to elderly adults. Their scope encompasses the full spectrum of ages precisely because they're managing patients whose conditions are stable. This allows them to develop the breadth of knowledge needed for comprehensive primary care, prevention, wellness promotion and chronic disease management across all age groups.

It's important to understand that these aren't hierarchical differences. Neither scope is "more" or "less" than the other. Instead, these distinct specializations are designed for fundamentally different patient populations and care complexities. An FNP's broad, lifespan approach serves stable patients beautifully, while an AGACNP's intensive, age-focused training is essential for managing the critical, rapidly-changing conditions that define acute care.

While there might be some overlap in certain settings—both might work in cardiology clinics, for instance—the core distinction remains: AGACNPs are credentialed and trained for high-acuity, potentially unstable patients, while FNPs excel in providing comprehensive care for stable individuals throughout their lives.

The choice between the certificate program and the DNP depends largely on your professional goals.

From a practical standpoint, the certificate offers a straightforward and cost-effective path to becoming an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner. You can quickly apply your new skills and qualify for roles such as hospitalist, which offers lucrative salary possibilities. The acute care courses are delivered intensively over three days per month, which often fits well with a working professional’s schedule.

The DNP, on the other hand, is designed for those seeking leadership opportunities. It is a good fit if you want to lead teams, serve as an advanced practice provider lead, become a chief APP, or take on leadership roles in quality or administration. These roles often come with salary increases, but the path is more specialized. The DNP also opens doors to academic careers, including teaching and research. It complements the AGACNP certification by allowing you to deepen your specialty expertise while developing leadership skills. For nurses already working in acute care, the DNP offers a chance to move into leadership and influence practice improvements.

In terms of financing, DNP students qualify as full-time, making them eligible for more loan options. In contrast, financial aid is limited for the certificate program due to its part-time and certificate status.

Seattle University’s AGACNP DNP program offers several key strengths that prepare students for success in acute care nursing.

Our instructors are well-known and respected experts who actively work in acute care settings, bringing current clinical knowledge and real-world experience into the classroom. The program features excellent clinical placements with top health care organizations, giving students hands-on experience in diverse, high-acuity environments.

With 150 hours of clinicals per quarter, you’ll practice procedures in realistic scenarios that build confidence and critical muscle memory—skills essential for saving lives. Many clinical shifts are structured as 12-hour shifts, meaning you work fewer days each month while gaining valuable experience.

Small class sizes foster close faculty mentorship and strong peer connections. The hybrid learning format combines flexible online coursework with on-campus sessions, making it easier for working professionals to balance education and career.

The program also offers a broad range of specialties to explore, allowing students to tailor their experience to interests such as cardiology, pulmonology and critical care. Additionally, this year’s Acute Care students have the opportunity to participate in a global health experience, gaining insight into health care systems beyond the U.S.

Overall, the program supports students as they advance their skills, lead in clinical settings and contribute to improving patient outcomes.

Students in the AGACNP DNP program gain extensive experiential learning through diverse clinical rotations and hands-on training. Clinical placements include hospitalist teams, specialty consult services, advanced heart failure units and critical care settings.

The program also offers simulation labs and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) to practice clinical decision-making in realistic, controlled environments. Procedural training is an essential component, allowing students to develop skills in key interventions such as central line placement, thoracentesis and airway management.

These experiences prepare students to confidently manage complex acute and critical care patients and function effectively within interdisciplinary care teams.

Seattle University’s AGACNP DNP program is uniquely designed with the adult learner in mind. Unlike many programs, it is developed by clinicians who are also experts in the science of education. This dual expertise ensures the curriculum is not only clinically rigorous but also optimized for effective adult learning.

We recognize that nursing and medicine are sciences, but so is education—and how people learn best. This foundation shapes our hybrid format, pacing and teaching methods to maximize understanding, skill development and application in real-world settings.

This approach creates a learning environment where students can balance their professional and personal lives while gaining the critical knowledge and hands-on experience needed to excel as acute care nurse practitioners.

Graduates of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) DNP program are prepared for advanced clinical roles in a wide range of acute and complex care settings. Most work in hospitals, where they serve as key members of interdisciplinary teams in intensive care units, emergency departments and inpatient specialty services such as cardiology, pulmonology, oncology and others.

AGACNPs may practice as intensivists, hospitalists or specialty care providers, managing patients with life-threatening conditions and complex comorbidities. In addition to hospital-based care, many AGACNPs work in outpatient clinics where they manage post-acute patients recovering from trauma or surgery or provide ongoing care to patients on chronic life support.

Career paths can also include roles in procedural areas, step-down units, long-term acute care hospitals and academic or leadership positions. Their advanced clinical training and systems-level knowledge enable them to practice independently or in collaboration with physicians, depending on state laws and organizational structures.

The demand for advanced practice nurses, including adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (AGACNPs), is experiencing significant growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 40% increase in nurse practitioner roles from 2023 to 2033, adding approximately 141,200 new positions. 

This surge is driven by factors such as an aging population, a rise in chronic health conditions and a shortage of physicians, especially in acute and critical care settings. AGACNPs are well-positioned to meet these needs, providing specialized care in high-acuity environments like intensive care units, emergency departments and specialty clinics.

The strong job outlook reflects the essential role AGACNPs play in delivering comprehensive care to adults with complex health conditions, making this a promising career path for those entering the field.

As of 2025, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners (AGACNPs) earn competitive salaries both nationally and in Washington state.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nurse practitioners was $132,050 in May 2024. In Washington, nurse practitioners earn higher average salaries at over $145,000 per year. 

These figures reflect the growing demand for nurse practitioners, especially AGACNPs in high-acuity settings such as intensive care units, emergency departments and specialty clinics. Salaries can vary based on factors like experience, education and specific practice settings.

Seattle University’s DNP programs prepare students for national certification exams, which are recognized across all 50 states. This makes it easier to obtain licensure outside of Washington.

To practice as an adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP) in another state, you’ll typically apply for licensure by endorsement through that state’s board of nursing. The process usually involves verifying your Washington license, national certification and meeting any additional state-specific requirements. Many states have a streamlined endorsement process, and licensure can often be granted within a few weeks. Be sure to check with the board of nursing in the state where you plan to practice for the most accurate and up-to-date requirements.