Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
In an effort to meet the increasing demands
for advanced health care practitioners, Salisbury University’s
Department of Nursing is offering the Doctor of Nursing Practice
degree. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program
addresses the growing need for nurses in advanced-practice nurse
roles with
special skills in managing complex health needs in a
cost-effective and collaborative manner. The curriculum
emphasizes the use of evidence-based practice and technology to
guide administrative and clinical decisions, as well as policy
development. D.N.P. graduates practice at the highest level,
whether working with individuals, groups or organizations, and
serve as leaders in health care for the state and region.
The Doctor of
Nursing Practice will prepare graduates to promote the delivery
of safe, high quality care for patients with increasingly
complex health care needs. In addition, these graduates will be
able to develop and implement new policies designed to improve the health care
outcomes of individuals, groups and communities. They will be
adept at navigating healthcare systems, working with other
disciplines toward quality improvement and improved patient
outcomes. DNP graduates will also be able to move into clinical
faculty roles, helping to ease the shortage of RN’s in the area
by serving as faculty for the local institutions of higher
education.
The DNP
program will enable graduates to:
- Evaluate and apply scientific knowledge and
evidence-based practice measures to improve health care outcomes
for individuals and populations
- Utilize current research and technology to improve
health care delivery systems
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary professionals
to improve health care outcomes of populations
- Serve as advanced practice nurse leaders in
clinical and administrative positions, promoting improved
healthcare outcomes
- Evaluate healthcare policy and practices, and
promote quality improvement and safety measures at all levels of
health care
- Advocate for ethical principles in health care
policy, focused on improving health care outcomes for all
The DNP program will be offered in a cohort
sequence as a 38 credit post-master’s option for students
in advanced practice roles, including nurse practitioners,
clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists,
nurse administrators, and nurse educators. Since the program is designed for working
professionals, candidates may complete their degree in three
years, taking six credits per semester. Students, who join the
program after the cohort begins or take fewer courses per
semester, will take slightly longer to finish. Students who do
not already hold national certification as an Advanced Practice
RN may need to take additional credits, and will meet with the
Director of the Graduate Nursing program for an individualized
curriculum plan. All students must have completed at least 1000
clinical hours between the Masters and DNP programs.
* * *
Admission to the Post-Master’s Program
Prospective students must apply online to the
University for admission to graduate study. Official
transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, the
Residency/Domicile Information form (for those students applying
for in-state tuition), documents required of international
students, and the following program-specific credentials are
required:
Important Note Regarding Admission to a DNP Cohort
The post Master’s DNP will be offered as a
cohort program, starting in the fall of 2012. There will not be
another cohort beginning until 2015. Students interested in the
Post Masters DNP in between these dates may contact the Director
of the Graduate Nursing program for possible consideration,
based on their completed coursework.
* * *
Post-Master’s Degree Requirements
The post-masters Doctor of Nursing Practice
program consists of 38 credit hours of graduate coursework.
Clinical and non-clinical options are available for the
specialty practice-hours component, as determined by the student
and faculty advisor based on the career goals and capabilities
of the student. Students interested in applying their practice
hours to improving the care of individuals may complete clinical
time at a primary care facility or a practice management site.
Students may choose to complete their specialty hours at a
hospital or community health center, focusing on a broader
application for improvement of patient healthcare outcomes. One
thousand (1000) total clinical hours are required for all DNP
students, which includes the clinical hours obtained during
their Masters program. Graduate students must maintain at least
a 3.0 GPA (4.0 scale) with a maximum of one C, and no grades
lower than a C.
* * *
Post-Master’s DNP Curriculum
The DNP curriculum is a blend of new and
existing courses at Salisbury University, incorporating
inter-departmental course work designed to address the varied
educational needs of the DNP students, and to meet the DNP
Essentials (AACN, 2006). Twenty-seven credit hours in Nursing,
Finance and Political Science comprise the core of the
curriculum, with another eight credit hours relating directly to
the DNP Project and Practicum coursework taken toward the end of
the program. Additionally, a three-credit graduate elective
chosen by the student with the approval of their advisor is used
to supplement the core of required courses and is tailored to
student interests.
* * *
For More Information
* * *
|
