Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is designed to prepare nurses for the highest level of clinical practice in the profession of nursing. Two specialty tracks are available: Family Nurse Practitioner and Health Systems Leadership. The program includes a total of 90 credit hours of post baccalaureate study and is designed in accordance with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advance Practice Nursing (2006). Applicants with a MSN may transfer in up to 42 credits hours.

Program Objectives: Upon completion of the program the graduate will be able to:

  1. Develop, implement, and evaluate complex practice approaches based on theoretical, ethical and scientific knowledge.
  2. Ensure accountability for quality care and patient safety for diverse populations.
  3. Demonstrate analytical methodologies for the evaluation of clinical practice, health outcomes, and the application of scientific evidence.
  4. Utilize technological information systems to evaluate outcomes of care, health care delivery, and quality improvement.
  5. Develop, evaluate and provide leadership for health care policy which shapes health care financing, regulation, and delivery.
  6. Work collaboratively with trans-disciplinary teams to meet complex health care needs of diverse individuals and populations.
  7. Analyze epidemiological, biostatistical, environment, and organizational data for the development, implementation and evaluation of program of clinical prevention and population health.
  8. Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, and accountability in designing, delivering, and evaluating evidence-based care to improve patient outcomes.

Teaching Delivery Methods

Our DNP courses are offered primarily via interactive video conferencing from the Tallahassee campus to Panama City and Sarasota-Bradenton. Some core courses are offered fully online. Students come to the Tallahassee campus for orientation to the program and FNP students attend an intensive weekend in the Advanced Skills for the APN course. Students work with preceptors in their local community to meet the learning objectives for the practicum courses.

In addition to the FSU requirements for admission and graduation from graduate and doctoral level education programs (http://gradstudies.fsu.edu/), the College of Nursing requirements for admission and graduation from the DNP program include the following:

Admission Criteria

  1. BSN degree from a nationally accredited program with an upper division grade point average of 3.0 or higher. (Note: The academic transcript and resume of applicants with MSN degrees will be evaluated individually to determine the number of MSN degree credit and clinical hours that can be applied toward the DNP degree. Students may transfer in up to 42 hours.)
  2. Competitive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score or Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
  3. Unencumbered State of Florida RN license.
  4. FDLE/FBI Level II background check
  5. CPR Certification.
  6. Personal Health Insurance.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Successful completion of 90 semester hours of post-baccalaureate, graduate course work. This coursework includes successful completion of all core courses, and all required and elective courses in one of the specialty tracks, and a DNP project.
  2. Cumulative GPA in the program of 3.0 or higher.
  3. Completion of all specialty courses with a grade of B or higher.
  4. On-campus residency (24 hours of on-campus credits completed within a 12 consecutive month timeframe). This requirement may be met on the Tallahassee, Panama City, and Sarasota-Bradenton campuses.
  5. The DNP degree must be completed within seven (7) calendar years from the time of formal matriculation into the program.