Program Overview

Nursing Practice, DNP

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at UWM prepares nurses for the highest academic preparation in clinical nursing. The DNP will prepare practitioners who are able to use their education and expertise in evidence-based practice in providing outstanding care and collaborative leadership to improve clinical care delivery, patient outcomes, and system management.

Overview of the Program

There are three entry options for the Doctor of Nursing (DNP) Practice Program:

• Program for individuals with a bachelor's degree in nursing and a current Registered Nurse license.
• Program for individuals with an advanced practice master's degree in nursing and a current Registered Nurse license.
• Program for individuals with a master of nursing (or equivalent) degree and a current Registered Nurse license.

Students may be admitted for the Fall or Spring semester, on a part-time or full-time plan of study.

Specializations

Students entering with a bachelor's degree in nursing or a master of nursing degree and a current RN license choose a specialization in one of the following areas:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG ACNP)
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): Population focus in Adult-Gerontology, or Pediatrics.
• Nursing System Leadership (Nurse Executive)

Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program.

Admission

The admission requirements of the DNP program in Nursing are consistent with those requirements specified by the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition, students must also meet the following requirements for the School of Nursing:

• A bachelor's degree or a master's in Nursing from a professionally accredited program, with a minimum undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (4.0 scale).
• One year of RN experience.
• Completion with a grade of B or higher of an upper-level undergraduate course in statistics within the last five years.
• A current unencumbered Registered Nurse license.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation for graduate study in nursing, two (2) of which are from persons most knowledgeable about the applicant's recent academic and work experiences.
• Completion of a personal statement.
• Current CV or resume.
• Submission of one writing sample.
• Personal interview with a faculty member may be requested.

Credits and Courses

Post Advanced Practice Master's Curriculum

The Post Advanced Practice Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a 26- to 32-credit, Post-Master's program. The program includes 32 credit hours of core theoretical courses, including the advanced nursing practice core, an evidence-based practice core, a systems core, and 8 credits of the DNP Project Core.

Course List: | Code | Title | Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | NURS 728 | Population Health for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 | | NURS 804 | Health Systems Leadership | 3 | | NURS 720 | Biostatistics and Applications for Nursing Practice | 3 | | NURS 725 | Advanced Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care | 3 | | NURS 805 | Implementation Science Methods | 3 | | NURS 750 | Quality Outcomes and Safety | 3 | | NURS 773 | Applied Health Informatics | 3 | | NURS 803 | Health Systems Policy and Economics | 3 | | NURS 993 | DNP Project I: Plan | 2 | | NURS 994 | DNP Project II: Proposal | 2 | | NURS 995 | DNP Project III: Leadership Practice Immersion 1 | 4 |

Additional Requirements

Faculty Advisor

The student must have a Faculty Advisor to advise and supervise the student's studies.

Leadership Practice Immersion

Both the post baccalaureate and post master's curriculum include a 4-credit DNP Project III, an experience that will include the required DNP project.

Time Limit

Students in the post baccalaureate DNP program must complete all degree requirements within seven years of the first enrollment semester as a degree student. Students in the post master's DNP program must complete all degree requirements within five years of the first enrollment semester as a degree student.

Minimum Grade Requirement

For continuation in the program, students must achieve a minimum grade of B- in all required nursing courses.

Residence

The student must meet minimum Graduate School residence requirements.

DNP Project II: Proposal/Doctoral Preliminary Examination

The student must pass a doctoral preliminary examination to qualify for formal admission to candidacy for degree.

DNP Project III: Leadership Practice Immersion

The candidate will complete a final comprehensive clinical project as part of the Leadership Practice Immersion experience.

Nursing Practice DNP Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Nursing Practice, DNP program will be able to:

1. Lead, translate and integrate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines, including a foundation in liberal arts, natural and social sciences at the advanced nursing practice specialty level.
2. Design, lead, coordinate and evaluate person-centered care that is evidence-based, inclusive and respects patients as full partners in providing compassionate, developmentally appropriate, and culturally safe care at the advanced nursing practice specialty level.
3. Lead and evaluate initiatives that advocate for equitable population health outcomes across the healthcare delivery continuum, through engagement with partners, communities, public health, industry, academia, health care, local government entities, and others.
4. Generate, synthesize, translate, and disseminate nursing knowledge using a spirit of inquiry to improve health and transform complex health care systems.
5. Design, lead, implement, and disseminate quality and safety initiatives using improvement science to enhance outcomes and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Lead interprofessional care teams to facilitate intentional collaboration with patients, families, and community partners, fostering a climate of mutual respect and shared values to enhance the healthcare experience and improve outcomes.
7. Direct transformation within complex healthcare system to use resources effectively and provide safe, quality, cost-effective, and equitable care within the advanced nursing practice specialty.
8. Use and evaluate healthcare, information, and communication technologies to gather data, inform decision making, provide and document safe care, and drive improvement that aligns with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
9. Cultivate and model a professional identity in alignment with the school of nursing's mission, vision, and values, demonstrating wisdom and ethics for the advanced nursing role and leadership practice.
10. Cultivate personal health and resilience, to expand professional identity and leadership competencies through reflective practice and lifelong learning within the advanced nursing practice specialty role.