2017-2018 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Nursing Practice, DNP
|
|
 Return to: School of Nursing & Health Professions
A number of societal, scientific, and professional developments have stimulated a major paradigm change in graduate education in nursing. The rapid expansion of knowledge underlying practice; increased complexity of patient care; national concerns about the quality of care and patient safety; shortages of nursing personnel; demands for a higher level of preparation for nurses to design and evaluate best practices; shortages of nursing faculty; and the increasing educational expectations for the preparation of other health professionals have led the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to establish the standard that preparation should be at the doctoral level.
The School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of San Francisco has designed a vital, responsive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program for the baccalaureate-prepared nurse and the nurse with a master’s degree. The DNP Completion Program for nurses who have already completed a master’s degree takes into account previous academic coursework and clinical experiences and the required number of credits are adjusted accordingly. Course schedules are designed for both full- and part-time students and are responsive to the needs of the working nurse professional. Graduates of the program will meet the AACN outcome competencies and practice standards, including the completion of 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice, the successful passing of a comprehensive exam, and the completion of a DNP evidence-based practice project.
The DNP program at the University of San Francisco will prepare graduates for advanced nursing practice in “direct” and “indirect” roles. The program is designed to conform to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing standard that advanced practice nursing specialty preparation should be at the DNP level (http://www.aacn.nche.edu/DNP/DNPPositionStatement.htm).
Upon completion of the DNP program, the graduate will be able to:
- Combine knowledge in nursing, ethics, and the medical sciences to develop and evaluate practices and models of patient care delivery.
- Develop and evaluate effective strategies for managing ethical dilemmas present across the health care, technology, and research fields.
- Use analytic methods to design, implement, and evaluate best-practice models for patient care and care delivery.
- Effectively develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based approaches to advance the field and systems of health care delivery.
- Demonstrate leadership in the development and implementation of institutional, local, state, federal, and international health policy.
- Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in health care.
- Advance the effective use of health care information systems to ensure high-quality outcomes.
- Effectively lead quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
- Effectively communicate and collaborate with health care teams in developing and implementing organizational and practice models, health policy, and standards of care.
- Analyze and synthesize various data related to patient health information.
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of health in complex situations, incorporating diverse approaches to design, implement, and evaluate interventions.
- Analyze the relationship among practical, organizational, population, fiscal, and policy issues to educate individuals and colleagues effectively.
- Develop relationships and partnerships with patients and other professionals to facilitate optimal patient care outcomes.
- Advance the mission and core values of the University of San Francisco.
The BSN to DNP program is designed for registered nurses who hold baccalaureate degrees in nursing, with preparation as
Family Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare Systems Leader
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The DNP Completion program is designed for registered nurses who hold master’s degrees with preparation a
Family Nurse Practitioner
Healthcare Systems Leader
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The Executive Leadership DNP program is designed for registered nurse leaders currently working.
|
DNP Completion
The DNP Completion program prepares registered nurses (RNs) with a master’s degree for various roles in health care leadership. Graduates of the program are equipped to design models of health care delivery, evaluate clinical outcomes, identify and manage the health care needs of diverse populations, and use technology and information to transform the field. The program also integrates coursework in nursing, business, informatics, and health care administration, providing students with the advanced analytical and communication skills necessary to become successful leaders in health care. The curriculum is rigorous and gives students the opportunity to gain exposure to diverse perspectives, to be immersed in theory and research, and to obtain a critical understanding of professional practice issues. Designed for the master-degreed nurse who is seeking professional advancement in the field of health care leadership, the program comprises didactic and practicum hours (credits may be adjusted depending on previous academic and clinical work) over the course of approximately two years of study. The program is responsive to the needs of working professionals and can accommodate full- and part-time students. It is flexible with classes held during teaching weekends plus practicum hours. The curriculum includes both advanced practice in the clinical setting and academic coursework in health care leadership. It is offered at the USF main campus only. Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Students who wish to specialize as Family Nurse Practitioners in addition to their DNP Completion Program may choose to add the Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate to their degree programs. The certificate program qualifies graduates to practice as Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs). FNPs are prepared to provide patient care in a variety of settings, including homes, hospitals, offices, industry, schools, community agencies, public and private clinics, and private practices. FNPs act both independently and in partnership with other health care professionals, and are focused on health promotion and disease prevention. They are trained to conduct comprehensive health assessments, diagnose and manage acute illnesses (with appropriate referral), and manage chronic conditions. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate
Students who wish to specialize as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners in addition to their DNP Completion Program may choose to add the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Certificate to their degree programs. The certificate program qualifies graduates to practice as Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs). PMHNPs diagnose, conduct therapy, and prescribe medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders or substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients; treatment plans, and manage patient care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff. DNP Completion Curriculum
Pre-Quals
Pre-Quals Courses need to be taken prior to your Qualifying Semester (N749). N705A Evidenced-Based Scholarship I MUST be taken your first semester. Please work with your Chair/Advisor to determine which courses best suit your schedule, you may also take any of the other courses (N704, N754, N762, N763, N756) during this period of time. It is strongly recommended that you take N705B the semester after N705A and to take N765 the semester prior to going through Quals. Remember that you also need to include any practicum courses (N790-794) to ensure the completion of the necessary 1,000 hours. A maximum of 9 credits can be completed during semester, unless approved by Chair/Advisor. Practicum
Practicum Courses are listed below. A practicum course must be taken each semester (unless Chair/Advisor suggests otherwise). A minimum of 500 hours are required for the DNP completion which are based on assessment of graduate level nursing practicum hours that have been taken prior to DNP studies. Students will confer with the Chair/Advisor to determine the number of practicum credits/hours to be taken each semester to achieve the 1000 hours required for the DNP degree. Note:
After the completion of all the Pre-Quals courses and their respective Practicum courses the N749 (Qualifying course) will be allowed to be taken. Note:
It is not recommended to take additional coursework (other than Practicum) during the Qualifying semester (unless approved by Chair/Advisor) so that the student can focus on getting their qualifying products completed. After successful completion of N749, the following courses need to be completed prior to the final semester. The final semester includes the following courses.
Please remember that certification needs to be completed prior to the beginning of the final semester. Total Credits 41-52 Units
|
Return to: School of Nursing & Health Professions
|
|
|
