Doctor of Nursing Practice
Prepare for advanced, high-level leadership in nursing.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused program that combines a scholarly approach to the discipline of nursing while advancing the profession of nursing through practice. The online DNP program is CCNE-accredited.
The program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in nursing. The program does not prepare students to obtain a state RN license. Intensive, immersive experiences inform the practice-focused DNP Capstone Project.
Enjoy Flexibility – 14 online DNP courses with start dates every 2 weeks
Choose Where You Learn – Online courses & local immersion
Affordable Monthly Payments – Opt to pay $375 per month
Focus On Your Passion – Choose your Capstone
Intensive, immersive experiences inform the practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. The program requires students to complete 1000 hours of clinical practice immersion hours. Applicants who provide evidence of clinical hours from an MSN or other nursing-specific degree have the potential to have a percentage of those hours applied to the required 1000 before the Project course sequence.
While being a working nurse is not a program requirement, the DNP’s 1000-hour immersion experience requires students to have access to a clinical site and preceptor to successfully complete DNP courses with embedded immersion hours.
Program Goals
- Evaluate scientific underpinnings for practice and create a theoretical framework based on research.
- Improve the quality of nursing practice, by using leadership strategies and systems thinking, to lead organizations to change.
- Analyze clinical scholarship and analytical methods to provide a foundation for evidence-based practice.
- Critique information systems and patient care technology to improve and transform healthcare.
- Advocate for enhanced healthcare policy.
- Collaborate with professionals in other disciplines to improve patient and population health outcomes.
- Create innovations for prevention of disease and improvement of population health.
Alumni Spotlight
Theresa G. proudly become a nurse before becoming a doctor.
Admission Requirements
- Application – A completed application.
- Registered Nurse Licensure – Current, unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse in the United States, a US territory, or Canada. Registered nurses licensed outside of these areas are not eligible.
- Masters of Science in Nursing – Evidence of a masters degree in nursing (MSN), or a relevant discipline, in the form of official transcripts from an accredited institution or an equivalently certified degree from a recognized foreign college or University. GPA must be 3.0 or greater.
Courses:
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DNP800 - Theoretical and Scientific Underpinnings
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DNP805 - Organizational and Systems Leadership
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior (2nd Edition) - 978-0-07-182931-1
- Emotional intelligence 2.0 - 978-0974320625
- Leading Change - 978-1422186435
- Quantum Leadership (4th Edition) - 978-1-2840-5068-4
- StrengthsFinder 2.0 (*Please Note: This text must be purchased new because of the unique code for the assessment. A used text will not work for this course.) - 978-1-59562-015-6
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DNP835 - Strategic Leadership and Business Management
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DNP840 - Strategic Planning and Financial Management
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DNP825 - Health Information Management and Informatics
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DNP810 - Evidence-based Practice for Quality Improvement
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DNP820 - Health Policy and Advocacy
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DNP830 - Global Population Health
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Final Proctored Exam
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DNP850A - Project Planning
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (3rd Edition) - 9781284156959
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
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DNP850B - Project Proposal
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (3rd Edition) - 9781284156959
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
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DNP851A - Project Implementation
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project - 9781284156959
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DNP851B - Project Data Analysis
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project - 9781284156959
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
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DNP852A - Project Manuscript
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project - 9781284156959
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
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DNP852B - Project Dissemination
- DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice - 978-0826130259
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) - 9781433832154
- The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project - 9781284156959
This course focuses on the integration of scientific and theoretical concepts for advanced nursing practice. Students will examine the scientific foundations for nursing, such as pathophysiological, psycho-social, and environmental sciences. Students explore the patterns and processes for knowledge development and the utilization of knowledge. Developing a review of literature on a topic of the student's passion based on theoretical framework will be expected.
3 CreditsRequired Books
The focus of Organizational and Systems Leadership examines leadership strategies and competencies that are necessary for creating change in large health care systems through implementing quality improvement in healthcare organizations. Attention will be given to creating and leading improvement processes of patient outcomes, safety issues and relationship-based care. Students will focus on critiquing the unique organizational structures and behaviors that impact organizational performance. Emphasis is placed on continuous process improvement and managing outcomes through data analysis as critical pieces in the achievement of high quality outcomes. Applying course concepts, students engage in an in-depth self-evaluation to develop personal leadership skills and self-awareness.
3 CreditsRequired Books
In Strategic Leadership and Business Management the student will apply systems and organizational theories for quality improvement of healthcare organizations and systems. The complex roles and responsibilities of healthcare leadership and administration will be critiqued. The student will analyze models of quality improvement and project management to lead healthcare projects based on contemporary theory and research. Models that promote interdisciplinary teamwork will be analyzed. Applying course concepts, students engage in self-evaluation to improve leadership skills.
3 CreditsRequired Books
Strategic Planning and Financial Management focuses on the tools and techniques needed for developing long term strategies and plans for an organization, including direct links to mission and vision, and the ability to create a realistic organizational financial plan. The student will evaluate the year over year financial plan and effectiveness measures that implement cost benchmarks to promote quality improvement, while controlling the costs of patient care delivery.
3 CreditsRequired Books
Health Information Management and Informatics focuses on analysis of healthcare information systems and informatics to create and implement data-driven decisions. Emphasis is placed on the tools and techniques needed for planning and implementing quality improvement programs to support and improve patient and health care systems.
3 CreditsRequired Books
Evidence-based Practice for Quality Improvement will build on the foundations of evidence -based practice in advanced nursing and progress beyond those foundations to create quality studies for improving patient care and safety. This course will provide opportunities for experience in applying research concepts and creating methodology and design to validate and implement change in professional practice.
3 CreditsRequired Books
In this course students examine the economic, financial and political factors that influence the delivery of healthcare and consider policy reform through legal, regulatory, ethical, societal, and organizational contexts. Health Policy and Advocacy focuses on critiquing the policy process, critically thinking and assessing the influence of legislative and governmental influence on healthcare delivery, and applying emotional intelligence as a strategy to advocate and create change. The student will develop processes that influence, implement, and evaluate current policy and the role of government in healthcare delivery. Collaborative support and teamwork in health care venues will be stressed. This course includes documentation of at least 80 hours of immersion towards the 1000 hours due during the DNP program.
3 CreditsRequired Books
Global Population Health uses epidemiologic methodology to examine global health issues and disease in human populations. Students explore innovative solutions to the world’s health care problems through collaboration and discuss the strengths and weaknesses inherent in each. They examine current, select global problems, such as infectious diseases, bioterrorism attacks, and effects of disasters and emergencies. Special attention is paid to the sensitivity and advocacy for vulnerable populations worldwide. Students examine cultural compassion and caring for diverse populations at risk within the healthcare profession. This course includes documentation of at least 80 hours of immersion towards the 1000 hours due during the DNP program.
3 CreditsRequired Books
This course is the foundational course of the DNP Capstone Project. During this planning phase of the Project, the student will select the topic, develop a purpose statement, problem statement and PICOT question as well as determine the Project study design that will relate to advancing nursing practice, nursing culture to improve patient care delivery or patient outcomes which will become the basis of the evidence-based Project requirements of the DNP program. Students will also select their DNP Project Committee and develop a draft of chapter one, and outline chapters two and three of the DNP Capstone-Project documenting their learning aligned to the Academic Quality Review guidelines for the DNP evidence-based Project. Prerequisites: All DNP core and specialty courses and successful completion the DNP Comprehensive Proctored Exam. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 CreditsRequired Books
This course is the continuation of DNP850A - Project Planning. Under the direction of a Project Committee, students will frame the Project within the context of the relevant academic literature. Using this knowledge, students solidify the methodology of the Project and will complete the required CITI trainings to conduct a Project. During this course the students will complete the final draft of chapter one, chapters two and three of the DNP Capstone-Project documenting their learning aligned to the Academic Quality Review guidelines for the DNP evidence-based Project. The student will create their Project proposal presentation and verbally defend their proposal to obtain their Project Committee’s approval to proceed to IRB application. At the completion of this course, students will have obtained all site-specific IRBs or permissions and formally applied for Aspen University’s IRB. Prerequisite: DNP850A. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 CreditsRequired Books
This course is the continuation of DNP850B - Project Proposal. This course is designed to guide students through the DNP Project implementation phase. At the completion of this course, students will have completed the implementation phase of the Project. Prerequisite: DNP850B. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 CreditsRequired Books
This course enables the student to analyze the data gathered during the Project to determine how the Project’s PICOT question was answer. During this evaluation phase the students will identify strengths and weaknesses of the project implementation as it relates to a broader application of the project. Students will report their findings and make recommendation as well as identify areas for future project to impact change and improvement in the health care related field. During this course the students will complete the final draft of chapter four of the DNP Capstone Project documenting their learning aligned to the Academic Quality Review guidelines for the DNP evidence-based Project. Prerequisite: DNP851A. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 CreditsRequired Books
During this course the students will complete the final draft of chapter five of the DNP Capstone Project documenting their learning aligned to the Academic Quality Review guidelines for the DNP evidence-based Project. The final manuscript is finalized and presented to the student’s Project Committee for their approval. Prerequisite: DNP851B. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 CreditsRequired Books
This final course of the DNP Project addresses the dissemination phase of the Project. Student will organize and facilitate a presentation and verbal defense of their Project, findings and recommendations before an audience. The student will need the full Project Committee’s approval at the end of their presentation and verbal defense. Upon receiving Project Committee and Program Representative’s final approval, students are able to apply for publication. Immersion hours to disseminate the DNP Project findings may also include writing a journal article, presenting a podium presentation, or creating a poster. After successfully completing this course, student may apply for their commencement from Aspen University. Prerequisite: DNP852A. Intensive practice immersion experiences inform the preparation of a practice-focused DNP Capstone Project. Upon completion of the A and B versions of this DNP Project course, students must document a combined total of 280 logged practice hours.
3 Credits