Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program
OVERVIEW
CURRICULUM
CAREERS
ADMISSION CRITERIA
WHAT TO EXPECT
RELATED LINKS
Overview
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Curriculum
Consistent with the other doctoral programs within the University of Rochester, students in the DNP program are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits as well as a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate clinical hours. Students complete coursework in evidence-based practice and translational research including advanced statistics and epidemiology; leadership, systems management and strategic planning; and health policy, informatics and interprofessional partnerships. Clinical practicum courses are tailored to the student’s identified clinical focus specialty (e.g. well child care delivery; health promotion for the seriously mentally ill; developmentally sensitive care of the neonate; complementary therapies for pain management; palliative home care for those with heart failure). Priority access to the vast, rich resources of our academic medical center helps us provide outstanding clinical experiences for students. At the completion of the program, students defend an evidence-based capstone project, which they design as they progress through their practicum experiences and implement through their residency. The capstone project is the practice equivalent to a PhD research dissertation.
The curriculum is designed to produce graduates who will be able to:
- Demonstrate the highest level of clinically expert practice, including sophisticated diagnostic and treatment competencies.
- Evaluate current and new practice guidelines and policies, care delivery models and strategies, health outcomes, and approaches to reducing disparities in the care of populations.
- Use information technology and analytic methods to evaluate multiple sources of outcome data.
- Design evidence-based, ethical, safe and cost-effective strategies that improve health care outcomes for individuals or populations.
- Implement emerging scientific discoveries and practice innovations in health care.
- Collaborate with members of other disciplines to design, lead, implement and evaluate programs and policies for the improvement of health care.
Influence health policy and systems of health care in local, regional, state, national and international forums.
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Careers
If a nurse’s career goal is to stay within clinical practice—as opposed to a research-focused career--the DNP program provides an excellent option. DNP studies help students develop sophisticated critical thinking, strategic planning, communication, process management and leadership skills. As research nurses who are PhD-prepared generate new scientific discoveries, DNP-prepared nurses take that information, put it into practice, and evaluate its impact on care delivery and health outcomes. DNP-prepared nurses are equipped for leadership roles in nursing practice, business, administration, translational research, and clinically focused academia.
Due to the increased complexity of health care and the nursing and nursing faculty shortage, the field of nursing is in need of strong nursing leadership. Earning a DNP degree can translate into higher salaries for advanced practice nurses. For example, according to the 2005 National Salary Survey of Nurse Practitioners, nurse practitioners with doctoral degrees earned an average annual salary of $81,440 -- about $6,500 more than master's-prepared nurse practitioners at $74,777.
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Admission Criteria
If you are an RN who has been employed at least 3 years in a clinical setting and hold a Masters Degree in nursing you can be admitted directly into the DNP program if you also meet and/or provide the following requirements:
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in nursing
- Copy of current license or registration by one or more states, provinces, or countries to practice in the clinical field in which the Master’s degree was awarded.
- Transcripts from all previous college-level study reflecting a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for undergraduate work and 3.5 for graduate work.
- National certification in your advanced practice nursing specialty
- Curriculum vitae.
Competitive scores on the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) within the past 5 years. - Positive letters of recommendation from a doctorally-prepared academician, a supervisor in an employment setting, and a practicing RN (or APN) familiar with the applicant’s intellectual ability, academic achievement, and professional commitment.
- Professional Goal Statement describing career objectives and areas of clinical interest.
- Writing sample (academic paper, publication, or other written work on which applicant is first or sole author).
- For international students for whom English is not the primary language or who did not complete their Master's degree in an English-speaking country, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores >560 for paper-based test and >230 for computer-based test, or > 88 for I-based test.
- After all of the above have been received, a favorable interview by phone or in person with at least 2 faculty members to discuss career goals and to delineate clinical interests that are clear and compatible with the mentoring capacity of the School of Nursing faculty.
If you are an RN who has been employed at least 2 years in a clinical setting and hold a Baccalaureate Degree in nursing you can be admitted directly into the Master’s degree program of your choice (see options listed below)/DNP program if you also meet and/or provide the following requirements:
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from an accredited program
- RN licensure with the United States or US territory
- Cumulative GPA of 3.5 preferred for undergraduate work
- Declare master’s degree specialty area as part of admission process:
Choices include:
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner; Adult Nurse Practitioner; Care of Children and Families Nurse Practitioner; Care of Children and Families Neonatal Nurse Practitioners; Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner; Clinical Nurse Leader; Family Nurse Practitioner; Geriatric Nurse Practitioner; Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - Completed DNP application including essay/personal goal statement, writing sample, and Curriculum Vitae or resume
- Competitive scores on the Graduate Record Examination (general test only) within the past 5 years
- For international students for whom English is not the primary language or who did not complete their degree in nursing in an English speaking country, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; minimum scores required as follows: above 560 (regular paper test) or above 230 (regular computer test) or 88 (new “I-based” test)
- A minimum of two years of employment as a Registered Nurse in a clinical setting, preferred (a minimum of three years required for those in Clinical Nurse Leader track).
- Statistics with a grade B or above
- Favorable interview with at least two faculty members delineating motivation and goals for doctoral study and advanced nursing practice
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Three positive letters of recommendation: At least one from an academician, at least one from a supervisor in an employment setting, at least one from a doctorally prepared professional, and at least one from a practicing Registered Nurse. Taken together, these references should speak to the applicant’s intellectual ability, clinical proficiency, academic achievement, and professional commitment.
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What to Expect
Progression in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program is contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement in all required courses. The DNP program is intensive so you will need a strong support system that can help you successfully navigate the personal and financial challenges that come with doctoral study. You also need to be self-directed and highly organized as you will be critically evaluating clinical evidence as well as pursuing clinical opportunities that will expand your knowledge and skill base in your specialty area. Yet the rewards are great. You will look at clinical practice differently, read journals more critically, and bring a more theoretically and evidence-based viewpoint to your professional activities.
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