Doctor
of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program
The Doctor of Nursing Practice
(DNP) graduate is a
leader equipped to affect
change in complex environments.
The DNP degree is designed for master's
prepared nurses with demonstrated or potential leadership
ability who desire to enhance their skills in outcomes management,
affecting policy and incorporating data
into decision making. The DNP student may already be in
a management position or desire to advance to a different leadership
role.
Online but Hands On
This innovative program is designed for
the working professional. It combines on-line, interactive coursework
with two weekends of on-site instruction. The part-time program
requires eight quarters to complete (postmaster’s). Cohorts
of students are admitted in the winter quarter of each year and
graduate in the fall of the following year. The DNP degree requires
a minimum of 42 quarter
hours of post-masters study.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree - Leadership
and the Business of Health Care
Rush University College of Nursing is one of the
first colleges in the nation to award the practice
doctorate. Building on the established role of the master’s
prepared nurse, the DNP program provides real world experience
in strategic planning, communication to affect change, data management
and the application of critical business concepts.
The DNP degree is designed to prepare a leader
able to affect change through system redesign and evidence-based
decision making in a variety of clinical, organizational and educational
systems. Through coursework, clinical practicum and project implementation,
the DNP graduate is prepared to influence health care
outcomes for diverse populations in a variety of settings.
A suitable
candidate for the DNP program:
- demonstrates promise and potential for leadership
through already documented leadership experience or is currently
in a position that would make the DNP program of value in furthering
their career goals.
Prospective students may also be considering a
career transition. Examples of transitions for which the DNP degree
would prove beneficial include:
- Nurse
administrators who wish to expand their
leadership responsibilities
- Faculty
leaders who want to design
and implement new educational programs or support services
- Advanced practice nurses who want to create
or extend clinical services within a system or region.
An important component of the program is working
with a project facilitator.
Chosen from among established professional leaders in clinical,
organizational or educational settings, the project
facilitator guides the student through the planning
and implementation of a
leadership/ outcomes project.
In the
essay, that is part of the application,
it is important to be clear about your career leadership goals
and a prospective project. The essay topic is as follows:
"Discuss a specific leadership position (e.g., clinical program
leader, associate dean, national consultant) you wish to attain
within 3-5 years after completing the DNP program. Identify a
problem or question that requires a change in health care or educational
services and/or policies that you might address in that role.
This problem should have relevance to current and emerging health
care or educational issues. The topic you identify should be the
basis for your DNP project and congruent with your career goals.
The scope of the project should be large enough that it would
result in, for example, a system-wide change at the organizational,
regional or national level, new or revised state health policy
or the establishment of significant new services to a population
or geographic region. It would be helpful to have a discussion
with a potential sponsor to explore support for a project and
where it might be implemented. Please include the details of your
discussion in the essay." The essay is an important part
of the application and serves as a basis for the interview with
a faculty member.
If you have questions
about the DNP program of study or project, please contact:
Suzanne Perraud,
PhD, RN-c
312-942-6860
Suzanne_Perraud @rush.edu
Doctor of Nursing
Practice Degree
Program
of Study
|
| Year |
Winter |
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
| 1 |
2 NUR 651
- The Leader as Catalyst for
Change
|
2 NUR 654 -Organizational Analysis and Evaluation
|
2 NUR 653 - Understanding Financial and Business Concepts |
2 NUR 657 - Affecting Change through Effective
Communication |
| |
2 NUR652 - Financial and Business Planning |
2 NUR 655 - Data and Decision-Making in a
Rapidly Changing Environment |
2 NUR 656 - Outcomes Management |
2 NUR 658 - The Leader and Policy, Politics,
Power and Ethics |
| |
2 NUR 650A - Project Planning |
2
NUR 650B - Project
Planning |
1 NUR 650C - Project Planning |
1 NUR 650D - Project Planning * |
| Total |
6
credit hours |
6
credit hours |
5 credit
hours |
5 credit hours |
| 2 |
2 NUR 659
- Human Resource Management |
2 NUR 668 -Implementing Change |
2 NUR 669 - Evaluating Change |
1 NUR 670 - Role Transformation |
| |
2 NUR 667
- Planning for Change |
4 NUR 649
- DNP Immersion Residency |
4 NUR 649
- DNP Immersion Residency |
2 NUR 677 - Capstone Project * |
| |
1NUR 650E - Project Planning |
|
|
|
| Total |
5
credit hours |
6
credit hours |
6
credit hours |
3
credit hours |
*These courses require 2-3 day on-site attendance.
Click
here for examples of student
DNP projects
|
