Nursing Practice (DNP)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The University of St. Francis Leach College of Nursing is taking a leadership role in advancing evidence-based graduate nursing education, advanced nursing practice, and health care delivery. When started in 2009, USF’s Nursing Practice (DNP) program was an early leader in the field. With an aging population and health care issues in the headlines, there’s a growing need for highly-trained nurses. Nurses who have earned a degree are expected to be in high demand for the next two decades.
There’s also a demand for trained nursing educators, which is why the Leach College of Nursing was thrilled to be awarded in 2021 with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s prestigious Nurse Faculty Loan Program Grant. The grant, worth close to $250,000 annually, seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide, and through loan cancellation, decrease the financial barrier that nursing instructors often experience. Obtain your DNP to teach, and you can be assisted by this grant.
SCAN TO VIEW THE CURRICULUM FOR THIS PROGRAM“I am so honored to be a graduate of USF’s DNP program. The kind of support, mentorship, and coaching that I received during my educational journey was second to none. I will always remain grateful to USF for reaching out and giving me encouragement to return to the program. Thank you.”
FEATURES
This program is led by faculty members who bring cutting edge technology and student learning experiences to the classroom, ensuring that students learn the newest and best treatment protocols in nursing. The program also features a specific focus in vulnerable populations, preparing students to serve these citizens, whether poor, frail, marginalized, or uninsured. The online design of the program is for learners who want to reach the pinnacle of professional education while continuing to work.
BENEFITS
The program is fully online with practicum coordination assistance. It is taught by DNP and Ph.D. nurses with a variety of experiences and specialties. DNP-prepared nurses are highly employable in a variety of roles, including leaders and executive directors of graduate nursing programs, faculty members of clinical nursing programs, and leaders in health care policy and practice transformation.
Graduates of this program will be able to:
1. Translate theoretical, scientific, and contemporary practice knowledge and other disciplines into clinical
practice and advance scholarship through evaluating outcomes of evidence-based improvement strategies.
2. Interpret and synthesize outcome data of personalized delivery of healthcare with respect to cultural and spiritual beliefs of patients from diverse cultures.
3. Advance quality improvement practice through activities of modeling, tutoring, and disseminating outcomes within complex systems of health care.
4. Evaluate the risks to population health and policies addressing inequities and lead a collaborative approach to achieve equitable health through activities of advocacy and scholarship incorporating ethical principles.
5. Lead team-based change initiatives through the thoughtful use of outcome metrics.
6. Enhance personal, collegial, and collaborative approaches which protect population health and enhance the effectiveness of patient-centered care.
7. Evaluate the use of technologies in health care and promote its ethical and safe use to support patientcentered care and equities in digital access to information.
8. Advance the profession through engaging in ongoing self-reflection, interdisciplinary peer and systems review and leadership roles.
FINANCING YOUR EDUCATION
Students are eligible for financial aid in the form of student loans, payment plans and tuition reimbursement deferment. All students should submit the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov. USF’s code is 001664.