Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Gardner-Webb University offers three options designed to meet the needs of nurses seeking expanded roles in their profession: Post-Master's Entry (36 credit hours), Family Nurse Practitioner (79 credit hours), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (81 credit hours). In addition to the three areas of concentrated study, the DNP program offers a post-doctoral certificate option for doctoral-prepared nurses who desire to pursue Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification.

The DNP - Post-Master's Entry option is a 36-credit-hour course of study designed to expand leadership and education development for master's-prepared nurses desiring to make significant contributions to improve healthcare outcomes.

The DNP - Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) option is a 79-credit-hour course of study designed to prepare nurses to provide primary care for diverse populations across the lifespan within a community setting. A 40-credit-hour post-doctoral certificate for Family Nurse Practitioner is offered for students who have completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree but not the coursework required for certification and practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) option is an 81-credit-hour course of study designed to prepare psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners to provide expert knowledge and skills for promoting and facilitating optimal mental health across the lifespan. A 42-credit-hour post-doctoral certificate for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is offered for students who have completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree but not the coursework required for certification and practice as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Hunt School of Nursing faculty assert that scholarly inquiry and critical analysis are essential tools for evaluating evidence and applying research to improve the quality of healthcare outcomes. The course sequences are designed in cohort model with a scaffolding of courses focused on scholarship, appreciative inquiry, theory, professional role development, and courses in the major area of concentration. All DNP options culminate in an evidence-based DNP Project with potential for meaningful impact on advanced nursing practice.

Admission Requirements

In order to enroll students from a variety of nursing backgrounds with the greatest potential for successfully completing the program, the following program-specific criteria will be used for consideration of admission.

Post-Master's Entry DNP Admission Requirements

Graduates from the Hunt School of Nursing MSN program will be considered for seamless admission into the post-master's DNP program within 2 years of graduation. Applicants will only be required to show proof of meeting criteria 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 listed below.

1. Current, unrestricted licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States (verified online by Graduate Admissions).
2. Cumulative GPA of 3.20 on all previous graduate coursework as evidenced by official graduate transcripts.
3. MSN degree from a regionally accredited institution with a nationally accredited nursing program as evidenced by official graduate transcripts*.
4. Three completed professional references submitted on "Graduate Study Reference" form. References may be from past or current professors (not current GWU DNP team professors), supervisors, or professional colleagues. The references should attest to the applicants potential for success in the DNP Program, including preparation, initiative, aptitude, and commitment to the profession.
5. Updated curriculum vitae/résumé.
6. Completion of an interview with prompts provided by the HSON.
7. Current, official, satisfactory Criminal Background Check results from the current state of residence and any other state lived in during the past ten years.
8. Validation of the number of nursing practice hours completed at the post-baccalaureate level as part of a supervised academic program. Must be submitted on the HSON provided form.**

Applicant folders must be complete for consideration of admission.

*Applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and a master’s degree in a related field will be considered for admission. The BSN degree must be from a regionally accredited institution with a nationally accredited nursing program and the master’s degree must be from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with a master’s degree in a related field must provide proof of current employment in a nursing specialty area and provide a description of recent work experience. 

**Up to 200 hours in practicum or clinical completed post-baccalaureate as a part of a supervised academic program may be counted toward the requirement of 500 practicum hours for completion of the DNP program. At least 300 practicum hours must be completed while enrolled in the DNP Program.

Post-Baccalaureate Entry DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Post-Baccalaureate Entry DNP-Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Admission Requirements

Graduates from the Hunt School of Nursing Accelerated BSN (ABSN), Traditional BSN (TBSN), Davis RN-BSN (HSON graduates of both ASN and Davis RN-BSN) programs will be considered for seamless admission into the DNP-FNP or DNP-PMHNP program within 2 years of graduation. Applicants will only be required to show proof of meeting criteria 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 listed below. 

1. Current, unrestricted licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the United States (verified online by Graduate Admissions).
2. GPA of 3.0 or higher on 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work or last 60 hours of undergraduate or graduate work (Applicants who show potential for graduate study but do not meet the 3.0 GPA criteria for full admission may be granted provisional acceptance for GPA of 2.6 or higher on 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work or last 60 hours of undergraduate or graduate work; to meet the stipulations of provisional acceptance, students must earn a “B” or above on the first twelve hours of graduate work completed at Gardner-Webb. If the terms of the provisional acceptance are not successfully met, the student will be dismissed from the program).
3. Baccalaureate degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution with a nationally accredited nursing program as evidenced by official transcripts from all institutions attended.***
4. Three completed professional references submitted on “Graduate Study Reference” form. References may be from past or current professors (not current GWU DNP team professors), supervisors, or professional colleagues. The references should attest to the applicant’s potential for success in the DNP Program, including preparation, initiative, aptitude, and commitment to the profession.
5. Updated curriculum vitae/resume
6. Completion of an interview with prompts provided by the HSON
7. Current, official, satisfactory Criminal Background Check results from the current state of residence and any other state lived in during the past ten years;
8. Satisfactory completion of a graduate or undergraduate general statistics course, which included probability theory, inferential statistics, and descriptive statistics.
9. Two years of active RN practice with a minimum of 1,100 hours per year. Active RN experience must have taken place within the past three years as evidenced on the “Statement of Description of Work Experience” form provided.

*** RN applicants with a baccalaureate degree in another field may be accepted but must meet additional requirements prior to admission. The requirements include completion of an undergraduate or graduate statistics course, BSN-level nursing research course, and BSN-level communication skills in nursing course. A grade of "C" or higher must be earned in each course in order to meet requirements (a grade of "Pass" in a statistics course taken during the Spring 2020 semester will be reviewed for consideration on a case-by-case basis).

Students enrolled in the Hunt School of Nursing (HSON) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP), Post-Doctoral FNP or Post-Doctoral PMHNP programs, whose primary residence is outside of North Carolina, are responsible for securing their own practicum site in collaboration with the HSON.

Students may be required to attend a practicum site in a state other than their state of primary residence depending on the individual state regulations and availability of appropriate sites. In the event a student is unable to secure a practicum site in their primary state of residency, the student will be required to return to North Carolina to complete practicum hours to fulfill graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program will will be prepared to:

1. Synthesize scientific and theoretical knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to implement best-practice approaches reflective of the highest level of nursing.
2. Use data-driven decision-making to strategically impact health care outcomes identified by institutional, local, state, federal, and/or international leaders.
3. Collaborate with intra- and inter- professional teams to advocate for and implement change, which improves individual and population health.
4. Engage in leadership to integrate evidence-based clinical prevention and health services for individuals and diverse populations. 
5. Create intentional positive change with patients, populations, and professionals to advance nursing specialization through therapeutic and programmatic interventions. 

Total Credit Hours: 36-81

DNP students progress through the program in a cohort. Course offerings depend on semester of admission.

DNP Project students must maintain continuous enrollment in DNP Project through the semester of their successful completion or until the candidate withdraws from the program. In rare and extenuating circumstances, a DNP student may request a leave of absence by completing the Request for Interruption in Project Continuous Enrollment form (located in the HSON Student Handbook), which must be approved by the Chair of Doctoral Nursing Programs. Students will be allowed only one continuous break of up to two semesters in the project course sequence. Students may withdraw before the drop/add period for the current semester and may choose not to register for the following semester if needed. Students who withdraw after the drop/add period for the current semester may choose not to register for the following two semesters if needed. At all other times the student must stay continuously enrolled. Students who do not return in the designated time frame will be dismissed from the program. Students must follow the Gayle Bolt Price School of Graduate Studies policies for re-entry into the program.

Students who break continuous enrollment without an approved Request for Interruption in Project Continuous Enrollment form will be suspended from the program. If a suspended student requests readmission, the program graduate faculty makes the decision on whether to readmit and, if readmitted, the stipulations that will apply. The time limit of seven calendar years to complete the program from the beginning of the term in which a DNP student completes the first graduate course towards the degree continues to apply to students who are granted a leave of absence or who are suspended.