DNP Program Outcomes

Mission

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program will prepare nurses with the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary for fully accountable practice with patients across sites and over time. Justification: With the increasing scope of clinical scholarship in nursing and the growth of scientific knowledge in the discipline, doctoral level education is necessary for independent practice. The curriculum includes content that will enable the graduate to conduct complex diagnostic and treatment modalities, assess and apply scientific evidence to clinical practice and assimilate in-depth knowledge of biophysical, psychosocial, behavioral and clinical sciences.


Program Goals

    1.  To prepare professional nurses to function at the most advanced level of nursing practice in the dynamic health care and legislative arenas.
    2.  Facilitate acquisition of skills necessary for the enactment of specific nursing roles.
    3.  Promote attainment of inquiry skills.
    4.  Build a solid foundation for continued professional growth.


Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the DNP program will be prepared to:

    1. serve as leaders in nursing and health care.
    2. demonstrate advanced knowledge, values, and skills in a selected area of nursing.
    3. demonstrate advanced knowledge, values, and skills in a selected functional role.
    4. synthesize theory, research knowledge and methods to create, implement, and evaluate
              a. practice interventions,
              b. health delivery systems,
              c. clinical teaching.


Competencies across the curriculum for DNP prepared nurse

Competency is defined as the capability to function or develop in a particular way.  The DNP prepared nurse competencies run through out the courses offered in the Program.  The competencies are measurable, including a terminal outcome description for each competency.  Competencies will be addressed in courses as appropriate, guided by the curricular content and course objectives.  (Thus, each competency will not necessarily be addressed in each course). 

I. Competency Area: Independent Practice
  1. Practices independently by assessing, diagnosing, treating, and managing undifferentiated patients
  2. Assumes full accountability for actions as a licensed independent practitioner

II. Competency Area: Scientific Foundation
  3. Critically analyzes data for practice by integrating knowledge from arts and sciences within the context of
       nursing’s philosophical framework and scientific foundation
  4. Translates research and data to anticipate, predict, and explain variations in practice

III. Competency Area: Leadership
  5. Assumes increasingly complex leadership roles
  6. Provides leadership to foster interprofessional collaboration
  7. Demonstrates a leadership style that uses critical and reflective thinking

IV. Competency Area: Quality
  8. Uses best available evidence to enhance quality in clinical practice
  9. Evaluates how organizational, structural, financial, marketing, and policy decisions impact cost, quality,
       and accessibility of health care
  10. Demonstrates skills in peer review that promote a culture of excellence

V. Competency Area: Practice Inquiry
  11. Applies clinical investigative skills for evaluation of health outcomes at the patient, family, population,
        clinical unit, systems, and/or community levels
  12. Provides leadership in the translation of new knowledge into practice
  13. Disseminates evidence from inquiry to diverse audiences using multiple methods

VI. Competency Area: Technology & Information Literacy
  14. Demonstrates information literacy in complex decision making
  15. Translates technical and scientific health information appropriate for user need
  16. Participates in the development of clinical information systems

VII. Competency Area: Policy
  17. Analyzes ethical, legal, and social factors in policy development
  18. Influences health policy
  19. Evaluates the impact of globalization on health care policy development.

VIII. Competency Area: Health Delivery System
  20. Applies knowledge of organizational behavior and systems.
  21. Demonstrates skills in negotiating, consensus building, and partnering.
  22. Manages risks to individuals, families, populations, and health care systems.
  23. Facilitates development of culturally relevant health care systems.

IX. Competency Area: Ethics
  24. Applies ethically sound solutions to complex issues

From: Practice Doctorate NP Competencies 2006
Developed by the National Panel convened by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) available to download from http://www.nonpf.org/NONPF2005/PracticeDoctorateResourceCenter/PDresource.htm.