Program Overview

Nursing Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner) - Doctor of Nursing Practice (Online)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a doctoral degree for nurses at the highest level of nursing practice. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has proposed that the DNP degree will be the level of entry for all advanced practice nurses by 2020. Practice-focused doctoral nursing programs prepare leaders for the highest level of practice and are the terminal practice degree.

Overview

The core DNP courses prepare the DNP graduate for Population Health Leadership. Although the coursework for these programs is web-based, the clinical component consists of over 1000 contact hours. Anyone interested in pursuing a nurse practitioner doctorate must ensure they can accommodate the intensive time commitment these programs require.

Family Nurse Practitioner Track

The Family Nurse Practitioner track prepares nurses for advanced practice through a course of study focused on families' health care across the lifespan. The courses in this specialty focus on advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and management of acute and chronic illness in families. These courses are combined with specialty seminars and clinical experiences that emphasize the physiological and psychosocial impact of illness on the patient and family. Graduates are prepared to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner certification exam.

Program Requirements

To complete the DNP program, each student is required to generate a project that reflects their advanced coursework in leadership, research translation, and clinical knowledge and skills.

Course Requirements

The following courses are required for the Nursing Practice (Family Nurse Practitioner) - Doctor of Nursing Practice (Online) program:

• DNP Core Courses:
  • NURS 5120: Nursing Informatics (3 credits)
  • NURS 6110: Introduction to Population Health (1 credit)
  • NURS 6250: Healthcare Policy and Ethics (3 credits)
  • NURS 6270: Clinical Data Management and Analysis (2 credits)
  • NURS 6265: Strategic and Financial Planning for Population Health Programs (3 credits)
  • NURS 6135: Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence (3 credits)
  • NURS 6255: Innovations and Health Care Organizations (3 credits)
  • NURS 6120: Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 credits)
  • NURS 6125: Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare (3 credits)
  • NURS 6260: Population Health and the Environment (3 credits)
  • NURS 6305: Introduction to the DNP Project (1 credit)
  • NURS 6130: Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (2 credits)
  • NURS 6310: DNP Project I (1 credit)
  • NURS 6320: DNP Project II (1 credit)
  • NURS 6330: DNP Project III (1 credit)
  • NURS 6307: DNP Project Practicum (3 credits)
• NP Core Courses:
  • NURS 6220: Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing (3 credits)
  • NURS 6230: Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3 credits)
  • NURS 6224: Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
  • NURS 6226: Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (1 credit)
  • NURS 6210: Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing (3 credits)
  • NURS 6352: Integrated Care for Diverse Populations (2 credits)
• FNP Specialty Courses:
  • NURS 6506: Health Needs of Women and Children (3 credits)
  • NURS 6510: FNP Across the Lifespan I (3 credits)
  • NURS 6511: FNP Across the Lifespan Practicum I (3-4 credits)
  • NURS 6520: FNP Across the Lifespan II (3 credits)
  • NURS 6521: FNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum (3-5 credits)
  • NURS 6530: FNP Across the Lifespan III (1 credit)
  • NURS 6531: FNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum (3-4 credits)

Plan of Study Grid

The plan of study grid is as follows:

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 6110: Introduction to Population Health (1 credit)
    • NURS 6120: Quality Improvement in Healthcare (3 credits)
    • NURS 6305: Introduction to the DNP Project (1 credit)
    • NURS 6210: Professional Roles for Advanced Practice Clinical Nursing (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 6135: Interdisciplinary Leadership and Role Development for Practice Excellence (3 credits)
    • NURS 6125: Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare (3 credits)
    • NURS 6130: Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice (2 credits)
    • NURS 6307: DNP Project Practicum (1-3 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 6270: Clinical Data Management and Analysis (2 credits)
    • NURS 6265: Strategic and Financial Planning for Population Health Programs (3 credits)
    • NURS 6310: DNP Project I (1 credit)
    • NURS 6307: DNP Project Practicum (1-3 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 6220: Advanced Pathophysiology for Clinical Nursing (3 credits)
    • NURS 5120: Nursing Informatics (3 credits)
    • NURS 6255: Innovations and Health Care Organizations (3 credits)
    • NURS 6320: DNP Project II (1 credit)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 6250: Healthcare Policy and Ethics (3 credits)
    • NURS 6224: Diagnostic Reasoning and Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
    • NURS 6226: Advanced Health Assessment Practicum (1 credit)
    • NURS 6260: Population Health and the Environment (3 credits)
    • NURS 6307: DNP Project Practicum (1-3 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 6230: Advanced Clinical Pharmacology (3 credits)
    • NURS 6330: DNP Project III (1 credit)
• Third Year:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 6506: Health Needs of Women and Children (3 credits)
    • NURS 6510: FNP Across the Lifespan I (3 credits)
    • NURS 6511: FNP Across the Lifespan Practicum I (3-4 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 6520: FNP Across the Lifespan II (3 credits)
    • NURS 6521: FNP Across the Lifespan II Practicum (3-5 credits)
    • NURS 6352: Integrated Care for Diverse Populations (2 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 6530: FNP Across the Lifespan III (1 credit)
    • NURS 6531: FNP Across the Lifespan III Practicum (3-4 credits)

Total Credits

The total credits required for the program are 70-74.