The Bay Path University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a 70-credit online non-residency program that will support the development of advanced nursing practice, either in the role of a Family Nurse Practitioner or in the specialty of advanced nursing practice. Graduates of the DNP program will incorporate evidence-based and leadership practices into the preparation of the next generation of nurses, promote health and wellness at a community level, and develop a clinically and culturally competent workforce.

The DNP has two entry options, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to DNP, and the Post-Master's (PM) to DNP. The BSN to DNP option admits nurses who wish to obtain the competencies to begin the role or concentration of the Family Nurse Practitioners (FNP). The PM option has two entry tracks. The PM to DNP with an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) track admits nurses who hold a MSN and current APRN licensure in the role of a nurse practitioner. The PM to DNP without an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) track admits nurses who hold a MSN but do not hold an APRN license. Through the practice courses, students will partner with mentors/preceptors and focus on the responsibilities of the advanced practice nursing role (DNP-FNP) or advanced nursing practice specialty (PM-DNP).

Student Learning Outcomes

The DNP program builds on The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021) provides the framework and competencies for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. The ten Domains in the AACN, 2021 Essentials inform the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program learning outcomes. The DNP program builds on the basic competencies of Baccalaureate Education outlined in The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021). The prior versions of the AACN Essentials including the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 2008), the Essentials of Master’s Education (AACN, 2011), and The Essentials of Doctoral Education (AACN, 2006) have been integrated and transitioned as appropriate through The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021) into the DNP program. The DNP program incorporates the eight concepts of clinical judgment, communication, compassionate care, diversity/equity/inclusion, ethics, evidence-based practice, health policy, and social determinants of health and the advanced competencies as outlined in The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021).

The Bay Path University DNP program of study integrates advanced level competencies, core Consensus Model (2008) courses, such as the 3P’s (Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Advanced Assessment) at the graduate level as well as contemporary nursing professional standards and competencies for advanced nursing practice (ANP) and advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) (e.g., https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials; https://www.nonpf.org/page/NP_Role_Core_Competencies; https://www.nonpf.org/page/NTFStandards;
https://www.aonl.org/; https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/ethics/; https://www.qsen.org/competencies)

BSN-DNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration)
The BSN-DNP-FNP track prepares the graduate with an advanced practice nursing (APN) focus in the role of family nurse practitioners (FNP). The graduate demonstrates practice expertise, specialized knowledge across the lifespan, and expanded responsibility and accountability in the care and management of individuals and families. The degree also addresses courses in leadership, health systems, quality, technology evidence-based practice, populations, and organizations. BSN prepared students complete 70 hours in this track. Students complete 1000 practice hours (500 direct care hours embedded in the FNP population focused courses and 500 indirect practice hours also in the FNP population focused courses, plus 38 indirect hours in the Capstone II course).

DNP-Post-Master's (PM Concentrations)
The DNP-post master’s general track provides the graduate with an aggregate/organization/and system focus on advanced nursing practice (ANP). The graduate demonstrates expertise and knowledge with a focus on leadership, systems, evidence-based practice, aggregates, quality, technology, and organizations. Students complete 1000 practice hours and may transfer in up to 500 practice hours from their MSN program. Specialty certification core competencies for advanced nurse leaders are integrated in the program.

Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program are expected to be able to:

• Domain I: Knowledge of Nursing Practice - Appraise established and emerging nursing science and interdisciplinary knowledge and support clinical reasoning for ethical, socially responsible practice decisions that integrate evidence-based specialty knowledge and evolving ways of knowing.
• Domain II: Person Centered Care - Design individualized, inclusive, person-centered care strategies that incorporate advanced assessment and communication skills, support risk mitigation, value self-care management, ensure care coordination, and identify gaps and disparities in health care access and delivery.
• Domain III: Population Health - Engage with nursing and other relevant stakeholders to identify and manage population-based healthcare priorities and collaborate in the design of policies that address equitable distribution of resources for vulnerable populations and public heath emergencies.
• Domain IV: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline - Champion the generation and dissemination of scholarship to diverse audiences and support evaluation and translation of evidence to transform health care and advance health.
• Domain V: Quality and Safety - Advocate for change initiatives that advance data-driven quality and safety improvement systems, integrate outcome metrics, monitor performance, mitigate risks, and support workplace safety.
• Domain VI: Interprofessional Partnerships - Create intra- and inter-disciplinary partnerships and construct and evaluate communication and negotiation strategies that promote team building and constructive sharing of multiple perspectives and mitigation of bias for conflict resolution and interprofessional learning.
• Domain VII: System Based Practice - Lead organizational strategic planning and complex system improvement strategies to address cost-effectiveness, health equity and care outcomes.
• Domain VIII: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies - Evaluate current and emerging information and communication technologies and informatics for their impact on workflow, health information literacy, healthcare outcomes across care settings, and efficiency of electronic systems to support patient-centered care.
• Domain XI: Professionalism - Model professional behaviors that reflect nursing’s unique mission and identity, including ethical leadership, accountability for care outcomes, respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion, advocating for social justice and implementing policies and regulations to improve the professional practice environment.
• Domain X: Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development - Build a practice milieu that includes and promotes self-care and personal well-being, mentorship, service, leadership for intentional change, and life-long learning.