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Each student must complete the curriculum identified under the respective specialty, achieving a "B" (83%) or higher in each course.
The BSN-DNP program requires a total of 70-72 graduate nursing credit hours. The student must have completed a bachelor of science in nursing degree to be eligible to enroll in the BSN-DNP program. Integrated practice hours within the curriculum will provide BSN-DNP students with learning opportunities to gain expertise in their area of specialization. The USI BSN-DNP curriculum is built upon three distinct areas of graduate nursing content as determined by the AACN Essentials document.
The BSN-DNP courses will use a hybrid method of course delivery with virtual educational intensives that are synchronous. Course delivery is via the Blackboard course management system. Students must have a computer with Internet access that supports video streaming. Each student will be required to attend virtual synchronous sessions/intensives. Student attendance for each intensive is mandated as a requirement of the BSN-DNP program curriculum.
The Post MSN-DNP program requires a total of 35 graduate nursing credit hours. The student must have completed a master of science in nursing degree to be eligible to enroll in the Post MSN-DNP program. Integrated practice hours within the curriculum will provide Post MSN-DNP students with learning opportunities to gain expertise in their area of specialization. The USI Post MSN-DNP curriculum is built upon three distinct areas of graduate nursing content as determined by the AACN Essentials document.
The Post MSN-DNP courses will use a hybrid method of course delivery with virtual educational intensives that are synchronous. Course delivery is via the Blackboard course management system. Students must have a computer with Internet access that supports video streaming. Each student will be required to attend virtual synchronous sessions/intensives. Student attendance for each intensive is mandated as a requirement of the Post MSN-DNP program curriculum.
A minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice hours are required for the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree. Up to 500 of these hours may be transferred from a previous master of science in nursing (MSN). APRNs with national board certification may validate completion of the 500 hours by submitting a copy of their national board certification to the Chair of Graduate Nursing. Non-APRN students will be required to submit a MSN Practice Hour Documentation 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 MSN degree was received.
Post-Master's to DNP students who enter with fewer than 240 clinical hours from their MSN program will complete additional practice hours within their DNP project courses. These hours are separate from the DNP project itself but are completed and evaluated within the DNP project courses.
All Post-Master's to DNP students receive a letter from the Graduate Director, Leadership Tracks, upon admission with detailed information about practice hour requirements. Embedded project hours are included in the following courses based on the program concentration:
| Course | Hours Embedded |
| NRSG 703 | 25 hours |
| NRSG 709 | 50 hours |
| NRSG 711 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 715 | 30 hours |
| NRSG 807 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 809 | 75 hours |
| Course | Hours Embedded |
| NRSG 703 | 25 hours |
| NRSG 709 | 50 hours |
| NRSG 711 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 715 | 30 hours |
| NRSG 807 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 809 | 75 hours |
| Specialty I | 200 hours |
| Specialty II | 250 hours |
| Specialty III | 300 hours |
| Course | Hours Embedded |
| NRSG 703 | 25 hours |
| NRSG 709 | 50 hours |
| NRSG 711 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 715 | 30 hours |
| NRSG 807 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 809 | 75 hours |
| NRSG 761 | 40 hours |
| NRSG 861 | 30 hours |
| NRSG 856 | 75 hours |
| NRSG 867 | 100 hours |
The remaining required 500 practice hours are accrued through work in DNP Project courses. The hours are as follows:
| DNP Project Courses | |
| NRSG 801 | 125 hours |
| NRSG 803 | 200 hours |
| NRSG 805 | 175 hours |
| Concentration | Total Hours |
| Post MSN to DNP | 760 hours |
| BSN to DNP (APRN) | 1,510 hours |
| BSN to DNP (OSL) | 1,005 hours |
All practice hours completed in project courses must be recorded. The log should include each activity completed, the date, the relevant course objectives (refer to the course syllabus), the program outcomes and the DNP Essentials. The program outcomes and DNP Essentials are readily available to reference within course materials.
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 healthcare policies that reduce healthcare disparities. Students will identify their project during the first semester and continue project development throughout subsequent courses. The project must be completed 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 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:
The DNP Project Plan Will Include:
Types of DNP Projects:
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 is available in Blackboard.
DNP Project Proposal Policy
To successfully meet the NRSG 801 course requirements, the DNP Project Proposal must be approved by the DNP Project Proposal Review Committee. A total of three submissions will be allowed. Students will submit their DNP Project Proposal per the instruction of the NRSG 801 faculty.
DNP Project Proposal submission deadlines are as follows:
Failure to meet the initial deadline and/or submissions without prior faculty mentor(s) approval will result in a forfeiture of a first-round review. Students with forfeitures or requested revisions will be required to submit their proposal during the second round of reviews. Following the third submission, failure to receive approval from the DNP Project Proposal Review Committee will result in a course failure and the need to petition the Graduate Admission and Progression Committee for continuation in the program. Students permitted to continue in the program will be required to register for NRSG 801 at its next offering.
DNP students must obtain approval of their proposal from the DNP Project Proposal Review Committee and meet IRB requirements prior to project implementation. The DNP Project Review Committee will utilize the DNP Project Proposal rubric to provide specific feedback to the student and their faculty mentor(s). The DNP Project Proposal Review Committee is responsible for the completion of the DNP Project Proposal Rubric signifying that the written proposal has either met the criteria for implementation or requires further revisions for resubmission. Students and their DNP faculty mentor(s) will use the completed rubric to revise any proposals not approved.
The student is responsible for sharing the written proposal with the practice partner as per the DNP Practice Partner document.
Executive Summary & Dissemination
The elements of the DNP Executive Summary and manuscript and/or peer-reviewed podium presentation are the responsibility of the DNP student with guidance from the faculty mentor(s). Students and faculty mentor(s) will use the DNP Executive Summary Rubric as a guide for creating and evaluating the written report.
Upon completion of the DNP Project, the faculty mentor(s) and student will sign the DNP Executive Summary Rubric. The DNP Project must be completed by the end of NRSG 805. The signature of the Graduate Director, Leadership Tracks, on the DNP Executive Summary Rubric signifies successful completion of the DNP Project.
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:
To Meet Graduation Requirements, the DNP Project Will Include: