Focus on promoting the health of individuals, families, and groups and identifying and treating common health problems across the life span. 

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To receive additional information about this program, please complete the Request Information form.

A nursing student examines a patient's neck

The Family Health Nursing Practitioner Program provides advanced practice nursing education with a focus on the management of health problems, research, leadership and health promotion among diverse populations. 

Students will:

  • Develop advanced skills in communication, health assessment, health teaching, nursing interventions and evaluation
  • Prepare as nurse practitioners 
  • Upon successful completion of the program become eligible to sit for the national family nurse practitioner certification exams
UMass Lowell's program provides Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) sessions, featuring Standardized Patients (SPs) who are highly trained actors that simulate the concerns of a medical patient. These actors are assigned different profiles of all ages, races, sexual orientation, and gender identity with specific medical histories and problems. Students interact with the SP to develop a diagnosis or next step for that patient.
For more information, please visit the master's programs page and the Graduate Academic Catalog.

Meet Our Students and Alumni

Meredith Ritze, a registered nurse, pictured at Lowell General Hospital with a patient.
Meredith Ritze '20
Family Health Nursing (NP)

After 12 years working as a registered nurse at Lowell General Hospital, Meredith Ritze developed specialized skills caring for people who struggle with urology issues. She applied to UMass Lowell to become a nurse practitioner to further her career.

I think science and art fuse in nursing because you need compassion, care and the desire to make improvements to the problems you confront.
Read More About Meredith Ritze 
Lianna Partee taking notes at a desk working as an RN at a hospital
Lianna Partee '16, '19
Nursing

UML prepared Lianna Partee for a career that she’s passionate about. After completing her nursing degree here and working as a registered nurse for a year, she returned to earn a master’s degree in gerontological nursing.

At the outpatient Shapiro Clinic at Beth Israel Hospital, I truly fell in love with providing patient care with goals to promote health and wellness in the community while attempting to keep patients out of the hospital.
Read More About Lianna Partee 
Karen Melillo and Sue Mullaney
Susan Mullaney ’93, ’15
Nursing

Susan Mullaney, who earned a doctorate in nursing practice in 2015, is a vice president at UnitedHealth Group, where she focuses on keeping seniors healthy. She joined the board of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, which sets curriculum standards for nursing degrees.

It’s my mission to get more people educated about geriatrics.
Read More About Susan Mullaney 

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Contact Us

For more information, please contact:
Lisa Marchand, DNP, FNP-C, FNAP
DNP/MS NP Coordinator, 
Clinical Assistant Professor
Lisa_Marchand@uml.edu