DNP is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice, offering an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. The changing demands of the nation’s healthcare environment require the highest level of nursing knowledge and practice expertise to assure quality patient care.
Highlights include:- Flexibility and Accessibility: The online DNP program offers the flexibility for working nurses to pursue advanced education without having to relocate or disrupt their careers.
- Personalized Learning: The online DNP program allows working nurses to set their own study schedules, accommodating the demands of professional and personal life.
- Interactive Learning Environment: The online DNP program uses technologies to create an engaging and interactive virtual classroom, including live webinars, discussion forums and video lectures.
- Access to Expert Faculty: Scholars benefit from access to experienced faculty members who are experts in their fields. Communication with instructors is facilitated through virtual office hours, email and discussion boards.
- Diverse Cohort: The online DNP program attracts a diverse cohort of students from various geographical locations and backgrounds.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The online DNP program encourages collaboration with other professionals from different disciplines, including business and law.
- Comprehensive Support Services: The online DNP program offers comprehensive support services, including technical support, academic advising, and student wellness to assist students throughout their DNP journey.
- Competitive Tuition Rates: The online DNP program is cost-effective, with competitive tuition rates, especially when compared to on-campus alternatives.
- Accreditation: Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Online Learning
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers a flexible and accessible way for nurses to advance their careers while maintaining their current professional commitments. This program equips nurses with advanced leadership skills and a strong foundation in evidence-based practice, preparing them for impactful careers in health care. Graduates are well-positioned to lead, advocate for patients and make substantial contributions to the field of nursing.
| Course | Credits |
|
Conceptual Models Quality and Safety |
2 |
| Total | 30 |
Foundations of Scholarly Writing (1 credit): This course is designed to provide graduate-level nurses with the knowledge and skills to be successful in articulating concepts and ideas in a logical and scholarly manner throughout their doctoral studies. This course begins by providing some general principles of expository writing, ensuring each student has a clear understanding of APA formatting. Development of strategies to use in achieving professional and effective communication through the written word will be stressed.
Conceptual Models of Quality and Safety (2 credits): This course provides an overview of theoretical, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice models that are frequently used in patient safety and quality improvement literature. Learners will explore human, systems, and organizational factors impacting care; analyzing and applying select theoretical and conceptual models used across their various areas of healthcare.
Foundations of Research Analysis (2 credits): The purpose of this online course is to prepare the learner to critically appraise, analyze, and synthesize the scientific literature as it relates to nursing practice. This course will build on concepts from statistics, epidemiology, and theoretical models for translational science and evidence-based practice (EBP). The learner will cultivate a critical attitude towards reading and analyzing scientific literature for the purposes of evidence translation.
Healthcare Policy, Advocacy and Ethics (3 credits for Class of 2024) (2 credits for Class of 2025): This course examines the ethical principles of moral reasoning and its practical application. Learners debate and critique moral, ethical, and political arguments using case studies, as well as examine current political events that impact nursing practice.
Informatics and Data Driven Healthcare (3 credits): This course analyzes the application of data in the healthcare system and the policies surrounding its collection and use. Learners explore the role of the electronic health record, telemedicine, and ethical big data collection in improving population and individual health and driving clinical decision making. Learners will evaluate the use of technology for health planning and delivery of care.
Leadership and Professional Collaboration (3 credits for Class of 2024) (2 credits for Class of 2025): This course focuses on leadership and interprofessional collaboration as it applies to the role of the DNP prepared nurse in a variety of settings. The course begins with the foundation that leadership starts with an exploration of self, then branches into interactions with others, and ends with impacting organizations and the community (local, state, national, global). Emphasis is placed on the development of leadership skills required for building effective teams necessary to transform health delivery systems.
Healthcare Management, Finance and Law (3 credits): This course prepares the nurse leader to navigate organizational, financial, and legal environments to ensure delivery of compliant and quality healthcare. Learners will produce a business plan for a change management project.
Biostatistics and Epidemiology (2 credits for Class of 2024) (3 credits for Class of 2025): This course explores the application of biostatistics and epidemiology to clinical decision-making in nursing. Learners will apply basic concepts of design and statistical inference to the study of health for selected clients, populations, and settings.
Translating Research into Practice (3 credits): This course builds upon the concepts from Foundations of Research Analysis to provide a broader understanding of the translational research process, quality improvement processes, and ideas for framing DNP scholarly projects. Learners learn to translate scientific evidence and evaluate the translational research process; thereby impacting professional, organizational systems and patient populations.
Doctoral Study (6 credits): During the doctoral study, learners will synthesize learning throughout the program through the construction and dissemination of an evidence-based practice project. The scholarly project will be derived from practice needs that focus on a change initiative such as a quality improvement project, program evaluation, or evaluation of a new practice model.
DNP law electives can be accessed here.
For more information, visit “Track Courses” on the WF MSL Health Law Policy website.
| Year | Fall Course (Credits) | Spring Course (Credits) | Summer Course (Credits) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conceptual Models, Quality and Safety (2) | Foundations of Research Analysis (3) | Translating Research into Practice (2) |
| Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3) | Informatics and Data Driven Health Care (3) | *Wake Forest University Elective (3) | |
| Foundations of Scholarly Writing (1) | Doctoral Study I (1) | ||
| 2 | Healthcare Management, Finance, and Law (3) | Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration (2) | Healthcare Policy, Advocacy, and Ethics (2) |
| Doctoral Study II (1) | Doctoral Study III (2) | Doctoral Study IV (2) |
*Flexible Offering: To determine when each law elective is offered, refer to the “Track Courses” on the WF MSL Health Law Policy website
A basic knowledge of computer and internet skills is required in order to be successful in an online course. Skills needed include:
Understanding of basic computer hardware and software; ability to perform computer operations, such as:
- Using keyboard and mouse.
- Managing files and folders: save, name, copy, move, backup, rename, delete and check properties.
- Software installation, security and virus protection.
- Using software applications, such as Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) or Google Docs.
- Knowledge of copying and pasting, spell-checking and saving files in different formats.
- Using email, including sending and downloading attachments.
- Internet skills (i.e., connecting, accessing, using browsers) and ability to perform online research using various search engines and library databases.
- Familiarity with and use of online educational resources (i.e., podcasts, Webex, video calls).
- Communicate using a discussion board and upload assignments to a classroom website.
- Allowing pop-ups from websites (i.e., Canvas).
- Knowledge of terminology, such as browser, URL and application.
Personal skills including:
- Self-discipline and time management skills.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Critical thinking skills.
- Netiquette and strong communication skills.
- Research skills.
Minimum hardware specifications:
- Memory (RAM) – 8GB or Greater (16GB is recommended).
- Hard drive – 256GB or higher.
- CPU – Quad core 2.0gHz+ (Intel i5, AMD Ryzen 5 or higher, non-ARM based).
- Operating system – Minimum Windows 10 or MacOS 12.0 Monterey.
- Microsoft Office 2016 or newer.
- WebCam – HD camera 1920X1080.