DNP FAQs
Question: Do I have to be an advanced practice nurse?
Answer: Yes. At this time, you must be a nationally certified Nurse Anesthetist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Midwife or Nurse Practitioner.
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Answer: You should still apply, but may be required to complete additional courses before you begin your DNP program. The specific courses the DNP Committee will be looking for on your transcript are a graduate level theory and research/evidence-based practice course. Each transcript will be reviewed on an individual basis. If you know now that you did not have these two courses as part of the CRNA course work, you should consider taking these courses which are offered on-line at the UMKC School of Nursing. Options available if this is this case:
- You can wait and see if you are admitted into the DNP program during the fall semester, and take both of these courses in the spring semester before you actually begin the DNP coursework that summer.
- You can take these courses through Expanded Access, whereby you take these courses prior to admission into the program. You need to know that successful completion of these courses does NOT guarantee admission into the DNP program.
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Answer: Twenty-five credit hours, post-masters. 18 months taking courses in the regular schedule or 30 months in the extended schedule.
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Answer: Yes, you must complete the program within seven years of starting.
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Answer: Students in the DNP program will pay in-state fees if they take no more than 9 credit hours per semester. For the most current cost, please visit the following web-site http://www.umkc.edu/adminfinance/finance/cashiers/ and click on the fee estimator link.
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Answer: That is up to you. The way the program is designed you will never take more than six credit hours in any given semester and the part-time criterion for receiving financial aid is a minimum of five credit hours.
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Answer: Yes, however, there will be two on-site visits during your time in the program. Each visit will last 3 - 4 days and take place on the UMKC campus. The visits will allow you time for performance evaluation and personal interaction with faculty and other students in the program. Watch the DNP website for specific dates.
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Answer: You will need to complete all items on the UMKC School of Nursing Post-master’s DNP Application Checklist.
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Answer: Yes. Your GRE results MUST be included in your application. The GRE must include results from the analytical writing section. If you took the GRE previously and it was more than 5 years ago or did not include the analytical writing section, then you must take the GRE again. ALL applicatants must complete the GRE. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
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Answer: DNP course work begins in a summer semester. The application deadline when all materials are due is December 1.
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Answer: DNP students will be working toward becoming an expert in a specific area of their practice. For instance, an NNP may choose to focus on management of respiratory distress in neonates. Or a CRNA may focus on anesthesia techniques for some specific illness. For an FNP it may be specializing in a certain area of dermatology or orthopedics or post-menopause sexuality. Think about a specialized area in your practice for which you have a passion and would like to become an expert. It also needs to be an area where you can find a preceptor that is already a specialist in that area. The preceptor can be a nurse practitioner or a physician, or even something else, as long as they are recognized as an expert in that area.
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Answer: The DNP is an advanced clinical degree. You will be expected to apply advanced, specialized knowledge from courses to a clinical area. It will be important to find someone with expertise in your interest area prior to starting the program. The expert doesn’t necessarily have to be an Advanced Practice Nurse or Physician, but you will need to provide clear evidence that your choice will allow you to meet your objectives.
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Answer: Yes. You will complete at least 600 hours of clinical time to meet your individualized clinical outcomes. During the Advanced Practice Nursing V course you will complete a minimum of 400 hours of clinical and in the final capstone course you will complete a minimum of 200 hours.
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Answer: Students may complete their clinical hours at their current place of employment. However, the clinical hours must be spent solely seeing patients that are specific to the student's declared area of clinical focus. Students may not count time performing their usual duties as an employed advanced practice nurse as clinical time. All clinical sites must be approved by DNP faculty prior to the student using that site for clinical hours.
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Answer: No, but you will be completing a scholarly project during the program. This project will be individualized to your area of focus and is expected to be a significant contribution to the profession.
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