Welcome to the Office of Nursing and Allied Health at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine.
Please utilize the links on the left to guide you to detailed information on the programs and activities of this office. Thanks for visiting.
Ellen M. Lewis, RN, MSN, Program Administrator, Nursing & Allied Health
Welcome to the Family Nurse Practitioner Program
The UCI Family Nurse Practitioner Program began in 1996. The program is in the School of Medicine within the Department of Family Medicine. The program is fully accredited by the Board of Registered Nursing in California. The Family Nurse Practitioner Program prepares the graduate to provide for the primary ambulatory health care needs of all family members. The role of the nurse practitioner integrates health maintenance, disease prevention, physical diagnosis and the treatment of common episodic and chronic disease problems. There is an emphasis on clinical preventive services and disease management to promote optimum health care in the ambulatory setting.
The educational setting utilizes a team approach to health care. Clinical experience is with underserved populations in the community and in other ambulatory primary care clinics. The program has two tracks or options. The first track is for registered nurses with a Masters degree seeking training and certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The certificate program is four semesters in length and is granted by the School of Medicine at UCI. The second track is for registered nurses with a Baccalaureate degree in nursing seeking a Masters degree in nursing and training and certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. The MSN program is a joint program in conjunction with California State University Fullerton. The joint program with CSUF is two years in length for full time study.
The curriculum adheres to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty guidelines regarding core content in primary care. The curriculum incorporates health maintenance, health promotion, disease prevention, pathophysiology related to common primary care conditions, physical assessment and the management of common acute and chronic health conditions across the lifespan. The focus is on the assessment and management of patients in an ambulatory clinic, home or nursing home setting. The curriculum incorporates assessing psychosocial and cultural factors related to health of the patient and their family. Students are placed in a variety of primary health care settings for their clinical experience. This allows the student the opportunity to learn to manage primary health care problems using a variety of treatment methods depending on the resources available to the patient.
The didactic component of the program prepares the student to assess, diagnosis and manage common health problems seen in primary care. The clinical component allows the student to apply these concepts into clinical practice. The clinical hour requirements ensure the students have an appropriate mix of pediatric, adult, geriatric and women’s health patients.
Students are assessed twice in the program with the use of an objective structured clinical exam. This provides the opportunity to place the student in common primary care clinical scenarios and assess their ability to interact, diagnosis, treat and manage the primary health care needs encountered in a typical primary care practice. Most classes are available as continuing education.
The program faculty are all nationally certified nurse practitioners that engage in clinical practice. Many of the faculty have been on the Board of Directors of the local, state and national nurse practitioner professional associations. Many of the faculty have received awards and honors recognizing their leadership within the nurse practitioner profession.