The DNP faculty and staff will assist students with questions they may have about admission to the DNP program. Once a student is admitted to the DNP program, a primary and secondary mentor will be assigned based upon the declared specialty of the student. Each student will be notified in writing of her/his faculty mentors’ names and contact information within the first semester of the DNP program.
A student may request a change in mentor after matriculation into the program. Requests for a DNP faculty mentor change should be sent to the Graduate Nursing Chair. The DNP project review committee will evaluate the request and determine the plan of action. The request will need to include a summary of the strategies the student has used in attempting to resolve any issues with their current faculty mentor. One of the strategies must be a formal conversation with the faculty mentor. The first choice for mentor replacement will be the assigned secondary faculty. Faculty mentors involved with the project proposal development will be included on the abstract and poster presentation required for NURS 874, even after a student requests a faculty mentor change.
The student may also contact Dr. Mikel Hand, Program Chair at mwhand@usi.edu for assistance with advising or other questions.