Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest degree for clinical nursing practice. The DNP at Frontier Nursing University is designed for registered nurses interested in taking their nursing career to the next level. Our DNP program provides an education based on evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership that provides nurses with the leadership skills and clinical expertise they need to serve at the highest clinical levels and impact health care in their communities and the world.
Why Should You Pursue a DNP at FNU?
The DNP program is designed for nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. You should consider pursuing a DNP at FNU if you want to go beyond serving your community to be a leader for positive change and improved standards of care. With a DNP from FNU, you’ll be ready to take on the leadership positions that allow you to enact political change, mold the next generation of nurses, and ensure patients are receiving optimal health care. As part of FNU’s DNP curriculum, you’ll complete a Quality Improvement Project that allows you to tailor your project to the practice and community you serve.
What Can You Expect from Your DNP Program?
- Complete the program online with 30 credit hours in 18 months
- In collaboration with your clinical site, lead a rapid cycle quality improvement project
- One three-day on-campus experience (orientation before beginning the program)
- Small cohort of students
- Implement and evaluate a rapid cycle quality improvement project
DNP Project
DNP students have the opportunity to test evidence-based theory from their learning through a service learning project in a healthcare setting. In the project, students engage with quality improvement (QI) theories, processes, and programs within a real healthcare delivery setting. Partnering with clinical site sponsors, Frontier faculty, and faculty from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Open School, students plan, implement and evaluate a rapid cycle quality improvement project.
Guided by the needs of the clinical sites, students pursue small-scope projects that can be implemented within three months of the student and sponsor confirming the clinical topic. Students use IHI’s ‘Model for Improvement’ over an eight-week period to complete planned improvements.
Practicum Experience
FNU DNP students can strengthen their experience through a 500-hour clinical practicum where evidence-based learning is translated into practice, cost-effective practice initiatives, quality assurance and quality improvement programs (QI). Using the IHI Improvement model, students plan, implement, and disseminate the results of a rapid cycle quality improvement project. The clinical project hours focus on demonstrating the DNP essentials including clinical projects related to family centered care, shared decision-making, patient safety, equity and quality. Students are encouraged to complete their clinical hours in their current workplaces.