Program Overview

The DNP is an advanced practice nursing program based on The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) guidelines for the curriculum, and reflects a inter-disciplinary design incorporating appropriate graduate level courses from other disciplines. For example, courses from the Management Department in organizational behavior, systems, finance and performance; Health Information and Informatics Department, courses in technical applications - workflow design; and lastly program evaluation from Psychology. Students come to the program as skilled advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and other specialties.

This advanced practice nursing program is designed to guide nursing profressionals in the development of a higher level of skill at the organizational and systems level of practice for improving health care outcomes that focus on the following essential elements:

• Scientific Underpinngs for Practice
• Organizational and System Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
• Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
• Information System/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the improvement and Transformation of Health Care
• Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
• Inter-professional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health outcomes
• Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation's Health
• Advanced Nursing Practice
• Systems Change
• Leadership in Health Care

BS to DNP

The BS to DNP program is designed for baccalaureate-prepared RNs, particularly those who live in rural or medically underserved areas. Whenever possible, clinical experiences are arranged at appropriate sites near the student's home. We strive to offer a combination of online and face-to-face courses in order to make the program accessible to students who do not live in the Duluth-Superior area of Minnesota.

Eligibility for BS to DNP degree requires satisfactory completion of a minimum number of semester credits based on the student's desired area of focus. All program requirements must be completed within 7 years. Students who begin the program in summer semester and chose to complete the program at a part time pace can complete the program in four academic years. Informational materials detailing aspects of the program is mailed to all applicants.

Learning Outcomes | BS to DNP

Students in the BS to DNP program will be prepared to:

• Synthesize knowledge from nursing science and related disciplines as a basis for advanced nursing practice.
• Design roles of advanced nursing practice responsive to changing environmental forces.
• Use leadership skills, teaching, and collaborative strategies to create appropriate change in policy and systems which augment individual and population health.
• Facilitate the investigation of nursing problems with the dissemination and integration of findings into practice.
• Integrate knowledge of political, economic, and social issues; ethics and jurisprudence in decision-making processes to resolve dilemmas of practice
• Demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of professional nursing and to the professional growth of self and peers.
• Evaluate care delivery models and/or strategies using concepts related to community, environmental, cultural, socioeconomic and ethical dimensions of health.
• Assume leadership roles in professional teams involved in the development of clinical practice models, practice guidelines, quality improvement processes, health policy and standards of care.
• Analyze multiple sources of client outcome data through information technology and research methods for application to health care delivery, program development, practice guidelines, and problem solving processes.
• Evaluate interventions to improve health status, access patterns, and/or gaps in care of populations within a community of focus, particularly those who are rural or culturally disadvantaged.
• Design and implement evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that influence health care outcomes positively for individuals or populations.

Learning Outcomes | Post-master's

The curriculum builds upon outcomes of the current master's curriculum to incorporate the essential elements not met in the master's program. Outcomes of the post-master's program are to prepare nursing leaders with the following competencies:

• Evaluate care delivery models and/or strategies using concepts related to community, environmental, cultural, socioeconomic and ethical dimensions of health.
• Assume leadership roles in professional teams involved in the development of clinical practice models, practice guidelines, quality improvement processes, health policy and standards of care.
• Analyze multiple sources of client outcome data through information technology and research methods for application to health care delivery, program development, practice guidelines, and problem solving processes.
• Evaluate interventions to improve health status, access patterns, and/or gaps in care of populations within a community of focus, particularly those who are rural or culturally disadvantaged.
• Design and implement evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that influence health care outcomes positively for individuals or populations.