Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

The School of Nursing is offering the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program at the Jersey City campus: the Doctor of Nursing Practice. The DNP is the highest degree for nurses engaged in advanced practice and those who wish to impact the quality and standards of care for those in need of or receiving services from the health care system. Based on the guidelines from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and other advanced practice regulatory organizations, the two tracks prepare graduates who will have an impact on patient care via health policy development, economics, and cost containment strategies, and/or practice based on evidence rather than convenience.

Program Availability

The DNP program is offered in its entirety at the Jersey City campus and with online classes. Classes are scheduled one or two evenings per week. Both tracks are offered on a semester (15 weeks) basis, plus a 10 week summer session.

Degree Requirements

Receiving a second grade below a B will result in the student’s progress to be evaluated by the Graduate/DNP Program Committee. Students with this pattern of grades will be considered for dismissal from the DNP program and School of Nursing. A failing grade in two nursing courses will result in dismissal from the DNP program.

Advisement

Saint Peter’s University assigns an academic advisor from within the School of Nursing for every candidate. DNP students will also have a Capstone Scholarly Project Committee that will advise the DNP student through the initial presentation, development, and scholarly paper and presentation of the final Capstone Scholarly Project (See DNP Handbook).

Time Limitation

Students are expected to enroll continuously until their programs are completed. The DNP program is designed for practicing nurses in either the clinical or executive role. Therefore, students are enrolled on a part-time basis and should complete the DNP program in approximately 5 1/2 years.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Curriculum

The overall program goal of the DNP program is to prepare ethical and socially conscious nurses for advanced practice as clinical scholars and leaders cognizant of research and other evidence applicable to their practice that impacts patient outcomes in relation to safety and quality of care, as well as their roles as educator and advocate in transforming the quality of a health care system. The DNP degree program at Saint Peter’s University prepares graduates to provide the most advanced level of nursing care for individuals, families, and patient aggregates. This includes direct care of individuals that is truly patient-focused, management of care for individuals and aggregates, administration of nursing systems, and an awareness and implementation of health care policy, so essential in today’s health care arena.

Therefore upon completion of the DNP program, the graduate will be able to: Utilize advanced theories from nursing, medical, physical, behavioral, information systems and technology sciences as the foundation for advanced practice; Demonstrate safe, efficient, and evidenced-based practice within the advanced nursing practice specialty; Provide increased accessibility to quality health care for identified populations; Relate knowledge of organizations and financing of health care systems to improve care outcomes while remaining cost-efficient; Collaborate as associates for interdisciplinary approaches for health care policy development and implementation to enhance patient outcomes or create change in health care systems; Critically appraise research literature using analytic methods to establish best practices; Make choices for patient care technology based upon ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns; Assume a leadership role to advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies by influencing policy and to educate others about health disparities, cultural insensitivity, and lack of quality care by making these known to in all areas of care; and Embrace the role of educator as it applies to the preparation of expert nurses and the essential patient outcome of health promotion.

The 39 credit Post-Master’s program is specially designed for the nationally certified advanced practice nurse (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) or nurse executive/administrator. The credits are divided into three categories: Foundation Courses (9 credits), Core Courses (18 credits), and Cognate and Role Specialization Courses (12 credits).

This is provided via one of two routes, both offered within the Post-Master’s DNP program at Saint Peter’s University:

• Direct or Clinical Route which involves direct patient care and prepares advanced practice nurses who are clinical experts in their field such as primary care for adult/geriatric patients.

• Indirect or Non-Clinical Route which involves the preparation of nurse executives/administrators who impact patient care through their leadership and management of various components of health care systems, health care policy, or political/organizational forces; or may include educators who are also clinical scholars within a population and practice specialty.

Foundation Courses
NU-700	Scientific Underpinning for APN	3
NU-720	Analyt Meth: Transitioning to EBI (50 Practice Hours)	3
NU-755	Ethical & Legal Parameters for APN	3
Core Courses
NU-710	HC Economics Financing & Managed Care	3
NU-715	Hlth Service Org:performance Improvement	3
NU-722	Epid & Pop Genetic Risk Factors Interpre	3
NU-750	HC Policy: Legislation & Strategies	3
NU-760	Hlth Prom Hlth Disp Within Urbn Envt	3
NU-785	Leadership & Communications for APN	3
Cognate and Role Specialization Courses
NU-801	Residency I 1	3
NU-802	Residency II	3
NU-846	DNP Capstone Project Seminar I	3
NU-848	DNP Capstone Project Seminar II	3
Total Credits		39

1	NU-801 and NU-802 are both for those prepared in an Advanced Practice Role with a Select Population. Three (3) hours didactic weekly with 300 mentored practicum hours.