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Doctor of Nursing Practice Curriculum

This program of study lists the courses that you will be required to complete to meet graduation requirements.

Degree Completion

40 Credits
Total for DNP Program

525 Clinical Hours
Total for DNP Program

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NURS 605

Public Health Policy

3 Credits

The purpose of this course is to critically analyze the ways in which public policy affects local and global health processes and outcomes. Students examine the broad context of health and social policy that impacts the health of the community and drives how strategies to improve the health of communities are structured. This course prepares the student to demonstrate leadership as a DNP by taking an active role in health advocacy and health policy development. Issues such as social justice, access to care, health care financing, and nurses in the political arena will be explored.

NURS 608

Epidemiology and Population Health

3 Credits

This course prepares DNP students to relate the science of epidemiology, including genetic and environmental epidemiology, to evidence-based nursing practice in providing care to populations. Course content will cover identifying and defining population outcomes, concepts of epidemiology used in population-based research, and using data and information technology to target at-risk populations to improve health outcomes. In addition, students will analyze health policy at the population level and interpret trends in care delivery.

Prerequisite: NURS 632

NURS 620

Legal and Ethical Issues

3 Credits

This course provides a foundation for values, codes and principles governing decisions in advanced nursing practice, conduct and relationships. The format of the course is to use case analysis and introduce a broad range of clinical ethical issues and to present the theoretical and practical knowledge that enables practitioners to provide leadership in responding to the ethical challenges confronting the health care system today. There is specific emphasis on legal concepts, the judicial process, ethical decision-making, and exploring interdisciplinary collaboration to strenghen ethical dialogue and decision making.

NURS 632

Statistics and Methods for the DNP Project

4 Credits

This course is designed to enhance the DNP student's ability to select and apply methods (beyond Quality Improvement) required to implement a range of scholarly project designs.  Quantitative methods include data collection, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses (including linear regression) utilizing appropriate software packages.  Qualitative approaches for data collection and analysis will be introduced.  The course will focus on identification and selection of methods appropriate for answering clinical questions, and interpreting and presenting results obtained from these methods.

NURS 637

Scholarly Writing and Program Development

3 Credits

Program development is an ongoing systematic process for the planning, funding, implementation and evaluation of programs. Content will cover principles and models for program planning, grant writing, and formative and summative outcomes measurement. In addition students will gain practical skills in project management, program delivery and marketing. Students will acquire content knowledge, writing proficiency, research skills, organizational ability, and principles of persuasion. This course will provide students with the background necessary to develop competitive funding proposals and achieve success in health, social, and behavioral programs in a variety of settings.

Prerequisite: NURS 608

NURS 651

Genetics and Genomics for the APN

2 Credits

This course will provide the student with advanced practice experience with the knowledge to recognize the role of genetic factors in the prevention, causation, and treatment of human disease. The focus will be placed on translating genetic discoveries into interventions that can be implemented in clinical practice to improve health outcomes for the populations they serve.

 

NURS 710

Foundations of the DNP Project

75 Clinical Hours
3 Credits

This doctoral level course focuses on providing the resources for students to evaluate, translate, and integrate published research results into clinical practice. Building on previous course work, students will continue to identify clinical practice problems, develop answerable clinical research questions, search for best evidence, and appraise evidence using epidemiological, biostatistical, and scientific principles. In addition, students will integrate best evidence while taking into account patient values and preferences. Evaluating the effectiveness of evidence on outcomes is included.

NURS 711

Organizational Behavior and Systems Leadership

3 Credits

Organizational and systems leadership skills critical for culturally sensitive nursing practice to improve healthcare and outcomes are enhanced. Focus is on transformational leadership, measurement of outcomes, data driven decision–making, and the business realities of leading within healthcare. The emphasis is on skills and competencies needed to provide a scientific knowledge base for leadership in quality healthcare and systems of change focusing on not only the outcome, but safety, fiscal principles, efficiency and quality.

NURS 713

Advancements in Information, Quality and Safety

3 Credits

This course focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to promote quality, maintain patient safety and manage information across healthcare settings. Collaborative and diverse opportunities to bring about improvement in healthcare are included. The course combines evidence-based concepts from technology, information science, communication studies, patient safety, organizational quality, and health care science to prepare nurses to take an active role in transforming healthcare and clinical practice. Emphasis is placed on the nurse’s active role in retrieving, interpreting, and sharing information to support an evidence-based clinical practice.

NURS 722

DNP Project I

150 Clinical Hours
3 Credits

This course is the first of three sequential clinical courses that focuses on the DNP project development providing experiential learning opportunities for the student.  The course challenges the student to finalize their DNP project proposal building upon the foundation of clinical, behavioral and social sciences.  Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with doctoral faculty and mentor experts to refine and develop their project proposal including submission of the final project proposal paper, Institutional Review Board (IRB) application and project implementation once approved by the IRB.  Throughout the three sequential clinical courses, the DNP student will employ the expanded advanced practice nursing role competencies focusing on their populations of interest.  The student meets a minimum of 150 clinical hours.

Prerequisite: NURS 710

NURS 723

DNP Project II

150 Clinical Hours
3 Credits

This course is the second of three sequential clinical courses with a focus on the implementation of the DNP project developed in NURS 722 providing experiential learning opportunities for the student.  As the approved project progresses the student continues with the opportunity to collaborate with doctoral faculty and mentor experts to collect and analyze data to evaluate the scholarly project's outcomes.  Throughout the three sequential clinical courses, the DNP student will employ expanded advanced practice nursing role competencies focusing on their populations of interest.  The student meets a minimum of 150 clinical hours.

Prerequisite: NURS 722

NURS 725

DNP Project III

150 Clinical Hours
3 Credits

This course is the third of three sequential clinical courses with a continued focus on the completion of the DNP project developed in the previous two clinical courses providing experiential learning opportunities for the student.  As the project progresses the student continues with the opportunity to collaborate with doctoral faculty and mentor experts to analyze data and formulate the final project outcome(s).  The student will be required to develop a project dissemination plan to include a local, state or national conference and a manuscript ready for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.  The sequential clinical courses provide students with experiential learning competencies for future scholarship.  The student meets a minimum of 150 clinical hours.

Prerequisite: NURS 723

NURS 730

DNP Project Defense

1 Credit

This is the culminating DNP course, where the student will provide a final presentation and defense of their project.

Prerequisite: DNP Project III

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