The DNP is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. Research and practice focused doctoral programs in nursing share rigorous and demanding expectations: a scholarly approach to the discipline, and a commitment to the advancement of the profession. Both are terminal degrees in the discipline, one in practice and one in research. However there are distinct differences between the two degree programs. For example practice based programs place greater emphasis on practice and the integration of current evidence into nursing practice. It is expected that graduates will design and implement a practice change.

1. Knowledge – will be able to integrate and apply knowledge from the sciences with the fields of organizational management, ethics, health policy, and information technology to improve health care outcomes and patient safety for diverse populations.
2. Evidence-based Research and Practice –  will be able to synthesize and translate scholarly and evidence-based findings to transform nursing practice and drive innovation and organizational decision making and to disseminate innovations in nursing practice and organizational decision making.
   
3. Information Management – will be able to apply information systems/technology to improve health and systems- and populations-level outcomes.
4. Professionalism – will be able to integrates ethical decision making in research, systems evaluation, advanced clinical practice, and organizational decision making and to communicate and collaborate with members of the inter-professional community to assure achievement of healthcare standards, advanced clinical practices, and the quality of healthcare for diverse populations.
   
5. Social Advocacy – will be able to lead inter-professional teams in the crafting of health policies and strategies that advance health promotion and disease prevention strategies for diverse groups of individuals, populations, and systems and to demonstrate high levels of skills in health promotion and disease prevention strategies for diverse groups of individuals, populations, and systems.
6. Leadership – will be able to provide leadership of inter-professional, collaborative teams to improve health outcomes for individuals, populations, and systems and to provide leadership skills in organizational and health systems management to improve the safety and quality of healthcare.
7. Role Function – will be able to apply organizational and systems thinking that advances the design, implementation, and evaluation of healthcare initiatives to ensure quality outcomes.

• Active RN license, Advanced Practice license or certification as appropriate
• MSN degree with GPA 3.5
  
• 2 letters of recommendation
• Admission Essay – scholarly discussion of issue of concern for the profession/patie

This is a 36 credit degree program.  

Fall 

Leadership and Organizational Systems (3 credits) 

Health Care Economics and Finance (3 credits) 

Spring  

Epidemiology and Population Health (3 credits)

Evidence Based Practice in Nursing I (3 credits) 

Summer 

Evidence Based Practice Intervention Implementation (3 credits) 

Fall 

Data Management (3 credits)

Quality and evaluation of outcomes (3 credits) 

Spring 

Health Policy Leadership (3 credits) 

DNP Residency I (3 credits) (135 hours)

Summer 

DNP Residency II (3 credits) (135 hours) 

Fall 

DNP Residency III (3 credits) (135 hours) 

Spring 

DNP Residency IV (3 credits) (135 hours)

Additional hours (if required will be set as Independent Studies of 1 credit with 45 clinical hours).  There is a 1000 hour post baccalaureate requirement.  Hours required beyond the residency courses will be determined on a case by case basis.