Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Drexel's accredited online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed for advanced nursing practice leaders seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. Based on nationally recognized standards by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and consistent with the DNP program accrediting by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the mission of Drexel's DNP program is to prepare individuals to assume leadership roles as executives or practitioners and to apply evidence-based practice to improve individual, family, and community health outcomes. Nurses who graduate from Drexel's DNP program are well-equipped to fully implement the science developed by nurse researchers in PhD, DNSc, and other research-focused nursing doctorates.

Upon graduation, you will be able to:

• Design evidence-driven healthcare delivery approaches using fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable strategies to meet current and anticipated individual and population health needs across the illness-wellness continuum
• Execute established steps of evidence-based practice when leading efforts to improve healthcare quality based on measurable and manageable outcomes
• Model communication skills necessary to lead and contribute to effective interprofessional collaborations and patient care encounters to accomplish high-quality and mission-driven outcomes
• Appraise healthcare systems’ delivery processes to improve quality, accessibility, and/or the sustainability of healthcare enterprises
• Propose policy initiatives that promote social justice and the health and wellness of all people, including those who are disparaged, oppressed, or vulnerable
• Appraise practice dilemmas using moral reasoning and legal/ethical analyses to make decisions in practice settings and to create policies that are consistent with professional codes, practice standards, and laws
• Utilize information systems/technologies to analyze health outcomes for individuals, aggregates, and populations and to evaluate healthcare delivery systems
• Demonstrate advanced specialty and role competence as an advanced practice registered nurse or as an advanced nurse in a role focused on advanced aggregate/systems/organizational expertise

Clinical Requirements

A total of 1,000 post-baccalaureate precepted clinical hours are required, and are built into the tracks within the curriculum:

• Core Courses – 200 practice hours
• Advanced Clinical Expert Category 1 – 380 practice hours
• Advanced Clinical Expert Category 2 – 600 practice hours
• Nurse Executive/Leadership Expert Category 1 – 380 practice hours
• Nurse Executive/Leadership Expert Category 2 – 600 practice hours

You must fill out the Verification of Precepted Clinical/Practicum Hours form with your intended pathway (Advanced Clinical Expert Track or Nurse Executive/Leadership Expert Track.)

Orientation

Virtual DNP Orientation
First Day of the Fall Academic Term (Required)

Designed as an introduction to begin your academic journey, students entering the Drexel's DNP program meet in a virtual venue on the first day of the fall academic term. The required DNP Orientation is an interactive day abundant in resources, information, and an opportunity to become acquainted with the Drexel team and fellow DNP-student colleagues.

DNP Project

Drexel University’s online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program blends a core curriculum with real-world practicum experiences that culminates with the creation, execution, and review of an extensive DNP Project. Your final project will be centered around improving health care processes and outcomes through carefully planned practice change. Upon completion of this online DNP program, you will be prepared to utilize your newly found advanced practice knowledge to create a personally driven but faculty mentored project specific to your educational pathway. Each pathway is determined by the number of graduate-level, precepted clinical hours achieved by the time of your admission into the program.

As you embark on your DNP project, a doctorate-prepared Practicum Mentor will need to be assigned (for practicum intensive courses) who may be internal or external to your practice setting. This mentor will provide you with the support and guidance you need throughout the DNP project process. Additional formal or informal experts, mentors, partners, and/or facilitators may provide intermittent or limited support throughout practicum experiences. While your DNP project can be based on your current work setting, it is strongly recommended that you seek opportunities that enhance current networking opportunities while broadening your expertise as it relates to benchmarking, new and different practice models, or other experiences that foster the development of deep and broad knowledge and skills. 

The ultimate goal of your final DNP Project is to solution an identified practice problem that offers you an opportunity to enhance care delivery or improve an outcome. This requires comprehensive research to identify relevant, curated evidence that informs an intervention that typically builds on established quality improvement methodology. After you participate in a DNP Project dissemination activity during Year 2 of the program, your completed DNP Project will be rigorously evaluated.

Archived Webinars

• DNP Online Open House
• The Future of Nursing is You: Embracing the Changing Healthcare Landscape and Capitalizing on Career Advancement Opportunities

Questions? We're here to help!

For application related questions:
enroll@drexel.edu

For program related questions:
College of Nursing and Health Professions Program Team
CNHPGraduateDivision@drexel.edu

The Doctor of Nursing Practice at Drexel University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
State restrictions may apply to some programs.