Doctorate of Nursing Practice
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Questions regarding the program should be directed to Lauren Sullivan, Graduate Program Coordinator at 806.743.2748 or 1.800.851.8240 Fax-806-746-1622 or lauren.sullivan@ttuhsc.edu or Barbara Cherry, DNSc, MBA, RN, Department Chair for Leadership Studies at 806-743-2730, 1-800-851-8240, Fax-806-743-1198 or barbara.cherry@ttuhsc.edu
The TTUHSC SON DNP Program has been approved!
- Application materials now available here
- Application deadline is 01/15/09 for Summer 2009 enrollment
Following are the On-Campus Dates for DNP Summer Session:
- Week 1 on-campus dates:
Begin at noon Wednesday, June 11, 2008 — 5:00 PM on Saturday, June 14, 2008
Agenda: TTUHSC Orientation; Introduction to Role Transition I Course; Applied Statistics - Week 2 on-campus dates:
Begin at 8:30 AM on Friday July 11, 2008 — 5:00 PM on Saturday, July 12, 2008
Agenda: Applied Statistics - Week 3 on-campus dates:
Begin at 8:30 AM on Wednesday July 30, 2008 — 5:00 PM on Saturday, August 2, 2008
Agenda: Role Transition I Course; Applied Statistics
What is a DNP?
The Doctor of Nursing Practice is similar in concept to practice doctorates in other professions such as pharmacy (PharmD) and physical therapy (DPT). DNP-prepared nurses are equipped for leadership roles in nursing practice, business, administration, clinical research, and academia.
Individuals with practice doctorates are the most highly educated and qualified practitioners in their fields. Instead of focusing primarily on research and teaching, those with practice doctorates use their education and expertise in leadership roles on the front lines of their professions. They are also highly qualified to teach the next generation of clinicians and leaders.
History and Rationale for the DNP Nationally:
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), which represents all BSN and higher degree schools of nursing in the U.S., identified the need over ten years ago for a transition from master's degree education to doctoral education for advanced practice nursing due to the:
- growing complexity of the health care system
- growth in scientific knowledge
- sophisticated technology
- need for clinical career paths
AACN recognized that the growing shortage of nurses could not be met by just increasing basic enrollments as the shortage was also acute for advanced practice nurses such as nurse practitioners, clinical executive leaders, and especially for faculty to teach the increased enrollments.
The concept of the DNP was developed to meet the demand for practitioners able to practice and provide leadership at the highest level of practice and to meet the demand for highly prepared clinical faculty for schools of nursing.
Currently there are over 20 DNP programs in the U.S. with more than 200 in the planning stage. The practice-focused doctorate is a distinct model of doctoral education providing an additional option for obtaining a terminal degree in the professional discipline.
DNP Program
The purpose of the TTUHSC School of Nursing program is to further prepare advanced nurse practitioners for increasingly complex practice and clinical administrators for executive leadership roles, as well as prepare faculty to teach in nursing schools.
The program is designed for master’s prepared nurses who are working; classes will be both on-line and in "executive sessions" over 3 - 4 days on-campus at 3 times during the semester. The TTUHSC program is 48 credit hours over six semesters with the following two tracks:
- Post-Masters Advanced Practice Nursing
- Post-Masters Executive Leadership
Admission Requirements
All applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Current licensure as a registered nurse
- Three letters of reference attesting to the applicant's academic ability and leadership potential, including one from a current professional colleague
- A personal statement
- An interivew with DNP Admissions Committee faculty
- GPA of 3.0 or higher for master's degree
- Graduate level nursing research course
All NP applicants must meet the following additional requirements:
- Current approval by a state Board of Nurse Examiners to practice as a nurse practitioner
- Current certification by a nationally recognized credentialing body as a Nurse Practitioner
- Master of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited program
- Minimum of one year's experience as a nurse practitioner
All executive leadership applicants must meet the following additional requirements:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Master of Science in Nursing degree
Applicants with unique credentials will be considered on an individual basis
Curriculum
The curriculum is based on the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
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COURSE TITLES
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CREDIT HOURS
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CORE LEADERSHIP COURSES
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| DNP Role Transition I and II | 3 | |
| Advancing Policy and Politics in Health Care | 3 | |
| Systems Leadership for Effectiveness, Quality and Safety | 3 | |
| Informatics & Technology to Improve Health Care | 3 | |
| Financial Operations and Budget Management | 3 | |
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TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE COURSES
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| Evidence-Based Practice I | 3 | |
| Evidence-Based Practice II | 3 | |
| Population Health and Epidemiology | 3 | |
| Applied Statistics | 3 | |
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ADVANCED PRACTICE SPECIALIZATION
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EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SPECIALIZATION
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Promoting Health through Behavior Change
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Health Care Economics and Finance
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3 |
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Integrating Community Mental Health into Healthcare Systems
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Leading Teams in Complex Health Care Environments
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3 |
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Integrating Complementary & Alternative Modalities (CAM) into Health Care Systems
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Population Health at the Organizational and Public Policy Level
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3 |
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Advanced Clinical Management in the DNP Role
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Executive Leadership in the DNP Role
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3 |
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CAPSTONE PROJECT AND PRACTICUM COURSES
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| Evidence-Based Project & Seminar | 3 | |
| DNP Practicum & Seminar | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
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TOTAL CREDITS
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48
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