New Degree
Nursing Launches Doctor of Nursing Practice
Program
Students at the School of Nursing this fall are the
first in upstate New York to enroll in a new doctor of nursing
practice (DNP) program, an academically rigorous training program
designed to give nurses a more prominent place at the
decision-making table in hospitals and other health care
institutions.
The new degree is nursing’s equivalent of other
disciplines’ practice-focused degrees, such as doctor of
medicine (MD), doctor of dental surgery (DDS), doctor of psychology
(PsyD), and doctor of physical therapy (DPT).
Unlike the PhD, the DNP is not intended to prepare
students to design and build programs of research but is designed
to prepare advanced nurse practitioners to lead the delivery and
evaluation of evidence-based, patient-centered care; synthesize
research findings; and integrate information technology into the
management, application, and evaluation of patient care.
“The nurse practitioner role has historically
centered on individual patient care,” says Patricia
Chiverton, dean of the School of Nursing. “While that role is
critically important, we also recognize that nurses at the very
most advanced experience and practice levels have the capability to
take on more responsibility and the potential to oversee the care
of large patient populations. By bringing doctorally educated
nurses into the fold, we have a tremendous opportunity to improve
the quality and safety of patient care.”
Rochester’s new program comes as the American
Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that educational
requirements for all nurses in advanced practice roles move from a
master’s degree to a DNP by the year 2015, a recommendation
that has not been, as of this summer, adopted by New York.
As with other doctoral programs at the University,
students in the new program are required to complete a minimum of
90 credits as well as a minimum of 1,000 postbaccalaureate clinical
hours.
Students will complete coursework in evidence-based
practice and translational research, including advanced statistics
and epidemiology; leadership, systems management, and strategic
planning; and health policy, informatics, and interprofessional
partnerships. Students will be required to defend an evidence-based
capstone project, the practice equivalent to a PhD research
dissertation.
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