Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

Program Description

Mount Carmel College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will set you apart as a transformational driver of creative, innovative and effective solutions in nursing practice, education, and healthcare. Graduates of the program are positioned to meet the current and future challenges of the dynamic healthcare environment as experts in leadership and practice. Possessing evidence-based practice, systems thinking, leadership and change management competencies, graduates are equipped to influence policy formulation, utilize technology and information systems and lead interdisciplinary strategic initiatives that drive quality patient outcomes and exceptional patient experiences. Mount Carmel’s unique, faith-based, innovative approach to DNP education engages learners in a supported and personalized learning experience as they tackle the challenges of assuring the quality, safety, equity, and efficiency of care while shaping and inspiring care delivery as it is seen through the eyes of the patient, family, and care provider.

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers two track options: The Leader in Clinical Practice DNP and the Executive Leader DNP.

Admission Criteria

1. Official Transcripts: Applicants must submit an official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended. Applicants must have completed a master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited institution attended. Applicants must have completed a master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited institution. A minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA for graduate work is preferred. Mail transcripts to:

Mount Carmel College of Nursing (MCCN)
Office of Admissions
127 South Davis Ave.
Columbus, OH 43222

Electronic and official paper transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to MCCN.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is considered for courses taken elsewhere within five years of admission. Work presented for transfer credit must be from an accredited college and is subject to evaluation in light of the degree requirements of the university.

To have a course considered for transfer credit, applicants must make the request at least six (6) weeks before the course begins and submit this petition to the Director of Graduate Programs or Faculty Mentor with the course syllabus enclosed. A maximum of six (6) credits can be considered for credit. The program director approves transfer credit for all DNP courses. If transfer credit is approved, it will appear on the student’s official transcript and the hours earned will count toward the DNP.

2. Registered Nurse Licensure: An unencumbered Registered Nurse license must be presented.
3. Resume or curriculum vitae
4. Letters of Recommendation: Strong professional references from two professionals prepared at the doctoral level who can speak to the applicant’s current abilities and potential for academic and clinical competence. One recommendation must be from a nurse who is prepared at the doctoral level.
5. Statement of Purpose: The 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. The types document is approximately 3-4 paragraphs and should include:

• Professional and academic background, skills and accomplishments
• DNP project - target setting of interest
• Why the program is a good fit for your interests and career goals

6. Technical Requirements: Mount Carmel College of Nursing considers the Internet communication interface an essential learning resource for doctoral students. DNP students will be required to have a home computer, printer and reliable Internet service provider that has high-speed broadband Internet access. Technical requirements can be found here .
7. Interview: After the initial review of this application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.
8. A minimum score of 79 for internet-based, 213 on computer-based and 550 on paper-based TOEFL for International students

• Official TOEFL scores apply to students for whom English is not the native language; minimum required TOEFL score of 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based) or 79-80 (Internet based); TOEFL scores are valid two years from the test date. TOEFL scores must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to MCCN (institution code 1502). To learn more about the TOEFL, visit www.ets.org/toefl.

Admission Criteria for DNP, Leadership in Advanced Clinical Practice

1. Advanced Practice Certification: Applicants must have Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) national certification as a CNS, NP, CNM or CRNA in their areas of specialty as appropriate.
2. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Licensure: Applicants must have APRN licensure in their home state, if required.

Admission Criteria for DNP, Executive Leadership in Healthcare or Academic Nursing

1. Advanced Practice Certification: Advanced specialty certification in nursing through a nationally recognized organization is preferred but not required.
2. Non-Nursing Master’s or non-advanced practice Master’s Degree Candidates: For individuals holding a non-nursing master’s degree or those who have an earned master’s degree in nursing in non-advanced practice specialty, an individualized plan of study will be developed as indicated.

Application Process

• Questions regarding the application process or admission status should be directed to: DNP Admissions via email: DNP@mccn.edu
• Admitted DNP candidates who accept admittance must provide a non-refundable Confirmation Fee of $300 will be applied to spring semester tuition

International Students

Mount Carmel College of Nursing does not issue Immigration Form I-20 from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Therefore, the College is not eligible to accept new or transfer international students who need I-20 credentialing. The College welcomes international applicants who do not require an I-20 clearance.

International transcripts must be evaluated by an international transcript evaluation service. The evaluation must be sent directly from the credentialing service to MCCN. Click here  for a specific list of accepted National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) members.

Post-Baccalaureate Clinical Practice Hours

The Mount Carmel College of Nursing (MCCN) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) faculty are the dedicated to attaining and sustaining quality standards set forth by accrediting and professional organizations. The American Academy of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) sets standards to ensure a foundation for learner achievement of associated DNP essential outcomes.

The AACN specifies that NDP programs shall ensure that the graduate of a DNP program achieves a minimum of 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate supervised academic practice. There are 500 hours of post-baccalaureate supervised academic practice in the MCCN DNP program. Thus, we are responsible for verifying an additional 500 hours of supervised academic practice are completed following completion of the baccalaureate degree and prior to entering or while pursuing the DNP course of study. The following process is utilized to assure that the student completes 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate supervised academic practice hours prior to completing the DNP degree.

• During the application process and interview, the post-baccalaureate supervised academic experience hours will be assessed by;
  • Confirmation of a current advanced practice certification (500 hours)
  • Verification of hours as evidenced by a form from a post-baccalaureate educational program verifying the specific number of supervised academic practice experience hours and signed by an official of that program.
  • If the number of practice experience hours is less than 500, a gap analysis will be completed and the student will be informed of the number of additional practice experience hours that must be obtained in addition to the practicum experience hours in the DNP plan of study.
• For students having the less than 500 hours, options to fulfill those hours will be described to the student. The student will sign a form documenting the number of hours that must be completed in addition to the DNP plan of study, the timeline for completing any options external to the student’s individual plan of study, and options to fulfill the number of hours outside of the DNP plan of study.

• There are two focused practice courses for which graduate academic credit can be earned by challenge (NURS 507 and NURS 509). There is a $582.00 fee per course. Each course is associated with five (5) semester credits and 250 practice experience hours. The credit hours and associated clinical hours are variable and are tailored to the number of clinical hours a student must obtain. One credit hour is equivalent to 50 clinical hours. The student will choose which of the courses to complete.

• The student will be required to enroll in additional focused translational practice course(s) as a part of the DNP plan of study to establish academic credit that demonstrates 1000 post-baccalaureate practice experience hours were completed if any of the following circumstances occur:
  • If prior education and experience do not fulfill the proficiency requirements relating to supervised academic practice experience (500 post-baccalaureate), and
  • if the student is unsuccessful in completing the requirements of NURS 507 and NURS 509 or
  • if the student chooses not to complete the course options by the appointed deadline.

These focused practice courses will be reviewed by trained faculty members using a rubric; on ‘pass-fail’ basis. Successful completion will be recorded on the student’s transcript. The student will be informed of the outcome of this option by the Director of the DNP program. There is no option for repeating either of these courses if the student did not pass. The student’s DNP plan of study will be adjusted to establish academic credit that demonstrates 1,000 post-baccalaureate practice experience hours are completed.

The deadline for completion of the challenge course(s) is the end of the first term of the second semester of enrollment.

• There will be no extensions of the deadline and no late submissions will be accepted.
• The entire course must be completed. No partial credit will be given for incomplete submissions.
• Based on the status of the student immediately following the deadline, any unmet hours will be added as practicum hours to the student’s plan of study.
• Students are required to fulfill 1,000 practice hours by the end of the planned course of study to graduate.

Confirmation Fee

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

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.

DNP Program Outcomes

Graduation Requirements

In order to qualify for graduation, doctoral degree candidates must complete the following requirements.

• Submit a completed Graduation Application by the posted deadline.
• Complete all required coursework with a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
• Complete all academic requirements of the DNP Project.
• Program completion within 5 years of the 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).

DNP students may participate in the Commencement Ceremony in May, if at least 33 of the required program credits and the DNP project are completed by the last day of the Spring Semester. The official diploma will be received when all program requirements are completed.

DNP Clinical Practicum Hours and Project

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) permits that post-graduate students be credited up to a maximum of 500 hours of mentored clinical experience associated with graduate program count toward the required post-baccalaureate clinical hours required for the DNP degree. 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 experiences. 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 early in the program of study. Approved practice and mentor relationships are designed to benefit jointly Mount Carmel College of Nursing doctoral students and the practice site and mentor.

Faculty supervising these final experiences are course faculty working in collaboration with the approved mentor. The DNP project team consists of the assigned DNP Project Faculty Mentor and a DNP project content expert who may be the student’s site mentor who assists in the evaluation of the project.

Selection of Mentor and Site

Practicum experiences can be accomplished in a variety of settings that best match the student’s project. The practicum experiences are collaborative endeavors 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 the practice environments. Formal education, professional experience, and licensure as required for the professional role and practice area are mandatory.

The student identifies the principal mentor and site for the practicum hours, obtains approval and completes requirements associated with the mentor and the site of the practicum.

Project Development and Completion

Project development and completion is an integrated structure of coursework to facilitate student success. Learners who are not able to adhere to established milestones and the associated deadlines for DNP project progress in courses NURS 766, 768, or 769 may be granted one “incomplete” grade. If a student does not rectify the incomplete grade by the end of the first week (Sunday) of the subsequent course (NURS 766, 768, or 769) that student will be administratively withdrawn from the subsequent course. After using the one granted incomplete, the learner will be required to register for project completion course(s) to address any fulfilled project development milestones that are not completed within the associated academic course/semester in progress. These additional project completion credits will increase the number of credits in the learner’s plan of study, resulting in more than the standard 37 hours to complete the DNP degree. Each course is one credit or 50 practice hours; associated tuition is the responsibility of the student. As NURS 766, 768, and 769 are sequential prerequisite courses, the issuance of an incomplete may impact the student’s progression, necessitating a revision in the plan of study.

DNP Curriculum Plan

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is offered online and consists of 5 consecutive semesters for a total of 37 total semester credits. The Program accepts new students into a cohort that starts each Spring and Summer Semesters. All students in the DNP program follow the same curriculum progression plan based on the elective specialty identified by the student.

Onsite immersive experiences during semesters 1 and 2 of the program of study are required. A virtual immersive experience is required during semester 4.

DNP Curriculum