Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program prepares experts in specialized advanced nursing practice. The program prepares DNP students in one of two tracks:

- Advanced Practice Nurse NP will allow students to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based disease management care and/or to coordinate acute and chronic illness care for individuals and populations. This track requires a minimum of 1000 practicum hours. 500 verified practicum hours from a MSN program can count towards the required 1000 hours.

- Leadership in Population Health will allow students to develop advanced understanding of population health and learn to propose, plan, and evaluate models of care. Builds on foundational principals of leadership to prepare students for the complex issues faced by the health care leaders of today. This track requires a minimum of 500 practicum hours

The Department of Nursing offers programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. For more information, contact the Department of Nursing at (813) 253-6223 or see www.ut.edu/nursing.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master’s degree program in nursing, the doctor of nursing practice, and the post-graduate APRN certificate programs at the University of Tampa are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Department of Nursing Mission Statement

The primary mission of the Department of Nursing is to offer programs of study in nursing science at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral level that prepare graduates from entry into professional nursing practice to advanced levels of nursing practice and knowledge. Through clinically relevant teaching, learning, research and active application of evidence-based practice, students are prepared to practice competently as providers and managers of care, and members of the profession in a complex, diverse, and evolving healthcare environment.

The Department of Nursing shares the commitment of the College of Natural and Health Sciences and the University to teaching, research, and service; preparing each student as a life-long learner and as a health professional providing quality, safe, evidence based and compassionate health care to the citizens of Florida, the nation, and the global community.

Faculty

Associate Professor Botwinski, Director/Chair Department of Nursing; Associate Professor Berg, Graduate Programs Director; Associate Professor White, BSN Program Director; Associate Professor D’Alesandro BSN Nursing Admissions Director, Associate Professor Delacroix; Assistant Professors Bryant, Ernewein, Pedroff, Umberger; Associate Teaching Professor Culp, Director of Nursing Skills and Simulation Lab, Associate Teaching Professor Llerena, Assistant Teaching Professors Jeffrey, Royal; Lecturer II Franks, Lecturer I Coleman, Jaegar, Lewis, , Moyer, Snow.

Admission Standards

Admission to the DNP program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission. Nor are those who fail to meet all of the requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Guaranteed Admission
Students and alumni who have earned the MSN from UT with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 will be guaranteed admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program provided other stated requirements are satisfied.

The application fee, personal statement, documentation of clinical hours and one-year clinical practice requirements are waived. Students who graduated within the last five years are exempt from submitting letters of recommendation. Those who graduated more than five years ago must submit one letter of recommendation. All other admissions requirements apply.

The guaranteed admission opportunity recognizes the exceptional quality of UT’s academic programs, and the University’s mission to support continuing education and professional growth.

General Admission Requirements

Completed application.
Official transcripts form all post-secondary institutions of education.
A minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 in the previously completed nursing master’s program.
Three letters of recommendation from academic and professional references: one must be from a professor holding a doctorate from the previously completed master’s program.
Personal statement of professional goals and how admission to the DNP program will facilitate applicant’s professional goals (APA format, 500-800 words).
Copy of current licensure in the state of Florida (for APN) or RN (for Leadership in Population and Community Health); both tracks require RN license from Florida or a multi-compact state license and must remain active throughout the program.
Background check (completed upon admission).
Current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR; Certification must remain active throughout the program.
Proof of professional liability insurance; professional liability insurance must remain active throughout the program.

For Advanced Practice Nursing Track:

Master’s degree with a Major in Nursing from an ACEN, CCNE or CNEA accredited school of Nursing.
National certification as a nurse practitioner; this certification must remain current throughout the program.
Documentation or letter from the previously completed master’s program indicating the number of clinical (practicum) hours completed in the nursing master’s program.
A documented minimum of 500 hours is required for APN track.
Current resume or curriculum vitae indicating employment experience in advanced nursing practice for at least one year.
Completion of the following Master’s level nursing courses with a B or better. Courses in which a grade below B were received will need to be repeated before starting the DNP program.

Advanced Pathophysiology

Advanced Pharmacology

Advanced Physical Assessment

For Leadership in Population and Community Health Track:

An unencumbered RN license and a Master's degree (MS, MSN, MBA, MHA, MPH or related discipline).
Current resume or curriculum vitae indicating employment experience in advanced nursing practice for at least one year.

Full Admission

For full admission, applicants must have achieved the following:

Negative drug screening and background check

Advising
Each student will be assigned to a graduate program nursing faculty member for advising purposes pertaining to course planning, academic performance, practicum placement and professional guidance. For matters related to registration, withdrawal and other academic issues, students should contact their advisor in the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies.

Residency Requirement
Three on-campus residency experiences are mandatory. These residencies occur at the beginning, middle, and end of the program. The dates for the residencies are available on the DNP nursing website a year in advance to assist students in planning their campus visits. Full attendance in the residencies is mandatory. Students are required to attend the entire residency session according to the hours it is scheduled. If a student is unable to attend, the student must wait until the following year when it is offered again to attend.

Transfer Credits
DNP students transferring to UT from other institutions must meet the graduate studies transfer guidelines of UT. The Graduate Programs Director will evaluate the courses taken at other institutions for comparability to UT curriculum requirements. Transfer credit will be accepted at the discretion of the Graduate Programs Director in accordance with the DNP curriculum requirements. Only credit earned with grades of “B” or better will be considered for transfer. Graduate courses completed more than seven years ago will not be accepted in transfer. A maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours may be taken at an institution recognized by The University of Tampa, equating to less than one third of the 30 credit hours required for DNP program completion.

Student Organizations
In addition to student organizations at The University of Tampa, nursing students have access to several professional and honorary organizations. DNP students are also encouraged to join the Tampa Bay Advanced Practice Nursing Council (TBAPNC). The Delta Beta Chapter-at-Large of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing was founded in 1980 at the University of South Florida and re-chartered in 2000 to include The University of Tampa. The University of Tampa graduate nursing students who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to join Sigma Theta Tau. Delta Beta sponsors an annual research program, provides opportunities for scholarships and research grants and promotes scholarly work in the community.

Nursing Student Handbook
Additional information about the DNP program can be found in the Department of Nursing DNP Student Handbook which can be found on the DNP Student Canvas site. Policies and procedures in the handbook may exceed those outlined in this catalog. See the handbook for further details.

Program and Course Requirements
Satisfactory completion of the DNP curriculum requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work.

DNP students must obtain a grade of “B” or higher in each course in order to progress in the program.

DNP students cannot earn more than one grade below a “B.” If they do, they can repeat up to one course, but the original grade will not be removed from their academic record. A second grade below “B,” regardless of grades in repeated courses, will result in academic dismissal. Students may withdraw from one course for academic reasons. Withdrawal from a second course for academic reasons will result in dismissal. No grade below “B” will be accepted toward the DNP degree.

A student is allowed seven years from the time graduate work begins, whether at UT or elsewhere, in which to complete the degree. Under certain circumstances, the student, with approval from the director, may retake outdated courses.

Degree Requirements

Required DNP Courses:

	All DNP students take:
NUR 700	Introduction to DNP Role and Clinical Inquiry	1
NUR 701	Clinical Epidemiology for APNs	3
NUR 702	APN Care of At-Risk Vulnerable Populations	2
NUR 703	Research Translation for APN Clinical Practice	3
NUR 704	Healthcare Informatics and Information Systems for APN Clinical Practice	3
NUR 705	Healthcare Leadership and Management for APNs	3
NUR 706	DNP Project I: PICOT	2
NUR 707	Health Policy and Advocacy for APN Clinical Practice	3
NUR 708	DNP Project II: Project Plan	2
NUR 710	DNP Project III: Implementation	3
NUR 711	DNP Project IV: Evaluation and Dissemination	2
NUR 709	Genomics and APN Clinical Practice	3
	or
NUR 720	Leadership in Changing Healthcare Environments	3
Total Credit Hours:		30

Total DNP PRACTICUM HOURS: 504.*,**

* A minimum of 504 practicum hours are required for all DNP students.
**A minimum of 1000 practicum hours are required for APN students to graduate. 500 verified practicum hours from MSN programs can count towards the required 1000 hours.
NUR 706, NUR 708, NUR 710, NUR 711. These courses each require practicum hours.

Graduation Requirements

- Completion of all course work including the scholarly project within 7 years of enrollment.

- Successful completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours of doctoral level work.

- Completion of all courses with a grade of “B” or higher, or satisfactory where applicable.

- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater in the DNP program.

- Completion of practicum requirements.

Students complete four practicum components associated with the DNP Project Development courses which offer mentored opportunities to identify, develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate the independent, analytical scholarly project.

Each course assumes the synthesis of knowledge gleaned from previous and concurrent DNP courses and the unique practice expertise of the DNP student.

The practicum hours are incorporated into the DNP Project I-IV courses. During these courses, the student is expected to practice a minimum of 504 hours in an area related to their practice inquiry.

The DNP nursing advisors and NP practicum/preceptor liaison are available to facilitate the practicum process. Students should expect to travel to practicum sites.

Orientation to practicum experiences and responsibilities will be provided during the on-campus residency period.

-Successful completion of DNP portfolio

Each student will be required to develop an E-portfolio that serves as a repository for evidence of completion of program learning outcomes. The portfolio will showcase the student’s work and will demonstrate achievement of all program outcomes and competencies, including work related to individual courses, as well as project-related work.

Instructions for developing and maintaining the portfolio will be provided at the beginning of the program during the initial residency requirement.

- Successful completion of residency requirements. The required residency will be structured to promote the formal and informal exchanges that are fundamental to the doctoral learning process. Students will attend three on-campus residency seminars during their course of study.

Residency #1 will provide an introduction to UT student service and the online delivery format with training by library, instructional and information technology support staff. Students will also receive training on using databases for literature searches. The orientation session will also emphasize the importance of students getting to know each other, and creating a sense of community. Students are also oriented to the DNP handbook, program and graduation requirements. Open discussion to address questions.

Residency #2 serves as the transition between year 1 and 2 to provide face-to-face instruction on scholarly project proposal presentation, discuss PICOT development and literature review and advisor meetings.

Residency #3 will occur during the last semester. Students will present their final scholarly project to the cohort, faculty, and practice partners.

- Successful completion of scholarly project requirements

DNP students are required to complete a clinical scholarly project in order to meet the program’s requirement and be eligible for graduation.

The DNP Scholarly Project is not intended to be a research study (dissertation), but a research translation project. The project brings together the practice and scholarship aspects of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. It is designed to address complex practice issues that affect groups of patients, health care organizations, or health care systems utilizing informatics, technology, and in-depth knowledge of the clinical and behavioral sciences.

The theme of all DNP scholarly projects is the use of evidence to improve either practice or patient outcomes.

The clinical scholarship required in the DNP Scholarly Project reflects mastery and competency in the student’s area of expertise. Examples of the acceptable types of projects are: 1) system modification for quality improvement processes, 2) information technologies applied in the health care setting to improve health outcomes, 3) health care delivery innovations, 4) analysis and application of a health care policy, 5) elements of a clinical practice guideline in the health care setting.