About the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
North Park’s DNP graduates complete this online program equipped with the valuable credentials and specific skills required to meet the demands of today’s healthcare system. DNP candidates become effective leaders who are prepared to implement innovative change while practicing compassionate care.
Assets and Resources
North Park’s Brandel Library supports the DNP program via:
- Information literacy instruction
- Research consultation for students
- Graduate-level research databases
To ensure successful DNP completion, additional resources include:
- Graduate Council
- Institutional Review Board for student learning and ensuring protection of human subjects
- Center for Online Education
- Biostatistician with time commitment to nursing scholarship
The DNP Project and Graduate Culture
Students engage in their individual projects from the very start of the program, which promotes on-time degree completion. The rigorous DNP graduate program is supported by:
- Cohort model for relationship building
- Online courses to promote both faculty and student engagement
- Onsite orientation to doctoral education
- Campus visits once or twice a semester
- Collaborative scholarly endeavors with faculty
- Caring philosophy of the School of Nursing
Career Paths
DNP students are trained to look beyond one-on-one care to solve broader healthcare issues, equipping them for leadership roles.
- Practice leader
- Leader in improving health of the community
- Leader for change in healthcare organizations
Skills Developed
DNP candidates work closely with professors on the required project, which is purposely and strategically integrated into the student’s workplace. In addition, students gain expertise in many key areas.
- Organizational change
- Practice innovation
- Improving health outcomes
Learning Outcomes
The DNP program provides an advanced education where students master a number of skills.
- Applying knowledge in practical ways
- Demonstrating effective communication skills
- Employing critical thinking and analysis
- Demonstrating field-related professional collaboration
- Applying ethics to decision-making