UC Nursing raises the bar for APRN education
The University of Cincinnati College of Nursing is redefining what it means to be practice ready. Starting in Spring 2027, UC Nursing will introduce mandatory on-campus immersion experiences for advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) students, giving them the opportunity to practice essential skills, build confidence, and demonstrate competency before entering clinical practicum experiences.
Preparing competent and confident advanced practice nurses
The shift to competency-based education, championed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, has raised the standard for what graduate nursing programs must deliver. Competency-based education moves beyond measuring what students know and focuses on what they can demonstrably do in real clinical scenarios, under real conditions. UC Nursing is meeting that standard head-on.
Lindsay Davis, DNP, APRN-CNP
Embedded within the Advanced Health Assessment course, which takes place in the first or second semester of APRN programs, the on-campus immersion will give students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate competency in foundational examination areas, including musculoskeletal, HEENT, neurological, abdominal, cardiac and respiratory systems. Students will then apply what they’ve learned through encounters with standardized patients — a gold standard in clinical education — before participating in structured debriefs designed to deepen learning and build clinical confidence.
“Students are assessed against clear, observable benchmarks that reflect the behaviors expected of advanced practice nurses,” says Lindsay Davis, DNP, APRN-CNP, assistant dean for APRN curriculum in the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. “Faculty and students share a common roadmap, making expectations transparent and progress measurable. By the time students enter their clinical placements, they have already demonstrated competency in the skills that matter most.”
Building community alongside competency
Graduate nursing can be an isolating journey, particularly for students balancing coursework with work and family responsibilities. The immersion experience helps address that challenge — bringing together students from across APRN programs to connect with program directors, clinical site coordinators, and one another, and to build the professional relationships and peer networks that support them throughout the program and into their careers.
Richard Prior, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP
“We recognize that an on-campus requirement asks something of our students, many of whom are balancing demanding careers, families, and coursework,” explains Richard Prior, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, senior associate dean for academic operations and accreditation at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. “The immersion dates are outlined in each program’s schema so students can plan accordingly. This is not a surprise obligation; it is a deliberate, transparent part of a program designed to set every student up for success.”
The addition of immersions reflects the college's vision to graduate providers who are clinically excellent and impactful in the settings they enter.
“As healthcare grows more complex and the demand for advanced practice nurses continues to rise, we need to ensure we are preparing competent and confident clinicians who are ready to make a positive impact on patients and their communities,” Prior says.
Learn more about our academic programs, including APRN specialties.
Related Stories
Study finds use of prenatal cannabis may affect behavior of children later
November 25, 2024
Aaron Murnan, PhD, assistant professor in the UC College of Nursing, is a co-author of a study that shows the use of cannabis during a mother's pregnancy can affect thinking and learning skills and lead to greater aggression in exposed children
$300K grant awarded to study airborne MRSA in health care settings
September 18, 2024
University of Cincinnati researchers are working to minimize health care workers' exposure to infectious diseases. An Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation grant will fund a study on the presence of MRSA in the air in hospital settings.
Heat waves in the U.S. kill more people in their homes than anywhere else
July 12, 2024
Tasha Turner-Bicknell, an associate professor in the UC College of Nursing, spoke with the Cincinnati Enquirer for a story about heat-related deaths. Many people are dying within their homes during periods of excessive heat and lack of air conditioning is a factor.