Doctor of Nursing Practice

The DNP Program will be offered to Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) as a Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Only a full-time progression option will be available. The program is designed to prepare FNPs for the highest level of nursing clinical practice. Emphasis will be placed on evaluating and applying the evidence that supports nursing practice and creating practice delivery systems to improve client outcomes. Additionally, graduates from the DNP program will be instrumental in translating research into nursing practice to improve health outcomes and decrease health disparities in their communities and beyond. The DNP program will provide advanced practice education in evidenced-based practice, quality improvement, health care systems, evaluation of practice models, and health policy. A DNP Project and clinical practicum hours are required. The clinical practicum hours will assist in the development and completion of the DNP Project and assure that students have mastered the DNP Essentials for doctoral level advanced nursing practice. The DNP Project indicates mastery of an advanced practice specialty area and is a requirement for the DNP degree. Examples of DNP projects include, but are not limited to, a pilot study; evaluation of an existing practice model; a quality improvement project; an evaluation of a new practice model; or a consulting project.At the completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

1. Synthesize theoretical, philosophical, ethical, and empirical knowledge to develop therapeutic interventions in complex health systems.
2. Develop leadership skills within complex health systems to improve safe, cost-effective, and quality health care for diverse populations.
3. Utilize clinical scholarship and analytical methods to design, implement, evaluate, and disseminate evidence-based practice.
4. Utilize information systems and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care in diverse populations.
5. Provide leadership in the analysis, development, and implementation of health care policy on local, regional, national, and global levels.
6. Employ professional/inter-professional communication and collaboration to improve healthcare and health care outcomes for diverse populations.
7. Evaluate advanced practice care in complex situations and systems to improve healthcare services to patients, families, and populations.