Post BSN to DNP
Graduates are prepared as expert family or adult nurse practitioners to meet the complex primary health care needs in the areas of disease prevention/health promotion, chronic disease, restorative, and palliative/supportive care. The DNP graduate is prepared to lead and transform health care within diverse populations and settings through translation of evidence into practice, integration of systems thinking as a foundation for change management, and participation in quality improvement initiatives to improve practice, patient-centered care outcomes, and health policy.
General Information
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Concordia University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
- All students must maintain an unencumbered RN license while in the program. As this is an online program, sometimes there are out of state requirements that apply to the clinical setting. If clinicals will take place outside the state of Wisconsin, it is the student's responsibility to make sure their program of study is eligible and meets all requirements within that state's Department of Licensing & Regulation.
- Students must earn a minimum of a B in all courses. Policies regarding progression and retention will be applied if the student earns less than a B in any course.
- Students are expected to comply with the requirements as stated in the Student Responsibilities Agreement.
- Students are required to complete a total of 1,008 hours (750 practicum hours in a clinical setting and 258 hours in leadership). Based on their level of performance, a student may need to complete additional hours to be successful.
- Students will identify and secure clinical preceptors which then need to be approved for appropriateness by the graduate faculty. The Graduate Clinical Coordinator is available for assistance.
- Students must complete all degree requirements within a five-year period from the time of taking the first course in the program.
- There are two mandatory cohort meetings; an initial orientation via Zoom prior to the program start, and a final cohort meeting on-campus coinciding with graduation. Final DNP projects will be presented at the final cohort meeting.
The Program has the Following Components:
- Coursework provides the knowledge and skills needed to meet the NP core competencies and DNP leadership competencies.
- Students work with clinical preceptors and agency mentors to develop clinical and leadership skills.
- The student will complete a DNP project that identifies a focus area for change to guide practice, policy, and to improve outcomes in a community or healthcare setting.
Program Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the program, the post-masters DNP graduate will be able to:
- Synthesizes and translates evolving knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences, nursing and other disciplines to optimize clinical judgment and design innovation in advanced nursing practice and leadership.
- Leads and designs holistic, compassionate, person-centered, evidence based, and developmentally appropriate care aligned with Christian values within complex contexts in advanced nursing specialty practice.
- Integrates principles of epidemiological sciences to lead disease prevention and management initiatives supported by health policy, through collaboration with traditional and non-traditional community partnerships, for the improvement of equitable population health outcomes.
- Generates, synthesizes, translates, applies, and disseminates nursing knowledge to enhance health care delivery, improve outcomes, and lead the transformation of health care.
- Leads initiatives supported by established and emerging principles of safety and improvement science to influence change in healthcare, enhance quality, and minimize risk to patients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
- Leads interprofessional teams in collaboration with care team members, patients, families, and communities to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve outcomes.
- Analyzes processes and resources within complex systems of care to enhance safe, high-quality, and equitable care for diverse populations.
- Evaluates information and communication technologies and informatics processes to gather data, drive decision making, and support professionals in using these technologies to manage safe, high quality, efficient care in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
- Models the professional identity of the advanced nursing specialist role through leadership and mentoring which reflects professional values of accountability, ethics, and a collaborative disposition within a Christ-centered perspective.
- Models professional development and personal health, resilience, well-being and life-long learning and leads initiatives to support others in their personal, professional and leadership development.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| NURS 5050 | Genetics, Immunology, & Microbiology for Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 6045 | Role Transition for the APN | 2 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment (NURS 638 Advanced Health Assessment is a hybrid course where students are required to participate in a 2-3 day hands-on interactive on-campus experience.) | 3 |
| NURS 8003 | Biostatistics & Epidemiology | 4 |
| NURS 8015 | Advanced Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 8021 | Healthcare Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 8010 | Business Management for the Doctor of Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Specialization | ||
| Select one of the following specializations | 23 | |
| Specialization Course (FNP) | ||
| Diagnostic Skills for APRN (3 credits) | ||
| Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Primary Care for the Family Nurse Practitioner (3 credits) | ||
| Adult Chronic and Acute Disease Management - FNP (3 credits) | ||
| Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and the Older Adult - FNP (3 credits) | ||
| FNP Primary Care Clinical Residency I (1 credit) | ||
| FNP Primary Care Clinical Residency II (5 credits) | ||
| FNP Primary Care Clinical Residency III (5 credits) | ||
| Specialization Courses (AGPCNP) | ||
| Diagnostic Skills for APRN (3 credits) | ||
| Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Primary Care for the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (3 credits) | ||
| Adult Chronic and Acute Disease Management - AGPCNP (3 credits) | ||
| Women’s Health and the Older Adult - AGPCNP (3 credits) | ||
| AGPCNP Primary Care Clinical Residency I (1 credit) | ||
| AGPCNP Primary Care Clinical Residency II (5 credits) | ||
| AGPCNP Primary Care Clinical Residency III (5 credits) | ||
| Leadership Courses | ||
| NURS 9030 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion I | 1 |
| NURS 9031 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion II | 1 |
| NURS 9032 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion III | 1 |
| NURS 9040 | DNP Project I | 4 |
| NURS 9041 | DNP Project II | 4 |
| Total Hours | 70 | |
Entrance Requirements for the Graduate School of Nursing in Addition to Graduate School Requirements
- BSN degree from an accredited nursing school
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Science GPA is evaluated as part of the admission process
- Current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse in the USA
- Actively working in practice. Preference is given to nurses with a minimum of two years of nursing experience.
- Current CPR certification
- Ability to perform Technical Standards for Registered Nurses
- Successful completion of: Statistics course – three credits with a minimum grade of B or higher. Must be completed before registering for NURS 5040.
Application/Admission Process
Students must apply online through NursingCas. All students applying for admission must submit:
- All official college transcripts leading to the bachelor's degree
- A formal essay addressing the following topics:
- Your rationale for choosing a career as a Nurse Practitioner
- Your personal compatibility with the CUW mission
- Your plans for academic success in the program, including time management, stress management, and professional communication
- Address any previous academic issues
- Upon completion of your degree, where do you envision yourself practicing and with what populations
- Professional resume
- Current unencumbered RN license
- Two recommendations: Must be professional and/or academic and one must be from an individual who has worked with the applicant in a professional capacity and has a minimum of a Master's Degree
- Applicants who have completed graduate level classes and wish to have them evaluated must submit these transcripts and the transfer credit form.
- GRE exams are not required.
The deadline for fall admission is July 1.
In addition to the graduate admission requirements, there will be a pre-admission telephone interview.
The admission committee will review applications and a formal letter/email of acceptance or denial will be sent to the student.
Transfer of Credit
The Graduate Nursing Program will accept up to 6 transfer credits, of previous graduate level coursework, into the Post BSN-DNP program based on the following criteria:
- Coursework must have been completed within five years prior to admission to the program (or be approved by the Post BSN-DNP faculty committee).
- Courses transferred must be comparable in scope and subject matter to courses offered in the Post BSN-DNP Program. The student will need to provide a course description and the course syllabus for any course requested for transfer. A transfer credit form must be completed and submitted to the Graduate Nursing Office for approval upon admission.
- All courses transferred in must be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- All transfer credits must be certified by the Registrar and approved for the degree by the graduate nursing program director.
- Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics will not be accepted as transfer credits.
- Transfer credits will not be applied to the cumulative grade point average the student earns while in Concordia's Post BSN-DNP program.
Plan
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 5050 | Genetics, Immunology, & Microbiology for Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 5040 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 5034 | Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Collaboration | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| NURS 6036 | Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 6042 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 3 |
| NURS 6038 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| NURS 6045 | Role Transition for the APN | 2 |
| NURS 7220 | Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Primary Care for the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NURS 8226 | AGPCNP Primary Care Clinical Residency I | 1 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| NURS 7111 | Adult Chronic and Acute Disease Management - FNP | 3 |
| NURS 8003 | Biostatistics & Epidemiology | 4 |
| NURS 9040 | DNP Project I | 4 |
| Hours | 11 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| NURS 8015 | Advanced Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7112 | Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and the Older Adult - FNP | 3 |
| NURS 8010 | Business Management for the Doctor of Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 9030 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion I | 1 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| NURS 7013 | Diagnostic Skills for APRN | 3 |
| NURS 8021 | Healthcare Informatics | 3 |
| NURS 9031 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion II | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| NURS 5030 | Healthcare Policy & Issues in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 8124 | FNP Primary Care Clinical Residency II | 5 |
| NURS 9032 | DNP Project Practicum Immersion III | 1 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| NURS 8125 | FNP Primary Care Clinical Residency III | 5 |
| NURS 9041 | DNP Project II | 4 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 70 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.