Nursing Practice, DNP

School of Nursing

The goals of USAHS’ School of Nursing include:

• Providing innovative graduate nursing education;
• Preparing nurse leaders in interprofessional collaboration;
• Promoting critical thinking along with the use of best scientific evidence and data analytics in decision-making; and
• Facilitating scholarship and professional growth and development of faculty and students.

Program Mission Statement

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the DNP program, graduates will be able to

• Employ the skills necessary to engage in life-long learning through intellectual inquiry and scholarship
• Lead and serve on interprofessional teams to promote improved population health and outcomes in complex healthcare systems
• Practice critical thinking and evidence-based decision making in delivering or directing nursing practice and serving as a leader in healthcare systems
• Provide leadership in the use of technology and information systems for the evaluation and improvement of individual, population, and institutional outcomes
• Exhibit professional and ethical standards while advocating for safe, equitable, and cost-effective healthcare and policies for all
• Communicate effectively with members of interprofessional teams, healthcare consumers, policymakers, and institutional, local, regional, and national healthcare leaders
• Utilize transformational leadership, systems thinking, and clinical analytics to improve healthcare outcomes for individuals and diverse populations
• Deliver or direct nursing practice based on sound theoretical frameworks, best scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and in collaboration with the patient and family.

Admission Requirements

See Admissions, Records, and Registration  for prerequisiste and application information. 

Academic Requirements

To remain in the DNP program, the student must

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, and
• Complete the required courses.
• Maintain an unrestricted/unencumbered license in their state of work. Students are required to immediately notify the Director of the School of Nursing of a change in their licensure status.

Program Overview

• DNP courses are offered through an enriched online experience to meet the needs of working students—allowing students to further their education while pursuing a nursing career.
• Take the program online or as a blended program that incorporates online and optional on-campus learning experiences.
• Collaborate in an interprofessional learning environment with students from other healthcare professions
• Participate in optional weekend immersion experiences in some courses; students will have the opportunity to collaborate with classroom peers and faculty in discussions, activities, and complete coursework before the end of the term.
• Complete practica in the student’s own community (in most cases) by working with a USAHS faculty and a preceptor.
• USAHS offers three different nurse specializations with the DNP (BSN-entry) curriculum: Nurse Executive, Nurse Informaticist, and Family Nurse Practitioner. No specialization is required in the DNP (MSN-entry) program because it was completed in the student’s MSN program.

Delivery of DNP Coursework

All coursework in the DNP program is offered in an online delivery format. Some courses have optional weekend immersion experiences on one of our campuses. The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) role specialty requires 3-day, on-campus intensives. Students will be responsible for travel, meals, and lodging when necessary for all immersions, intensives, and practica.

Time Limit

It is required that DNP (BSN-entry) students in the Nurse Executive or Nurse Informaticist role specialty complete all program requirements within 10 trimesters (3 years, 4 months). An extension of up to 5 trimesters (1 year, 8 months) may be requested (total of 15 trimesters or 5 years).

It is required that DNP (BSN-entry) students in the Family Nurse Practitioner role specialty complete all program requirements within 12 trimesters (4 years). An extension of up to 6 trimesters (2 years) may be requested (total of 18 trimesters or 6 years).

It is required that DNP (MSN-entry) students complete all program requirements within 7 trimesters (2 years, 4 months). An extension of up to 3 trimesters (1 year) may be requested (total of 10 trimesters or 3 years, 4 months).

It is required that DNP (USAHS Alumni MSN-entry) students complete all program requirements within 4 trimesters (1 year, 4 months). An extension of up to 2 trimesters (8 months) may be requested (total of 6 trimesters or 2 years).

Practica

If students enter the DNP program with a BSN, they will complete role specialization practica as well as DNP practica focused on leadership, evidence-based practice, and completion of the DNP scholarly project. If students enter the DNP program with an MSN, having completed their role specialization in their MSN program, the practica will be focused on leadership, evidence-based practice, and completion of the DNP scholarly project.

The types of sites that will be select for the practica for the DNP program differ by selected role specialty and the focus of the DNP scholarly project. The Director of the School of Nursing or designee will approve the preceptor and the practicum site to ensure that the preceptor has the education and expertise to guide the student and that the practicum site can provide the required learning experiences. 

Note on Accreditation and Licensure

The Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K St., NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791. 

Most states require that DNP-FNP program graduates pass the Family Nurse Practitioner national certification exam in order to apply for licensure or another credential to practice as a nurse practitioner in a state. DNP-FNP graduates must hold a master’s, postgraduate, or doctoral degree from a family nurse practitioner program accredited by the CCNE or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) in order to be eligible for the Family Nurse Practitioner national certification exam, which is required in order to practice as a certified FNP-BC in most states. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Prospective students are advised that relocation to another state may impact their ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification or another credential in another state. Prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate. Further, the DNP (non-FNP Role Specialty) program is not designed or intended to lead to professional licensure in any state.

Tuition and Fees

See Financial Information . 

For non-FNP program: Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates for: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1072); Registered Nurses (29-1141); Medical and Health Services Managers (11-9111)

For FNP program: Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates for: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1072); Registered Nurses (29-1141); Medical and Health Services Managers (11-9111)