Nov 03, 2024

Graduate Catalog 2024 - 2025

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Graduate Catalog 2024 - 2025

Nursing Practice, DNP

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This program is currently not accepting new admits.

SCHOOL OF NURSING

Julka Hall 238
(216) 687-3598
Tonya Runner, DNP, MBA, APRN, CRNO, RN
Graduate Program Director

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree
MSN-DNP: Health System Nursing Leadership track

INTRODUCTION

DNP Program Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice places emphasis on clinical practice and leadership training. The DNP is instrumental in advancing a clinical nursing career. Cleveland State University’s DNP program uniquely prepares graduates to obtain the doctorate degree through the post-masters degree entry point. A Health Systems Nursing Leadership track is available for students with a post-master’s in nursing degree.

The DNP is the highest-level terminal nursing practice degree. Nurse administrators are encouraged to hold a DNP degree. The DNP-prepared nurse is vital to meeting the changing demands of the nation’s complex healthcare environment. The DNP program has one entry point: (1) a post-masters degree in Nursing (MS or MSN). The post-masters entry pathway will have an Aggregate/Systems/Organizational focus in Health Systems Nursing Leadership (HSNL). This pathway to a DNP is consistent with the AACN recommendations regarding the terminal practice degree title of DNP. The program uses a blended learning approach for delivery of both on-campus and online classes.

Program Goals

Synthesize knowledge derived from nursing science from other scientific disciplines as the basis for advanced nursing practice and innovative approaches to improve the health of individuals, aggregates and populations. (AACN Essential 1: Scientific Underpinnings for Practice; Essential #7: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health; Essential #8: Advanced Nursing Practice.)
Employ organizational and systems leadership to improve the quality and safety of individuals, aggregates, and populations. (AACN Essential 2: Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking.)
Integrate clinical scholarship and utilization of analytical methods to identify best nursing practices. (AACN Essential 3: Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice.)
Demonstrate leadership in the systems-level evaluation, development, and implementation of information systems and related technologies for healthcare delivery that optimize outcomes for individuals, aggregates, and populations. (AACN Essential 4: Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care.)
Engage in advocacy by influencing policy throughout the various stages of the policy-making process at the institutional, local, state, national, and/or global levels. (AACN Essential 5: Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care.)
Facilitate collaboration among inter-professional teams to ensure the high-quality patient, system, or population health outcomes. (AACN Essential 6: Inter-professional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes.)

In addition, the AONE standards that apply to the MSN-DNP Health Systems Nursing Leadership tracks are integrated throughout the curriculum and course objectives.

MEMBERSHIP & ACCREDITATION

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master’s degree program in nursing at Cleveland State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Cleveland State University is accreditated by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

FACULTY RESEARCH

Program faculty members have research specializations in a wide variety of areas, allowing them to help graduate students explore many potential research topics. The many partnerships in which the School of Nursing is involved also provide opportunities for collaboration with practitioners in community settings.

Current faculty information can be located on the Cleveland State University Faculty Profile page.

ADMISSION TO THE SCHOOL OF NURSING

Applicants to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program must meet the minimum requirements established by the College of Graduate Studies and the School of Nursing. Requirements for admission include:

Application Submission Process:

Apply to the College of Graduate Studies; Deadline to apply is April 15. After April 15, applications will be considered on a space-availability basis.
Official transcripts from all academic institutions
Three (3) professional letters of recommendation
CV/Resume
500-word essay addressing career goals

All applicants will interview with a School of Nursing faculty member

All application materials must be submitted to:

Cleveland State University
Application Processing Center
Office of University Registrar
1836 Euclid Avenue, UN 443
Cleveland, OH 44115

*An applicant who does not meet the minimum 3.25 CGPA requirement may still be considered for admission as the Admission, Progression, and Standards Committee uses a holistic application review process that examines the entirety of the potential student’s application.

Priority consideration is given to applications received by April 15 for fall enrollment. After April 15, applications will be considered on a space-available basis.

Students may pursue the program on a part-time basis. The University mandates a 10-year time limit to complete DNP degree requirements.

Program Offerings: Health Systems Nursing Leadership

Part time to accommodate the demands of your work schedule
Online learning format
Completed in 8 consecutive semesters
Affordable tuition
All courses are taught by our doctorly prepared faculty

Program Requirements:

Minimum GPA of 3.25* in your Mater of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Masters in Nursing (MN) degree
One-year experience working as an RN
Statistics course completed with a grade of B or better

Application Submission Process:

Apply to the College of Graduate Studies; Deadline to apply is April 15 for the Fall semester. After April 15, applications will be considered on a space-availability basis.
Official transcripts from all academic institutions
Three (3) professional letters of recommendation
CV/Resume
500-word essay addressing career goals

All applicants will interview with a School of Nursing faculty member

All application materials must be submitted to:

Cleveland State University
Application Processing Center
Office of University Registrar
1836 Euclid Avenue, UN 443
Cleveland, OH 44115

CLINICAL PRACTICA

Students in the HSNL track complete 1000 clinical hours. Up to 500 documented clinical hours completed during the student’s MSN degree program of study can be transferred into the program at CSU and count toward the 1000 clinical hours required for a DNP degree.

PROGRAM AND HEALTH DATA

All degree-seeking students are required to have complete program health and program data and kept current health data on file in the School of Nursing. This includes documentation of licensure as a registered nurse, professional liability insurance, CPR certification, current immunizations, and background checks. This information is required by clinical sites, as well as accrediting agencies.

Program and Health data are due within 60 days of admittance into the Graduate Nursing Program. If this requirement is not met, a hold will be placed on the student’s registration for classes until all requirements are met and appropriate documentation has been received by the School of Nursing.

EXIT REQUIREMENTS

Graduation is based on the successful completion of the required courses and clinical experiences, and the submission of required artifacts into an electronic portfolio system. Students are expected to plan and implement a DNP Scholarly Project to address the needs of their population of focus. Each student is expected, at minimum, to make an oral presentation of his or her Scholarly Project as a means of disseminating the findings from the study.

Admission Criteria

The following criteria will be used to assess admission to the DNP program.

Graduate of accredited CCNE, NLN-AC, or ACEN nursing program and hold a Baccalaureate degree in nursing or a Baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing and hold a Master of Science of Nursing or Master of Science with a Nursing Major for the post-master’s DNP program.
A cumulative minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.
An unencumbered RN license in the state where practicing as a professional nurse.
One year of full-time employment as an RN at the time of completed application.
Three written recommendations from individuals that possess a minimum of a master’s degree, and preferably a doctoral degree, addressing the applicant’s ability to be successful in doctoral coursework. Recommendations may be obtained from supervisors, academic professors, work colleagues or others that have worked with the applicant in a professional setting.
An essay addressing the applicant’s career goals related to the DNP with inclusion of a potential topic area for the Evidence-Based Scholarly Project. The essay should be 500 words or less.
TOEFL, as applicable.
Official transcripts from all academic institutions.
Personal interview with faculty.

Acceptance into the program is competitive, and faculty make holistic admission selections based on complete applications. Applications to the DNP program are reviewed as they are submitted. Applicants will be notified as to their admission status within one month, or less, after receipt of all application materials.

Post-Masters Doctor of Nursing Practice - Health Systems Nursing Leadership

The Post-Master’s to DNP pathway prepares nurses who already hold a master’s degree in nursing (MSN/MS/MN/MA) in a non-APRN specialty and who want to advance their knowledge of nursing practice and gain exceptional skills in health organizational systems. Post-Masters students will require 38-47 post master’s credit hours and a minimum of 1000 supervised clinical hours post BSN.

Note

Completion of the DNP requires a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical hours. Students may have the potential to transfer up to 500 supervised clinical hours from a prior graduate nursing degree. Each student will be evaluated based upon documents substantiating the already completed hours. For those students with a clinical master’s degree, it is likely that there are up to 500 hours to transfer. For those students with a non-clinical master’s, the number of practicum hours is generally less. NUR 887 is an optional course and is designed to add 60 contact hours per credit hour and can be repeated as needed to meet the total number of practicum contact hours required.