Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advancing Nurses, Practice, and Healthcare

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program at Elms College includes a rigorous and innovative curriculum to prepare students for advanced practice. Each DNP track supports the next generation of advanced nurses who are ready to be change advocates within varied practice level roles that may be clinical from the bedside to the boardroom in leadership and in health care policy.

Other DNP programs may offer similar coursework, yet, the dedicated Elms College DNP faculty are passionate about educating the next generation of advanced practice nurses and nurse leaders. The student to faculty ratio provides the accessibility of experienced faculty who are committed to their students’ success. As a result, the Elms DNP program creates an exciting and dynamic learning environment for students by fostering interaction and learning from peers and faculty.

On Campus, Hybrid, and Online

Program Tracks: 3 Program Tracks, 2 Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Programs

As a hybrid program with both on campus and online components, the DNP program tracks are comprised of a core curriculum, a specialty track, a clinical practicum (DNP-NP students), and DNP theory core courses.

Post-Graduate APRN Certificate Programs

The Elms College School of Nursing post-graduate APRN certificate programs are designed for licensed and board-certified nurse practitioners who wish to become certified in another specialty/population focus. The certificate program can be completed in as little as 12 months depending on prior academic, clinical coursework, and from an approved gap analysis prior to acceptance.

Family Nurse Practitioner
(FNP) Certificate Program

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
(AGACNP) Certificate Program


Meet Mohamed Turay, passionate about giving back to society. 

For Mohamed Koba Turay, it is not enough to gain an effective education or to heal the sick, but to give service and good health to the whole person. Education and health are of equal value to a person’s well-being.

Mohamed is originally from Sierra Leone. In 2002, Mohamed immigrated to the United States to continue his education and graduated with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Elms College 2021 as a certified Family Nurse Practitioner in the state of Massachusetts*.

He offers healthcare services to his community in Massachusetts as well as his home country where he explains the vast needs of this region through one example, “the infant mortality rate is the highest in the world.”

“I believe in providing service to others for a healthy body and a healthy mind. That is my purpose. Because my purpose is to help people I wanted to go into healthcare. Elms College and the DNP program was the best choice for me to give my passion purpose.”

*Dr. Turay is a recipient of the 2021 Doctor of Nursing Practice “Excellence in Advanced Clinical Practice Award” from Elms College


ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Criteria for admission is specific for each track in the DNP Program and for the Post-Graduate APRN certificate program. Please refer to each program for details. The Office of Graduate Admissions is available to help you whether you are just beginning to consider the right program or already have a focused plan and are ready to apply.

Certification Pass Rates

The Elms DNP Program has had an impressive 100% Pass Rate (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023) for the National Certification Exams for Family Nurse Practitioners as first time test takers.

The Elms DNP Program has had an impressive 94% Pass Rate (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023) for the National Certification Exams for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners as first time test takers.  And, 100% pass rates overall.

WHO WE ARE…

We hold ourselves and faculty to a high standard of educating our students.  Each course in the programs are designed to encourage students to be innovators, disrupt the status quo, be influencers in health care policy, and engage in service to others at the highest level of practice.
Read expected program outcomes

Admissions Requirements

Criteria for admission varies slightly based on whether you are enrolling in an DNP program track or a post-graduate APRN certificate program. See each program for details.

Apply Now

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Questions?

Take a look at our most commonly asked questions in our FAQ.

Still unsure? Just ask.
grad@elms.edu
413-265-2409

Meet our Faculty

Elms nursing faculty are willing to answer your questions about the many programs through a scheduled meeting in person, by telephone, through email, or even Zoom video call. Meet Our Faculty