Doctor of Nursing Practice

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Dr. Jacqueline Ochsenreither, Director
610.282.1100, ext. 2779
Jacqueline.Ochsenreither@desales.edu

The DeSales University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program prepares nurses to function as collaborative colleagues in health care planning, in policy decision making, and in implementing and directing care.

Mission Statement

The mission of the DNP Program is to provide a quality, practice- based education for master’s prepared nurses who will influence and manage the challenges of the delivery of health care for individuals, families, and populations within the tenets and beliefs of Christian humanism.

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, master’s degree in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-MSN APRN certificate programs at DeSales University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Learning Outcomes

The primary goal of the post-master’s DNP program is to prepare clinical and executive experts in specialized areas of nursing through an integration of nursing science with best practices evidenced by other disciplines (including medicine, ethics, economics, education, and public health). This program will contribute to the creation of an advanced practice and executive leadership workforce that will respond to the complex demands of patients and health care systems.

The DNP program prepares graduates who:

1. Integrate Christian humanism in advanced nursing practice that values and facilitates full human development via partnerships with individuals and aggregates.
2. Initiate resolutions to ethical dilemmas arising from system or organizational conflict.
3. Analyze new knowledge and evidence based practice to deliver high quality health care, initiate policy change, and improve health care delivery practices for individuals and aggregates.
4. Demonstrate advancement of clinical practice that contributes to quality, safety, and improved health outcomes.
5. Apply advanced concepts of leadership and advocacy to influence policy, health systems, and consumerism in order to effect population health service improvement.
6. Facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and consultation to meet the health needs of individuals and aggregates.
7. Synthesize seminal theoretical, ethical, and legal concepts into health care delivery practices.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in the application and evaluation of information technologies to meet the complex demands of health care.
9. Integrate cultural sensitivity through an awareness of global health concerns to decrease health disparities.
10. Design comprehensive care for complex patients across the lifespan utilizing innovative, evidence based methods.
11. Exemplify qualities required to assume leadership positions within the health care system, political arena, academic centers, and professional organizations.

DNP Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to the post-master’s DNP completion program are:

1. A baccalaureate degree in nursing from an ACEN or CCNE accredited institution;
2. For the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option, a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree from an ACEN or CCNE accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
3. For the executive leadership track with or without the MBA option, a master’s degree in Health Administration, Health Policy, Clinical Informatics, Clinical Leadership/ Clinical Nurse Leader, or Public Health from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
4. Current licensure as a registered nurse in the United States;
5. For the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option, national certification as an advanced practice nurse (NP, CNS, CNM, CRNA); international students are considered on a case-by-case basis relevant to their country’s advanced practice nursing equivalent;
6. For the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option, completion of graduate level courses in advanced physical assessment, advanced pharmacology (minimum 45 instructional hours), and pathophysiology with a grade of B or higher;
7. For the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option, evidence of a minimum of 500 precepted/supervised clinical practicum hours during the applicant’s advanced practice program;
8. For the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option, evidence of the equivalent of 12 months of fulltime advanced nursing practice within the last three years;
9. For the executive leadership track with or without the MBA option, the Director of the DNP Program will perform a gap analysis of all post-master’s applicant transcripts to determine the amount of practice hours post-baccalaureate that will be required in order to achieve the DNP competencies;
10. The program will provide up to 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice hours as part of a supervised program needed to achieve the 1,000 total hours that align with the corresponding AACN DNP Essential(s), and verify standards specific to advanced practice and executive leadership have been met.

International Admissions Requirements

Graduate Language Requirements

International applicants (regardless of citizenship) for whom English is a second language must submit English proficiency test scores as part of their application.

Please note that graduate admissions requires the following minimum scores on the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Cambridge English Language Assessment: Advanced (CAE):

Language Requirement Exceptions

Language skills assessment and other exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis by the admissions committee. Examples of some language requirement exceptions could include:

• If an applicant completed a degree from a postsecondary institution in an English speaking country
• If an applicant attended a U.S. community college, college, or university full-time for at least two years without English of Speakers with Other Languages (ESOL) coursework
• If an applicant has worked full-time in the U.S. for at least two years (non-healthcare programs only)

An official copy of test results must be sent by the testing agency directly to the appropriate program at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034.

Visit the following websites for up-to-date information:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Web site at www.ets.org/toefl
• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) https://www.ielts.org/
• The Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE): http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/proficiency/

*All exams must have been taken within two years of application to a DeSales program.

Official Transcripts

All undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034.

Proof of Finances

A statement of finances that covers the cost of the attendance and living expenses for at least one full year must be submitted to the Director of Graduate Admissions/Designated School Official (DSO) upon acceptance to a graduate program.

Obtaining an F-1 Student Visa

The Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO will advise international applicants and students on the steps to obtain an F-1 Student Visa.

Current F-1 Students Transferring to DeSales

Upon admission to a graduate program, the Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO will provide forms for the student to complete for their current institution, requesting the Form I-20 to be transferred to DeSales.

Maintaining F-1 Student Status

Each F-1 student will meet with the Director of Graduate Admissions/DSO upon acceptance into the program regarding maintaining F-1 student status.

DNP Application Procedure

One cohort will be accepted annually for a fall semester start. The admission process will follow the following time line:

April 15: All application materials due
April 15-30: Application packets reviewed
May 1-15: Interviews are conducted for select applicants
May 30: Applicants notified of acceptance
June 15: Deposit due
June 30: Reserve/wait-listed applicants notified of space

NOTE: All applicants must apply and submit required forms and documentation via DeSales University (https://www.desales.edu/applygrad) or via NursingCAS (https://portal.nursingcas.org).

Further information regarding the application process is available at desales.edu/dnp. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the following as part of their application:

1. Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. All transcripts from any degree-granting institution outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES-approved evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Inc., with the resulting report submitted directly to the Division of Nursing. Visit www.naces.org for more information;
2. International applicants from a country where the official language is other than English must submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the past two years. Visit www.ets.org for more information. DeSales University’s institutional reporting code is 2021;
3. Three letters of reference: one from a graduate program faculty member or someone who can attest to the applicant’s academic aptitude; one from the present employer/ supervisor; and one from an individual who has known the applicant in a professional capacity;
4. Résumé or curriculum vitae; this should reflect all evidence of professional career achievements, publications, presentations, or other forms of professional scholarship;
5. The Vision Statement: should describe the applicant’s goals for a leadership role as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate as well as the applicant’s reason for applying to the DeSales University’s DNP Program. The Vision Statement should clearly express the applicant’s professional goals and how participation in the DeSales DNP Program will enhance those goals.
   
   Additionally, the applicant should submit an Inquiry Question that identifies a question of clinical interest or a practice problem that will serve as the clinical inquiry topic for the final DNP Scholarly Project (SP). The scope of the DNP SP should be large enough to result in a system-wide change at the organizational, regional, or national level; a new or revised state health policy; or the establishment of a significant new health service for a population or geographic region. The purpose of the Inquiry Question is to demonstrate the applicant’s insight into the topic of scientific inquiry so faculty can evaluate written communication and research skills. The appropriate length of the combined Vision Statement and Inquiry Question should be between 3-5 pages.
6. Copy of current RN license and other national certifications as applicable.

Admission process/requirements are rigorous; demonstrating minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the DNP program. Applicants selected for potential admission are required to have an interview before a final admission decision is rendered. Interviews will be conducted in person and will only be scheduled once all application materials have been received. In cases of travel hardship, a telephone or electronic conference may be substituted.

Once an admission decision has been reached and notification of the decision has been sent to the applicant, the decision is considered final and the application is closed. Information related to closed applications is not discussed with the applicant or the applicant’s designees. There are no appeals.

Offers of admission will be made by May 30 or earlier if a complete admissions packet is received and approved for the cohort to begin in the subsequent fall semester. A $500 non-refundable deposit is due by June 15 in order to maintain the student’s offer of admission to that cohort. Students who have not deposited by June 15 will be considered to have withdrawn their application, and a student from the waiting list will be offered their seat. All waitlisted students will receive communication by June 30 as to whether or not a seat is available for them.

For special circumstances requiring that an admitted student defer from beginning the program, a deferral may be requested and granted for one year from the original admission date without requiring the student to pay any additional fees. A deferral of admission may only be granted one time.

Students who have not completed one or more of the pre-requisite courses can complete those courses at DeSales University or at another accredited university. Critical content areas in each of those courses is available to applicants on the DNP website. Before enrolling in a pre-requisite course at another university, students must seek approval of the course from the Director of the DNP Program.

DNP Transfer Policy

DNP courses taken for transfer must be pre-approved in writing by the Director of the DNP Program. The DNP program accepts up to six credits/two courses for transfer based on the following criteria:

1. Course work must have been completed within the past two years;
2. Course work must be from a CCNE or ACEN-accredited college or university;
3. Grades for transfer courses must be a B or higher;
4. Transfer credits are not calculated into the cumulative GPA that the student achieves while a DNP student at DeSales University;

An official transcript must accompany the request for transfer of credit. The student must provide a syllabus and topical outline for any course requested for transfer. Determination of equivalency of scope, subject matter, and student learning outcomes will be made by the Director of the DNP Program.

General DNP Progression Policies

The following policies apply to all DNP students in each phase of the DNP program:

1. Doctoral students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and receive a grade of PO (for Pass/Fail courses) or B or higher in all courses.
2. All nursing courses have the following grading scale:

3. A student who receives a grade of B- or below in a course must repeat that course and achieve a grade of B or higher before progressing in the program. If the student achieves a grade less than B for a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program. Course failure is defined as a course grade of FO or any course grade that is less than the required minimum course grade.
4. Only one course may be repeated due to not achieving the minimum grade of B (or PO if applicable) based on the above criteria; students achieving a grade less than a B (or PO if applicable) in a second course will be automatically dismissed from the program.
5. Students who must repeat a course will be withdrawn from their current cohort. The student must meet with the Director of the DNP Program to determine when the required course can be completed, subject to availability of seating in subsequent cohorts.
6. If a student’s GPA falls below a 3.0, the student is placed on academic probation. Students unable to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 within six credits, or two courses, following the successful completion of the repeated course will be dismissed from the program.
7. The SP Committee Chair may request a review for student academic probation by the Graduation Admissions and Standards Committee (GASC) if he or she determines that the student is not making satisfactory progress on meeting the Scholarly Project benchmarks. This is generally evidenced by the student’s failure to meet agreed upon timelines for project activities. If the GASC determines that probation is warranted, a detailed Probation Letter, including all expectations and dates for resolution, will be sent to the student. Failure to meet the stipulations of the Probation Letter will result in dismissal from the DNP program.
8. A student may be placed on academic probation only once throughout the graduate program. A student placed on academic probation for a second time will be immediately dismissed from the program.
9. Students with an “Incomplete” on their transcript may not register for another course until the Incomplete is resolved and the minimum course grade is achieved. An exception to this policy is made for NU - 820 DNP Scholarly Project , which is graded Pass/Fail. Students who do not achieve the learning outcomes for NU 820 will receive an Incomplete for the course, and must continue to register for NU - 822 Scholarly Project Advisement every semester
   until a grade is achieved in NU 820. Students will receive a designation of NG for NU - 822 Scholarly Project Advisement , since there is no basis for a grade. Students are referred to the Program Completion Policy that allows for a maximum of four years, starting
   from the date of enrollment in the first course, for completion of the DNP program.
10. Courses that result in a grade of either PO/FO or NG are not calculated into the overall GPA.
11. Students must pass both the theory and residency portions of a course in order to progress through the entire course. Achieving a grade less than B in either the residency or theory component results in a failure for the entire course.
12. A student has the right to appeal an academic dismissal in writing in accordance with the DeSales University Grievance Policy outlined in the Graduate Catalog. The words “Academic Dismissal” appear on the official transcript of a student who is dismissed for academic reasons.
13. Program dismissal may result from a variety of non-academic circumstances including but not limited to scholastic dishonesty, unethical behavior, incivility, or non-professional behavior. These circumstances are fully described earlier in the Graduate Catalog.
14. Requested academic references for students who have been dismissed from the program will include only the dates of attendance.

DNP Admission to Candidacy

DNP students are granted candidacy upon IRB approval of the Scholarly Project proposal and successful completion of all of the following course work: NU - 800 Leadership for Practice , NU - 802 Evidence Based Practice I , NU - 807 Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics , NU - 808 Health Policy and Ethics , NU - 810 Translational Research , NU - 812 Health Care Informatics . In addition, students in the clinical leadership track with or without the MBA option must complete NU - 804 Health Outcomes Management ; students in the executive leadership track with or without the MBA option must complete FD - 505 Foundations of Business  and NU - 813 Special Topics  (if applicable).

After admission to candidacy, students in the executive leadership track, with or withouth the MBA option, are required to register, in sequence, for the following courses: NU - 809 Business Computing , NU - 801 Financial & Managerial Accounting , NU - 805 Marketing Management , NU - 816 Scholarship Residency , NU - 818 Leadership Residency , and NU - 820 DNP Scholarly Project  and Portfolio Completion. Students in the clinical leadership track, with or without the MBA option, are required to register, in sequence, for the following courses: NU - 814 Evidence Based Practice II , NU - 816 Scholarship Residency , NU - 816 Scholarship Residency , NU - 818 Leadership Residency , and NU - 820 DNP Scholarly Project  and Portfolio Completion. Students must complete all courses listed as required for the program track in which they are enrolled. Candidacy is an automatic process based on the above criteria.

DNP Leave of Absence

Students who have matriculated into the DNP program may request a leave of absence (LOA) for personal, financial, family, or other reasons. A student who has received full acceptance to the DNP program and has successfully completed at least one DNP course is considered matriculated. A LOA is ordinarily granted only once throughout the program, and ordinarily may not exceed 12 months.

Students requesting a LOA must put their request in writing to their DNP SP Committee Chair and the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. The LOA form can be obtained from the Blackboard Organization GRP-NU-DNP01-11: DNP Program DNP Leave of Absence Form.

LOA requests are considered jointly among the Chair of the Doctor of Nursing Practice, the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs, and the student’s DNP SP Committee Chair. If a student is granted a LOA the student will be withdrawn from their current cohort and a place will be reserved for them in the following cohort.

Students who do not register for a course by the designated LOA end date will be considered withdrawn from the program and formally reapply for admission. Re-admittance into the program is not guaranteed.

DNP Course Add and Drop

A student may drop or add a course by the date noted on the academic calendar. The dropped course is not listed on the student’s permanent transcript. Dropping or adding a course requires the approval of the student’s SP Committee Chair and the Director of the DNP Program.

Students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment according to the DNP curriculum plan. Students who choose to drop a required course will be withdrawn from the current cohort. The student must meet with their SP Committee Chair to determine when the required course can be completed, subject to availability of seating in subsequent cohorts.

DNP Plan of Study Change

Students who wish to alter a program plan must petition the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program as previously outlined in the Graduate Catalog.

DNP Course Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from a course either during or after the official withdrawal period noted on the academic calendar with the permission from the Director of the DNP Program. However, tuition is not refunded after the deadline for official withdrawal.

A student who withdraws during the first half of the course will be given a grade of W, WP, or WF. The grade depends upon the completion of course requirements as of the date of withdrawal. Withdrawal after the second half of the course has begun results in a failing grade (F), except in cases exempted by the appropriate admissions and academic policies committee as the result of the student’s appeal.

Withdrawal from a course at any point must be approved by both the student’s SP Committee Chair and the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. Students who wish to withdraw from a course after the Drop/Add period must complete a Graduate Course Withdrawal form, which can be obtained from the Blackboard Organization GRP-DNP01-11: DNP Program “DNP Graduate Course Withdrawal Form”. Refer to the “Course Withdrawal Refund Amount” section for information/policy on withdrawal deadlines and tuition refunds.

Students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment according to the DNP curriculum plan. Students granted a course withdrawal will be withdrawn from the current cohort. The student must meet with their DNP SP Committee Chair to determine when the required course may be completed, subject to availability of seating in subsequent cohorts.

DNP Program Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw from the DNP program at any point after acceptance must complete a Graduate Program Withdrawal form, which can be obtained from the Blackboard Organization GRP-NU-DNP-11: DNP Program “DNP Program Withdrawal Form”. Students must immediately resolve all financial indebtedness to the University.

Students seeking re-admittance to the DNP program may formally re-apply to the program. Re-admittance into the program is not guaranteed.

Students who have been considered withdrawn from the DNP program for a second time may not be considered for future readmittance.

Course Withdrawal Refund Amount

Withdrawal during the add/drop period: 100% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 1st class after the close of the add drop period: 80% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 2nd class after the close of the add drop period: 65% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 3rd class after the close of the add drop period: 50% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 4th class after the close of the add drop period: 25% of tuition refunded

Withdrawal after the 5th class after the close of the add drop period: No refund

DNP Program Completion Policy

The maximum time for completion of the DNP program is four years from the date of enrollment in the first course. This includes any time elapsed due to an approved leave of absence or time associated with failure to progress. Exceptions to this policy may be appealed on an individual basis in accordance with the DeSales University grievance procedure.

Academic Schedule

The DNP program is designed for full-time study. Courses are offered in the fall, winter, spring, and summer semesters. Scheduling of courses is planned to meet the needs of nurses who are employed full-time.

The DNP Academic Calendar may be found at https://www.desales.edu/academics/graduate-studies/doctor-of-nursing-practice.

The Division of Nursing reserves the right to cancel courses for insufficient enrollment. A minimum number of registrants is generally six students.

Student Status

A full-time student is one who carries at least six (6) credits in a given term.

A half-time student is one who carries at least three (3) credits in a given term.

International Student Status

In addition to the criteria described in the Academic Regulations section, an international student (F-1 visa) needs to

• maintain full-time student status,
• carry at least one classroom based course in each semester, and
• take no more than one distance-education course in each semester.

Registration and Advising Policies

The original curriculum plan may be amended, depending upon course availability, and only after consultation with and approval by the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. However, there is no guarantee that changes will meet the student’s timeline for program completion due to course timing, sequencing, and enrollment. Students who wish to alter a program plan, take a LOA, or change their part-time or full-time student status must petition the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program as previously outlined.

The registration process is conducted online using WebAdvisor (accessible at https://portal.desales.edu). Registration for classes generally begins six to eight weeks before the first class meeting. Students registering for their first course must do so through the Division of Nursing and follow their approved plan of study.

The University reserves the right to limit enrollment or cancel a class if enrollment is not sufficient.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are available at https://www.desales.edu/academics/academic-programs/detail/dnp-clinical-leadership.

Matriculation

A student is considered matriculated once they have been accepted into the program and have successfully completed their first course.

Graduation Requirements

The DNP degree is awarded to candidates who have satisfied the following requirements:

1. Completion of the approved course of graduate study.
2. A GPA of at least 3.0 for all course work related to the degree.
3. Demonstration of grades at the level of B or better in all courses. (A grade of PO is required in all Pass/Fail courses.)
4. Resolution of all Incomplete grades.
5. Resolved financial obligations to the University.
6. Payment of the graduation fee.
7. Successful defense of a final Scholarly Project and submission of final Scholarly Project, via ProQuest, to DeSales Trexler Library.

Program of Study

The program of study reflects the philosophy of the Division of Nursing. The outcomes of the programs emanate from the statements of belief concerning being human in contemporary society, the relationship of the nurse to the patient, and the responsibilities of the nurse in delivering health care today and in the future.

Practicum and Specialty Courses - DNP/MBA

Courses toward the joint DNP/MBA degrees are offered through both the Division of Nursing and the Masters of Business Administration program. The DNP degree is completed over seven (7) semesters. The MBA degree is then completed over the following 5 semesters. Both degrees can be completed over a total of 13 semesters. If a student wants to complete a single degree after matriculation into the dual degree program, he/she must petition both program directors and request reclassification as a single degree student.

On-Campus Sessions

New DNP cohorts are in residence on campus for 4 days (Thursday through Sunday) of orientation and introduction to the first two courses. A thorough orientation to the program, curriculum, policies, procedures, technology, and course methods is provided. In addition, 8 hours of instruction in the first two courses will be provided real-time. This will occur annually in mid- to late-August.

Subsequently, students have the option to be online with (synchronized and unsynchronized) technology options, or to be on-campus for 2-3 days at the Center Valley location three times per year (January, April and August). These visits to campus include meeting with the student’s Scholarly Committee Chair, scholarly project planning, and 8 hours of instruction in the upcoming courses.

Housing for On-Campus Sessions

During these residencies students are housed in a conveniently located hotel. The hotel will furnish adequate meeting space for students to meet in small groups, wireless Internet access, and business support services (e.g. fax, photocopying, and shipping).

Board for On-Campus Sessions

Meals will be provided for students while in residence. The cost of these meals will be covered by tuition. Any food purchases outside of these meals will be the responsibility of the student.

Transportation for On-Campus Sessions

Students are responsible for obtaining their own transportation from their permanent residence to the hotel and from the hotel to their permanent residence. Transportation to and from the DeSales campus to the designated hotel during the on-campus sessions will be provided to all students .

Accommodations, food, and travel to and from the campus from the hotel are included in the cost of tuition. These costs cannot be separated out or deducted from the student’s tuition bill should the student decide to seek additional room, board, or transportation alternatives.

Programs

• Nursing Practice, Clinical Leadership (DNP)
• Nursing Practice, Clinical Leadership with Business Administration (DNP/MBA)
• Nursing Practice, Executive Leadership (DNP)
• Nursing Practice, Executive Leadership with Business Administration (DNP/MBA)

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