Doctorate of Nursing Practice | Office | Website

Program Description
(Program pending approval) The Doctorate of Nursing Practice is a terminal professional degree representing the highest level of clinical nursing competence. The DNP program is designed to provide students the opportunity to assimilate and utilize in-depth knowledge of nursing, biophysical, psychosocial, analytical and organizational sciences, with sophisticated informatics and decision-making technology to develop collaborative strategies that optimize the health of individuals, families, communities and systems. Grounded in the Mercy and Jesuit traditions, the DNP program emphasizes the student’s development as an expert clinician with strong leadership capacity, a commitment to service, and skills to act as change agents, translating clinical research into improved health care.

The post-Master’s DNP curriculum is designed to admit Master’s prepared certified APRNs in the following clinical specialties: nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, and clinical nurse specialist. The DNP program curriculum is based upon the AACN (2006) Essentials of Doctoral Education and also ensures achievement of the DNP competencies established by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

The DNP builds upon the Master of Science in Nursing degree and requires 36 credits. The curriculum includes formative course work that culminates in a capstone clinical practicum and a doctoral project. The post-Master’s DNP is designed for part time or full time study. Full time study consists of four 9-credit semesters (16 months). Part-time study (24 months) includes six 6-credit semesters. A combination of teaching and learning approaches, face to face, web enhanced and on-line delivery will be used.

Admission Criteria

• 1. Earned Master of Science in Nursing or Nurse Anesthesia from an accredited school** with a graduate GPA > 3.2
• 2. Current unencumbered Michigan Registered Nurse license and privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse that is not limited in any way by an employer.
• 3. National Board Certification in an area of clinical specialization.
• 4. Recognized by the Michigan by the Board of Nursing with Specialty Certification status as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife or Nurse Anesthetist.
• 5. Evidence of current clinical practice as an APRN.
• 6. Three professional letters of recommendation. Letters of support from doctorally prepared individuals are preferred, including at least: a. An individual who can attest to the applicant’s clinical practice performance. This should be someone in a position to evaluate the applicant’s work. b. An individual who can attest to academic ability, such as the Dean (or designee), or a faculty member from the previous graduate degree program
• 7. Official transcripts sent directly from each institution of higher education since high school.
• 8. Professional portfolio including Curriculum vitae, a sample of scholarly work or writing in which the applicant is the primary author and an essay (500-1000 words) addressing the applicant’s goals for doctoral study and focused area of clinical interest for the doctoral project
• 9. Interview
• **Applicants may require prerequisite coursework to meet the master’s level essentials in Nursing.

DNP Program Objectives

• 1. Synthesize and integrate theory and knowledge from nursing science with the biophysical, psychosocial, analytical and organizational sciences as the foundation for the highest level of nursing practice.
• 2. Analyze and develop specialty standards of advanced nursing practice to deliver culturally competent, high quality health services to individuals, populations and systems.
• 3. Reflectively practice nursing inclusive of the systems levels within ethical, legal and humanistic frameworks.
• 4. In the delivery of advanced practice nursing services, develop and advocate for health care policy addressing issues of social justice and equity.
• 5. Enact leadership, critical thinking and effective communications skills to design, evaluate, and improve the implementation of quality advanced nursing services.
• 6. Integrate professional standards, values and accountability into role and ongoing self-reflection as an advanced practice nurse.
• 7. Lead inter- and intra professional collaboration to facilitate and improve desired health outcomes for individuals, populations and systems.
• 8. Integrate health care informatics and an evidence based approach in clinical scholarship to critically evaluate, design and implement health care services for individuals, populations and systems.
• 9. Analyze the epidemiological, financial, sociopolitical and organizational forces in the health care environment that impact the advanced nursing practice role.

Part Time Study