BSN to DNP Doctorate of Nursing Practice
The BSN- Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed for baccalaureate-prepared nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentration or a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) concentration. The curriculum educates nurses in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, systems thinking, and leadership to achieve an advanced practice role in nursing.
There is no option to stop within the curriculum to achieve a masters in nursing. The minimum acceptable grade is B- or greater. If a student earns less than a B- within a course, the student will be required to retake the course. A required course may be repeated once. If the student is not successful in earning a B- or greater, the student may be dismissed from the program.
Doctoral Degree Completion and Degree Conferral will occur once all program requirements have been met and the final dissertation manuscript is successfully submitted and accepted for publication via the ProQuest UMI/ETD website.
At the completion of the BSN- DNP program of study, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced clinical judgment and independent practice to deliver safe, holistic, and evidence-based care across the lifespan, grounded in nursing science, ethics, and sound clinical reasoning.
- Integrate and apply scientific, theoretical, and evidence-based knowledge to evaluate complex health conditions and design innovative, cost-effective, and equitable care interventions.
- Lead transformational and interprofessional initiatives that enhance healthcare quality, safety, and outcomes through collaborative communication, system thinking, and the use of advanced technologies and informatics.
- Critically evaluate, influence, and advocate for health policy at organizational, local, national, and global levels to improve population health outcomes and reduce health inequities.
- Implement quality improvement and population health strategies that address bio-psycho-social, cultural, and environmental determinants of health to improve individual and community well-being.
- Exemplify servant and transformational leadership to guide ethical decision-making, promote innovation, and sustain a just and compassionate healthcare environment that reflects the mission and values of Salve Regina University and the Sisters of Mercy.
- Model a commitment to professional growth and lifelong learning by engaging in reflective practice, scholarly inquiry, and leadership that sustains excellence in advanced nursing practice.
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
The students must complete 72 credits to earn the DNP degree. The student must complete at least 1,000 hours of experiential hours, with at least 750 hours of direct, supervised patient care with a qualified preceptor. These hours fulfill the requirements for national certification as a family nurse practitioner.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration
The students must complete 75 credits to earn the DNP degree. The student must complete at least 1,000 hours of experiential hours, with at least 750 hours of direct, supervised patient care with a qualified preceptor. These hours fulfill the requirements for national certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
Required Courses
All students must complete the following courses and either the FNP or PMHNP concentration courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUR-503 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR-505 | Foundations of the Advanced Practice Nurse | 3 |
| NUR-511 | Global and Social Influences on Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-512 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NUR-535 | Pharmacologic Principles for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-615 | Ethical Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-625 | Organizational and Systems Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-633 | Business and Legal Aspects of Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-640 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics And Health Promotion | 3 |
| NUR-645 | Advanced Research Methods for the Doctoral Prepared Nurse | 3 |
| NUR-652 | Scholarly Writing | 3 |
| NUR-658 | Health Policy and Population Health | 3 |
| NUR-662 | Health Care Management and Care Systems | 3 |
| NUR-670 | Quality Improvement, Initiatives and Safety in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-680 | DNP Project Comprehensive | 3 |
| Concentration Courses | 27-30 | |
| Total Credits | 72-75 | |
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUR-506 | Comprehensive Care for Gender, Women and Children | 3 |
| NUR-540 | Application of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role I | 6 |
| NUR-550 | Advanced Practice Care I | 3 |
| NUR-552 | Advanced Practice Care II | 3 |
| NUR-555 | Application of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role II | 6 |
| NUR-565 | Application of the Advanced Practical Nurse Role III | 6 |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Students enrolled in NUR-552 Advanced Practice Care II are mandated to attend a 3-day on-campus, in-person colloquium to complete the course requirements and proceed within the program to direct supervised patient care courses. If the student does not attend the colloquium, they will not be successful in the course and will need to repeat it.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NUR-542 | Advanced Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NUR-546 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP I | 3 |
| NUR-558 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP II | 3 |
| NUR-568 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP Ill | 3 |
| NUR-570 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP I | 6 |
| NUR-575 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP II | 6 |
| NUR-580 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP Il | 6 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Students enrolled in NUR-568 Psychiatric Mental Health NP Ill are mandated to attend a 2-day on-campus, in-person colloquium to complete the course requirements and proceed within the program to direct supervised patient care courses. If the student does not attend the colloquium, they will not be successful in the course and will need to repeat it.
Degree Plan for BSN to DNP Doctorate of Nursing Practice, FNP Concentration
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| NUR-505 | Foundations of the Advanced Practice Nurse | 3 |
| NUR-511 | Global and Social Influences on Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-652 | Scholarly Writing | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-503 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR-645 | Advanced Research Methods for the Doctoral Prepared Nurse | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-512 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NUR-535 | Pharmacologic Principles for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-506 | Comprehensive Care for Gender, Women and Children | 3 |
| NUR-640 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics And Health Promotion | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-550 | Advanced Practice Care I | 3 |
| NUR-615 | Ethical Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-552 | Advanced Practice Care II | 3 |
| NUR-670 | Quality Improvement, Initiatives and Safety in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-540 | Application of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role I | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-555 | Application of the Advanced Practice Nurse Role II | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-565 | Application of the Advanced Practical Nurse Role III | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-625 | Organizational and Systems Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-662 | Health Care Management and Care Systems | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-633 | Business and Legal Aspects of Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-658 | Health Policy and Population Health | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-680 | DNP Project Comprehensive | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 72 | |
Degree Plan for BSN to DNP Doctorate of Nursing Practice, PMHNP Concentration
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| NUR-505 | Foundations of the Advanced Practice Nurse | 3 |
| NUR-511 | Global and Social Influences on Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-652 | Scholarly Writing | 3 |
| Credits | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-503 | Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR-645 | Advanced Research Methods for the Doctoral Prepared Nurse | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-512 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NUR-535 | Pharmacologic Principles for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-542 | Advanced Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NUR-640 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics And Health Promotion | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-546 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP I | 3 |
| NUR-615 | Ethical Issues in Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-558 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP II | 3 |
| NUR-670 | Quality Improvement, Initiatives and Safety in Advanced Nursing | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-568 | Psychiatric Mental Health NP Ill | 3 |
| NUR-662 | Health Care Management and Care Systems | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-570 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP I | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-575 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP II | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NUR-580 | Role of Psychiatric Mental Health NP Il | 6 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| NUR-625 | Organizational and Systems Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| NUR-658 | Health Policy and Population Health | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| NUR-633 | Business and Legal Aspects of Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NUR-680 | DNP Project Comprehensive | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 75 | |