Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Focus

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) has two options: Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The DNP degree prepares the graduate for advanced practice nursing with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide clinical expertise, judgment, scholarship, and leadership at the highest level of nursing practice in the primary health care setting. Graduates will be eligible for national APRN certification and licensure specific to the population focus. 

Students are able to choose a full-time three year or part-time four year course plan for completion of the DNP degree. DNP applicants with prior graduate nursing education will submit transcripts for review of potential equivalent coursework. This gap analysis will inform an individualized Program of Study. 

DNP Program Learning Outcomes

This program reflects the 2021 AACN Master's Essentials. Students completing the graduate nursing program will:

  1. Evaluate, integrate, translate, and apply evidence from nursing science and other disciplines in the delivery of care.
  2. Create, communicate, and evaluate person-centered care that includes holistic, individualized, just, culturally aware, respectful, compassionate, coordinated, evidence-based and developmentally appropriate.
  3. Analyze current population health gaps and create and evaluate cost-effective, evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of the target population.
  4. Advance the scholarship of nursing through the integration of best evidence and ethical conduct of scholarly activities. 
  5. Employ improvement science to ensure system effectiveness for safe, person-centered care within a physically, psychologically, secure, and just environment. 
  6. Collaborate across professions and with other stakeholders to  optimized care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.
  7. Coordinate the resources of the complex healthcare system to provide safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations. 
  8. Use information and communication technology to anticipate, manage and improve healthcare in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards. 
  9. Model a sustainable professional identity of accountability, ethical comportment, and collaborative disposition.
  10. Participate in activities and self-reflection that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being; students will contribute to life-long learning; and students will support the acquisition of nursing expertise and the assertion of leadership.

BSN to DNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) Program Requirements

NRSG 601Advanced Health Assessment3
NRSG 602Adv Physio/Pathophysiology4
NRSG 603Advanced Pharmacology I2
NRSG 604Evidence Based Practice I4
NRSG 605Evidence Based Practice II3
NRSG 606Statistical Applications3
NRSG 607Diagnostic Reasoning3
NRSG 608Design H C Delivery Systems3
NRSG 609Advanced Nursing Leadership & Roles3
NRSG 610Health Care Informatics3
NRSG 611Program Planning & Evaluation, Outcomes, & Quality Improvement3
NRSG 612Ethics, Law, and Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare3
NRSG 613Finance & Budget H C Systems2
NRSG 614Vulnerability and Health Care in Diverse Communities4
NRSG 620Adv Pharm II3
NRSG 621Advanced Clinical I-FI6
NRSG 622Advanced Clinical II Primary Care for Midlife Families6
NRSG 623Advanced Clinical III: Primary Care for Aging Families6
NRSG 624Advanced Clinical IV (NP, Family/Individual) Primary Care Clinical Preceptorship8
NRSG 674Graduate Nursing Scholarly Project Seminar ( )2
or NRSG 673 Writing for Scholarly Projects
NRSG 675DNP Scholarly Project6

Total Credits - 83


BSN to DNP (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) Program Requirements 

NRSG 601Advanced Health Assessment3
NRSG 602Adv Physio/Pathophysiology4
NRSG 603Advanced Pharmacology I2
NRSG 604Evidence Based Practice I4
NRSG 605Evidence Based Practice II3
NRSG 606Statistical Applications3
NRSG 607Diagnostic Reasoning3
NRSG 608Design H C Delivery Systems3
NRSG 609Advanced Nursing Leadership & Roles3
NRSG 610Health Care Informatics3
NRSG 611Program Planning & Evaluation, Outcomes, & Quality Improvement3
NRSG 612Ethics, Law, and Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare3
NRSG 613Finance & Budget H C Systems2
NRSG 614Vulnerability and Health Care in Diverse Communities4
NRSG 629Introduction to Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing2
NRSG 630Adv Psychopharm II3
NRSG 631Advanced Clinical I – Psych/Mental Health6
NRSG 632Advanced Clinical II: Psychotherapeutic Modalities6
NRSG 633Advanced Clinical III, Psych/Mental Health6
NRSG 634Advanced Clinical IV, NP, Psych/Mental Health8
NRSG 674Graduate Nursing Scholarly Project Seminar (or NRSG 691)2
or NRSG 673 Writing for Scholarly Projects
NRSG 675DNP Scholarly Project3

Total Credits - 82


Post-Master's DNP Program Requirements

The DNP Post-Master's option is designed for nationally-certified, currently-practicing, master's prepared Nurse Practitioners who do not wish to add a separate practice focus. Graduates generate new knowledge through innovation of practice change, the translation of evidence, and the implementation of quality improvement processes in specific practice settings, systems, or with specific populations to improve health or health outcomes. 

The DNP Post Mater's option is designed for nationally certified, currently practicing, masters prepared Nurse Practitioners who do not wish to add a separate practice focus.  Graduates generate new knowledge through innovation of practice change, the translation of evidence, and the implementation of quality improvement processes in specific practice settings, systems, or with specific populations to improve health or health outcomes. A complete gap analysis of transcripts is used to determine if prior masters courses may be waived and the number of clinical hours to be credited towards the required 1000 DNP hours.  Full and part-time course work is available.  

NRSG 604Evidence Based Practice I4
NRSG 605Evidence Based Practice II3
NRSG 606Statistical Applications3
NRSG 608Design H C Delivery Systems3
NRSG 609Advanced Nursing Leadership & Roles3
NRSG 610Health Care Informatics3
NRSG 611Program Planning & Evaluation, Outcomes, & Quality Improvement3
NRSG 612Ethics, Law, and Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare3
NRSG 613Finance & Budget H C Systems2
NRSG 614Vulnerability and Health Care in Diverse Communities4
NRSG 674Graduate Nursing Scholarly Project Seminar2
or NRSG 673 Writing for Scholarly Projects
NRSG 675DNP Scholarly Project6

Total Credits: 42. .  


Scholarly Project

Each student completes and defends a scholarly project developed in collaboration with a faculty advisor and a committee conducted over two semesters during the final year of study. Examples of exciting and innovative student projects include: development of mental health outreach programs to the rural elderly; examination of alternative health practices for healing; and establishment of pediatric cancer support groups for the rural client.