DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE (DNP)

 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is an academic partnership offered by Southeastern Louisiana University and the University of Louisiana Lafayette. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a terminal professional degree that focuses on the clinical aspects of nursing rather than academic research. The curriculum for the DNP program is consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACE) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice.

 

Purposes

The purposes of the DNP program are to prepare graduate students at the highest level of nursing practice to:

  1. Provide complex hospital and community-based care for patients and families.
  2. Redesign and evaluate nursing and health care systems.
  3. Address shortages of clinical nursing faculty to mentor and educate nurses.

 

Admission Procedures

Applicants to the DNP program must apply to the University and the Southeastern Graduate Nursing Program at the same time. See admission to the University section for application deadlines and fees.

 

Admission Requirements

Students are admitted as a cohort into the post-master's DNP Program. Cohorts will be admitted in fall semesters. Didactic courses are offered online; however, students will be required to participate in on-campus activities immediately prior to the start of the program and at the conclusion of the program when presenting synthesis projects. In addition, there are several courses in the curriculum (i.e., Residency, I-III) with practicum requirements. Prior to enrolling in Nursing 801: Biostatistics, students must provide evidence of completion of a graduate-level statistics course. The graduate-level statistics course must be approved by the DNP Program Coordinator.

Requirements for admission to the DNP program include:

  1. A completed application form and payment of the application fee submitted on or prior to the application date.
  2. Receipt of official transcripts from each degree-granting college or university previously attended.
  3. An earned master's degree in one of the following areas of advanced nursing practice:
      • Nurse Practitioner
      • Clinical Nurse Specialist
      • Nurse Midwife
      • Registered Nurse Anesthetist
      • Nursing Administration/Leadership
  4. Cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale on master's-level course work.
  5. Evidence of current, unencumbered U.S.nursinglicensure (no restrictions).
      • RN license
      • APRN license if applicable
  6. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to the applicant's capacity for doctoral study.
      • One letter must be from a former faculty member in a nursing program, a current or former nursing supervisor, or nursing leader.
      • One letter must be from someone who can attest to the competencies and expertise of the applicant at the advanced practice level.
      • The third letter is from an individual of the applicant's choice; however, the letter should address the applicant's ability to successfully complete a doctoral education in nursing.
  7. Current resume' or vitae.
  8. A document, prepared by the applicant, which addresses the applicant's:
      • Goals for doctoral study which are congruent with the DNP program (See The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice, which can be accessed at: https://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/DNP-Essentials).
      • Focused area of interest for synthesis project.
      • Expression of how acquiring the DNP degree is important to fulfilling his/her career goals.
      • The document must be typewritten, double-spaced, in 12 point, Times New Roman font and should be no longer than three pages in length.
  9. Completion of a telephone interview with the DNP program coordinator.
  10. Prior to enrollment, students will be required to submit to background checks, drug and alcohol screening, and must meet program health requirements. These screenings will be conducted at the student's expense.
  11. Students should be proficient with methodologies utilized in Online Learning and must possess computer equipment and technology which is compatible with University learning management systems such as Blackboard and Moodle.
  12. Admission criteria for BSN prepared nurses with a non-nursing master's degree pursuing the nurse Executive leadership Concentration:  Applicants must have a BSN degree and must have a current unencumbered Louisiana Registered Nurse License.  The students may have a non-nursing master's degree but must be in a health-related field such as an MBA, MHA, MPH, or MPHM.  The student  must provide evidence of any supervised internship or practicum hours within their master's program.

 

Residency Requirements

Core courses taken at either school in the collaborative are applicable to requirements of each member institution. NURS 809: Advanced Directed Studies and practicum hours required in Residencies I, II, and III can only be taken at the home institution.

 

Registration Procedures

  • Registration for core and role courses will be held according to published dates and procedures. An advisor is available to assist students. Information and downloadable forms are available for the School of Nursing webpage: www.southeastern/graduatenursing.
  • A Professional Degree fee will be assessed each semester of coursework. Students will also be assessed fees for proctored testing of online courses.
  • All courses offered are subject to resources available and sufficient student enrollment.
  • Full-time degree plans require from 7-10 credit hours per semester; part-time plans require 6 credit hours per semester.
  • For limited course slots, preference will be given to regular admission status.

 

BSN to DNP Curriculum

The BSN to DNP program consists of 3 concentrations:  Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Executive Leadership, and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.   The Family Nurse Practitioner concentration consists of a total of 70 credit hours.  The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration is a total of 76 credit hours,  The BSN to DNP curriculum maintains the core MSB degree courses.  Students can opt to complete with an MSN degree after such degree requirements are met. All of the courses required in the DNP programs are delivered in distance accessible formats. Courses are designed to comply with the recommendations in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Essentials of Doctoral Education.

Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner

Semester 1, Summer

NURS 605: Applied Statistics for the Health Sciences 3 hours

 

Semester 2, Fall

NURS 801: Biostatistics 3 hours
NURS 830: Advanced Practice Scholarly and Theoretical Foundations 3 hours
NURS 618: Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 3, Spring

NURS 607: Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice 3 credit hours/60 laboratory hours
NURS 617: Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice 3 hours
NURS 602: Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 4, Summer

NURS 682: Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health I 5 credit hours/180 practicum hours

 

Semester 5, Fall

NURS 683: Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health II 5 credit hours/210 practicum hours
NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice 3 hours
NURS 831: Epidemiology and Preventative Care for Populations 4 hours

 

Semester 6, Spring

NURS 681: Business, Leadership and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners 3 hours
NURS 684: Advanced Practice Nursing: Family Health III 5 credit hours/210 practicum hours
NURS 803: Project Planning                 3 hours

*May Graduate with MSN*

 

Semester 7, Summer

NURS 821: Residency I 2 credit hours/90 residency hours
NURS 808: Ethics and Health Care Policy 4 hours

 

Semester 8, Fall

NURS 822: Residency II 4 credit hours/180 residency hours
NURS 807: Organizational and Systems Leadership 4 hours

 

Semester 9, Spring

NURS 823: Residency III 4 credit hours/180 hours residency
NURS 806: Health Care Informatics 3 hours

 

Concentration in Nurse Executive Leadership

Semester 1, Summer

NURS 605*: Applied Statistics for the Health Sciences 3 hours
NURS 648*; Nurse Leadership in Health  Care Management 3 hours

 

Semester 2, Fall

NURS 801: Biostatistics 3 hours
NURS 830: Advanced Practice Scholarly and Theoretical Foundations 3 hours
NURS 654**: Nurse Leadership and Admin Field Study I 2 credit hours/80 practicum hours

 

Semester 3, Spring

NURS 649*: Health Care Workforce Management 3 hours
NURS 658*: Fiscal and Economic Principles for Nurse Leaders 4 hours
NURS 602: Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 4, Summer

NURS 624***: Independent Study 3 credit hours/100 practicum hours
NURS 655**; Nurse Leadership and Admin Field Study II 3 credit hours/80 practicum hours

 

Semester 5, Fall

NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice 3 hours
NURS 831: Epidemiology and Preventative Care for Populations 4 hours
NURS 659**; Nurse Leadership and Admin Internship 3 credit hours/160 practicum hours

 

Semester 6, Spring

NURS 803: Project Planning                 3 hours
NURS 809: Advanced Directed Studies Term 3 credit hours/135 practicum hours
NURS 681: Business, Leadership and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners 3 hours

 

 

Semester 7, Summer

NURS 821: Residency I 2 credit hours/90 residency hours
NURS 808: Ethics and Health Care Policy 4 hours

 

Semester 8, Fall

NURS 822: Residency II 4 credit hours/180 residency hours
NURS 807: Organizational and Systems Leadership 4 hours

 

Semester 9, Spring

NURS 823: Residency III 4 credit hours/180 hours residency
NURS 806: Health Care Informatics 3 hours
* These didactic course may be substituted for students who have a non-nursing master's degree (i.e., MBA, MHA, MPH, MPHM, etc.) and who have taken graduate level course work with similar content credit hours.
**Practicum courses may be substituted for students who have a non-nursing master's degree (i.e., MBA, MHA, MPH, MPHM, etc.) and who have taken graduate level course work with a supervised practicum experienced in healthcare setting.  Documentation of all practicum hours completed must be submitted.
***NURS 624, Independent Study, will focus on the student's individual learning needs based on results of a GAP Analysis, and include such content as roles of advanced nursing practice, inter-professional collaboration and practice, technology, digital health, cultural competency, MSN/DNP Essentials, ethics, healthcare policies and legal issues.
 

Concentration in Psychiatric/Mental Nurse Practitioner

Semester 1, Summer

NURS 605: Applied Statistics for the Health Sciences 3 hours
NURS 617; Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 2, Fall

NURS 801: Biostatistics 3 hours
NURS 830: Advanced Practice Scholarly and Theoretical Foundations 3 hours
NURS 608: Diagnostics/Pharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders 3 hours

 

Semester 3, Spring

NURS 607: Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice 3 credit hours/60 laboratory hours
NURS 618: Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice 3 hours
NURS 602: Generating Evidence for Nursing Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 4, Summer

NURS 690: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychotherapy 3 credit hours/60 practicum hours

 

Semester 5, Fall

NURS 691: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health 5 credit hours/180 practicum hours
NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence based practice 3 credit hours
NURS 831: Epidemiology and Preventative Care for Populations 4 hours

 

Semester 6, Spring

NURS 681: Business, Leadership and Health Policy for Nurse Practitioners 3 hours
NURS 692: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health          5 credit hours/210 practicum hours
NURS 803: Project Planning 3 hours

 

Semester 7, Summer

NURS 821: Residency I 2 credit hours/90 residency hours
NURS 808: Ethics and Health Care Policy 4 hours

 

Semester 8, Fall

NURS 693: Advanced Nursing Practice: Psychiatric/Mental Health 5 credit hours/210 residency hours
NURS 822: Residency II 4 credit hours/180 residency hours
NURS 807: Organizational and Systems Leadership 4 hours

 

Semester 9, Spring

NURS 823: Residency III 4 credit hours/180 hours residency
NURS 806: Health Care Informatics 3 hours

 

Post-Master's DNP Curriculum

The post-master’s DNP program consists of an aggregate degree for Post - MSN students that want a DNP degree which is 39 credit hours beyond the master’s degree. These individuals should be licensed as an advanced nurse practitioner (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse anesthetist, or certified nurse midwife) or have a nurse administration/leadership degree.  An additional option is available to Post-MS DNP students to obtain a DNP degree with a Post Master's Certificate for Nurse Practitioners to Psychiatric/Mental health Nurse Practitioner.  These applicants must currently hold a master's degree from nationally accredited graduate nursing program and a national certification as an Adult Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, or Women's health Nurse Practitioner.  This option consists of 39 credit hours towards the DNP degree and 20 credit hours towards the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate.  All of the courses required in the DNP programs are delivered in distance accessible formats. Courses are designed to comply with the recommendations in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s Essentials of Doctoral Education. 

Post-MSN DNP Curriculum

Semester 1 

NURS 800: Scholarly Foundations for Advanced Practice 3 hours
NURS 801: Biostatistics 3 hours
NURS 803: Project Planning 3 hours
NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 2

NURS 802: Epidemiology 3 hours
NURS 806: Health Care Informatics 3 hours
NURS 821: Residency I 2 hours

 

Semester 3

NURS 805: Preventative Care for Populations 3 hours
NURS 807: Organizational and Systems Leadership 4 hours
NURS 822: Residency II 4 hours

 

Semester 4

NURS 808: Ethics and Health Care Policy 4 hours
NURS 823: Residency III 4 hours

 

As Needed

NURS 809: Advanced Directed Study 3-6 hours

 

Synthesis Project
Each candidate for the DNP is required to complete a synthesis project in the student's area of interest, which incorporates DNP course work and represents an evidence-based intervention, evaluation and dissemination of findings. A student actively engaged in a synthesis project must be officially enrolled in NURS 809: Advanced Directed Study, or a Residency course for credit.

 

Post-MSN DNP with a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate Curriculum

Semester 1, Fall

NURS 800: Scholarly Foundations for Advanced Practice 3 hours
NURS 801: Biostatistics 3 hours
NURS 803: Project Planning 3 hours
NURS 804: Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence Based Practice 3 hours

 

Semester 2, Spring

NURS 802: Epidemiology 3 hours
NURS 806: Health Care Informatics 3 hours
NURS 821: Residency I 2 hours
NURS 608: Diagnostics/Pharmacology for Psychiatric Disorders 3 hours

 

Semester 3, Summer

NURS 690: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychotherapy 3 credit hours/60 practicum hours

 

Semester 4, Fall

NURS 822: Residency II 4 hours
NURS 691:Advanced Practice nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health (PMH) I 3 hours
NURS 805: Preventative Care for Populations 3 hours
NURS 807: Organizational and Systems Leadership 4 hours

 

Semester 5, Spring

NURS 808: Ethics and Health Care Policy 4 hours
NURS 823: Residency III 4 hours
NURS 692: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health (PMH) II        5 hours

 

 

Semester 6, Summer

NURS 697: Advanced Practice Nursing: Psychiatric/Mental Health (PMH) III          4 hours
NURS 803: Project Planning 3 hours

 

As Needed

NURS 809: Advanced Directed Study 3-6 hours

 

Synthesis Project
Each candidate for the DNP is required to complete a synthesis project in the student's area of interest, which incorporates DNP course work and represents an evidence-based intervention, evaluation and dissemination of findings. A student actively engaged in a synthesis project must be officially enrolled in NURS 809: Advanced Directed Study, or a Residency course for credit.

The student is awarded a DNP degree and a Post-Master's Certificate of Nurse Practitioner to Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner upon completion of the program.