Apr 19, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing Major, DNP


Distance Education (DE) programs in the College of Nursing that lead to professional licensure or that require clinical placements or clinical coursework must abide by board and state regulations in the state where the student resides and/or will be completing the clinical experiences.

Students who reside outside of Tennessee who plan to complete a clinical placement in a state other than Tennessee, will need to take additional steps to comply with the requirements of that state. Before applying to and beginning a program, you should become familiar with your state’s licensing and professional requirements and that of the state in which you plan to reside as a practitioner. You may also reach out to the College of Nursing and speak to an advisor by calling (865) 974-7606. The university cannot guarantee that its DE programs in the College of Nursing will meet all the requirements for licensure in any particular state. If the student moves from the state of Tennessee after admission to the program, continuation in the program will depend on the availability of the program within the new state where the student physically resides. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the UTK College of Nursing of a change in physical residence.

Distance Education programs at the University of Tennessee cannot currently admit students from the state of California.

To find additional information about pre-licensure distance education requirements in individual states, visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)https://www.ncsbn.org/671.htm.

 

The College of Nursing offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice program (DNP), designed for BSN or MSN graduates or those with a BSN and a master’s degree in a business or health related field, who are interested in earning a clinical doctorate in nursing. Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) - Graduates of the program are expected to:

  • Integrate nursing science with other disciplines as the basis for the provision of the highest level of evidence-based advanced nursing care.
  • Demonstrate and promote professionalism, advocacy, social justice, equity, ethical principles, and scientific integrity in advanced nursing practice.
  • Engage in and promote intra and inter-professional collaboration in clinical practice models, health policy, and standards of care for individuals, families, and communities across culturally diverse populations.
  • Generate ethically responsible system and outcomes research and analyze evidence from nursing and related sciences to translate findings into practice.
  • Utilize current and emerging information systems/technology to support, evaluate, and improve: 1) nursing care, 2) healthcare systems, and 3) patient and population health.
  • Synthesize and use appropriate theories, concepts and scientific data to support, evaluate and improve patient and population health.
  • Assume leadership in advanced practice, health policy, mentoring, scholarship, and scientific inquiry.
  • Disseminate credible and relevant evidence supporting decisions using various forms of communication.

Concentrations (Required)

Family Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Anesthesia

Nurse Executive Practice

Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Campus Code

Distance Education

Admissions Standards/Procedures

All applicants must:

  • Hold a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education.
  • Submit online application and meet admission requirements of Graduate School.
  • Hold a master’s degree in nursing or a business/health related field [e.g., MBA, MPH, MHA).
  • Have a minimum cumulative graduate grade-point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for previous college work.
  • Have completed 3 credit hours of graduate-level statistics within 2 years of admission.
  • Achieve competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination if undergraduate GPA is below 3.30. If undergraduate GPA is 3.30 or above, then applicants are exempt from the GRE requirement.
  • Have TOEFL scores of at least 550 on the paper test or 80 on the internet-based test if native language is not English.
  • Complete College of Nursing Graduate Program Data Form.
  • Submit College of Nursing Graduate Rating Forms from three college level instructors and/or nurses and administrators who have supervised applicant’s professional work.
  • Submit an essay describing personal and professional aspirations.
  • Complete an interview with the College of Nursing DNP admissions committee, as specified by the program.

Academic Standards

  • Prior to enrollment in the DNP program, each student must successfully complete a criminal background check and drug screen.
  • Each student must hold personal professional liability insurance and health insurance.
  • As Registered Nurses, DNP students must be licensed to practice nursing in the state where employed and in all states where their clinical experiences will occur (if different from state of employment).
  • Each student must present evidence of meeting current health and wellness requirements, as specified by the college.
  • Each student must present evidence of current health care provider CPR certification.
  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.
  • A minimum grade of B in all nursing DNP courses is required; however, the College of Nursing will allow one grade of C in any nursing DNP core course. A second grade of C or below will result in dismissal from the program. A minimum grade of B is required in NURS 630  (DNP Scholarly Project Proposal) and all concentration-specific coursework (Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Nurse Anesthesia Concentration, Nurse Executive Practice Concentration, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner Concentration, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration). A 3.00 graduate cumulative GPA is required for progression in the program.
  • The College of Nursing prohibits students from repeating graduate coursework with two exceptions: NURS 648  (Advanced Clinical Pharmacology) and NURS 649  (Advanced Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice). Students may only repeat these courses after earning a D or F; original and repeat grades will be included in the graduate GPA.
  • Residence Requirement
    • For the doctoral degree, students must meet the residence requirement as specified by the Graduate School. A statement as to how and during what period of time the residence requirement has been met will be presented with the Application for Admission to Candidacy along with signatures of approval from the major professor and the department head/program director.

The College of Nursing will observe the following grading scale:

A    =  92 – 100 4 quality points
B+  =  88 – 91 3.3 quality points
B    =  83 – 87 3 quality points
C+ =  78 – 82 2.3 quality points
C   =  75 – 77 2 quality points
D   =  67 – 74 1 quality point
F    =  66 or below 0 quality points

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Family Nurse Practitioner

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 61 to maximum 72 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Nurse Anesthesia Concentration

Credit Hours

Minimum 112 to maximum 123 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Nurse Executive Practice Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 60 to maximum 71 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 62 to maximum 73 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance in the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Students cannot get a stand-alone DNP as a Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. They can earn a dual DNP as a Pediatric Primary and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner by completing the full Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program and then adding additional course work as listed below.

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 70 to maximum 80 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 63 to maximum 74 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy upon successful completion of the DNP Scholarly Project Proposal and oral defense for all DNP students.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of one doctorally-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty and a second committee member who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The second member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.