Post Baccalaureate to Doctor of Nursing Practice Program/ Family Nurse Practitioner Program
The Post Baccalaureate to Doctor of Nursing Practice program with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration is for the BSN graduate seeking a clinical doctorate, while concentrating in the advanced specialty area of FNP. The degree program is designed to prepare qualified advanced practice nurses ready to work in primary care. This program is best suited for nurses with clinical experience, however, new graduates will be considered. This cohort program is 77 credits and is designed to be completed in a full-time 36 month sequence. A part-time option is also available. Graduates of the FNP/DNP program will be prepared to provide primary care for individuals as well as be leaders in community and population health endeavors. FNPs provide a wide range of healthcare services to individuals and families in a variety of clinical settings. They focus on health promotion and disease prevention beginning in infancy and continuing through the aging process and are educated to diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases. The FNP/DNP program offers an excellent educational foundation in advanced practice nursing and substantial clinical experience. Graduates of the program are prepared to make independent and collaborative decisions, sound clinical judgments and be leaders in their profession. Graduates are eligible to take a national examination for certification as a family nurse practitioner and to apply for APRN licensure in Connecticut or other states based on regulatory guidelines. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master’s degree program in nursing, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Sacred Heart University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791, (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Course Delivery Method
This unique blended program offers students a combination of online and on-campus classes.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials
The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice is the framework for the DNP program curricula.
- I. Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
- II. Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
- III. Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
- IV. Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Healthcare
- V. Healthcare Policy for Advocacy in Healthcare
- VI. Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
- VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health
- VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice
Admission Requirements
This competitive program is designed for the academically talented student who has experience in nursing. The criteria for admission include:
• Completed online application and nonrefundable fee
• Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of a 3.2 or better
• Copy of unencumbered RN License
• One year of nursing experience preferred
• Completion of an undergraduate health assessment course (30 hours or greater or prior learning portfolio)
• Official copies of all college transcripts
• Two strong letters of recommendation
• Statement of professional goals
• Résumé
• Interview with a graduate nursing faculty by invitation only
Degree Requirements
BSN to DNP students in the FNP track are required to design an approved plan of study in collaboration with a faculty advisor that must be satisfactorily completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0 to earn the degree. The plan of study requires the student to complete 77 credits.
Requirements List
Required Courses for BSN to DNP / Family Nurse Practitioner Program
All BSN to DNP students in the FNP track are required to take the following:
NU 550 Family and Community Context for Health Care (3 credits)
NU 556 Advanced Pharmacology I for the FNP/DNP (2 credits)
NU 557 Advanced Pharmacology ll for the FNP/DNP (2 credits)
NU 552 Advanced Health Assessment (3 credits)
NU 566 Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurse Practitioners (3 credits)
NU 562 Primary Care I for the FNP/DNP (5 credits)
NU 604 Health Care Research and Statistical Foundations for the Advanced Practice Nurse (3 credits)
NU 622 Primary Care II for the FNP/DNP (6 credits)
NU 632 Primary Care III for the FNP/DNP (7 credits)
NU 700 Theoretical Components of Nursing Science (3 credits)
NU 710 Health Care Policy, Advocacy & Ethics (3 credits)
NU 720 Leading Quality Initiatives and Information Systems (3 credits)
NU 721 DNP Project: Topic Development (1 credit)
NU 722 DNP Project: Methodology Development (1credit)
NU 723 DNP Project: Proposal Review (1 credit)
NU 724 DNP Project: Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit)
NU 725 DNP Project: Implementation & Data Analysis (1 credit)
NU 726 DNP Project: Presentation, Dissemination, and Evaluation (1 credit)
NU 730 Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice I (3 credits)
NU 740 Epidemiology and Population Health (3 credits)
NU 750 Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice II (3 credits)
NU 760 Strategic Leadership and Collaboration in Health Care (3 credits)
NU 770 Advanced Care of Special Populations (3 credits)
NU 781 Introduction to Palliative Care (3 credits)
NU 810 DNP Scholarship and Advanced Practice I (3 credits)
NU 820 DNP Scholarship and Advanced Practice II (3 credits)
NU 831 Clinical Immersion I (2 credits)
NU 832 Clinical Immersion II (2 credits)
Total = 77 credits
Total Credit Hours: 77
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project
The DNP graduate will fulfill the current need in our healthcare system by applying and translating best evidence into practice. The DNP project is the chosen modality for students to develop and/or refine the skillset needed to fulfill this important role.
The DNP project focuses on an endeavor consistent with the student’s identified clinical interests. This scholarly project must be a significant, evidence-based contribution to existing nursing knowledge and be suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or a book. The DNP faculty Lead for the student’s committee will act as facilitator of the student’s scholarship. Each student will identify a clinical practice mentor who will assist the student with the requirements of the practice project. A minimum of 360 practice hours will be used to collect and evaluate data on a specific population in a practice setting.
All DNP students are required to complete a DNP project that demonstrates practice scholarship prior to graduating from the program.