DNP Program Information

Clinical Practice Hours

Clinical Leadership Track: to achieve the terminal DNP competencies, a total of 1,000 post-baccalaureate clinical practice hours are required. DeSales requires a minimum of 500 clinical practicum hours obtained during a master of science in nursing program as part of the admission criteria.

Executive Leadership Track:  upon acceptance, the Director of the DNP Program will perform a gap analysis of all post-Master’s applicant transcripts to determine the amount of hours of practice post-baccalaureate is required in order to achieve the DNP competencies. The program will provide up to 1,000 hours of practice post-baccalaureate as part of a supervised academic program that aligns with the corresponding DNP Essential(s) and to verify that standards specific to advanced practice have been met.

All DeSales DNP students will complete, in either full- or part-time format, 525 hours as part of the Scholarship Residency, Leadership Residency, and DNP Capstone courses.

For full example schedules, view the DNP Curriculum

For more details about courses, view the Graduate Catalog

DNP cohorts will be in residence virtually for 1 to 2 days for orientation and an introduction to the first one to two courses, depending on full-time or part-time status. A thorough orientation to the program, curriculum, policies, procedures, technology, and course methods will be provided.

• Fall 4-day Orientation
• Winter, Spring, Fall, Winter 3-day Residencies (online)
• Defend Scholarly Project
  
  

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree provides the terminal practice degree, which is the recommended entry level for the advanced practice nurse by the year 2015. 

"Advanced Nursing Practice" is the term applied to any form of nursing intervention that influences health care outcomes for individuals or populations, including the direct care of individual patients, management of care for individuals and populations, administration of nursing and health care organizations, and the development and implementation of health policy (AACN, 2004).

The intention of the DNP degree is to provide the additional knowledge and competencies to equip advanced practice, and executive nurses to affect health outcomes, consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN, 2007) specifications for practice doctoral programs in nursing.

DNP Program Learning Outcomes

The DNP Program provides a quality, practice-based education for masters-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 DNP Program prepares graduates who:

1. Exemplify Christian humanism through valuing and facilitating full human development via partnerships with individuals and aggregates.
2. Integrate theory and science to support ethically and legally sound practice decisions.
3. Engage in scholarly activities through the evaluation, integration and dissemination of scientific evidence to support clinical practice.
4. Synthesize strategies to promote improvement in quality outcomes in healthcare organizations, education, and clinical systems.
5. Assume leadership positions within the health care system, political arena, academic centers, and professional organizations.
6. Influence individual and population health outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.
7. Formulate health policy related to practice to influence health care delivery and health outcomes.
8. Evaluate the design, selection and implementation of information technology to support and improve health outcomes.
9. Evaluate strategies for planning and delivering population-based care within the context of the cultural dimensions of health.
10. Lead initiatives aimed toward the improvement of health outcomes using advanced communication skills.

DNP Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, students will:

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.

Clinical Practice Hours

All DeSales BSN-DNP students will complete 675 clinical hours in their third year, and 525 residency hours in their fourth year.

For full example schedules, view the BSN-DNP NP Tracks Curriculum

For more details about courses, view the Graduate Catalog

BSN-DNP cohorts will be in residence for orientation and an introduction to the first two courses. A thorough orientation to the program, curriculum, policies, procedures, technology, and course methods will be provided.

The Residency schedules for the BSN-DNP track options are listed below.  These include all BSN-DNP NP track students who are matriculating into the following tracks/options:

Family/Individual Across the Lifespan (FNP) 
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) 
Psych Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS)

• Year 1- Fall
  Orientation mid-August
• Year 2- Fall
  Scholarly Project (SP) Workshop #1 mid-August
• Year 2- Spring
  SP Workshop #2 early April
• Year 3- Fall
  Clinical Boot Camp mid-August
• Year 4- Fall
  SP Workshop #3 early August
• Year 4- Winter
  DNP SP Defense Proposal Presentation early January
• Year 4- Spring
  Final DNP SP Defense early June

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree provides the terminal practice degree, which is the recommended entry level for the advanced practice nurse by the year 2015. 

"Advanced Nursing Practice" is the term applied to any form of nursing intervention that influences health care outcomes for individuals or populations, including the direct care of individual patients, management of care for individuals and populations, administration of nursing and health care organizations, and the development and implementation of health policy (AACN, 2004).

The intention of the DNP degree is to provide the additional knowledge and competencies to equip advanced practice, and executive nurses to affect health outcomes, consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN, 2007) specifications for practice doctoral programs in nursing.

The BSN-DNP Track structure follows an executive educational model with intensive face-to-face introduction to select courses or collaborative synchronous, asynchronous, online, and hybrid delivery of other courses.  Some courses may be taught via a synchronous, online, hybrid, or in-class approach with a nursing and/or faculty member using Brightspace, Zoom Meeting, or additional teaching platforms. 

The primary goal of the DNP degree is to prepare clinical experts in specialized areas of nursing through integration of nursing science with best practices, evidenced by other disciplines (including medicine, ethics, economics, and public health).  The BSN-DNP Track supports students with a BSN degree to develop the necessary foundational principles in theory, quality, safety, and leadership on which to base their future practice in chosen specialty areas.  The ability to synthesize learning principles, aid in the doctorally-prepared nurse-leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs of care delivery that significantly impact healthcare outcomes.

DNP Program Learning Outcomes

The DNP Program provides a quality, practice-based education for masters-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 DNP Program prepares graduates who:

1. Exemplify Christian humanism through valuing and facilitating full human development via partnerships with individuals and aggregates.
2. Integrate theory and science to support ethically and legally sound practice decisions.
3. Engage in scholarly activities through the evaluation, integration and dissemination of scientific evidence to support clinical practice.
4. Synthesize strategies to promote improvement in quality outcomes in healthcare organizations, education, and clinical systems.
5. Assume leadership positions within the health care system, political arena, academic centers, and professional organizations.
6. Influence individual and population health outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.
7. Formulate health policy related to practice to influence health care delivery and health outcomes.
8. Evaluate the design, selection and implementation of information technology to support and improve health outcomes.
9. Evaluate strategies for planning and delivering population-based care within the context of the cultural dimensions of health.
10. Lead initiatives aimed toward the improvement of health outcomes using advanced communication skills.

DNP Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, students will:

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.

New Student Orientation

The DeSales DNP program includes a thorough orientation to the curriculum, policies, procedures, technology, and course methods. In addition, eight hours of each of the first two track-specific courses are taught in real-time during the orientation residency.  

Technology

 As a DNP student, you are expected to have your own laptop computer and are responsible for the maintenance of your own personal hardware. However, DeSales does provide support for your required software and networking systems.

HelpDesk

The DeSales HelpDesk will guide you through any problem you are experiencing with a DeSales technology system. 

• helpdesk@desales.edu
• On campus: "HELP" (x4357) 
• 610.282.1100 ext. 4357

Center for Educational Resources and Technology (CERT)

CERT provides free instructional workshops and support to help you get the most out of your distance learning experience.

• cert@desales.edu
• On campus: "HELP" (x4357) 
• Off campus: 610.282.1100 ext. 4357

Trexler Library

Access to Trexler Library is available both on-campus and online. The Library maintains an extensive collection of medical books in electronic format that are available through our online catalog.

Cooperative library agreements exist between DeSales and two major consortial partners. Trexler Library's collection is augmented by the collections available at all Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) institutions. Trexler Library is also a member of LYRASIS, the nation's largest regional library consortia. This enables students to retrieve resources not held at the DeSales library or other LVAIC institutions.

Trexler Library

Extensive healthcare resources available from Trexler Library include:

• Cochrane Reviews
• Joanna Briggs Institute
• CINAHL Plus Full-Text
• PsychINFO
• EBSCO Health Source: Nursing Academic Edition
• Epocrates
• Nursing Reference Center
• PubMed