The Post-Master's Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certificate program prepares acute care nurse practitioners to provide advanced practice nursing care to acutely and/or critically ill adults. The program requires one calendar year of intense study including advanced clinical practice and theory. The program is built upon a core of advanced assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. Acute Care Nurse Practitioners are prepared to conduct comprehensive physical assessments, appraise health risks and promote health behaviors, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose and manage commonly occurring health problems and diseases. The program consists of 16 credits of graduate level course work and 525 hours of clinical practice.