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), Nurse Executive (NEA-BC), or Advanced Public Health Nurse (APHN-BC) who holds an earned Master’s Degree in Nursing and a current, unrestricted OHIO APRN or RN license.  Nurses with a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education will also be considered for admission. As an online, post-master’s doctoral degree, the DNP curriculum prepares those in advanced nursing practice 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), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), or  Nurse Executive Advanced (NEA-BC) or Advanced Public Health Nurse (APHN-BC)
• 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, 1 inch margins, 12 point font)
• 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 practice is 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
• A maximum of 500 post-baccalaureate practice hours are granted by holding nursing practice national certification
• 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.
• As pursuant to the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice, for those individuals who are not able to verify 500 hours of practicum experience in their Master’s degree, a gap analysis will be conducted. These students will need to complete additional clinical hours to close this gap. Click here  for the Master’s Program Clinical Hours Verification for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Admission Form.
• Students who have earned a Master’s in Nursing Education will need to develop an individualized curricula plan to create an advanced nursing practice cognate along with clinical hours to close the gap of 500 hours for an advanced practice nursing degree.

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, 1 inch margins, 12 point font)
• 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 Spring Semester only. Applicants who are not admitted may re-apply the following year.

All application materials must be received by November 1. Late applications are accepted as space permits.

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 Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing Program.

All applicants are notified of their admission status by November 15.

Confirmation Fee

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

Provisional Admission Status

In consideration of the Mission of Mount Carmel College of Nursing and Mount Carmel Health System, students who have a graduate grade point average (GPA) less than the required 3.25, may be awarded a provisional admission status if seats are available in the DNP degree program.

A provisional admission allows the student to enroll in two courses each semester for the first two semesters enrolled (spring and summer) and earn a 3.0 gpa. After fulfillment of these requirements, the provisional admission will change to a full admission status. If a grade of ‘C’ is earned in a course, that course cannot be repeated, and if a grade point average of 3.0 is not maintained, you will be dismissed from the College.

As part of the provisional admission, students are required to enroll in a special 4-week online “bootcamp” in scholarly writing, HUMN 505 , Seminar in Scholarly Writing, and earn a grade of at least a ‘B’ or provide acceptable evidence of this content. This is a Master’s level course that has been formulated for entering DNP students and includes the use of updated technology aides of RefWorks, Ebsco, Turnitin, Grammarly, and database searching tips. Students are to contact Assistant Director of Records and Registration to enroll. The course will be offered in two sessions. Any questions regarding the course can be directed to the lead faculty.

Annually:

Annual Compliance Education - students doing practicums in nursing schools, hospitals and health agencies will be required to meet the individual agency’s annual compliance education requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to be knowledgeable of these agency requirements.

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.

Statement of Student Responsibility

Students are solely responsible knowing and following Mount Carmel College of Nursing policies and procedures and for their own successful progress and completion of the degree program and requirements they select. While advisors are available to help students with course selection, each student is responsible for seeking clarification regarding progression through the curriculum. At all times, each student is also responsible for seeking clarification and/or assistance from faculty, staff, or administrators.

Technology Proficiency

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 (Contact Library Services for available tutorials).
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.

For additional assistance or computer help sessions, contact the Academic Resource Center, (ahinze@mccn.edu, 614-234-1135).

Canvas - LMS

Canvas, the College’s Learning Management System (LMS) is available to students, and it is strongly recommended that students become familiar with Canvas navigation before classes begin. Students will have access to Canvas 30 days prior to the start date of each course. To access the Canvas orientation, students can either login to CARMELink > MyMCCN I Canvas or login directly to Canvas. Once logged into Canvas, students can find the student training information at Help > Student Resources > Canvas-Student Orientation.

The Graduate Student Advisor has developed a Graduate Student Advising course located in Canvas that all students will be invited to join and view announcements and important information. In the Canvas Resources module, students can find the link to Canvas-Student Orientation. In addition, a separate DNP student site within this Canvas course is available.

Guiding Procedure for the DNP Scholarly Project and Scholarly Written Document

The DNP Project and Scholarly Written Document is the culminating outcome of the graduating DNP student. The project is completed over time and is described in detail in a scholarly written document. Click here  for the Scholarly Project and Written Document Overview. The project entails investigation of a practice problem identified within a clinical practice environment and development of an evidence-based strategy (or strategies) to address the problem. This phase is described in Part I of the scholarly written document. Once Part I is approved by the scholarly project team, the project involves execution of the evidence-based strategy in the practice arena. It may involve opportunities for process improvement to ensure a practice-appropriate and feasible process and outcome. Final stages of the project include evaluation of project outcomes. This phase is described in Part II of the scholarly document. This last phase is accompanied by project team approval of Part II and public dissemination of the completed scholarly project.

There are many phases to the project and these are written about in two parts. The first phase involves assessment and planning. This developmental phase ends with student presentation and formal team approval of Part I-described below. Part I is to be completed inNURS 758   and/or NURS 759 . The second phase of the project involves implementation, evaluation, and public dissemination. This final phase ends with a public student presentation and formal team approval of Part II-described below. Part II must be completed and approved by the end of NURS 760  and prior to graduation/commencement.

Diversity across DNP student projects is expected and encouraged at MCCN. When identifying potential topics, students are encouraged to think about present and future employment opportunities, interest in an feasibility of the project topic, and relevant resources and constraints during the project completion timeline. A Faculty Advisor will be assigned to the student after identification of the DNP project topic.

The student’s DNP Scholarly Project adheres to several guiding criteria. First, it is directed by the student but is guided by the project team members. It must meet doctoral-level criteria for scholarship; it is rigorous and peer reviewed. The project must address an actual or potential need in a clinical practice environment as indicated by a needs analysis and consideration of internal and external factors. Furthermore, it demonstrates consistency with MCCN program outcomes, the DNP Essentials, and the mission and goals of the practice environment.

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 coursework and 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 assigned DNP Committee Chair, the Practicum Faculty, and a content expert who may be the student’s site mentor who assists in the evaluation of the project manuscript poster or media presentations.

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 Associate Dean and/or 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 Associate Dean Graduate Program.

DNP Curriculum Plan

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is offered exclusively online and consists of 7 consecutive semesters for a total of 35 total semester credits. The Program accepts new students into a cohort that starts each Spring 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.