The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) is a practice degree designed to prepare nurses as clinical practitioners/scholars to assume advanced practice clinical roles. The curricular plan is designed for the student who has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.). The degree prepares graduates to provide direct patient management in primary care across many complex health systems  as well as population based and application science to improve patient outcomes. Graduates will be prepared to lead and care for diverse populations in the community they serve. Graduates are employed in a variety of primary care settings ranging from emergency departments, federally qualified health centers, urban and rural family practice/primary care practices.

This curriculum prepares nurses to sit for the Family Nurse Practitioner national certification.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify direct and indirect clinical problems in complex health settings and work with interprofessional teams to address patients across the lifespan.
2. Differentiate theoretical knowledge as it applies to direct or indirect clinical care.
3. Translate evidence to address population health problems.
4. Integrate data bases and information literacy in designing interventions for advanced practice.
5. Execute evidence-based interventions to improve health care outcomes.

Entry

The FNP, DNP program offers one entry point for students:

B.S.N. entry - a student must hold a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from a program that is nationally accredited.

Requirements for Earning the D.N.P. Degree include:

1. Doctoral residency of at least 18 graduate credit hours for three consecutive major semesters. Enrollment in a summer term is not required to maintain continuity, but credits earned during summer terms (including May session) will count toward the 18 hours required for Residency. The residency requirement may be met only after admission to the D.N.P. program;
2. Completion of an approved program of study;
3. Comprehensive assessment through defense of project proposal;
4. Completion of a research utilization / evidence-based practice project and oral defense.

Required Courses (74 hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
NURS 702	Pharmacologic Mgmt in Pediatric, Adult, & Gerontological Patients Across Hlthcare Delivery Continuum	3
NURS 704	Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning 1	3
NURS 707	Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurses	3
NURS 717	Application of Basic Statistics for Nursing Practice & Service Management	3
NURS 718	Diagnostic Interpretation and Therapeutic Modalities	3
NURS 720	Clinical Application of Population Analysis	3
NURS 737	Foundations for DNP Development	3
NURS 756	Advanced Primary Care of Children for the FNP	2
NURS 757	Primary Care of Women for Advanced Nursing 1	2
NURS 758	Acute Problems in Primary Care for the FNP 2	6
NURS 759	Management of Common Chronic Health Problems for the FNP 1, 2	6
NURS 760	Family Nurse Practitioner Legal, Ethical, and Role Transition	2
NURS 760A	Family Nurse Practitioner Role Practicum 2	2
NURS 779	Health Policy 2	3
NURS 780	Organizational Theories and Systems in Healthcare	3
NURS 781	Applied Technology in Health Care	3
NURS 783	Clinical Project Immersion & Proposal Development 2	3
NURS 790	Research Methods for Nursing	3
NURS 805	Advanced Nursing Leadership	3
NURS 808	Advanced Nursing in Population Health	3
NURS 817	Application of Statistics for Evidence Based Nursing Practice	3
NURS 819	Evidence and Nursing Practice	3
NURS 897	DNP Project Preparation and Residency 2	6
Total Credit Hours		74

¹

Indicates on campus immersion course.

²

Indicates practicum course.