The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepares experts in advanced nursing with emphasis placed on innovative, evidence-based practice that reflects the application of credible research findings. The expanded knowledge base in nursing will broaden the DNP graduate's ability to translate that knowledge effectively to benefit patients, to improve outcomes, and to contribute to the profession.
Upon completion of this program, the DNP graduate will be able to:
- Integrate nursing science with knowledge from ethics and the biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, and organizational sciences as the basis for the highest level for nursing
- Develop and evaluate care delivery approaches that meet current and future needs of populations based upon scientific findings in nursing science, clinical sciences, and organizational, political, and economic sciences.
- Use analytic methods to appraise existing literature and other evidence to determine and implement the best evidence for practice.
- Serve as a leader in the development and implementation of institutional, local, state, federal, and international health policy.
- Advocate for the clients and the nursing profession within government, business, education, and healthcare communities.
- Collaborate with interprofessional teams to analyze complex practice and organizational issues in leading change and to improve client, population, and system health outcomes.
- Analyze epidemiological, bio-statistical, environmental, and other scientific data related to individual, aggregate, population, and health.
- Integrate advanced level of judgment, systems thinking, and accountability in designing, teaching, delivering, and evaluating evidence-based care to improve client and health care outcomes.
- Develop and lead quality improvement initiatives with complex and diverse health care systems.
- Develop and disseminate practice-based initiatives that promote client safety and reduction of medical errors.