Post-MSN Doctorate of Nursing Practice

The Post-Master’s Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is designed for masters-prepared nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing. The Post-Master’s DNP curriculum educates nurses in evidence-based practice, quality improvement and systems thinking, and leadership.

The students must complete 30 credits to earn the DNP degree. 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 will be disenrolled from the program.

The student must complete at least 500 leadership/ experiential hours and fulfill the requirements for the DNP Project. The Post MSN DNP student must complete 1,000 hours to satisfy the program requirements in conjunction with the student's MSN hours. The student must obtain and submit proof of their direct supervised patient care/ experiential hours from the graduating university. If prior experiential learning hours are less than 500, 2 additional six credit courses, NUR-672 and NUR 674, are required. If prior experiential learning hours range from 250 to 500, one additional 6-credit course is required. If all doctoral degree requirements are not completed by the end of the study plan, students must enroll in NUR 672 or NUR 674 to complete the requirements. 

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 ProQuest UMI/ETD website.

The Post-Master’s DNP student will be prepared to:

1. Apply critical thinking and collaborative, interprofessional communication utilizing evidenced-based resources to evaluate, improve, address, and transform health care across all populations and organizational systems.
2. Use a systematic process through theoretical and evidence-based strategies to provide solutions in healthcare. Evaluate, facilitate, and transform processes and policies to ensure quality, cost-efficient, equitable, and innovative solutions, including technological advancements to improve global health while upholding cultural, ethical, and diverse aspects of healthcare. 
3. Engage in advocacy and policy formation as a change agent and a transformational leader, the student will critically analyze healthcare policies to promote, collaborate, and improve healthcare outcomes while addressing the social determinants of care and the diverse needs of individuals, organizations, and communities we serve.
4. Engage in global networking to provide servant leadership within the nursing profession and healthcare communities as a transformational leader embodying the Sisters of Mercy mission to encourage a harmonious, just, and merciful world. Salve encourages professionals to be entrenched as lifelong learners to uphold the highest level of nursing practice.

All students must complete the curriculum as follows:

Degree Plan for Post-Master’s Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)