Curriculum and Course Descriptions
BSN-DNP and Post MSN-DNP

The DNP program will require a total of 78 graduate nursing credit hours. The student must have completed a master of science in nursing degree in nursing to be eligible to enroll in the DNP program and may apply a maximum of 42 graduate credits toward the required 78 credit hours for the degree. Integrated practice hours within the curriculum will provide DNP students with learning opportunities to gain expertise in their area of specialization. The USI DNP curriculum is built upon three distinct areas of graduate nursing content as determined by the AACN Essentials document.

• Leadership and Organizational Systems Core Courses
• Evidence-Based Practice Core Courses
• Specialty Practice Courses

The DNP courses will use a hybrid method of course delivery with virtual educational intensives that are synchronous twice a year. Course delivery is via the Blackboard course management system. Student must have a computer with Internet access that supports video streaming. Each student will be required to attend virtual synchronous sessions/intensives, each fall and spring semester during each year the student is enrolled in the program. Student attendance for each intensive is mandated as a requirement of the DNP program curriculum.

1000 practice hours are required for the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree. Up to 500 of these hours may be transferred from their master’s degree in nursing. APRNs with national board certification may validate completion of the 500 hours from their master’s degree by submitting a copy of their national board certification to the Chair of Graduate Nursing. Non-APRN students will be required to submit a Practice Hours Verification form that includes the courses taken, the number of credit hours, and the practice hours completed in that course. The form must be signed by the Department Chair or designee at the institution where the master’s degree in nursing was received. 215 hours are embedded in DNP coursework that students complete. These hours are included in the following courses:

• NURS 717 (50 hours embedded)
• NURS 721 (50 hours embedded)
• NURS 725 (40 hours embedded)
• NURS 855 (75 hours embedded)

Total hours = 215

If the student is still deficient in hours after the embedded practice hours are added to those brought from their Master’s institution, an individual plan will be developed for the student to accrue those hours. This may include an independent study or BSN to DNP coursework that contains embedded practice hours.

The remaining required 500 practice hours are accrued through work in DNP Project courses. The hours are as follows:

• NURS 866 (Project Proposal) 125 hours
• NURS 874 (DNP Project 1) 200 hours
• NURS 875 (DNP Project II) 175 hours

Total hours = 500

All practice hours from project courses will be documented on the Doctor of Nursing Practice Hour Tracking Document. Hours from all three courses will be documented on the same form along with activities completed, date, relevant course objectives to the activity (refer to syllabus), program outcomes, and DNP Essentials. The Program Outcomes and DNP Essentials are included in the Tracking document for easy reference.

All students enrolled in the DNP program will complete an evidence-based project. The DNP project is a culmination of the knowledge gained in the DNP courses. This project will demonstrate identification and resolution of a practice problem through the scholarship of application. The primary objective of these projects is the improvement of healthcare outcomes in the practice setting. These evidence-based projects may include changes in the healthcare delivery system, organizational changes that impact healthcare at the local, regional, and national level and legislation and health care policies that reduce healthcare disparities. Students will identify their project during the first semester (see plan below) and continue project development throughout subsequent courses. The project must be completed in order for the DNP degree to be conferred. The primary faculty mentor will be included as an author on all dissemination activities during the DNP program. The secondary mentor and practice partner may also be included in dissemination activities as appropriate.  DNP course faculty should also be included in dissemination activities as content relates to course activities.  Faculty mentor inclusion in any dissemination activity is mandatory. 

To complete the DNP project, each student will be assigned to a primary and secondary faculty mentor. The student will also identify practice partner(s) who will collaborate with the faculty mentor and student on the project.

The Practice Partner Will:

• Assist the student in selecting goals that support the objectives of the DNP program
• Guide the student in the development and acquisition of leadership skills required for the project
• Meet with the student regularly and provide feedback
• Support completion of the project and communicate as needed with the DNP project faculty

The DNP Project Plan Will Include:

• Overview of the project.
• Problem statement and background information
• The need and feasibility of the project including market/risk analysis
• Project objectives
• Evaluation plan with methodology and measures included
• Timeframe that is reasonable and comprehensive.
• Budget (if applicable) with funding sources identified. 

Types of DNP Projects:

• System modification for quality improvement processes
• Analyze a state or national health care policy and propose a change in the model or implementation of policy
• Develop and implement information technologies to improve outcomes
• Compare care and teaching models in practice settings, potential cost savings, and outcomes.
• Design and evaluate health care or health education programs.
• Lead interprofessional collaborative projects to implement regional, state, or national policy and evaluate care models.
• Lead consumer and professional coalition projects to develop, implement or evaluate programs

DNP Project Practice Form: 

Each DNP student will be required to complete the DNP Project Practice Partner form and comply with all terms of the agreement at the location of the project. A copy of the form may be downloaded here.

The content of the project report is the responsibility of the DNP student and faculty mentor. The following documentation will be completed by the faculty mentor, practice partner and program director to ensure successful completion of the written proposal and final written report:

• The proposal for the DNP project must be written and approved no later than the completion of NURS 866 (DNP Project Proposal) and prior to project implementation.
• The DNP project proposal committee is responsible for notifying the student and mentor of whether the proposal is satisfactory or not to move forward with implementation.
• The student is responsible for sharing the written proposal with the practice partner and securing their agreement and support.

To Meet Graduation Requirements, the DNP Project Will Include:

• Successful defense of DNP project proposal (poster presentation)
• Poster presentation of the DNP project proposal at a professional conference as part of completion of the second project course
• Podium presentation of the completed project at a regional, state or national professional conference
• A submitted manuscript summarizing the completed project to a peer reviewed professional journal at the completion of the final project course.
• Completed Executive Summary (see outline, below)

Final DNP Project Requirements

Manuscript:

1. The student, in collaboration with their DNP mentor, should identify an appropriate journal fitting with their DNP project proposal by the end of NURS 688 (DNP Project Proposal).
2. Students will write their manuscript to the standards of their chosen journal.
3. The final manuscript must be submitted for publication consideration by the end of NURS 875 (DNP Project II).

Executive Summary:

1. Problem Statement and Significance
2. Theoretical Framework (Brief 2-3 sentences)
3. Methodology
4. Results
5. Discussion
6. Implications
   • Systems
   • Policy
   • Economics
   • Practice

*The executive summary must be 15-20 pages, excluding title page, references and appendices.  

Role of the DNP Academic Advisor:

• Serves as the student's academic advisor
• Guides the student's program of study
• Reviews course selections each semester

 Role of the DNP Project Faculty Mentor:

• Engages in discussions with the student regarding DNP project goals
• Reviews DNP project proposal draft
• Assists the student in preparing for the DNP project poster presentation
• Assists the student in preparing/submitting IRB forms if applicable
• Assists the student with publications and serves as second author on all publications related to DNP project
• Meets with the student during intensive and as needed to review progress
• Reviews DNP project course assignments, grades assignments, and communicates with DNP project instructor
• Meets with practice partner (teleconference/in person) as needed
• Gives final approval of DNP project including project paper and manuscript

Role of the DNP Project Faculty:

• Organizes, teaches, and manages the DNP project course
• Meets with students individually as needed to discuss progress
• Assigns the grade for the DNP project course 

Role of the DNP Project Review Committee:

• Evaluates the proposed project according to the DNP Project Proposal Rubric
• Provides timely and constructive feedback to the DNP student and their faculty mentor
• Effectively communicates to the student and assigned faculty mentor due dates for re-submissions as needed