Nursing Practice (from MSN) (DNP)

Summary

Designed for masters prepared advanced practice registered nurses to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The program builds upon foundational nursing knowledge and focuses on leadership development in the advanced practice registered nurse role. Graduates are prepared to work at the organizational system level and lead quality improvement initiatives for diverse populations.

We define diverse as including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, ethnic background, religion, linguistic ability, and ability.

Catalog Year

2024-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Major Credits

80

Total Credits

80

Locations

Edina

Career Cluster

Health Science

Apply

Program Requirements

Common Core

Students will investigate mental health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management in providing care to individuals and families to assess and detect actual and potential mental health problems.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the structures, processes, concepts, tools, and experiences leading to quality and safety for patient care across healthcare settings. This includes the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases of professional care from an interprofessional and organizational perspective.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the role of advanced practice nurses in organizational structure, policy, and finance to engage in independent and productive interprofessional practice. This includes strategic planning, policy development, collaboration, and evaluation to improve outcomes for healthcare delivery systems with a focus on interprofessional leadership, economic principles, and technological innovation within a culturally diverse and inclusive lens.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the knowledge and skills related to information systems and patient care technology that prepare the DNP graduate to manage individual and aggregate level information and assess and improve the effectiveness of nursing care.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on transformational leadership and leading in a culturally sensible environment while utilizing change strategies, measurement of outcomes, data driven decision-making, and the business realities of leading healthcare systems. Organizational and systems leadership skills are evaluated and tested.

Prerequisites: none

This course introduces concepts of teaching and precepting. This includes essential elements of effective teaching and learning practices. It also includes the examination of innovative teaching-learning pedagogies and creation of educational experiences that facilitate achievement of desired learner outcomes for academic nursing courses and clinical precepting APRN relationships.

Prerequisites: none

This doctoral-level course offers an in-depth exploration of human genetics and genomics to equip advanced practice nurses with the expertise necessary to assess genetic/genomic risk for individuals and families from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds, employ diagnostic testing, and deliver educational and therapeutic interventions within the scope of their practice. Ethical, legal, social, cultural, economic, and policy implications related to genetics/genomics will be critically examined. Moreover, the course will emphasize the integration of cutting-edge research and technology within the Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) framework.

Prerequisites: none

Capstone Course

This clinical seminar focuses on collaboration of interprofessional teams and the roles of advanced practice nurses within this collaboration. Development of a framework for identifying, implementing, and evaluating a collaborative effort is emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program implementation and evaluation data collection. The DNP student works with a preceptor at the clinical site applying interprofessional team leadership and informatics skills related to evidence-based clinical program implementation and management.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on program evaluation and dissemination. The DNP student works with a preceptor to disseminate program outcomes and demonstrate the applicability of findings for the clinical setting and the profession.

Prerequisites: none

Degree Plan

The Degree Plan is a model for completing your degree in a timely manner. Your individual degree plan may change based on a number of variables including transfer courses and the semester/year you start your major. Carefully work with your academic advisors to devise your own unique plan.
* Please meet with your advisor on appropriate course selection to meet your educational and degree goals.

First Year

Summer - 5 Credits

Students will investigate mental health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management in providing care to individuals and families to assess and detect actual and potential mental health problems.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the knowledge and skills related to information systems and patient care technology that prepare the DNP graduate to manage individual and aggregate level information and assess and improve the effectiveness of nursing care.

Prerequisites: none

Second Year

Fall - 5 Credits

This clinical seminar focuses on collaboration of interprofessional teams and the roles of advanced practice nurses within this collaboration. Development of a framework for identifying, implementing, and evaluating a collaborative effort is emphasized.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 6 Credits

This course focuses on transformational leadership and leading in a culturally sensible environment while utilizing change strategies, measurement of outcomes, data driven decision-making, and the business realities of leading healthcare systems. Organizational and systems leadership skills are evaluated and tested.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program implementation and evaluation data collection. The DNP student works with a preceptor at the clinical site applying interprofessional team leadership and informatics skills related to evidence-based clinical program implementation and management.

Prerequisites: none

Summer - 6 Credits

This course focuses on the structures, processes, concepts, tools, and experiences leading to quality and safety for patient care across healthcare settings. This includes the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases of professional care from an interprofessional and organizational perspective.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the role of advanced practice nurses in organizational structure, policy, and finance to engage in independent and productive interprofessional practice. This includes strategic planning, policy development, collaboration, and evaluation to improve outcomes for healthcare delivery systems with a focus on interprofessional leadership, economic principles, and technological innovation within a culturally diverse and inclusive lens.

Prerequisites: none

Third Year

Fall - 2 Credits

This course focuses on program evaluation and dissemination. The DNP student works with a preceptor to disseminate program outcomes and demonstrate the applicability of findings for the clinical setting and the profession.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 3 Credits

This course introduces concepts of teaching and precepting. This includes essential elements of effective teaching and learning practices. It also includes the examination of innovative teaching-learning pedagogies and creation of educational experiences that facilitate achievement of desired learner outcomes for academic nursing courses and clinical precepting APRN relationships.

Prerequisites: none

Policies

Admission:

Application materials are available online from the School of Nursing website and the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Completed applications are due in spring semester for admission to classes starting the following fall. Applicants submit materials online to the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

Completed applications are reviewed by the DNP Program faculty using the following criteria:

  1. A Masters level APRN degree required, from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited school of nursing (as verified by official transcripts).
  2. Current unencumbered RN licensure in at least one state with eligibility for licensure in Minnesota.
  3. Submission of a completed Graduate Nursing Programs Application (GradCas).
  4. Applicants are notified by mail of the admission decision by June for admission the following Fall semester.

Progression:

  1. In general, the School of Nursing DNP program follows the College of Graduate Studies scholastic standards.
  2. A student who does not achieve a passing grade in two courses (or one course repeated) will not be allowed to continue in the DNP program.

Outcomes

Graduates of the DNP degree will be able to:

  1. Evaluate scientific underpinnings that contribute to translation of nursing research to improve practice.
  2. Evaluate advanced practice nursing actions that promote prevention and influence outcomes for individual, family, and population health.
  3. Use knowledge gained through evaluation of advanced practice nursing actions that influence health outcomes to lead improvement in health policy, care delivery, patient outcomes, and systems management.
  4.  Evaluate and apply evidence pertaining to direct care of patients and management of care for individuals, families, systems, and populations.
  5. Translate evidence gained through evaluation of collaborative and direct care of patients and management of care for individuals, families, systems, and populations to improve practice and implement health policy.
  6. Use health care technology in the synthesis of evidence to design, implement, and evaluate change to address a clinical practice problem.