Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

Program Description

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program at Mount Carmel College of Nursing is designed for the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who holds an earned  Master’s Degree in Nursing, national board certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) and a current, unrestricted APRN license.  As an online, post-master’s doctoral degree, the DNP curriculum prepares the APRN to lead the challenges of healthcare accessibility, outcome accountability and reform at the complex systems level. This includes providing evidence-based, cost-effective, collaborative healthcare to individuals, families and communities in a culturally appropriate, patient-centered manner.

Admission Criteria

Meeting admission criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. To be considered for admission the following is required:

• Master’s Degree in Nursing from an accredited program; accreditation by either NLNAC/ACEN or CCNE
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with national certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Nurse Practitioner (NP)
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale from a graduate (master’s) nursing program
• Graduate level nursing research course with a letter grade of “B” or higher. Undergraduate statistics course with a letter grade of “C” or higher
• Current résumé or curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation from doctorally prepared professionals who can speak to the applicant’s current abilities and potential for academic and clinical success
• A typed statement of purpose written by the applicant that outlines the applicant’s goals and objectives for the pursuit of doctoral studies including the anticipated area of interest for the DNP project. (not to exceed 2 pages, single-spaced)
• RN Licensure and APRN certification or licensure in the state where the practicum courses will be completed (currently Ohio only)
• A minimum score of 79 for internet-based, 213 on computer-based and 550 on paper-based TOEFL for International students
• One year of recent APRN clinical experience strongly recommended
• Face to face, virtual or phone interview for qualified applicants
• Transcripts – All official college transcripts, both graduate and undergraduate, must be mailed directly to Mount Carmel College of Nursing Admissions Department
• The total number of supervised clinical practice hours accepted will be determined during the admission process. A maximum of 500 documented supervised clinical practice (clock) hours may be accepted from the master’s in nursing program.  Students will complete a minimum of an additional 500 documented supervised clinical practice hours in the DNP program.

Application Materials

• Completed application
• $30 application fee
• Current résumé or curriculum vitae
• Two letters of recommendation from doctorally prepared professionals who can speak to the applicant’s current abilities and potential for academic and clinical success
• A typed statement of purpose written by the applicant that outlines the applicant’s goals and objectives for the pursuit of doctoral studies including the anticipated area of interest for the DNP project. (not to exceed 2 pages, single-spaced)
• Official TOEFL scores: applies to students for whom English is not the native language; minimum required TOEFL score of 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based) or 79 (Internet based); TOEFL scores are valid two years from the test date. To learn more about the TOEFL, visit http://www.ets.org/toefl
• Transcripts – all official college transcripts, both graduate and undergraduate, mailed directly to Mount Carmel College of Nursing Admissions Office

Application Deadline

Admission applications are accepted for Fall Semester only. Applicants who are not admitted may re-apply the following year.

All application materials must be received by March 1.

Application Process

The DNP Admissions Committee reviews all complete applications that meet admission criteria and determines whether an applicant is accepted into the program.

Questions regarding the application process or admission status should be directed to the DNP Program Director.

All applicants are notified of their admission status by June 1.

Confirmation Fee

A non-refundable confirmation fee of $300 will be applied to fall semester tuition.

Transfer Credit

Mount Carmel College of Nursing will evaluate course credit taken by prospective and accepted students who have attended a post-secondary institution accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations. As a rule, the following guidelines for transfer credit towards the Doctor Nursing Practice degree at MCCN are:

• A maximum of 6 credit hours of equivalent course work, with a minimum grade of “B,” may be transferred from another graduate doctoral program. 
• Courses taken on a pass/fail basis will not be transferred.
• The course work must be completed within the last 5 years from the first enrolled semester. 
• Clinical/ practicum hours or courses are not accepted for transfer credit. 
• MCCN reserves the right to accept or reject all transfer credits in terms of their own institutional standards and requirements. Courses considered for transfer must be comparable to courses required in the MCCN curriculum with regard to content, credit hours, and level.
• Transfer credit grades are not included in the cumulative grade point average at MCCN. However, credit for transfer courses will be included in the total number of hours earned. All courses accepted for transfer will be noted on the student’s MCCN transcript as “K.”
• Transferring courses may affect eligibility for financial assistance. The student should contact the MCCN Financial Aid Director for more information.
• Once enrolled at Mount Carmel College of Nursing, degree candidates are required to complete all degree course work offered through Mount Carmel College of Nursing. 
• The Associate Dean of the Graduate Program is responsible for the determination of the transferability of graduate courses

Technology Proficiency Requirement

All entering Mount Carmel students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of computer and Internet competency (Technology Proficiency). Students must have the ability to:

1. Log onto the Internet and other applications with a user ID and password.
2. Use a search engine on the Internet.
3. Use the Library databases to retrieve articles.
4. Receive, send, and reply to email.
5. Develop, file, revise, edit, and print Microsoft Word documents.
6. Attach documents/files to email messages and/or assignments.
7. Follow and participate in an online discussion or chat.

All DNP students must complete the DNP Online Orientation prior to the start of the first course to demonstrate the minimum level of Technology Proficiency.

DNP Program Outcomes

Upon completion, the graduate of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will have the knowledge to impact individual, aggregate and population health.  The graduate will be able to:

1. Translate the complex scientific foundation of advanced nursing practice to the development of practice knowledge, skills, and attributes.
2. Analyze existing healthcare systems to develop and implement change that will improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of accessible, affordable patient-centered care.
3. Analyze technology used in patient care, patient education, and healthcare information systems for the advancement of evidence-based practice.
4. Design processes to measure outcomes for national benchmark comparison to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of accessible, affordable patient-centered care.
5. Provide leadership in shaping health policy that will support the ethical equitable provision of healthcare.
6. Integrate into practice, evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention strategies based upon data including the public health sciences such as epidemiology, biostatistics, and genomics.
7. Employ effective communication and collaborative skills in the development, clinical practice, and scholarly dissemination of advanced nursing practice knowledge.
8. Evaluate the integration of ethics and social justice with evidence-based strategies of advanced nursing practice to minimize ethical uncertainty, promote moral agency and inform ethically justifiable decisions for diverse patient populations.

Graduation Requirements

In order to qualify for graduation, doctoral degree candidates must complete the following requirements. A student deficient in any area will not receive his/her diploma until the requirement is complete.

• Submit a completed Graduation Application by the posted deadline.
• Complete all required coursework with a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
• Complete all academic requirements including the on campus public presentation of the DNP Project.
• Submit a completed Doctoral Project Completion Form  to the Associate Dean, Graduate Program.
• Program completion within 5 years of date of first enrollment.
• Fulfill all financial obligations to Mount Carmel College of Nursing.
• Fulfill all library obligations to Mount Carmel College of Nursing.
• Complete the online graduation exit survey and interview.
• Complete a Financial Aid Exit Interview (required of every student who received any type of loan).
• Complete a Business Affairs Exit Interview (for students who received Nursing Student Loans)
• Order authorized graduation attire from http://jostens.com (earliest order date will be announced to graduating students).

Graduate Students may participate in the Commencement ceremony in May if all required coursework is completed by the last day of the Spring Semester. The actual inscribed diploma will be received at a later date.

DNP Clinical Practicum Hours and Project

Post Master’s students are permitted by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) to be credited up to a maximum of 500 hours for mentored clinical experience during their master’s program. The total number of supervised clinical practice hours accepted is determined during the admission process.  Students complete a minimum of an additional 500 documented supervised clinical practice hours in the DNP program.

The DNP Project is conducted within the practicum. The doctoral student comes prepared with the knowledge and expertise of their advanced nursing practice specialty and focuses on the development of new skills at the systems level. The student designs an evidence-based project to improve practice or patient outcomes. Leadership development, application of epidemiology and biostatistics, use of informatics, outcome analysis, system change, compliance with ethics, and incorporation of finance and policy are the experiences sought for the practicum. The DNP Project, practicum site, hours, and mentorship are planned for, approved, and secured during NURS 758 Project Development for Practice Innovation and completed in NURS 759  and 760  , DNP Practicum I & II. Approved practice and mentor relationships are designed to benefit jointly Mount Carmel College of Nursing doctoral students and the practice site and mentor. Components of the DNP Project are summarized in the Project Checklist.  

Faculty supervising these final experiences are course faculty working in collaboration with the approved mentor. The DNP project team  that consists of the DNP Program Director, the Practicum Faculty, and a content expert who may be the student’s site mentor evaluates the project manuscript and poster or media presentation.

Selection of Mentor and Site

Practicum experiences can be accomplished in a variety of settings that best match the student’s project. The DNP practicum is a collaborative endeavor between the student, faculty, and mentor at the practicum site.

Individuals who serve as mentors for DNP students are required to be experts in nursing or other related disciplines who can provide opportunities for meaningful student engagement within practice environments. Formal education, professional experience, and licensure as required for the professional role and practice area are mandatory.

The student identifies the principle mentor and site for the practicum hours, obtains approval from the faculty teaching NURS 758  Project Development for Practice Innovation, and secures the mentor and site of the practicum.

The mentor reviews the MCCN DNP Student, Faculty and Mentor Roles , and completes the Clinical Practicum Mentor and Site Form . This form is faxed along with the mentor’s current CV to MCCN fax (614) 234-2875, attention DNP Program Director.

DNP Curriculum Plan

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is offered exclusively online and consists of 8 consecutive semesters for a total of 35 total semester credits. The Program accepts new students into a cohort that starts each Fall Semester. All students in the DNP program follow the same curriculum progression plan.

An on-campus public presentation of the DNP project is required during the final semester of enrollment.