Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest degree for clinical nursing practice. Frontier Nursing University’s DNP curriculum provides education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership; building on knowledge acquired during your master’s studies. Our clinical doctorate is designed for registered nurses who want to take their nursing career, leadership skills and clinical expertise to the next level.

The DNP Program draws on the clinical expertise of the faculty and students to prepare nurses at the highest clinical level to use their knowledge and clinical expertise to impact the health care of not only the individual but also the health care of the community, the region and the nation.

The DNP curriculum has been carefully constructed to incorporate the eight essential competencies delineated by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The competencies address the following:

• Scientific underpinning for practice.
• Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking.
• Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice.
• Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care.
• Health care policy for advocacy in health care.
• Inter-professional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes.
• Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health.
• Advanced nursing practice.

DEGREE PATHS

If you already have an MSN, our Post-Master's DNP degree program is 28 credit hours* and designed for certified nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. If you are a registered nurse interested in pursuing an MSN or Post-Graduate Certificate at FNU, our curriculum incorporates many of the DNP core competencies, saving you time and allowing you to cost-effectively complete the DNP with only 19 additional credit hours.

* Credit hours may be less for those who enrolled at FNU after January 1, 2014. 

Post-Master's DNP

FNU's Post-Master's DNP degree program is designed for certified nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. The goal of the program is to improve health care outcomes and the delivery of primary health through enhanced nursing leadership. Candidates for the PM-DNP program at FNU hold national certification in one of the following specialty areas:

• Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
• Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Geriatric-Adult Nurse Practitioner (GANP)
• Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP)
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
• Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHCNP)

• Complete your coursework online.
• Option to complete program in 15 or 18 months.
• Program is 28 credit hours. (Credit hours may be less for those who enrolled at FNU after January 1, 2014.)
• In collaboration with your clinical site, lead a rapid cycle quality improvement project.
• One three-day on-campus experience (orientation before beginning the program).
• Small cohort of students.
• Click here to learn about the DNP Project and Practicum Experience.

“Congratulations for choosing to explore doctoral education at Frontier Nursing University! Frontier has a rich history of encouraging nurses to initiate change and improve health care. Students will assess health care needs within their own health care system and translate evidence into practice using quality improvement initiatives.”
— Deborah Karsnitz, DNP, CNM, FACNM
Interim DNP Program Director

MSN or PGC with option to transition to the DNP

FNU students who complete the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program (ADN Bridge Entry Option included) will have the option to transition to the Companion DNP program via a direct admission process.*  FNU students who complete the Post-Graduate Certificate (PGC) program will have the option to transition to the Post-Master's DNP program via a direct admission process.

* FNU graduates who enrolled after January 1, 2014, in the MSN program may be eligible for the 19 credit hour Companion DNP option.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• Complete your coursework online.
• Full- or part-time options available.
• After earning your MSN, you have the option to transition to the Companion DNP program to complete an additional 19 credit hours.*
• Two on-campus experiences for MSN and PGC students, and three on-campus experiences for ADN Bridge entry students.
• Complete your clinical practicum in your home community.
• 675 clinical hours for the MSN plus an additional 360 hours for the DNP.
• Click here to learn about the DNP Project and Practicum Experience.

Benefits of the MSN and DNP

* Only students who enrolled in FNU's MSN or PGC programs after January 1, 2014 are eligible for the 19 credit hour DNP. All others should refer to the 28 credit hour Post-Master's DNP program.

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