Nursing Practice (DNP)

Summary

Designed for graduate-level students to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and complete a certification exam to become a family nurse practitioner and become eligible for licensure as an advanced practice registered nurse. The program builds upon foundational nursing knowledge and includes theoretical, evidence-based, and advanced practice knowledge and skills necessary to assume the role of an advanced practice nurse caring for diverse populations.  Graduates are prepared to practice in a primary care setting where they diagnose and treat diverse patient populations across the lifespan.

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

Mankato

Edina

Career Cluster

Health Science

Accreditation

CCNE

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Apply

Program Requirements

Common Core

* Note: NURS 675 is offered over 3 semesters for a total of 10 credits

This course offers theoretical and simulated clinical practice to develop advanced practice assessment techniques in the health and physical assessment of persons throughout their life span. Advanced concepts and approaches for the assessment of all human body systems are addressed. Documenting advanced practice assessment findings, analyzing data, deriving differential diagnoses, and utilizing advanced clinical reasoning for diverse populations are integrated to avoid diagnostic biases.

Prerequisites: none

Course content begins with legal and ethical considerations for nurse prescribers, proceeds with presentation and analysis of core decision-making processes and advanced practices nurses use to select drugs, and finally explores clinical case management concepts involved in monitoring persons as they use prescribed drugs.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a foundation in advanced physiology and pathophysiology at the cellular, organic and systemic level. This foundation serves as a basis for clinical assessment and management by advanced practice nurses. Key concepts and integration of function among systems will be emphasized. The impact of psychosocial variables on physiologic function will be explored.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the development of diagnostics and procedural skills that students will use in their advanced practice nurse practitioner role. This course will build upon the knowledge and skills learned in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment to facilitate the interpretation of diagnostic data and demonstrate procedural competencies necessary in the role of a nurse practitioner.

Prerequisites: none

Concepts, theories, and models that inform advanced nursing practice are systematically examined and evaluated. Selected theories are analyzed and critiqued utilizing theory formation criteria. Students discuss application of nursing science and conceptual models to clinical area of focus and critically articulate use of theory-based practice in family and/or advanced nursing roles.

Prerequisites: none

This course is an analysis of the complex ethical and legal issues within clinical nursing practice. Emphasis is on inquiry into ethical ways of knowing and practicing in nursing. Ethical issues related to population health and health disparities are examined.

Prerequisites: none

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 examines family nursing theory, research, and practice within the context of a transcultural lens. Theoretical constructs and processes of family health are explored within the context of cultural humility and the influence of social determinants of health. Innovative and evidence-based nursing interventions and models of care to influence family health are constructed, applied, and evaluated.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on individual, family, and population-level health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, and early detection through advanced nursing actions. Epidemiological principles, nursing theories, models, and determinants of health and illness are examined as a framework for guiding advanced nursing actions. This includes developing advanced nursing actions to address health concerns and diseases for culturally and ethnically diverse individuals, families, and communities.

Prerequisites: none

Part I: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

Theoretical concepts, assessments, and intervention strategies related to health among culturally diverse children and adolescents are critiqued. Health promotion/protection and nursing management of acute and selected chronic health problems of the child and adolescent are addressed.

Prerequisites: none

Management of reproductive health care needs is addressed. Health promotion and management of acute and chronic health problems are examined. The role of the health care delivery system and issues related to reproductive ethics, health policy, and research are critiqued.

Prerequisites: none

Part II: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the application of health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention in the care of individuals, families, and communities to affect population-based health. This includes the utilization of epidemiologic data, evidence-based practice, and health promotion models in optimizing health. It also includes the identification of the social determinants of health and their implications in creating advanced nursing actions to drive healthcare practice.

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 specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child and adolescent-related health problems. Students will utilize assessment skills, develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs, as well as provide well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the beginning development of the family nurse practitioner. NURS 642, 643, 672, 743 must be taken concurrently.

Prerequisites: none

This course is a continuation of Child/Adolescent/Reproductive Health I, encompassing specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child/adolescent-related health problems. Students utilize assessment skills, further develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs and provide focused well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the developing family nurse practitioner skillset. Must be taken concurrently with NURS 673.

Prerequisites: none

Integrate advanced nursing knowledge and clinical practice skills related to the family nurse practitioner role in delivering holistic health maintenance and management of acute, chronic, and complex health concerns across the lifespan. Students must take a minimum of 3 credits at a time and the total must be undertaken within 3 consecutive terms.

Prerequisites: NURS 552, NURS 553, NURS 554

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

Research/Methods Course(s)

This course focuses on the role of research and its application, utilization, and integration in nursing practice. Research approaches, designs, and methods are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on development of analytic skills for reading and applying research in advanced practice roles.

Prerequisites: HLTH 675

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 - 9 Credits

Concepts, theories, and models that inform advanced nursing practice are systematically examined and evaluated. Selected theories are analyzed and critiqued utilizing theory formation criteria. Students discuss application of nursing science and conceptual models to clinical area of focus and critically articulate use of theory-based practice in family and/or advanced nursing roles.

Prerequisites: none

This course is an analysis of the complex ethical and legal issues within clinical nursing practice. Emphasis is on inquiry into ethical ways of knowing and practicing in nursing. Ethical issues related to population health and health disparities are examined.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines family nursing theory, research, and practice within the context of a transcultural lens. Theoretical constructs and processes of family health are explored within the context of cultural humility and the influence of social determinants of health. Innovative and evidence-based nursing interventions and models of care to influence family health are constructed, applied, and evaluated.

Prerequisites: none

Second Year

Fall - 9 Credits

This course provides a foundation in advanced physiology and pathophysiology at the cellular, organic and systemic level. This foundation serves as a basis for clinical assessment and management by advanced practice nurses. Key concepts and integration of function among systems will be emphasized. The impact of psychosocial variables on physiologic function will be explored.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the role of research and its application, utilization, and integration in nursing practice. Research approaches, designs, and methods are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on development of analytic skills for reading and applying research in advanced practice roles.

Prerequisites: HLTH 675

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

Spring - 9 Credits

Course content begins with legal and ethical considerations for nurse prescribers, proceeds with presentation and analysis of core decision-making processes and advanced practices nurses use to select drugs, and finally explores clinical case management concepts involved in monitoring persons as they use prescribed drugs.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on individual, family, and population-level health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, and early detection through advanced nursing actions. Epidemiological principles, nursing theories, models, and determinants of health and illness are examined as a framework for guiding advanced nursing actions. This includes developing advanced nursing actions to address health concerns and diseases for culturally and ethnically diverse individuals, families, and communities.

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

Summer - 8 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 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 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

Third Year

Fall - 10 Credits

This course focuses on the development of diagnostics and procedural skills that students will use in their advanced practice nurse practitioner role. This course will build upon the knowledge and skills learned in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment to facilitate the interpretation of diagnostic data and demonstrate procedural competencies necessary in the role of a nurse practitioner.

Prerequisites: none

Part I: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

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 course offers theoretical and simulated clinical practice to develop advanced practice assessment techniques in the health and physical assessment of persons throughout their life span. Advanced concepts and approaches for the assessment of all human body systems are addressed. Documenting advanced practice assessment findings, analyzing data, deriving differential diagnoses, and utilizing advanced clinical reasoning for diverse populations are integrated to avoid diagnostic biases.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 11 Credits

Theoretical concepts, assessments, and intervention strategies related to health among culturally diverse children and adolescents are critiqued. Health promotion/protection and nursing management of acute and selected chronic health problems of the child and adolescent are addressed.

Prerequisites: none

Part II: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the application of health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention in the care of individuals, families, and communities to affect population-based health. This includes the utilization of epidemiologic data, evidence-based practice, and health promotion models in optimizing health. It also includes the identification of the social determinants of health and their implications in creating advanced nursing actions to drive healthcare practice.

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 - 7 Credits

Management of reproductive health care needs is addressed. Health promotion and management of acute and chronic health problems are examined. The role of the health care delivery system and issues related to reproductive ethics, health policy, and research are critiqued.

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

Integrate advanced nursing knowledge and clinical practice skills related to the family nurse practitioner role in delivering holistic health maintenance and management of acute, chronic, and complex health concerns across the lifespan. Students must take a minimum of 3 credits at a time and the total must be undertaken within 3 consecutive terms.

Prerequisites: none

Fourth Year

Fall - 8 Credits

This course focuses on specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child and adolescent-related health problems. Students will utilize assessment skills, develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs, as well as provide well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the beginning development of the family nurse practitioner. NURS 642, 643, 672, 743 must be taken concurrently.

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

Integrate advanced nursing knowledge and clinical practice skills related to the family nurse practitioner role in delivering holistic health maintenance and management of acute, chronic, and complex health concerns across the lifespan. Students must take a minimum of 3 credits at a time and the total must be undertaken within 3 consecutive terms.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 9 Credits

This course is a continuation of Child/Adolescent/Reproductive Health I, encompassing specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child/adolescent-related health problems. Students utilize assessment skills, further develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs and provide focused well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the developing family nurse practitioner skillset. Must be taken concurrently with NURS 673.

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

Integrate advanced nursing knowledge and clinical practice skills related to the family nurse practitioner role in delivering holistic health maintenance and management of acute, chronic, and complex health concerns across the lifespan. Students must take a minimum of 3 credits at a time and the total must be undertaken within 3 consecutive terms.

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 fall semester for admission to classes starting the following summer. Applicants submit materials online to the College of Graduate Studies and Research.

Completed applications are reviewed by DNP Program faculty using holistic admission where all criteria below are taken into consideration:

  1. 1BS/BA or entry-level Master’s degree from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited school of nursing preferred (as verified by official transcripts).
  2. Current unencumbered RN licensure in at least one state with eligibility for licensure in Minnesota.
  3. Undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale. If cumulative GPA is less than 3.0, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required. The GRE results must be submitted along with the application. The GRE must have been taken within five years prior to application.
  4. An essay is required of all applicants. Specific information regarding the essay is listed in the registration system.  The essay will be submitted in the registration system.
  5. Minimum of one year of clinical nursing practice experience as a baccalaureate prepared RN by program start.
  6. Submission of a completed Graduate Nursing Programs Application (GradCas).
  7. One reference from a nursing supervisor who can respond to questions about the applicant's clinical nursing abilities.
  8. An interview.
  9. Applicants are notified of the admission decision by mid-December for admission the following summer.

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

  1. Graduates of the DNP program will be able to:
  2. Evaluate scientific underpinnings that contribute to translation of nursing research to improve practice.
  3. Evaluate advanced practice nursing actions that promote prevention and influence outcomes for individual, family, and population health.
  4. 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.
  5. Evaluate and apply evidence pertaining to direct care of patients and management of care for individuals, families, systems, and populations.
  6. 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.
  7. Use health care technology in the synthesis of evidence to design, implement, and evaluate change to address a clinical practice problem.