BSN-DNP Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is a practice-focused doctoral program in nursing that awards both the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and the terminal professional degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) upon graduation.  The DNP prepares expert nurse clinicians and executive leaders for the highest level of practice to improve health outcomes for individuals and populations.  Graduates will be employed in primary care settings, hospitals and other acute care settings, public health agencies, and schools of nursing. Graduates are eligible for national certification.

Year 1

Fall Semester
MSN 510 Conceptual & Theoretical Foundations for Nursing (3 credits; 7 weeks)
MSN 512 Research for Evidence-based Nursing Practice (3 credits; 7 weeks)

Spring Semester
MSN 516 Issues and Trends Relevant to Nursing (3 credits; 7 weeks)
MSN 550 Physiology and Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing Across the Lifespan (3 credits; 14 weeks)

Summer Semester
MSN 551 Advanced Health and Physical Assessment Across the Lifespan(3 credits [2 credits didactic, 1 credit online lab (56 clock hours)]; 14 weeks)
MSN 520 Vulnerable Populations: Nursing Perspectives (3 credits; 7 weeks)

Year 2

Fall Semester
MSN 514 Informatics & Technology in Nursing (3 credits; 7 weeks)
MSN 552 Pharmacological Principles of Clinical Therapeutics Across the Lifespan  (3 credits; 14 weeks)

Spring Semester
MSN 620 Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner(2 credits didactic)
MSN 621 Clinical Practicum for Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (1 credit clinical)

Summer Session
MSN 610 Adult Gerontology Diagnosis & Management of Chronic & Acute Illnesses I (3 credits; 12 weeks)
MSN 611 Clinical Practicum Adult Gerontology Diagnosis & Management of Chronic & Acute Illnesses I (3 credits [168 clock hours]; 12 weeks)

Year 3

Fall Semester
MSN 612 Adult Gerontology Diagnosis & Management of Chronic & Acute Illnesses II (3 credits; 14 weeks)
MSN 613 Clinical Practicum Adult Gerontology Diagnosis & Management of Chronic & Acute Illnesses II (4 credits [224 clock hours]; 14 weeks)

Spring Semester
MSN 614 Adult Gerontology Traumatic Injury & Emergency Illness Diagnosis & Management (1 credit; 14 weeks)
MSN 615 Clinical Residency (5 credits [280 clock hours]; 14 weeks)

Year 4

Fall Semester
DNP 801 Methods for Scholarly Inquiry (3 credits; 14 weeks)
DNP 802 Biostatistics for Evidence-based Practice (3 credits; 14 weeks)

Spring Semester
DNP 803 Theories of Leadership & Organization (3 credits; 14 weeks)
DNP 804 Health Policy, Economics & Finance (3 credits; 14 weeks)

Year 5

Fall Semester
DNP 805 Foundation for Transformation: Translating Evidence into Practice (3 credits; 14 weeks)
DNP 806 Evaluation Methods for Safety & Quality Improvement (3 credits; 14 weeks)

Spring Semester
DNP 850 DNP Project I (4 credits [1 didactic credit, 3 practicum credits]; 14 weeks)

Year 6

Fall Semester
DNP 851 DNP Project II (4 credits [1 didactic credit, 3 practicum credits]; 14 weeks)

Spring Semester
DNP 852 DNP Project III(2 credits; 14 weeks)

Summer Semester (if needed)
DNP 853 DNP Project IV(1 credit; 12 weeks)

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Goals

Evaluate health outcomes of individuals, communities, and populations in complex healthcare systems through evidence-based practice.

Integrate theoretical and scientific knowledge to provide high quality health care that is ethical, safe, and evidence-based to diverse individuals, communities, and populations.

Translate evidence to guide practice and improve health outcomes and systems of care.
Influence healthcare policy relative to social, ethical, legal, economic, and political issues that impact nursing.

Direct high quality, cost-effective care in collaborative relationships with other health care providers.

DNP Expected Learning Outcomes (ELO)

 Develop cost-effective innovations to improve health through the synthesis of theoretical, philosophical, ethical, and empirical knowledge.

 Utilize leadership skills within complex health systems to improve safe, cost-effective, and quality healthcare for diverse populations.

Act as a practice scholar to design, implement, and translate evidence to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care.

Engage in evidence-based advanced-nursing practice and evaluate innovative approaches to care delivery for individuals, communities and populations.

 Utilize and evaluate health information systems for improvement and transformation of clinical, research, and administrative practices.

 Employ strategic leadership skills to analyze, develop, and implement health care policy on local, regional, national, and global levels.

Partner with others to develop interactive interprofessional collaborative teams to improve health outcomes among diverse populations.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Expected Learning Outcomes (ELO)

Provide full scope of evidence-based care utilizing both independent and collaborative approaches, to the adult/gerontology population.

Manage acute, critical, and/or complex chronic health problems, health promotion activities, disease prevention, and transitional support and end of life care.
Participate in evidence-based quality improvement initiatives to improve health care outcomes.

Coordinate health care teams and engage in inter-professional collaboration with members of the health care team.  

Advocate for health care systems and policies that reduce health disparities, facilitate access to care, and address cultural diversity.