Doctor of Nursing Practice

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Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership
Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program provides the terminal academic preparation for patient-focused advanced nursing practice. The post-master’s DNP is designed to prepare nurses for leadership positions where they can create transformative change to improve the health and health care outcomes of individuals, families, groups and populations. This program focuses on development of advanced competencies for complex practice along with evidence-based practice utilization to meet the demands impacting quality patient care delivery, patient outcomes, and systems management.

The DNP practicum experience and DNP project are the culminating pieces which use evidence-based research for creating change in an organization. In these courses, students will collaborate with experts in health care organizations and apply the knowledge learned throughout their curriculum. View the admission requirements for this program.

Join us for a virtual fair to learn more about our graduate nursing programs, talk with admission staff and nursing faculty. Click here to register for the event.

MSN & DNP Information Session

MSN/DNP Information Session Handout

DNP at the Mount

Admission Criteria

DNP ADMISSION CRITERIA:

Potential students must submit the following:

A completed graduate application at www.msj.edu/apply.
Official transcripts.
A one- to two-page essay with reasons for seeking the DNP including a statement of professional goals, and topic(s) of interest for DNP project.
A professional resumé.
Names and contact information of two professional references.
A TOEFL score for international students (as needed).

The applicant must possess:

A Master of Science in Nursing degree (post-licensure) from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Or, other applicants with a BSN and a master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in a related field
- Or, a pre-licensure MSN graduate with a post-master’s Advanced Practice

Nursing certification (CNM, CNS, CRNA, and CNP)

A minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for MSN.
A “C” or higher in an undergraduate or graduate statistics course.
One year of professional work experience as a nurse.
An active US state RN license with no restrictions.

Requirements

Program Requirements:

Hours: 36

NUR 800 Theoretical & Philosophical Perspectives for Evidence Based Practice (3)
NUR 801 Biostatistics for Evidence Based Practice (3)*
NUR 802 Evidence Based Practice (3)*
NUR 803 Building Collaborative Relationships (3)
NUR 804 Global Health Care Policy (3)*
NUR 805 Transforming Health Care Through Technology (3)*
NUR 812 Epidemiology and Population Health (3)
NUR 821 Strategic Management and Financial Controls of Health Care Organizations (3)
NUR 823 Nursing Practicum I (3)
NUR 824 Nursing Practicum II (3)
NUR 832 Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (6)

*Credit for these courses can be applied from an MSJ MSN degree, or from another MSN degree upon Graduate Nursing Departmental approval.

*Visit https://registrar.msj.edu/graduate-catalog/ for the most current course requirements and descriptions.

Graduation Requirements:

In order to graduate from the DNP program, the following criteria must be met:

Have an earned cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher
Completed the DNP Program within 5 years of starting the program
Minimum of 75% of credits must be earned at Mount St. Joseph University
Completion and presentation of DNP Project
Completion of 1000 practicum hours which may include hours earned in post BSN degree and certification programs and the DNP program. A minimum of 400 practicum hours are required in the DNP program at Mount St. Joseph University
Completion of a graduation application which demonstrates completion of DNP courses

Program Format

The Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership at Mount St. Joseph University is a part-time program designed to meet students’ professional and career needs in a flexible, dedicated, educational environment. Benefits of the program include:

Complete program requires only six semesters, with classes beginning in the fall and with summers off.

The part-time DNP program can be completed fully online, enabling students to continue working while pursuing a degree. Students enroll in two 10-week courses simultaneously each semester. Students participate in one to two meetings that occur in real-time via online video conferencing at the beginning and end of each semester with the remainder of the learning taking place via an interactive online environment.

Smaller class sizes provide more individualized learning and optimal professional opportunities.

A cohort model enabling students to establish lasting relationships with peers and professionals while providing the ongoing support needed to stay focused on career goals.

An automated registration process eliminates the burden of registering for classes every semester.

Program Facilities

Click below to view our Nursing Skills Lab and other facilities and equipment at MSJ.

Accreditations

Mount St. Joseph University is authorized to offer nursing degrees at the baccalaureate, masters and doctorate levels by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The University receives its regional accreditation from:

     The Higher Learning Commission
     230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
     Chicago, IL 60604
     800-621-7440

To learn more, contact: Higher Learning Commission.
Copies of the University’s accreditation can be obtained through the Office of the President.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing Magelin pre-licensure programs at Mount St. Joseph University are approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing (Certificate of Approval)* Ohio Board of Nursing 17 South High Street Suite 400 Columbus, Ohio 43215-7410 614-466-3947 FAX: 614-466-0388 http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree programs in nursing (MSN-MAGELIN and post-licensure MSN), and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Mount St. Joseph are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education(http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Program Outcomes

The graduate of the DNP program will be able to:

Practice at the highest level of nursing by integrating evidence-based practice, nursing theory, and leadership to improve health care outcomes.
Implement changes based on evaluation of complex health systems, health policy, and nursing science in response to social, political, economic, and ethical issues.
Evaluate the impact of change on complex health systems including individuals and populations.
Utilize information systems and technology to transform health care delivery and nursing practice.
Engage in interprofessional collaboration for the advancement of individual and population health outcomes.
Incorporate ethical beliefs and values to provide a framework for advanced nursing practice.

DNP Scholarships and Grants

Interested to find out what scholarships and grants are available through the DNP program at the Mount?

Click here to find out more information.

The Post-Licensure MSN and DNP Nursing Programs at Mount St. Joseph University support individual student success through a variety of methods and services, including:

Individualized student advising including the Advisor registering all MSN and DNP students for every course throughout the program
Access to top-ranked student services, all included in the cost of the MSN and DNP programs:
- The Learning Center: MSN and DNP students benefit from meeting especially with the Writing Center to gain individual consultation at every stage of the writing process to assist in developing, writing, and learning strategies that help students become more effective writers.
- Library Services: Library Services offers a multitude of support services to MSN and DNP students. Students have access to over 24 million electronic journal articles from 100+ databases, as well as over 46 million books in addition to the individualized research assistance offered by the highly qualified Librarians at MSJ.

Doctoral Program Designed to Work around your Schedule and Needs

Complete program requires only six semesters, with classes beginning in the fall and with summers off.
The part-time DNP program can be completed fully online, enabling students to continue working while pursuing a degree. Students enroll in two 10-week courses simultaneously each semester. Students participate in one to two meetings that occur in real-time via online video conferencing at the beginning and end of each semester with the remainder of the learning taking place via an interactive online environment.
Smaller class sizes provide more individualized learning and optimal professional opportunities.
Practicum experiences that integrate knowledge learned in the DNP Program’s course work and provide opportunities to collaborate with experts in health care organizations.
A cohort model enabling students to establish lasting relationships with peers and professionals while providing the ongoing support needed to stay focused on career goals.
An automated registration process eliminates the burden of registering for classes every semester.

Student Testimonial

A virtual celebration of nurse leaders honored our Mount DNP student Kathy Oliphant. Congratulations nurse leader Kathy Oliphant MSN, RN, CNL, NEW-BC! Kathy has been a nurse for 39 years.

She has held positions ranging from staff nurse, nurse manager, director of nursing, adjunct faculty, and most recently population health manager. Kathy is a highly visible, business-savvy, and transformational leader with a passion for generating results through people, innovative approaches, and teamwork at the Cleveland Clinic, TriHealth, and Lumeris.

Kathy has proven expertise in creating a positive professional practice environment with an emphasis on high-quality care and patient safety, as evidenced by successful Magnet Hospital designation, staff recruitment and retention, employee engagement, and improved patient experience across the care continuum. She is viewed as a leader among her current DNP cohort and exemplifies the highest standards for nursing professional practice.