Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepares graduates for nursing practice at the highest level. The DNP offers sophisticated, cutting-edge experiences that help nurses actively engage in a complex, dynamic and demanding health care field. Skills in collaboration, innovation, and evaluation — complemented by advanced nursing practice skills — prepare nurses to shape the future of health care. Graduates of the DNP program provide patient-centered care that is evidence-based, contribute to the development of evidence-based practice, and pursue leadership roles in a variety of health care and educational settings. All DNP graduates must have completed at least 1,000 hours of supervised, post-baccalaureate, practice experiences.
The KU School of Nursing's baccalaureate, master's, doctor of nursing practice (DNP), and post-graduate APRN certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC, 20001, (202) 887-6791. CCNE is a nationally recognized professional accrediting body for collegiate nursing programs. The baccalaureate program, APRN certificates, and DNP APRN specialties also are approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing. The Nurse Midwifery Program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), 2000 Duke Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 835-4565.
DNP Admission
New students are accepted to the DNP degree program once a year, for study that begins during the summer semester. The application deadline is January 1st for admission the following summer (June). Prospective students can apply using the KU Medical Center online application.
DNP Program Admission Criteria
- Completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree (for BSN to DNP), or completion of a nursing Master of Science (MS) degree (for post-master's DNP) from a nationally accredited (NLNAC or CCNE) program
- Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 for BSN-DNP application; for post-master's DNP, preference is given to applicants with a 3.25 graduate GPA in the master’s program
- Potential for leadership and application of scholarship in nursing
- Potential to provide expert advanced clinical care or expert service in functional areas
- New BSN graduates must obtain RN licensure prior to the first fall semester of enrollment
- Minimum of one year of clinical work experience as a registered nurse is recommended
- National certification in specialty area, where applicable (e.g., post-master's Advanced Practice DNP)
- A graduate-level statistics course (may be completed prior to admission or during first semester of enrollment)
- A background check and drug screen are required during the admission process and may affect the student's eligibility to enter the program
English Language Requirements: All applicants for study at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) whose native language is not English must demonstrate an established level of English language proficiency through either the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the academic format of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The test must have been taken within two years of the first semester of enrollment.
See also Admissions in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Post-Baccalaureate DNP Degree Requirements
The post-baccalaureate DNP curriculum is designed for registered nurses who have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program for these students is divided into two components. The first consists of courses focusing on initial preparation for advanced nursing practice in clinically-focused or leadership-focused roles. The second component includes courses for doctoral level preparation for advanced nursing practice in clinically-focused or leadership-focused roles.
Advanced-Practice Major
The advanced-practice nursing major prepares nurses for nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife specialty areas.
- The nurse practitioner specialization prepares nurses to provide primary or acute (depending on specialization) health care to clients and families across the life span. Adult/gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, Adult/gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, Family nurse practitioner, and Psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner options are available. The nurse practitioner is prepared to provide health care in a variety of settings. (75-79 credit hours)
- The nurse-midwife specialization focuses on the support and management of well-women's primary and reproductive health care needs through the life span. (76 credit hours)
-
There is a Clinical Practice Requirement for BSN-DNP Nurse-Midwifery, Prior to Entering Practicum Courses: NRSG 966, NRSG 967, and/or NRSG 968:
- The student must complete all appropriate pre-requisite didactic courses in the specialization (nurse-midwifery).
- The student is required to have RN work experience in labor and delivery of at least 6 months as a 1.0 FTE or the equivalent (1,000 hours) within the last 5 years.
- The student must show proof of completion for:
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) current (not expired)
- Intermediate Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring within 3 years
-
Leadership Major
The leadership major prepares nurses for leadership roles in health informatics (73 credit hours), organizational leadership (74 credit hours), or public health nursing (75 credit hours).
Curriculum
The post-baccalaureate (BSN) DNP program requires the following:
- 30 credit hours of post-baccalaureate Common Core and DNP core courses, which includes 1 credit hour DNP Synthesis Workshop course
- A minimum of 6 credit hours of doctoral practice project
- 12-17 credit hours of Advanced-Practice or Leadership core
- 12-24 credit hours of specialization courses
- 2-8 credit hours of specialty area support and practicum courses
- Satisfactory completion of the DNP oral comprehensive exam
- Satisfactory completion of the University's research skills and responsible scholarship requirement
Total required DNP program credit hours vary from 73 to 79, depending on the specialization. Although curricular changes occur, examples of core courses include:
- Common Core (Post-BSN)
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 748 Theories for Practice and Research 3 NRSG 754 Health Care Research 3 NRSG 755 Professionalism in Advanced Nursing Practice 3 - DNP Core (Post-BSN and Post-Masters)
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 811 Principles of Clinical Epidemiology 3 NRSG 804 Interpreting Research for Applied Science 3 NRSG 808 The Social Context for Health Care Policy 2 NRSG 911 Tools for Practice Doctorate Scholarship 3 NRSG 935 Professionalism and Scholarship Workshop 2 NRSG 941 Preparing for Doctoral Leadership 2 NRSG 948 Methods for Assessing Organizational and Clinical Practice Outcomes 2 NRSG 954 DNP Synthesis Workshop 1 IPHI 850 Introduction to Health Informatics 2 - Advanced Practice Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 801 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning 3 NRSG 809 Health Promotion 2 NRSG 812 Advanced Pathophysiology 3 NRSG 813 Advanced Pharmacology 3 - Leadership Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 808 The Social Context for Health Care Policy 2 IPHI 820 Program, Project, and Communication Planning 2 NRSG 826 Global Perspective and Diversity in Healthcare 2 NRSG 880 Organizational Foundations for Leading Change 3 NRSG 885 Evaluation and Analysis for Healthcare Effectiveness 2 NRSG 919 Foundations for Leading and Communicating in Organizations 3 NRSG 920 Microsystems in Health Care Operations 3
- Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty Core (not admitting to this specialty during the 2024-2025 cycle)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NRSG 971 | Special Considerations for the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner | 1 |
| NRSG 972 | Advanced Pharmacology for the Acute Care Setting | 2 |
| NRSG 973 | Acute Care I: Adult-Gero NP | 3 |
| NRSG 974 | Acute Care II: Adult-Gero NP | 3 |
| NRSG 975 | Acute Care Practicum I: Adult-Gero NP | 4 |
| NRSG 976 | Acute Care Practicum II: Adult-Gero NP | 2-4 |
| NRSG 977 | Acute Care Practicum III: Adult-Gero NP | 2-4 |
- Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty Core (not admitting to this specialty during the 2024-2025 cycle)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NRSG 901 | Primary Care I: Adult-Gerontology Health | 3 |
| NRSG 902 | Primary Care II: Adult-Gerontology Health | 3 |
| NRSG 903 | Primary Care Practicum I: Adult/Gerontology - Nurse Practitioner | 2 |
| NRSG 904 | Primary Care Practicum II: Adult/Gerontology - Nurse Practitioner | 4 |
| NRSG 905 | Primary Care Practicum III: Adult/Gerontology - Nurse Practitioner | 4 |
- Family Nurse Practitioner Specialty Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 914 Primary Care I: Family Health 3 NRSG 915 Primary Care II: Family Health 3 NRSG 916 Primary Care Practicum I: Family Nurse Practitioner 2-4 NRSG 917 Primary Care Practicum II: Family Nurse Practitioner 4 NRSG 918 Primary Care Practicum III: Family Nurse Practitioner 2-4 - Nurse-Midwife Specialty Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 841 Reproductive Endocrinology 2 NRSG 921 Nurse-Midwifery I: Sexual, Reproductive, and Gynecologic Health in Primary Care 3 NRSG 922 Nurse-Midwifery II: Preconception and Prenatal Care 3 NRSG 923 Nurse-Midwifery III: Postpartum and Newborn Care 2 NRSG 924 Nurse-Midwifery IV: Intrapartum Care 3 NRSG 962 Nurse-Midwifery Professionalism Seminar 2 NRSG 966 Nurse-Midwifery Practicum I 4 NRSG 967 Nurse-Midwifery Practicum II 2 NRSG 968 Nurse-Midwifery Practicum III: Integration 4 - Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Specialty Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 844 Advanced Psychiatric Assessment 3 NRSG 850 Mental Health Assessment of Infants, Children and Adolescents 3 NRSG 851 Psychopharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice 3 NRSG 929 Psychotherapeutic Interventions I: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 3 NRSG 930 Psychotherapeutic Interventions II: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 3 NRSG 931 Psychotherapeutics Practicum I: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 2 NRSG 932 Psychotherapeutics Practicum II: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 4 NRSG 933 Psychotherapeutics Practicum III: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 3-4
- Health Informatics Specialty Core
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IPHI 851 | Transforming Health Care through Use of Information Systems and Technology | 3 |
| IPHI 852 | Health Data Theory and Practice | 3 |
| IPHI 853 | Abstraction and Modeling of Healthcare Information | 3 |
| IPHI 854 | Knowledge Management in Health Care | 3 |
| IPHI 856 | Health Informatics Practicum | 1-3 |
| IPHI 957 | Health Informatics, Human Factors, and Ergonomics as Applied to Patient Safety | 3 |
| IPHI 958 | Knowledge Representation and Interoperability | 3 |
- Organizational Leadership Specialty Core
Course List Code Title Hours HP&M 822 Health Care Economics 3 NRSG 881 Applied Budgeting and Finance 3 NRSG 883 Complexity Science Approaches to Improve Organizational Effectiveness 3 NRSG 886 Organizational Leadership Practicum 1-3 NRSG 891 Human Resources and Workforce Development 3 NRSG 913 Business Strategies for Healthcare Leaders 3 - Public Health Nursing Specialty Core
Course List Code Title Hours NRSG 809 Health Promotion 2 NRSG 827 Advanced Concepts in Public Health Nursing 2 NRSG 828 Public Health Nursing: Practicum I 3 NRSG 829 Public Health Practicum 3 NRSG 839 Global Perspectives and Diversity in Healthcare: Practicum 2 PRVM 830 Environmental Health 3
Post-Master's DNP Degree Requirements
The post-master's DNP curriculum is designed for nurses who have already earned a nursing Master of Science degree. The DNP degree allows nurses to serve at a higher level as an advanced practice nurse or leader in their specialty. Two majors are offered in the post-master's DNP program: 1) Advanced-Practice and 2) Leadership. A minimum of 32 credit hours is required for the post-master's DNP. Depending on curricular background, some specialty specific courses are required. For example, IPHI 957 and IPHI 958 are required for students with a specialty background in informatics.
- 19 credit hours of post-master's DNP core courses. Although curricular changes may occur, examples of core courses include:
- Advanced-Practice
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NRSG 804 | Interpreting Research for Applied Science | 3 |
| NRSG 808 | The Social Context for Health Care Policy | 2 |
| NRSG 911 | Tools for Practice Doctorate Scholarship | 3 |
| NRSG 935 | Professionalism and Scholarship Workshop | 2 |
| NRSG 941 | Preparing for Doctoral Leadership | 2 |
| NRSG 948 | Methods for Assessing Organizational and Clinical Practice Outcomes | 2 |
| IPHI 850 | Introduction to Health Informatics | 2 |
| NRSG 811 | Principles of Clinical Epidemiology | 3 |
- Leadership
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NRSG 804 | Interpreting Research for Applied Science | 3 |
| NRSG 808 | The Social Context for Health Care Policy | 2 |
| NRSG 911 | Tools for Practice Doctorate Scholarship | 3 |
| NRSG 919 | Foundations for Leading and Communicating in Organizations | 3 |
| NRSG 920 | Microsystems in Health Care Operations | 3 |
| NRSG 935 | Professionalism and Scholarship Workshop | 2 |
| NRSG 941 | Preparing for Doctoral Leadership | 2 |
| NRSG 948 | Methods for Assessing Organizational and Clinical Practice Outcomes | 2 |
| IPHI 850 | Introduction to Health Informatics | 2 |
| IPHI 957 | Health Informatics, Human Factors, and Ergonomics as Applied to Patient Safety | 3 |
| IPHI 958 | Knowledge Representation and Interoperability | 3 |
| NRSG 811 | Principles of Clinical Epidemiology | 3 |
- A minimum of 6 credit hours of doctoral project
- Specialty courses determined by program
- Satisfactory completion of the University's Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship requirement
For further information, visit the Doctor of Nursing Practice section of the School of Nursing's website.
Post-Bachelor's Doctor of Nursing Practice - Sample Plan of Study
Specialties vary on total number of hours and courses; please see the School of Nursing website for specific plans of study.
Advanced Practice Major
| Year 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG 935 | 2 | NRSG 748 | 3 | NRSG 812 | 3 |
| NRSG 755 | 3 | NRSG 754 | 3 | ||
| 2 | 6 | 6 | |||
| Year 2 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| IPHI 850 | 2 | NRSG 808 | 2 | NRSG 804 | 3 |
| NRSG 801 | 3 | NRSG 813 | 3 | ||
| 2 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Year 3 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG 809 | 2 | NRSG 914 | 3 | NRSG 915 | 3 |
| NRSG 811 | 3 | NRSG 948 | 2 | ||
| 2 | 6 | 5 | |||
| Year 4 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG ELECTSpecialty Elective Course | 2 | NRSG 916 | 4 | NRSG ELECTSpecialty Elective Course | 2 |
| NRSG 954 | 1 | NRSG 911 | 3 | NRSG 917 | 4 |
| 3 | 7 | 6 | |||
| Year 5 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG 918 | 2 | NRSG ELECTSpecialty Elective Course | 2 | NRSG ELECTSpecialty Elective Course | 3 |
| NRSG 981 | 2 | NRSG 964 | 3 | NRSG 941 | 2 |
| NRSG 982 | 3 | NRSG 983 | 1 | ||
| 4 | 8 | 6 | |||
| Total Hours 74 | |||||
Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice - Sample Plan of Study
Specialties vary on total number of hours and courses; please see the School of Nursing website for specific plans of study.
Advanced Practice Major
| Year 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG 935 | 2 | NRSG 804 | 3 | NRSG 811 | 3 |
| NRSG 941 | 2 | NRSG 808 | 2 | ||
| 2 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Year 2 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| NRSG 948 | 2 | NRSG 911 | 3 | NRSG 964 | 3 |
| NRSG 954 | 1 | IPHI 850 | 2 | NRSG 981 | 2 |
| 3 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Year 3 | |||||
| Summer | Hours | Fall | Hours | ||
| NRSG 982 | 3 | NRSG 983 | 1 | ||
| NRSG ELECTSpecialty Elective Course | 3 | ||||
| 3 | 4 | ||||
| Total Hours 32 | |||||
TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION
University of Kansas School of Nursing
I. Introduction
All individuals admitted to the University of Kansas School of Nursing will be asked to verify that they can meet the following Technical Standards, with or without accommodation(s). In courses or programs without clinical components, or involving no direct client care, the Technical Standards may be modified by the Student Admission and Progression Committee (SAPC). After acceptance, but before admission to the School of Nursing, students in all programs must be able to document current certification/evidence of completion of a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for healthcare providers. This requires being able to successfully complete both the written and practical test for certification. In addition, with or without accommodation, the following abilities and expectations must be met by all students, undergraduate and graduate, admitted to the School of Nursing.
II. Standards
A. Observation/Sensory-motor: Applicants must be able to observe demonstrations and learn from experiences in the basic sciences, including but not limited to, physiology and pharmacology, microbiology and pathophysiology laboratory situations. Applicants must be able to observe and learn from experiences in the clinical nursing laboratory such as the following examples: accurately read gradients/calibrations on a syringe; measure medications accurately; accurately recognize color changes on chemical reaction strips; assess heart, breath, abdominal sounds; assess normal and abnormal color changes in the skin; observe pupil changes; and observe digital or waveform readings.
B. Communication: Communications include not only speech but also reading, writing, and computer usage, including handheld digital access. Applicants must be able to communicate accurately and effectively with patients, caregivers, physicians, other health professionals, clinical facility staff, faculty and staff, peers, and the community in general in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications.
C. Psychomotor: Applicants should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. Applicants should be physically able to collect specimens and perform basic tests (such as glucose finger stick, urine dipstick). Applicants should be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment reasonably required of nurses are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, administration of intravenous medication, application of pressure to stop bleeding, and assist in moving and lifting patients using proper body mechanics. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and using tactile and visual senses.
D. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative: Applicants must be able to comprehend and interpret documents written in English. Applicants should have cognitive abilities including measurements, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Critical thinking is the ability to synthesize knowledge and integrate the relevant aspects of a client’s history, physical exam findings and diagnostic studies. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of nurses, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant should be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures in order to understand normal and abnormal anatomy and physiology.
E. Behavioral and Social Attributes: Applicants must possess the emotional health required to utilize their intellectual abilities fully, exercise good judgment, complete all responsibilities attendant to the nursing diagnosis and care of patients promptly, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and their families. Applicants must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal communication skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that should be assessed during the admissions and education process. As a component of nursing education, a student must demonstrate ethical behavior including adherence to the professional nursing and student honor codes. The honor code at the KU School of Nursing is the Professional Integrity System (PROFITS). KU PROFITS is a peer-oriented integrity system to promote an environment where academic honesty is valued and expected.
III. Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who disclose a disability are considered for admission if they are otherwise qualified so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the educational program, or significantly affect the safety of patient care or others. When applicants or students disclose a disability, the provision of reasonable accommodations will be considered in an attempt to assist these individuals in meeting these required technical standards. Applicants whose response indicates that they cannot meet one or more of the expectations will be reviewed further by the University’s Office for Academic Accommodations, with applicant and faculty input, to determine if any reasonable accommodations are possible to facilitate successful completion of the nursing curriculum and preparation for the national registry examination.
It is important to give persons interested in enrolling in nursing a realistic view of the vigorous demands of the School of Nursing’s theoretical and practicum curriculum while at the same time investigating reasonable accommodations. Whether or not a requested accommodation is reasonable will be determined on a case by case basis. Interested individuals may schedule an orientation visit to the nursing skills laboratory and actual sites of the University of Kansas Hospital and/or University of Kansas Medical Center. These orientation visits enable persons to assess their interest and ability to function in the actual clinical areas and in learning and demonstrating manual skills.