Program Student Learning Outcomes
The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP program prepares graduates to be highly developed clinicians and leaders.
You are prepared to practice in a variety of complex clinical, organizational and educational systems with diverse populations.
Our program gives you the tools to affect changes in health care outcomes through evidence-based decision-making and system redesign.
Graduates meet the following outcomes:
- Integrate science-based theories and data-based concepts to develop, critically appraise and implement practice approaches that improve health care and health care systems
- Apply organizational theories and systems thinking to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness and safety outcomes of practice decisions and initiatives
- Apply effective strategies for managing the ethical dilemmas inherent in patient care, the health care organization and research
- Apply knowledge of informatics to monitor and improve outcomes, programs and systems of care
- Provide leadership in influencing policies on the financing, regulation and delivery of health care
- Lead interprofessional teams to improve patient and population health outcomes
- Function independently in an advanced nursing role to improve health outcomes in a specialty area of practice
Graduates Meet the Following Standards
Students entering the program with a bachelor’s degree need to complete a minimum of 74 term hours.
Students with a master’s degree must complete 62 term hours.
All students must complete the degree requirements within five years.
Clinical and DNP Project Experience
You will have two terms of clinical practica and one term of residency during your last year in the program.
A total of 1,008 hours is required (420 clinical practica, 336 residency direct care hours and 252 DNP project hours).
You work collaboratively with faculty to arrange your clinical experiences.
Our program has agreements with many sites in the Chicago area. You and your adviser will establish your professional goals and objectives for the clinical experience.
Post-graduate student learning outcomes are to:
- Function as an advanced practice nurse in a specialty area of practice.
- Analyze and monitor the quality and cost effectiveness of clinical decisions.
- Provide culturally competent care within multidisciplinary health care systems.
- Apply ethical and legal principles to complex health care environments.
- Utilize research to provide quality health care, to initiate change and improve nursing practice.
- Assume the role of advocate, educator, and change agent for consumers within health care systems.