Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program (DNP) is an innovative academic program designed to prepare nurses for leadership positions in advanced nursing practice roles. The program is flexible in meeting the needs of distance education students, with an executive format and cohort model that has partnerships with institutions around the country.

Program Overview

The DNP program admits students at three different stages in order to accommodate students with diverse educational backgrounds. The program offers three entry points:

• Post-Licensure DNP (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) stage): Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree awarded
• Nurse Anesthesia DNP: (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; DNP degree awarded)
• Post-Master's DNP (Practice Doctorate stage; DNP degree awarded)

Learning Outcomes

The program is designed to achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Synthesizes and translates nursing knowledge, including theory, research, and ways of knowing, as well as knowledge from other disciplines, distinguishing the practice of nursing, advancing clinical judgment, and promoting innovation in nursing practice
• Leads within healthcare systems to provide and evaluate person-centered care focused on the individual within multiple contexts, including family, important others, and community
• Analyzes scientific data and synthesizes concepts related to clinical prevention and population health in developing, implementing, and evaluating interventions to advance equitable population health outcomes
• Applies relevant clinical scholarship and quality improvement methods to develop recommendations that improve nursing practice and the practice environment
• Disseminates findings from evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and research to improve health care outcomes
• Leads using current practice guidelines, evidence-based interventions, and innovation to improve quality and safety for patients and providers
• Facilitates an environment and culture of respect to support intra and interprofessional collaboration and quality patient care through effective communication, positive team dynamics and system structures
• Designs, implements, and evaluates care delivery approaches, strategies, and policies within systems that meet the needs of patient populations and promote health equity
• Provides effective leadership in using information technologies and informatics processes within health care systems resulting in information-based decisions supporting professional practice
• Fosters one's professional identity through the application of ethical principles and self-reflection, resulting in accountability, collaboration, advocacy, and leadership to improve nursing practice
• Advocates for an environment that promotes respect, health, safety, and well-being for self and others
• Demonstrates leadership through professional advocacy, mentoring, and engagement in lifelong learning

Program Requirements

Progression in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program is contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement in all required courses. Doctor of Nursing Practice students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in all courses taken for credit as a DNP student. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) students in the DNP program must maintain an APRN GPA of 2.5 or higher in all APRN core courses and APRN clinical courses.

DNP Project

The DNP program culminates in successful completion of the DNP project. The DNP project is designed by the student in collaboration with a three-member committee approved by the Program Director. The project must focus on a practice issue related to improving patient outcomes. The written product can take the form of a written report or a manuscript suitable for publication.

Completion of Program

Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice program (PMDNP) students have five years to complete the program. In unusual circumstances, students may petition the Program Director for individual consideration of this policy.

DNP Curriculum

The DNP curriculum is intended for Post-Master's DNP students. Each student is expected to satisfactorily complete the Required Courses AND the two courses listed for one Elective Sequence.

Required Courses

• NUND 450: Applied Statistics (3 credit hours)
• NUND 504: Theories for Nursing Practice and Scholarship (3 credit hours)
• NUND 506: Leadership in Organizations and Systems (3 credit hours)
• NUND 508: Health Care Policy (3 credit hours)
• NUND 510: Application of Health Information Technology and Systems (1 credit hour)
• NUND 540: Practice Focused Inquiry I (3 credit hours)
• NUND 541: Practice-Focused Inquiry II (3 credit hours)
• NUND 610: Translating Evidence into Nursing Practice (3 credit hours)
• NUND 611: DNP Practicum (2 credit hours)
• NUND 619: DNP Project Proposal Development (2 credit hours)
• NUND 620: DNP Project Implementation (3 credit hours) Total Credit Hours: 29

Elective Sequence Requirements

• Practice Leadership
  • NUND 507: Business Concepts in Advanced Nursing Practice Leadership (3 credit hours)
  • NUND 607: Advanced Leadership in Healthcare (2 credit hours)

Nurse Anesthesia DNP Course List

• NURS 430: Advanced Pharmacology (3 credit hours)
• NURS 444A: Ethical Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice (1 credit hour)
• NURS 453A: Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology I (2 credit hours)
• NURS 453B: Advanced Physiology & Pathophysiology II (3 credit hours)
• NURS 459: Advanced Physical Assessment (3 credit hours)
• NURS 553: Cultural Diversity Topics (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 443: Professional Role of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 450: Pharmacological Strategies in Anesthesia Practice (2 credit hours)
• NUAN 458: Principles of Anesthesia I (4 credit hours)
• NUAN 459: Principles of Anesthesia II (4 credit hours)
• NUAN 460: Advanced Principles of Anesthesia I (4 credit hours)
• NUAN 461: Advanced Principles of Anesthesia II (3 credit hours)
• NUAN 462: Advanced Principles of Anesthesia III (3 credit hours)
• NUAN 507: Nurse Anesthesia Practice Management (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 550A: Anesthesia Seminar I (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 550B: Anesthesia Seminar II (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 550C: Anesthesia Seminar III (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 551A: Nurse Anesthesia Advanced Clinical Practicum I (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 551B: Nurse Anesthesia: Advanced Clinical Practicum II (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 551C: Nurse Anesthesia -Advanced Clinical Practicum III (1 credit hour)
• NUAN 551D: Nurse Anesthesia-Advanced Clinical Practicum IV (1 credit hour)