AIC Offers Family Nurse Practitioner Program

SPRINGFIELD — The new Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program at American International College (AIC) is a unique program that expands and compliments other health professions programs within the School of Health Sciences.

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, a predicted shortage of primary-care providers is on the horizon. The FNP program is designed to help meet that need. Nurse practitioners provide direct patient care and are able to assess patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose, and manage treatment plans, including prescribing medications. Coming from a nursing background, family nurse practitioners approach patient care by employing a holistic, collaborative, and patient-centered model with the goal of helping people live the fullest lives possible.

The FNP program at AIC is the only master’s-level nurse-practitioner program in the area. The flexible program provides a blended approach of classroom and online study. Its eight-semester, part-time schedule allows students to continue working while earning their advanced degree.

According to AIC Dean of Health Sciences Cesarina Thompson, “the Family Nurse Practitioner program adds another level of expertise to the college’s other advanced degree programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Nursing within the School of Health Sciences. And, in terms of the workforce, there is an ever-present need to work better together for the safety and quality of healthcare.”

For more information about the Family Nurse Practitioner program, contact Associate Director for Graduate Nursing Programs Ellen Furman at (413) 205-3561 or ellen.furman@aic.edu. To learn more about AIC’s graduate and undergraduate programs, visit www.aic.edu.