The DNP degree is the terminal practice degree for the profession of nursing. The impetus for enhancing graduate education for practicing clinicians includes an increasingly complex healthcare environment, explosive growth in knowledge of science and therapeutics, quality and safety concerns, and financial pressures driving efficiency efforts. The practice-focused doctorate in nursing builds upon expert level practice skills with coursework on quality improvement, evidence-based performance, and systems approaches to meeting the healthcare needs of the public. Each DNP student must complete a minimum of 504 residency hours beyond their MSN practicum hours.

DNP Vision Statement

To develop nurse experts into innovative leaders who will transform practice, reorient the healthcare system, and champion health equity using multi-level approaches in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.

Program Outcomes

It is intended that students of the program will:

• Apply nursing science and innovation in order to prepare leaders who develop solutions that will impact access to care, promote social justice and influence system change.
• Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability in the design, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based care in complex decision making.
• Use analytical methods and information technology to improve population and system outcomes considering legal, financial, ethical, and regulatory issues.
• Analyze practice initiatives in order to develop effective interprofessional strategies to ensure and improve healthcare outcomes for patients and populations in relationship to safety and quality care.

Academic Standing

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in order for a student to remain in good academic standing and to continue progression in the program.

Curriculum Implementation

DNP courses are offered online synchronously or asynchronously. This curriculum and the sequence of courses are subject to change without notice or obligation.  Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences for current information.

Program Completion Time

Students admitted into the DNP program must meet all requirements for the degree within a period of 5 consecutive years from the time of enrollment in graduate coursework after admission to the program. It is expected that students will begin taking courses in the semester immediately following the date of admission.

Tuition and Fees

Current tuition and fees can be found in online through the Offices of Student Accounts.

Students are responsible for all fees related to background checks and health and clinical documentation in preparation for clinical experiences.

Admission Requirements

• Graduation from an MSN program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with a specialty focus.
• Minimum of two years of professional nursing practice as a registered nurse.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
• A current unencumbered RN license in the state the student intends to conduct DNP residency experience.
• Two letters of recommendation from professionals with graduate level education in the student’s area of specialty practice. At least one of the letters of recommendation must be from someone who is doctoral prepared.
• Essay of 1,000 words addressing:
  1. How the DNP program will facilitate achievement of the student's short- and long-term goals;
  2. How the Lewis University Mission integrates with the student's personal and professional identity; and
  3. The area of focus for the DNP scholarly project that is pertinent to practice.
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in graduate level coursework.
• Applicants are required to have successfully completed the following coursework with a grade of B or better
  • A graduate level course in Statistics.
  • A graduate level course in Population Health.
  • A graduate level course in Healthcare Informatics.

If not previously completed, these courses will be required in addition to the course requirements for the DNP degree as bridge courses. If a student does not receive a grade of "B' or above in a bridge course, the student will be dismissed from the program. Bridge courses cannot be repeated.

Provisional Admission for DNP Program

An applicant with a graduate GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 and having met all other admission criteria may be provisionally admitted to the DNP program. Additional preparatory courses may be required during provisional admission. Provisional admission is contingent upon earning a grade of “A” or “B” in both: 1. The student’s bridge (pre-requisite) courses AND 2. The student’s first two DNP-level classes. Students on provisional admission must take bridge courses at Lewis. The provisional admission contingency is removed to become a full admission when the above is achieved.  If these requirements are not achieved during provisional admission, the student will be dismissed.

Transfer Credits

• Students must be admitted prior to any review of transfer paperwork.
• The DNP Program can only transfer in a maximum of 12 semester credits of graduate-level coursework from regionally accredited institutions may be accepted for transfer if the courses are applicable to the student’s area of specialization as determined by the Program Director and/or their designee. Only courses carrying a grade of B or above in the last 5 years will be considered. Grades from courses accepted for transfer credit are not calculated into the cumulative grade point average.
• No courses taken at another institution after a student has matriculated at Lewis University, whether admitted or not, will be accepted in transfer for credit toward the graduate degree or certificate in nursing at Lewis University.
• Students must be admitted prior to any review of transfer paperwork.  Transfer credit cannot be promised-this must undergo review by the admissions committee.  The final decision on admission and transfer credit comes from the Graduate Nursing Chairperson.
• To request review of coursework completed at another institution for acceptance as transfer credit in the Graduate Nursing Program, the student must:
  • Request official sealed transcripts from the College/University attended to be sent to the Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing.
  • Request evaluation of transfer credit in writing by completing and submitting to the Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing one Request for Review of Graduate Courses for Transfer Equivalency Credit form for each course for which transfer credit is requested.
  • Applicants are required to submit a copy of the course syllabus dated from the semester in which the course was taken and a copy of the college or university catalog course description from the transferring institution with the completed request form to the Graduate Nursing Chairperson.
  • Courses taken in meeting requirements for an undergraduate degree cannot be considered as transfer credit in the Graduate Nursing Program, even if the course number is a graduate level number.
  • The Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing will provide written notification to the student of the results of the evaluation. The completed Request for Review of Graduate Courses for Transfer Equivalency Credit form will become part of the student's permanent file.
  • The Graduate Nursing Program Office in the Department of Nursing will submit required documentation to the Registrar upon acceptance of equivalency credit to register the transfer credit on the student’s official Lewis University transcript.

Degree Requirements

Degree Offered: Doctor of Nursing Practice
Total Credit Hours: 30

DNP Courses

Attendance at a minimum of two (2) DNP Immersions will be a requirement for graduation from the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. One of the two immersions will include the final Scholarly Project Presentation.

All students in the DNP program must complete the following courses.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NURS 72000	Design and Measurement for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NURS 73500	Transformational Leadership for Healthcare	3
NURS 74000	Healthcare Policy	3
NURS 77000	Quality and Safety Science in Healthcare	3
NURS 76000	Financial and Strategic Management for Healthcare Decision Makers	3
NURS 79000	DNP Scholarly Project Planning	3
NURS 79200	DNP Scholarly Project Implementation	3
NURS 79300	DNP Scholarly Project Evaluation and Dissemination	3
NURS 79600	DNP Residencies 1	6
Total Hours		30

¹

Please see course description of NURS 79600 DNP Residencies for explanation of "6"