DOCTORATE OF NURSING PRACTICE (BSN-DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Kentucky State University is a 72 credit hours (9 semesters) BSN-DNP online program with emphasis in the care of adults. Courses are completed online and clinical/residency hours are to be completed in the student's region with an approved preceptor/mentor. Course content is based on the DNP Essentials. The DNP curriculum is a program designed to prepare the RN with the BSN degree to function in the role of an advanced practice nurse caring for adults with a variety of health care needs.

To satisfy the requirements for graduation, the student must complete 72 semester credit hours of course work and 1080 hours of time in the clinical setting with a preceptor. The student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above. The DNP curriculum is congruent with established standards for clinical doctorate programs, includes appropriate advanced nursing practice competencies, role specific professional standards and guidelines, and certification requirements. In addition, it has clearly articulated student learning outcomes and program outcomes consistent with contemporary practice.

The advanced practice nursing curriculum emphasizes competence, accountability, and legal, ethical standards in the practice of the profession, and evidence based practice. The curriculum includes cultural, ethnic, and socially diverse concepts and may also include experience from regional, national or global perspectives.

Graduates of the DNP program will be able to demonstrate the following competencies, which are aligned with the National Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties and the ACEN Standards for Clinical Doctorate, including:

• Scientific Foundation competencies
• Leadership competencies
• Quality competencies
• Practice Inquiry competencies
• Policy competencies
• Health Delivery System competencies
• Ethics competencies
• Independent Practice competencies

Graduates of the BSN-DNP program will demonstrate leadership skills and knowledge in advanced nursing care and the measurement of clinical outcomes to ensure patient safety. Specifically, graduates of the BSN-DNP program will demonstrate the ability to:

• Utilize epidemiologic, scientific findings from nursing and other clinical disciplines, as well as organizational, political, and economic sciences, to develop practice initiatives that will improve the quality of care delivery.
• Assume organizational and system leadership in the analysis, delivery, and management of nursing care.
• Provide organizational and systems leadership to develop care delivery models that are fiscally responsible and demonstrate sensitivity to diverse organizational cultures.
• Engage in clinical scholarship to evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based efforts in the planning and practice of health care program delivery to individuals and communities.
• Utilize theories, concepts, and analytic methodologies to design, implement, and evaluate practice by applying evidence to transform nursing system.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals, consumers, and other stakeholders to influence health policy and health promotion/disease prevention endeavors at the local, state, federal, and/or international levels that improve patient and population health outcomes.

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