Doctor of Nursing Practice (Post-Master's DNP)
Description
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) 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 and MSN-prepared nurses in specialty areas such as nurse administration, executive leadership and nursing informatics. The DNP program curriculum is based upon the AACN (2006) Essentials of Doctoral Education.
The DNP builds upon the Master of Science in Nursing degree and requires 36 credits. The curriculum includes formative coursework that culminates in a practicum and a doctoral project. The program is offered as a hybrid model. We have an online virtual classroom that also supports student participation from remote locations.
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Admission Criteria
- Earned Master of Science in Nursing or Nurse Anesthesia from an accredited school** with a graduate GPA > 3.2
- Current unencumbered Michigan Registered Nurse license and privilege to practice as a Registered Nurse that is not limited in any way by an employer.
- National Board Certification in an area of clinical specialization, if applicable.
- Recognized by the Michigan Board of Nursing with Specialty Certification status as a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife or Nurse Anesthetist, if applicable.
- Evidence of current clinical practice.
- Three professional letters of recommendation are required. Recommendation letters should include at least: a) one from a professional who can attest to the applicant’s clinical performance. This should be someone in a position to evaluate the applicant’s work and b) one from a professional who can assess the applicant’s academic potential for professional doctoral study (such as a dean or faculty from the previous graduate degree program). Recommendations from doctorally-prepared professionals are preferred.
- Official transcripts sent directly from each institution of higher education since high school.
- Professional portfolio including curriculum vitae or resume and an essay (500-1000 words) addressing the applicant’s goals for doctoral study and focused area of clinical interest for the doctoral project.
- Interview.
**Applicants may require prerequisite coursework to meet the master’s level essentials in Nursing.
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DNP Program Objectives
- Demonstrate professional role practice consistent with the competencies of the Doctor of Nursing Practice.
- Formulate innovative theoretical and conceptual frameworks that ensure optimal health care quality and patient safety outcomes.
- Translate evidence to produce innovative models of care that integrates informatics, health care technology, and interpersonal collaboration to affect population health, outcomes, and support health care policy initiatives.
- Lead health care systems and policy innovation with a focus on preventative care, quality improvement and patient advocacy.
- Integrate the Mercy and Jesuit traditions in providing culturally competent, compassionate, holistic and person-centered care with a commitment to human dignity in the contemporary world.
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DNP Curriculum Sample Plan
Semester 1
- NUR 7000 Advanced Theory and Knowledge Development for Clinical Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7500 Evidence-Based Nursing Practice: Theory, Design & Methods (3 credits)
Semester 2
- NUR 7300 Transformational Leadership and Innovation in Advanced Clinical Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7450 Analytics for Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
Semester 3
- NUR 7400 Information Management and Decision Support (3 credits)
- NUR 7800 Project Proposal Development (3 credits)
Semester 4
- NUR 7200 Epidemiology and Population Health (3 credits)
- NUR 7350 Business Management to Ensure Quality in Health Care (3 credits)
Semester 5
- HLH 7100 Health Care Policy, Economics and the Law in Clinical Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7900 DNP Practicum and Project Implementation (3 credits)
Semester 6
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Doctorate of Nursing Practice: Consortium with Madonna University
Description
As part of a consortium with Madonna University, eligible University of Detroit Mercy Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) students may take up to 12 credits at Madonna University (MU) while paying their home institution’s tuition rates. Likewise, eligible Madonna University DNP students may take up to 12 credits at Detroit Mercy while paying MU tuition rates. This agreement is limited to the four courses determined to be equivalent by the graduate nursing faculty at both institutions as well as the collaborative elective courses developed as part of a HRSA grant.
Equivalent Courses
Detroit Mercy Course
- NUR 7000 Advanced Theory and Knowledge Development for Clinical Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7300 Transformational Leadership and Innovation in Advanced Clinical Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7350 Business Management to Ensure Quality in Health Care (3 credits)
- ETH 7010 Ethical Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice (3 credits)
Equivalent Courses
Madonna University Equivalent Course
- NUR 7000 Advanced Scientific Perspectives Informing Nursing Practice (3 credits)
- NUR 7300 Transformative and Collaborative Leadership for Promoting Innovation (3-4 credits)
- NUR 7290 Quality Improvement Methods to Maximize Health Care (3 credits)
- NUR 7100 Global & Culturally Relevant Ethics in Contemporary Health Care (3-4 credits)
Consortium Electives
Madonna University
- NUR 6210 Advanced Mental Health Nursing for the Non-Psychiatric Specialist (2-3 credits)
- NUR 5110 Culturally Appropriate Care: Advanced Concepts, Theories & Practices (1-3 credits)
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Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, Master of Science in Nursing degree and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at the University of Detroit Mercy, McAuley School of Nursing are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle NW Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: (202) 887-6791.
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Program Contact Information
- Telephone: (313) 993-1828
- Fax: (313) 993-1271
- Program Coordinator: Dr. Rosanne Burson
- Telephone: (313) 993-1790
- Fax: (313) 993-1271
- Email: bursonrf@udmercy.edu