DOCTORAL DEGREES NEW PROPOSAL FORM: ONE-STEP PROCESS. New PROPOSAL

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1 DOCTORAL DEGREES NEW PROPOSAL FORM: ONE-STEP PROCESS Institution: Georgia State University New PROPOSAL RECEIVED November 1, 2012 M. Middleton, Ph.D. Institutional Contact: Dr. Risa Palm, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Date: October 18, 2012 School/Division: Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions Department: School of Nursing Departmental Contact: Dr. Joan Cranford, Assistant Dean/Director for Nursing Name of Proposed Program/Inscription: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree: Major: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Bachelor in Nursing to DNP Post-Master s in Nursing to DNP Nursing CIP Code: Anticipated Starting Date: Fall Program description and objectives Georgia State University is proposing the initiation of the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) to meet the changing demands of the complex U.S. healthcare system. Our healthcare system requires nurse leaders with advanced scientific knowledge and clinical expertise and leadership skills to assure quality patient-centered care and positive patient outcomes. Further, the Institute of Medicine (2010) has called for more nurses to be prepared at the doctoral level and to be prepared as leaders to advance change and improve health. Finally, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the accrediting body, has mandated all advanced practice nurses must hold the terminal degree, the DNP (AACN, 2009). To respond to the changing demands of the health care system, the School of Nursing (SON) in the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions (BFLSNHP) at Georgia State University is proposing a DNP program. A graduate of a DNP program is a practice scholar, who brings innovative, evidence-based knowledge into clinical practice to improve healthcare outcomes and strengthens nursing management and education.

2 Graduates from the current master s program are prepared as advanced practice nurses who influence patient health either directly or indirectly as a result of their education. The GSU School of Nursing prepares advanced practice nurses to provide direct care function in the roles of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist. Nurses with advanced preparation in indirect care are experts in nursing administration or nursing informatics. The DNP program is a natural evolution from our master s program for advanced practice nurses and will build on the master s level education by expanding the student s knowledge in evidence-based practice, leadership, quality improvement and systems thinking. In addition, the DNP will complement the School s current PhD program in nursing; the PhD and DNP degrees support each other and together foster the development and translation of knowledge into nursing practice (Edwardson, 2009). The GSU School of Nursing is proposing a Bachelor s of Nursing to DNP program as well as the opportunity for those who possess a Master s degree an option to attain the DNP wishing as their terminal degree in nursing. The DNP program proposal has been built upon our faculty expertise and recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed to: 1. Prepare advanced practice nurses for increasingly complex practice, faculty, and leadership roles; 2. Prepare nurse leaders who are innovative and can address real-world clinical and health issues; 3. Improve the quality of care through evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives; 4. Expand the knowledge and skill base of advanced practice nurses; 5. Increase the supply of advanced practice nurse leaders; and, 6. Provide nurses with academic preparation for the terminal nursing practice degree. The SON s DNP program is a 39 credit hour program that will be offered online with a limited number of on campus sessions. The online classes will be a combination of synchronous classes via vclass and asynchronous classes via Desire2Learn. Current vclass technology allows for students and faculty to participate in scheduled live classes in locations of convenience (home; work, travel). Asynchronous classes will be facilitated by Desire2Learn which offers technology supporting chat rooms, and discussion groups. This format supports faculty-student interaction, networking among students, and a conservation of time and transportation resources. Use of online programming allows for students outside the greater Atlanta area the opportunity to attend classes at Georgia State University, increasing access to advanced practice nurses by patients in more rural areas and increasing the supply of doctorally prepared nurses to serve as faculty in USG nursing programs 2. Program s fit with the institutional mission Georgia State University offers unique educational opportunities for traditional and nontraditional students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels because of its status as the only urban research university in Georgia. The goal of the university is to develop, transmit, and

3 utilize knowledge in order to provide access to quality education for diverse groups of students, to educate leaders for the State of Georgia and the nation, and to prepare citizens for lifelong learning in a global society. The urban environment is a rich laboratory for examining ways to positively impact health, health disparities and health status that can have a profound effect on global health. The fit of the DNP program with Georgia State University is a natural one. The overarching goal of Georgia State University as it enters its second century is to be recognized as a dynamic academic community where teaching and research combine to produce leaders and create solutions to conquer the challenges of the 21 st century. The University s Strategic Plan calls for strengthening and growing the base of our graduate programs, particularly at the doctoral level. The addition of the DNP program will complete the breadth of the types of graduate degree programs offered at Georgia State University. Since 1973, the BFLSNHP has offered a master s degree for clinical nurse specialists (CNS) and nurse practitioners (NP) in the advanced practice specialty areas of adult, child, family, psychiatric, and women s health. In Fall 2009, the Master s Degree in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Innovations was initiated. Building upon these educational offerings, the SON faculty is poised to offer nurses the opportunity to attain either the practice doctorate degree or the PhD in nursing, depending on the student s interest and personal goals. The implementation of the DNP program will expand the number of doctoral programs at the University. Both research (PhD) and practice-focused (DNP) doctoral programs share rigorous and demanding expectations: a scholarly approach to the discipline and a commitment to the advancement of the profession (AACN, 2006, p. 3). The PhD and DNP programs complement one another. Where PhD graduates generate new knowledge through research, graduates of the DNP program will be prepared to translate research into practice as the foundation for quality improvement initiatives. Graduates of the DNP program will be prepared with leadership skills to initiate change, improve patient-centered care, and facilitate inter-disciplinary teams. Some of these graduates will assume administrative leadership positions in healthcare organizations, academic institutions, and national professional organizations. (See Table 1c. for shared courses) 3. Program justification For decades the Master of Science has been recognized as the terminal practice degree in nursing. However in 2004 members of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing voted to recommend the DNP as the terminal practice degree following a careful analysis of a series of reports by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) calling for professional groups and systems to promote safe effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care. The IOM s report, Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality (Greiner & Kneel, 2003), also identified a need to prepare professionals in interdisciplinary team work, evidence based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. Another IOM report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, vigorously compels nursing to re-evaluate the way nurses are educated. Included in the report is a call to double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020 and become full partners with other health professionals in redesigning healthcare (IOM, 2010). The report also explores the team concept evolving to the point of nurses becoming leaders of

4 healthcare for specific patient populations in specified settings. According to the IOM, nursingled services will be included in the changes for healthcare. An example of this model exists at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia referred to as the Transitional Care Model. Finally as noted in Advancing the Nations Health Needs (National Academy of Sciences, 2005) there is a great need for doctorally prepared practitioners and clinical faculty in nursing and this need would be met if nursing could develop a new non-research clinical doctorate similar to the MD and PharmD in medicine and pharmacy respectively (p. 74). The DNP program we are proposing addresses these salient issues. Currently there are 184 DNP programs in the United States with another 100 in the planning stages (AACN, 2012) The demand for DNP programs is increasing as demonstrated by a 35% increase in DNP programs from 2009 to Currently DNP programs are in 37 states plus the District of Columbia. There are several states with more than five programs (e.g., Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas). Georgia currently has five programs and one in review. Of the five established programs, three are University System of Georgia schools and one is a private school (AACN, 2012) One common concern that has been voiced focuses on the potential for the advent of the DNP to reduce enrollment in nursing PhD programs. Data from 2006 to present show a slight rise in PhD enrollments; from 3,927 in 2006 to 4907 in 2012 while the DNP enrollment over this same time period shows a sharp slope from 329 in 2006 to 8,973 in Because of the complimentary nature of the programs knowledge discovery (PhD) to knowledge utilization in healthcare (DNP), it is natural to have both programs in the same institution. The current Master of Science program in Nursing at GSU admits an average of 90 students annually. Enrollment has increased by 33.43% over the past three years. GSU has a long history of educating advanced practice nurses at the Master s level including Family, Adult, Pediatric, Psychiatric and Women s Health Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Informatics and Nursing Administration Specialists. A DNP program at GSU will meet the need for the AACN mandate which supports the DNP degree as the entry level for advanced practice nurses by Further, expansion of the master s program to the DNP will add to the numbers of highly prepared nurse leaders who are prepared to work towards better health at lower costs for Georgians and who will be able to serve as faculty in nursing programs across the state. The DNP program fills the need for additional primary healthcare providers (e.g. nursing, medicine). According to the AACN and IOM, enrolling more nurses into doctoral nursing programs must be a priority because of the critical need for nurses to serve as scientists, faculty, primary care providers, specialists and leaders within the health care systems (AACN, 2011). The press release further reveals that in order to meet the demands of the highly educated workforce, nursing schools must expand the programs to prepare expert nurses to provide care of high quality, cost-effective and safe in the changing healthcare environment (AACN, 2011; IOM, 2010). Based on a telephone survey of the schools in Georgia, 60% of the DNP programs report the graduates are working in academia (DNP Task Force of GSU, 2011). In a class survey of the APRN students, 80% expressed interest in the DNP program. In a class survey of Administration and Informatics, 83% of the students expressed interest in the DNP program. The

5 School of Nursing and the graduate admissions officer have received numerous phone calls seeking information about a DNP program at GSU. The DNP program at GSU will prepare advanced nurse practitioners to provide direct care and indirect care in various healthcare settings. Creation of the DNP program justifies the need in the geographic locale of the university. GSU is positioned in downtown Atlanta, GA. There is only one other institution within a 45-mile radius that offers the DNP program. The impact and benefits of the DNP will be felt beyond the geographic location of the university since the curriculum will be delivered via online methodology. The University System of Georgia report of 2006 reveals a registered nurse workforce shortage in Georgia for the future (USG, 2009). The report explains population growth along with a rapid number and percentage of aging residents of Georgia will place a demand on healthcare services. A major growth will occur between 2000 and The report predicts Georgia s growth to be the 8 th largest of 50 states and 40 percentage points higher than the national average. In behavioral health alone, a gap analysis completed in 2009 indicated that 691 nurses were needed to meet the staffing demands in Georgia s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities seven psychiatric hospitals (USG, 2011). This predicted growth is occurring at the time when Georgia s RN supply will not meet the demand. Graduates of the DNP program will allow a growth in advanced practice nurses with expertise to provide care of high quality, cost-effective and safe in the changing health care environment in Georgia (AACN, 2011). Nurses with a DNP can alleviate Georgia s workforce needs in three ways: 1) fill advanced practice nursing positions; 2) assume leadership roles in healthcare facilities; and, 3) serve as nurse educators in Georgia s schools of nursing. The SON is accredited by CCNE until CCNE will be notified of the intent to begin a DNP program. A site visit for accreditation of our undergraduate and master s programs is scheduled during the academic year. For the DNP program, a letter will be submitted to CCNE describing a substantive change in the School of Nursing and request for review of the DNP program when students have been in the program for 12 months. 4. Curriculum AACN s Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing states that nurses with DNP preparation should be able to critique nursing and other health-related scientific findings, design, implement, and evaluate programs of care delivery that significantly impact healthcare outcomes, and to lead quality improvement initiatives (AACN, October 2002). The DNP curriculum is complex in that graduates are prepared to be both excellent clinicians in their area of specialty and health system leaders. The curriculum thus requires 584 hours of clinical specialty practice that includes experience in project participation and leadership within the curriculum. Students demonstrate synthesis of content by successful completion of a Capstone project prior to degree conferral. We propose to implement a post-bachelor of Nursing to DNP and Post-Masters to DNP programs. Both programs will be described in the narrative and in Appendix A which includes a description of the DNP courses. Each DNP course is linked with one or more of the AACN Essentials for Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing.

6 The prescribed courses meet the AACN core competencies and essentials for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program (AACN, 2006). The AACN DNP documents and the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education (APRN, 2008) present the standards used for the development of the DNP program. Course descriptions are attached in Appendix A. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing publishes the standards for a DNP program entitled, The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing (AACN, 2006). The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is the accrediting organization for schools of nursing. In 2003, the SON was accredited for 10 years. This accreditation included our Master s degree programs in adult, child, family, psychiatric, and women s advanced practice nursing programs that provide the basis of the advanced practice component of the DNP program. CCNE is now accrediting DNP programs. The Consensus Model for APRN Regulation: Licensure, Accreditation, Certification & Education (APRN, 2008) also provides standards for advanced practice nursing programs. Bachelors of Nursing to DNP Program The DNP program will provide nurses with a Bachelor s of Nursing (BSN) degree to develop the necessary theoretical, quality and safety, and leadership foundations on which to base their practice in their chosen area of specialty. Students are required to synthesize their learning through the completion of a Capstone project that is required for degree conferral. The BSN to DNP curriculum has three components: (1) core master s courses for advanced practice preparation, (2) specialty courses for advanced practice preparation, and (3) DNP leadership courses. The advanced practice nurse curriculum component includes the core master s courses for advanced practice preparation and the specialty courses for advanced practice preparation; these components center on preparing the student for direct nursing care (e.g., acute (CNS) and/or primary care (NP) care) and indirect care (e.g., nursing Informatics and administration) settings. The DNP component focuses on leadership development in the context of the current healthcare environment. The post-baccalaureate to DNP program consists of 81 credits hours. Post-baccalaureate to DNP Core Master s Specialty Course DNP leadership course Course Credits Credits Hours credit hours

7 Students will complete the requirements for certification as advanced practice nurses in their preferred specialty area (Child Health CNS/PNP, Adult Health CNS/NP, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health CNS/NP, and Women s Health CNS/NP, Nursing Administration and Nursing Informatics) as well as the courses required for the expanded role for the practice doctorate in nursing. Our current advanced practice nursing master s degree requires 48 credit hours for completion, and the curriculum for the DNP program requires 39 credit hours; the total for the two curriculum components would be 87 credit hours. However, attempts have been made to streamline articulation between the two curriculum components and prevent overlap of content. To do this, NURS 7900 Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Practice Nurses will be replaced by NURS 7620, Leadership and Promoting Innovation in the Healthcare System. NURS 7620 emphasizes change theory and competencies (problem-solving, conflict management, project management, etc.) useful to implement change. Content related to operational and strategic planning, development of objectives, proposal development, and grant writing included. NURS 7620 complements the leadership and organization management content that students attain in NURS 8610, Leadership and Organizational Behavior in Multicultural Healthcare Environments. In addition, NURS 7000 in the master s curriculum will be replaced with NURS 7670, Research Methods for Measuring Quality and Effectiveness. Research competencies necessary to design and evaluate proposals for innovation in the delivery of healthcare services and principles of evidence-based practice and evaluation research are discussed. As a result of these changes, a total of 81 credit hours will be required for the BSN to DNP program. The credits for the proposed bachelors of nursing to DNP track are in line with other BSN to DNP programs (DNP, 2012) The core master s courses for advanced practice preparation include two advanced pathophysiology courses (NURS 7310, NURS 7320), advanced health assessment (NURS 7500), advanced pharmacology (NURS 7550), and two courses focusing on the role of the advanced practice nurse and the healthcare environment (NURS 7600, NURS 7940). These courses comprise 16 credit hours. The specialty courses for advanced practice preparation are specific to each specialty and vary in the number of courses; however, the total number of credit hours for specialty courses is consistent at 26 credits across specialties. Completion of core and specialty courses will serve as the foundation for certification as an advanced practice nurse. Specific course titles and credit hours for each specialty can be found in Table 1a and 1b. The remaining 39 credit hours are devoted to leadership development for the role of DNP. These courses prepare the student for critiquing nursing and other health-related scientific findings (NURS 8670, PH 8001), designing, implementing, and evaluating programs of care delivery that significantly impact healthcare outcomes (NURS 8610, N7660, NURS 8205) and for leading quality improvement initiatives (NURS 8992, NURS 8994, NURS 8996, NURS 8998, HA 8550) in the current healthcare environment (HA 8160).

8 Doctor of Nursing Practice MATRICULATION FOR BSN to DNP STUDENTS (MS_Family Nurse Practitioner Option Exemplar) [Table 1a] Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits Summer Semester Credits Year 1 NURS7550: Pharmacology for the Advanced Practice 3 Nurse NURS7500: Advanced Physical Assessment 3 NURS7310: Advanced Pathophysiology I 3 NURS7340: Common Health Problems of Adults 10 NURS7320: Advanced Pathophysiology II 3 NURS7342: Common Health Problems of Children and Adolescents 6 NURS7600: Culture of Health Care 2 Total Semester Credits Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits Summer Semester Credits Year 2 NURS7080: Common Health Problems of Women 6 NURS7620: Leadership in Promoting Innovation in Nursing and Healthcare Systems 3 NURS7360: Advanced Practicum 4 NURS7780: Biostatistics 3 NURS7940: Professional Issues 2 NUR7670: Research Methods for Measuring Quality & Effectiveness 3

9 Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits Summer Semester Credits Total Semester Credits 9 9 Total Number of Credits for MS degree: 48 credits [conclusion of Spring semester Year 2]--student would be able to sit for certification exam.

10 MATRICULATION FOR BSN to DNP STUDENTS (MS_Family Nurse Practitioner Program Option Exemplar (continued) [Table 1a] Fall Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Spring Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Summer Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Year 3 Total Semester Credits NURS 8670: Evidence Based Practice Developing NUR 8700 Scholarly Writing 2 2 NURS 8992: Capstone Project Roles Development Transition Clinical Hours: , 3 HA 8160: Introduction to Health Systems 3 2 HA 8550: Basics of Financial Management in Health Care Organization 3 2 NURS: 8994 Capstone 2 2 Project Planning 2 2, 7 Clinical Hours: 135 PH 8001: Epidemiology 3 6, 7 NURS 8620: Health Care Technologies Developing Year 4 Fall Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) NURS 8610: Advanced Leadership & Organizational Behavior Developing 3 2 Spring Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) NURS 8205: Health & Law, Vulnerable Populations & Disparities 3 5, 6, 7 Total Semester NURS 8996: Capstone Project Implementation Clinical Hours: , 2, 7, 8 NURS 8998: Capstone Project Dissemination Clinical Hours: 180 Elective (optional) 3 Elective (optional)

11 Fall Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Spring Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Summer Semester Credits DNP Program Essential(s) Credits 7 7 Total Number of Course Credits for Doctor of Nursing Practice Component for BSN to DNP: 39 hours; electives optional

12 Capstone Project. All students will use the capstone project to demonstrate mastery and integration of skills and knowledge through the design, implementation, and evaluation of a capstone project guided by three capstone committee members. The DNP Committee will be composed of a minimum of one SON faculty member and two external members with one of these members from the institution where the project is being conducted. The expected capstone load per faculty member is expected to be 3 at any one time. In NURS 8994, NURS 8996 and NURS 8998, the student will plan, implement, and evaluate this capstone project. Based on the experience of other DNP programs we anticipate that the project will be conducted at their employment site. Faculty will advise students in the implementation and evaluation of the capstone project; students will be credited with 125, 175 and 200 clinical hours per course (NURS 8994, NURS 8996, and NURS 8998) for project completion and evaluation. This project may be a pilot study, a program evaluation, a change project, a new innovation, a quality improvement project, or an evaluation of a new practice model. The final product of the DNP education process will be a manuscript submitted for publication. To guide the implementation of the capstone project, the student will identify one faculty member to serve on their DNP Project Committee. Each DNP student will develop, implement and evaluate a Systems Level Practice Change Project based on evidence. The expected outcomes will be twofold allowing the student to utilize and apply the concepts and skills learned throughout the program. The larger goal is to prepare the student to integrate, apply, and translate knowledge and evidence into practice to improve healthcare outcomes. The student will identify a problem or need within their practice specialty area, and develop an in-depth understanding of the issue through extensive review of the research literature and examination of the ethical, political, economic and cultural aspects inherent in the problem. Successful, sustainable projects are not developed in isolation, but in partnership with the targeted system or community. Therefore, students must also take into consideration and involve the value system, social implications, and stakeholders that will be impacted by the change in every phase of the project process. After a problem or need has been identified and confirmed, the student will design a detailed plan for addressing the issue. The design will evolve based on rigorous evaluation and synthesis of existing research. Then the student will translate the evidence into a specific plan after conducting a thorough assessment of the community, target population and setting for implementation as well as economic, political, ethical and time considerations. At this level, the student will be expected to employ effective communication skills, to take a leadership role and to influence healthcare quality and safety to evaluate practice and negotiate change through implementation and dissemination of findings. Students will complete four capstone courses which provide content, structure and resources to help facilitate all aspects of the project. Content in other courses contribute to helping students understand the larger context and concepts they will apply to the project. Students will also be working closely with a capstone committee. The student collaborates closely with the Committee Chair during all phases of the project process. The committee is responsible for guiding and evaluating the student throughout the progression of the project. Post-Masters DNP Program Students who earned a master s degree in nursing and are certified as advanced practice nurses- those providing direct care (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife) or those providing indirect care (nursing administration, informatics) - are eligible for admission to the Post-Master s DNP program. As part of the admission process (discussed below), these students will provide documentation of their certification and/or verification of the total clinical contact hours they completed in their master s program. The clinical contact hour verification is necessary to assure that the students have a total of 1,000 hours of postbaccalaureate as part of a supervised academic program (AACN, 2006).

13 Students admitted as post-master s DNP students will complete the 39 credit hours that are focused on leadership development for the DNP role. As noted above, these courses prepare the student for critiquing nursing and other health-related scientific findings (NURS 8670, PH 8001), designing, implementing, and evaluating programs of care delivery that significantly impact healthcare outcomes (NURS 8610, NURS 8660, NURS 8205) and for leading quality improvement initiatives (NURS 8992, NURS 8994, NURS 8996, NURS 8998, HA 8550) in the current healthcare environment (HA 8160). In addition, the student will implement a capstone project in a selected agency. In NURS 8994, NURS 8996 and NURS 8998, the student will plan, implement, and evaluate this capstone project. Faculty will supervise students in the implementation and evaluation of the capstone project; students will be credited with 125, 175 and 200 clinical hours per course (NURS 8994 and NURS 8996) for project completion and evaluation. This project may be a pilot study, a program evaluation, a change project, a new innovation, a quality improvement project, or an evaluation of a new practice model. The final product of the DNP education process may be a manuscript for publication, a systematic review of the literature, a research utilization report, etc. To guide the implementation of the capstone project, the student will identify three faculty members to serve on their DNP Project Committee. The DNP Committee will be composed of one SON faculty member and two members external to the SON with one member from the institution where the project is being conducted. One of the SON faculty members will serve as Chair of the Committee. In addition, students will implement a capstone leadership endeavor wherein student will develop, implement, and evaluate the usefulness/effectiveness of the capstone project. It is expected that the capstone projects will be carried out in healthcare agencies or settings. Implementing the project within a healthcare agency will necessitate team building and collaboration, two important leadership skills. The capstone project will be completed over the course of approximately 30 weeks (two semesters), during which time the student is enrolled first in NURS 7994 and NURS 7996 Capstone Project Implementation and then in NURS 7998, Capstone Project Evaluation. The student s DNP capstone committee members will advise and guide the project. (See above description of Capstone Project) All Post-Masters DNP students will be required to take two three-credit hour courses as electives. The course offerings will include Advanced Informatics, Nursing Education, Advanced Healthcare Systems, Gerontology courses and other faculty approved electives. BSN-DNP students have the option to take elective courses. Clinical Hour Requirements A minimum of 500 clinical contact hours is required for advanced practice certification; however, many advanced practice master s degree programs require more than this minimum number. In the context of the DNP coursework, students will complete 585 contact hours. It is expected that most post-master s students will attain the 1,000 contact hours after completing their advanced practice nurse s degree and the DNP courses. However, in cases wherein the students have not accumulated a total of 1,000 supervised contact hours required, they will be required to complete additional contact hours to fulfill this requirement. The determination of the type of contact hours will be made by the student s DNP Project Committee.

14 14 Doctor of Nursing Practice SAMPLE MATRICULATION FOR POST MASTER S STUDENTS: Two Electives Table 1b Year 1 Fall Semester Credits Essential(s) Spring Semester Credits Essential(s) NURS 8670: Evidence Based Practice Developing 3 1, 3 NUR 8700 Scholarly Writing Developing NURS 8992: Capstone Project Roles Development Transition HA 8160: Introduction to Health Systems HA 8550: Basics of Financial Management in Health Care Organization NURS: 8994 Capstone Project Planning , 7 Summer Semester Credits Essential(s PH 8001: Epidemiology 3 6, 7 NURS 8620: Advanced Health Care Technologies Developing 3 4 Clinical Hours: 90 Clinical Hours: 135 Total Semester Credits Year 2 Fall Semester NURS 8610: Advanced Leadership & Organizational Behavior Developing Credits 3 2 Essential(s) Spring Semester Credits Essential(s) NURS 8205: Health & Law, Vulnerable Populations & Disparities 3 5, 6, 7

15 15 Total Semester NURS 8996: Capstone Project Implementation 3 1, 2, 7, 8 NURS 8998: Capstone Project Dissemination Clinical Hours: 180 Clinical Hours: 180 Elective 3 Elective 3 Credits 9 9 Total Number of Credits: 39 (with two 3 credit electives) 3 8 Given the complementary nature of the role functioning of DNP and PhD prepared nurses and the current movement towards Interprofessional education, the SON administration and faculty envision students taking the same foundational courses. Sharing of courses will provide greater exposure for students while simultaneously providing an opportunity to share faculty resources. Table 1c. Courses PhD DNP Theory Research Methods Biostatistics Culture of Health Care Health in Vulnerable Populations Epidemiology

16 16.5. Admission criteria The admissions criteria for the BSN-DNP and the Post-Master s DNP programs are presented in Tables 2a and 2b; Table 2c includes information that is required after acceptance into the programs. Table 2a. Bachelors of Nursing to DNP Track Admission Criteria Information Used for Admission Decisions Bachelors of Nursing degree from accredited nursing program Minimum of two years of clinical experience Official transcripts Three letters of recommendation Current vitae or resume Two-page personal statement A cumulative grade point average of 2.75 Current RN licensure in state of residency and/or practice Official documentation of the MAT or GRE TOEFL score, if needed Application for Graduate Study, Byrdine Description Baccalaureate degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited institution in the United States. A minimum of two years of relevant experience as a registered nurse. Two copies of official transcripts from all colleges attended. Three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant s professional, intellectual, and academic abilities. (If graduated in the last five years, one must be an academic reference). Current vitae or resume including education, work experience and professional development, professional and/or community activities, research and publications. A two page personal statement addressing career goals related to advanced practice nursing and the attainment of the DNP degree. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 from a baccalaureate nursing program. Unencumbered Registered Nurse license. Official, competitive Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores taken within the last five years. Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), for applicants whose native language is not English with a minimum of 79 on the Internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test. To be completed online.

17 17 F. Lewis School of Nursing Table 2b. Post-Master s DNP Admissions Criteria Information Used for Admission Decisions Master s degree in Nursing from accredited nursing program Current advanced practice nurse certification (CNS, NP, CNRA, CNM) Minimum of two years of clinical experience Actively practicing as an advanced practice nurse (CNS, NP, CNRA, CNM) Official transcripts Three letters of recommendation Current vitae or resume Two- page personal statement A cumulative grade point average of 3.2 (3.5 preferred) Current RN licensure in state of residency and/or practice Official documentation of the GRE TOEFL score, if needed Description Master s degree or post-master s certificate in Nursing with an advanced practice concentration (CNS, NP, CNRA, CNM, Nursing Administration, Nursing Informatics) from a nationally accredited institution in the United States. Current advanced practice nurse certification (CNS, NP, CNRA, CNM) in state of residence or practice required. A minimum of two years of clinical experience as a registered nurse. Actively practicing as an advanced practice nurse (CNS, NP, CNRA, CNM) Two copies of official transcripts from all colleges attended. Three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant s professional, intellectual, and academic abilities. (If graduated in the last five years, one must be an academic reference). Current vitae or resume including education, work experience and professional development, professional and/or community activities, research and publications. A two-page paper addressing career goals related to advanced practice nursing and the attainment of the DNP degree. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 (3.5 preferred) from a master s degree in nursing program. Unencumbered Registered Nurse license. Official, competitive Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores taken within the last five years. The GRE may be waived if master s degree was from an accredited School of Nursing Official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), for applicants

18 18 Application for Graduate Study, Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing whose native language is not English with a minimum of 79 on the Internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test. Biostatistics course prior to admission.

19 19 Table 2c. Material Required After Acceptance into the BSN-DNP or Post-Master s DNP Programs Information Used for Admission Decisions Health and insurance information Computer/technology orientation Technology access Background check Description Current liability insurance coverage Current immunizations required for University admission and clinical agencies Current CPR Current health insurance coverage Recent physical examination Online orientation for instructional technology and library access Access to high speed internet; familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, skills for uploading, sending and receiving documents Criminal background check; drug screen test

20 20 6. Availability of assistantships. Historically the large majority of our students continue to work full- or part-time during graduate studies. In many cases the students receive tuition reimbursement from their employer. The SON does have a limited number (3-5 per year) of graduate research, laboratory and/or teaching assistantships available for students. 7. Student learning outcomes Student learning outcomes are based on the Essentials of doctoral education (AACN, 2011) Students of the Doctor in Nursing Practice program will be prepared to: 1. Provide advanced nursing care to individuals, families, communities, and/or clinical populations; 2. Develop, manage, and evaluate innovative practices in healthcare settings; 3. Provide leadership that fosters inter-professional collaboration for planning, implementing, and evaluating health and nursing care services; 4. Evaluate the effectiveness of healthcare organizations and systems and healthcare technology and clinical informatics to improve the quality and efficiency of care; 5. Translate scientific evidence into practice to ensure quality care for diverse populations; 6. Lead quality improvement initiatives; 7. Assume leadership roles in clinical practice, advocacy, policy and education to assure quality of care across diverse and vulnerable populations; and, 8. Demonstrate investigative skills that facilitate improvements in patient care. In addition, students will be prepared to sit for certification as advanced practice nurses. 8. Program administration The Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions is overseen by Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Wilmoth, Dean. Dr. Joan Cranford, Assistant Dean for Nursing, reports directly to the Dean and is responsible for the administration of the nursing programs. The DNP program coordinator will report directly to Dr. Joan Cranford, Assistant Dean for Nursing. The DNP program will be directed by a faculty member who holds an earned doctorate. We will conduct a national search for a person to fill this position. The DNP program coordinator will be responsible for admissions, curriculum implementation, and program evaluation. [Note: We currently have one faculty member on board who holds a DNP and two other faculty members currently enrolled in a DNP program who would be eligible to serve as the program coordinator]. 9. Degree credit-hour waiver (if applicable) No waiver for degree credit is requested.

21 Projected enrollments DNP Program Projected Enrollment Plan for Post Master s Program Students *Full time **Part time Projected # Admitted Projected # Graduating (5 years) Year cohort 1 15 cohort 1A 20-3 BSN 17 Post Mas Year cohort 2 15 cohort 2A 25 5 BSN 20 Post Mas Year cohort 3 15 cohort 3A 30 7 BSN 23 Post Mas 5 from cohort 1 Year cohort 4 20 cohort 4A BSN 25 Post Mas 15 cohort 1A 10 cohort 2 Year cohort 5 20 cohort 5A BSN 28 Post Mas 15 cohort 3 15 cohort 2A Year cohort 6 20 cohort 6A 15 cohort 3A 15 cohort 4 Year cohort 7 20 cohort 7A 20 cohort 4A 20 cohort 5 Year cohort 8 20 cohort 8A 20 cohort 5A Total Admitted (5 yrs.) 150 *Based on full time program: 5 semesters in length, start fall, end fall including summer courses **Based on part time program: 8 semesters in length, start fall, end spring (no summer courses). Total Graduating (5 yrs.) 150 DNP program prediction enrollment plan for post master s program Students *Full time **Part time Transfers Graduation Year cohort 1 5 cohort 1A 0 Year cohort 2 7 cohort 2A 1 cohort 2 Year cohort 3 10 cohort 3A 3 cohort 3 (Fall semester) 5 from cohort 1 Year cohort 4 12 cohort 4A 3 cohort 4 5 cohort 1A; 8 cohort 2 Year cohort 5 15 cohort 5A 5 cohort 5 13 cohort 3; 6 cohort 2A Year cohort 6 15 cohort 6A 5 cohort 6 7 cohort 3A; 15 cohort 4 Year cohort 7 15 cohort 7A 5 cohort 7 9 cohort 4A; 20 cohort 5 Year cohort 5A *Based on full time program is 5 semesters in length, start fall, end fall including summer courses. **Based on part time program is 8 semesters in length, start fall, end spring including summer courses.

22 Faculty inventory and workload The DNP program can be delivered with the current number of faculty. However, to maximize class size and to account for the increased workload that accompanies online teaching, two more full-time faculty lines will be requested. Currently Dr. Sarah Killian who is prepared as a DNP is a full-time faculty member in the SON. Three other current faculty members are enrolled in DNP programs and will teach in this program (See chart for expected graduation date). Provide an inventory of faculty directly involved with the administration of the program. For each faculty member, provide the following information: The following faculty are available to teach in the DNP program. Faculty Name Rank Highest Degree Sarah Killian Clinical Assistant Professor Margaret Wilmoth Joan Cranford Jennie De Gagne Cathy Gebhardt Michelle Nelson Lisa Cranwell- Degrees Earned Academic Discipline DNP BSN, MSN, DNP Adult Health/ Leadership Professor PhD BSN, MSS Adult Health/Oncology Clinical Associate Professor Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Clinical Instructor EdD BSN, MSN Adult Health/ Higher Education/ Leadership PhD BSN, MS, MSN, Post-Master s, Currently enrolled in DNP (will complete in May 2014) Education/ Informatics/ Gerontology PhD BSN, MSN Public Health, Rehabilitation Nursing Current Workload 11 credit hours Admin varies Impact Reduction in current teaching load to accommodate DNP Will include in workload hours Will include in workload hours 6 credit hours One semester TT faculty has 9 cr. Hour load. This will accommodate additional teaching hours 3-6 credit hours Add to current workload PhD BSN, MSN Adult Health 9 credit hours Add to current workload MS, FNP Currently enrolled in DNP (will graduate Adult Health 9 credit hours NTT faculty can have up to 12 cr. hr. Resp. Teaching/ Capstone committee Teaching, Capstone Committee Chair Teaching/ Capstone Committee Teaching/ Capstone committee/ Chair Teaching, Capstone Committee/ Chair Teaching, Capstone Committee/ Chair Teaching/ Capstone

23 23 Bruce May 2014) teaching load. The additional hours will bring to max. Regina Cole Clinical Assistant Professor MS, FNP Currently enrolled in DNP (will graduate May 2013) Informatics 6 credit hours NTT faculty can have up to 12 Cr. Hr. teaching load. The additional hours will bring to max. committee Teaching/ Capstone committee Total Number of Faculty: 8 Explanation of how workload will be impacted by the new program: As the program grows, these faculty members will need relief from undergraduate and/or other teaching loads to accommodate the needs of the DNP students. This will require evaluation of remaining faculty workload to readjust teaching load and hiring a small number of part-time or half-time faculty to relieve faculty who have been reassigned to the DNP program. Other PhD prepared faculty are available to serve on Capstone Committees and external members who are PhD prepared will be able to serve. Expected responsibilities in the program: There will be a Coordinator for this program who will have additional administrative responsibilities. Gaps resulting from DNP faculty assignments: Dr. S. Killian has a full workload. She will need to be relieved of the two of the undergraduate courses which is equivalent to two clinical groups. This will have to be absorbed by a part-time clinical faculty member. That will allow the remaining workload hours to be utilized in the DNP program. Dr. J. De Gagne is teaching a 2-3 load because she is on the tenure-track. She will need to be relieved of one course which is equivalent to the PhD Instruments course. This can be absorbed by another PhD faculty member. Professor L. Cranwell-Bruce teaches all of the undergraduate and graduate pharmacology. She will need a one course release. This can be absorbed by another graduate or undergraduate faculty member. Professor Regina Cole is faculty and coordinator for the Leadership and Health Informatics program. She will need one course relief which can be absorbed by a part-time faculty member. Dr. M. Nelson will need to be relieved of some of the lab duties.

24 24 Drs. Wilmoth and Cranford will need to adjust their administrative duties to include teaching hours and/or serving on Capstone Committees. Two new faculty members will be hired by August 1, Both faculty members will be prepared at the doctoral level. The two positions will be funded through grants. However, the positions will be requested as a line item in the School of Nursing budget as a back-up source of funding.

25 Fiscal and facilities impact with estimated budget The School of Nursing is currently located in the Urban Life Building and has adequate classroom, office space and technological resources to support this program. The nursing resource laboratory and its equipment and instructional technology support are also housed in this building. No capital expenditures will be needed for program start-up. For the most part, the institutional resources that will be needed for the implementation of the DNP program are the same resources that are in place for implementation of our clinical master s and PhD programs. Specifically, these resources include classrooms, access to instructional technology resources (e.g. Desire2Learn, vclass), the nursing resource laboratory and its equipment, the University library, and instructional technology support (Miguel Muirhead, Educational Technology Specialist Intermediate and University Educational Technology support). As noted, two new faculty members will be hired by August 1, Resources are adequate to accomplish the purposes, goals and outcomes of the DNP program. The strengths of the program include, but are not limited to: 1) fiscal support of the program by the University and community; 2) administrative support of the program which supports nursing initiatives and nursing policies; 3) readily available support services for the faculty and students; 4) learning resources and 5) technological support. Some examples of resources currently in place that will be utilized for the DNP program include: Library A strength of the School of Nursing is the enormous support received from the librarian and the library staff for on campus and online students. The University Library houses over 1.5 million volumes, including 28,000 electronic journals, 2,800 periodicals and newspaper titles, nearly 8,000 active serials, and is a Federal Document Depository with more than 820,000 government documents. With the recent building expansion and increased use of the Media Collection, we have obtained over 24,000 audio, video, and multimedia materials. An extensive nursing database with online nursing journals is available to all students. The Library s Special Collections & Archives collects and preserves rare, historical materials in eight curatorial areas: Southern Labor Archives, Popular Music & Culture Collection, Women's Collection, Georgia Government Documentation Project, University Archives, Rare Books, Photographic Collections, and Social Change Collection. The library is a one-stop-shop where patrons may obtain assistance with research, tutoring, and technical support, as well as make use of the reference collection, atlases, and modern technology resources that provide access to online research materials and application software. There are over 400 computer workstations, 60 group study rooms, a quiet study floor, and a coffee shop. Each year over 1.5 million people come through our doors to use our state-of-the-art facilities and resources. The library hours are conducive to DNP students during the limited on-campus class days, and during normal business hours. Additionally, all currently enrolled students have access to online library materials.