Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice DNP

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Purpose

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares graduates for careers as adult primary care nurse practitioners or adult health or community health clinical nurse specialists with the skills to lead interdisciplinary teams and implement population- focused and evidenced-based health interventions. In addition, DNP graduates are prepared to improve and transform health care through systems leadership, research translation, advanced clinical knowledge, and preparation as nurse educators. The DNP course work includes translation research methods, theory, health policy, population health, informatics, systems leadership, leadership residencies, and capstone projects to achieve the goals for the DNP and to meet national accreditation and certification standards.

Outcomes

The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses who are qualified for the American Nurses Credentialing Center examination. The graduate with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is prepared to:

1. Model nursing practice that demonstrates respect for human dignity, ethical responsibility, interpersonal connectedness and equity to promote health and reduce risk.

2. Master communication, collaboration and consultation strategies to address complex health issues in a variety of forums and formats.

3. Evaluate outcomes using accepted professional standards and evidence-based benchmarks to improve quality within and across systems so that consumers and staff can contribute to continuous quality improvement initiatives.

4. Translate evidence, clinical judgment, research findings, and theoretical perspectives to improve practice, care environments and maximize health outcomes.

5. Synthesize scientific knowledge and humanistic perspectives in a variety of roles and areas of practice.

6. Influence nursing practice and health policy to shape care delivery, addressing gaps resulting from growing healthcare needs at the local, state, national and international levels.

7. Use organizational and systems leadership in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members and community partners to promote health, guide clients through the illness experience and improve the health systems.

8 Integrate effective use of informatics and technology to support quality improvement initiatives, clinical decision-making and safe care.

9. Assume a leadership role in advancing, fostering and maintaining nursing values and standards in a variety of settings and roles for individuals, populations and systems.

Curriculum

The DNP curriculum consists of a minimum of 63 credits that address areas of didactic and practicum content that have been deemed essential for advanced practice nurses by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

DNP students choose from one of three options.

1. The Adult Nurse Practitioner option prepares advanced practice nurses who will function as adult primary care nurse practitioners and manage primary and chronic health problems in adult populations.

2. The Community Health Clinical Specialist option prepares advanced practice nurses will work with populations or communities and complex health systems to promote health and prevent disease through education, consultation, clinical interventions and systems change

3. The Adult Health Clinical Specialist option prepares advanced practice nurses to work in complex health care organizations or networks to improve patient care quality and safety.

Students complete a professional portfolio documenting attainment of the DNP competencies. In addition to classroom and experiential learning in the practitioner or clinical specialist role, the student completes the DNP residency – a three-semester structured experiential learning sequence with faculty and health care systems leaders, in informatics and quality improvement – and a translational research project that is focused on improving the quality of care and patient outcomes.

Graduates of the DNP Program are eligible to take American Nurses Credentialing Center certifying examinations for Advanced Practice in Adult Nurse Practitioner, Adult Health Clinical Specialist or Public Health Clinical Specialist.

Students may elect to pursue graduate study on a part-time (usually 6 credits per semester) or full-time (9 credits per semester) basis. However, all degree requirements must be completed within seven years of the date of matriculation in the program.

Program of Study

The Program of Study is completed by the student and the advisor before the student registers for classes (usually immediately upon admission). The Program of Study defines for the student and the DNP Committee a plan to complete the academic requirements for the DNP degree. The official Program of Study reflects the course work that contributes to the student’s knowledge base for advanced practice nursing and qualifies the student for graduation. A copy is kept on file in the student’s record in the Graduate Program office and the student is provided with a copy.