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Program at a Glance

Program
Doctorate
College(s)
College of Nursing
Department(s)
Nursing
U.S News and World Report Best Grad Schools Doctor of Nursing Practice Badge

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track prepares nurses at the highest level of practice for the current health care environment based on a strong scientific foundation for practice; flexibility and emphasis on evidence-based practice, leadership, and organizational analysis; and analysis of the DNP project.

The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track prepares the advanced practice nurse to care for patients with medically complex stable and unstable acute, critical, and chronic illnesses across care settings ranging from hospitals to subacute, ambulatory care, clinic and home care environments at the DNP level, incorporating DNP essentials in practice with a culminating DNP project.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the DNP program are to prepare graduates to:

  • Critically analyze complex clinical situations and practice systems and disseminate findings.
  • Assume leadership roles in the development of clinical practice models, health policy and standards of care.
  • Develop practice models that support diagnostic reasoning skills and clinical judgment through the use of the evidence-based practice.
  • Analyze the social, economic, political, epidemiological and other scientific data to improve individual, aggregate and population health.
  • Demonstrate information fluency and advanced communication skills to lead quality improvement initiatives to improve patient care and healthcare systems.
  • Design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive care models for populations and/or systems and disseminate findings.

The DNP Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track requires a minimum of 75 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The curriculum includes 39 credits of core courses shared with other DNP tracks, 12 credits of APN core and 24 credits of specialty courses. A total of 1,020 practicum hours are required to earn the DNP. The program prepares nurses at the entry level for advanced practice for the current healthcare system based on a strong scientific foundation for practice; offers flexibility and emphasis on evidence-based practice, leadership, and organizational analysis; and provides analytic, critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills to examine practice innovations involving completion of a doctoral project during the doctoral project courses. Details about this program are in the Advanced Practice DNP Handbook.

Total Credit Hours Required: 75 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree

Application Deadlines

Fall
February 1
Fall
January 15

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