Online Doctor of Nursing Practice

This foundational course introduces students to the program requirements and doctoral learning expectations for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Students engage in structured activities and guided dialogue to promote inter/intrapersonal collaboration; explore the integration of the roles of scholar, practitioner, and leader; and demonstrate the initiative needed to take the next steps in their doctoral journey through iterative improvements to critical thinking, reading, and writing by applying faculty feedback, writing resources, and personal insights.

This course prepares students with advanced skills for high-level clinical inquiry to identify a relevant practice problem with the potential for significant positive change and measurable outcomes in the practice setting. Students will use an evidence-based approach to critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making by evaluating internal and external sources of evidence. Students will develop proficiency in framing relevant practice questions and build critical appraisal skills to evaluate and synthesize evidence through the rigorous application of evidence-based practice (EBP) principles. Students will demonstrate competency in conducting systematic searches, applying critical appraisal techniques to evaluate different types of evidence, and synthesizing evidence to inform clinical decision-making and practice improvement.

This course examines biostatistics and epidemiology for advanced evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing using an integrated application of statistics to basic epidemiological concepts. Students engage in the practical application of statistical concepts, quantitative methodology for advanced evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing, and statistical utility for decision-making using statistical analysis software to further examine the role of nursing practice related to disease and injury prevention. Additionally, students integrate decision theory and critical analysis through the evaluation of methods, results, and discussion sections of a research report.

The outcome of this course will be a precis that articulates a specific goal and plan that will evolve into the student's DNP Applied Project.

This course focuses on the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of nursing science and practice at the doctoral level of expertise. The philosophy of science and the philosophical, theoretical, and ethical foundations of nursing practice and inquiry are examined. Students integrate teaching-learning theory into a personalized framework for doctoral practice. Competency A: Integrate nursing theory, ethics, and teaching-learning theory into a personal framework for advanced evidence-based practice in nursing. Competency B: Evaluate the philosophical, theoretical, and ethical underpinnings of advanced evidence-based practice in nursing. Competency C: Differentiate the philosophical and theoretical perspectives among professional theories and models for application in nursing practice and inquiry. Competency D: Examine the influence of personal and professional perspectives on knowledge acquisition and perception.

The course focuses on the use of epidemiological biostatistical, environmental, geographic, genetic, behavioral, and socioeconomic data to design, develop and implement interventions to improve health care access, address gaps in care and decrease health disparities. Students will apply comprehensive surveillance, prevention, and health promotion approaches to improve population health.

In this course, students engage in the iterative advancement of the DNP practice dissertation proposal. With continued faculty guidance, students leverage self-assessment and forecasting strategies to refine their skills and improve upon the quality of their proposal drafts for completion and submission.

In this course, students examine the function and purpose of health care informatics and delivery technology in promoting advanced evidence-based practice in nursing. In addition, students explore the components of modern data systems, including advanced clinical information systems, decision modeling programs, and financial systems, to inform the selection, application, and evaluation of health care information systems and practice technologies.

This course will focus on an analysis of health policy and its influence on health care delivery systems. The student will examine the structure and function of legislative and regulatory bodies, governance, public relations, and global health care issues. The course promotes the concepts of leadership to inform advocacy, policy formation and implementation through the lens of ethics, social justice and evidence.

This course will focus on the exploration of organizational and systems theory for quality improvement science. Students will contribute to the development of transformational leadership strategies to facilitate changes in health care systems.

This is the third and final project course for the DNP program. This course focuses on the achievement of the cumulative outcomes for the DNP program, including the submission of the final DNP applied project manuscript and successful dissemination of the project results through a poster presentation.