Otterbein Graduate Nursing Program
Announcing the Three-Course Advanced Practice Science Core
Are you considering an advanced degree in nursing or another healthcare profession?
Are you wondering how you’ll be able to balance graduate courses with your career and your personal life?
Otterbein University is offering a chance for personal growth and expanded professional opportunity.
Get an exceptional science core foundation with meaningful benefits designed to meet the demands of the working professional.
- Smart professional preparation on a schedule you can handle.
- All courses taught by skilled, supportive teachers who are advanced practice nurses who are also working clinically. Real-time expertise.
- Asynchronous paced coursework with a focused weekly topic —
a schedule that sets you up for success.
Your Path to Study the Three P’s of Advanced Practice*
Advanced Physical and Health Assessment for
the Advanced Practice Nurse
NURS 6830 – Hours: 3 | Offered Spring 2025
Builds on basic physical assessment concepts to include episodic, focused, and comprehensive health assessments for individuals across the lifespan. Integrates concepts of genetics/genomics, culture, and lifestyles in identification of risk factors. Focuses on therapeutic communication in a caring framework with individuals and families to assemble a health assessment data base, including family, psycho-social, diagnostic, and physical findings. Emphasis is on critically analyzing the data in order to determine differential diagnoses and establishing an accurate assessment
of the health status.
Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
NURS 6810 – Hours: 3 | Offered Summer 2025
Builds on knowledge of basic pathophysiology to examine current understanding of cell and tissue mechanisms that cause disease, and how these produce the symptoms and signs that we recognize clinically. The processes of cell adaptation and injury, apoptosis, necrosis, aging, thromboembolism, ischemia, infarction, fluid and chemistry imbalances, neuroendocrine abnormalities, inflammation, infection, immune dysfunction, genetic abnormalities, and malignancy will be studied, illustrated by disease examples and case studies. Additionally, the world burden of disease will be considered, including infection, infestation, malnutrition, and obesity.
Advanced Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice Nurse
NURS 6820 – Hours: 3 | Offered Fall 2025
Builds on fundamental concepts of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Focuses on essentials of drug action, clinical use, side effects, adverse reactions and rational drug selected for specific drug classes treating select disease processes. Client education, medication administration, interactions with herbal or nutritional remedies and lifestyle modifications across the lifespan or for special populations are included. Note: This course has an additional fee.
*These courses are often required in graduate health profession degrees such as nurse practitioner, physician assistant, pharmacy, and medical science.
Now Accepting Applications for the Science Core in Spring 2025.
For questions or to learn more, contact:
Shelby Edick
Assistant Director of Graduate Admission
Otterbein University | Office of Admission
Call: 614.823.1506 | Text: 614.896.5048
Otterbein University’s Nursing Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), its coursework meets the criteria of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), and also meets the standards for Advanced Practice Nursing degrees.*
*Students are strongly encouraged to check with any degree-granting institution to confirm whether course credit meets program requirements.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Due to the realignment of programs since joining the Coalition for the Common Good, Otterbein University is no longer accepting applications for the Advanced Practice Nurse and Nurse Executive foci of the Master’s-Degree-to-DNP academic program, and for the Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner majors in the BSN-to-DNP and the Post-Graduate Certificate academic programs. These programs are in transition and more information will be posted as soon as possible.
Otterbein University’s graduate nursing programs are designed with the changing roles of nursing and the healthcare delivery systems in mind. Whether you are considering becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), a Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or adding additional expertise to your work our clinically expert nursing faculty will assure that you have the knowledge and skills to function at the highest level of nursing practice possible! Otterbein students outpace state and national rates for passing national certification exams every year.
Program Contact:
Shelby Edick
Assistant Director of Graduate Admission
adams7@otterbein.edu
614-823-1506
Request more information >
Attend an Information Session >
Learn more about Graduate Nursing at Otterbein
Graduate Nursing Program Degrees and Certificates
FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER
PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER
NURSE ANESTHESIA
DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The Otterbein University and OhioHealth Grant Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program is no longer accepting applications. The Class of 2026 will be our final class as part of the joint CRNA program.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master’s Degree to DNP
Advanced Nursing Practice or Nurse Executive options
FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER
PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER
NURSE ANESTHESIA
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The Otterbein University and OhioHealth Grant Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program is no longer accepting applications. The Class of 2026 will be our final class as part of the joint CRNA program.
DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE
- Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master’s Degree to DNP
Advanced Nursing Practice or Nurse Executive options
You believe in caring about your patients.
We believe in caring about you.
Graduate nursing faculty are committed to providing:
- Personal attention.
- Individualized advising.
- Blended in person and virtual learning.
- A plan for your success.
Pictured: John D. Chovan, PhD, DNP, RN, CNP, CNS, PMHNP/CNS-BC, ACHPN
Professor, Chair, and Chief Nurse Administrator, Department of Nursing
Department of Nursing Mission
The Department of Nursing is committed to quality nursing education that uses a holistic caring framework to promote quality and safe healthcare. Our mission encourages personal and professional development of faculty, staff and students. An appreciation for diverse perspectives and humane values is central to the mission. Building on a liberal arts education and a strong science foundation, the goal of the Department of Nursing is to prepare lifelong learners who are committed to the profession, the community, and to meeting changing health care needs of society.
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