The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is designed to build on baccalaureate education with or without masters level education for the clinical practice doctorate and both baccalaureate and masters level education for the leadership doctorate. In accordance with the Essentials of Nursing Education of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (2021) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioners Faculties the DNP graduate is able to demonstrate advanced level competencies/behaviors in each of the following domains:
- Knowledge of Nursing Practice (Competency -based care)
- Person Centered Care
- Population Health
- Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline (Integrating research into nursing practice)
- Quality and safety
- Interprofessional Partnerships
- Systems Based Practice (Nursing across the continuum of care)
- Information and healthcare technologies
- Professionalism (Professional nursing identity)
- Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development.
In addition of the demonstration of the competencies related to the domains listed, the DNP graduate will be able to quality to sit for the national certification and state licensure in their specialty ( FNP or AFACNP). DNP Health Systems Innovation and Leadership graduate will be eligible to sit for the American Organization of Nurse Executives certifying exam.