November 15, 2012
The School of Nursing has requested permission from the UNC System General Administration and the Board of Governors to establish a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Graduates of the DNP program will be prepared for careers as health care practitioners, nursing administrators and executives, and clinical faculty members.
“Highly-educated health care professionals are critical for meeting the increasing complex health care needs of our state and nation,” said Dean Kristen M. Swanson. “The DNP degree will prepare graduates who can meet these needs by practicing at the highest level of clinical nursing and by providing leadership and innovation in health care.”
If permission to establish is received, the first students would be admitted to the new DNP program in fall 2013. The School’s alumni have indicated a strong interest in the program. Surveys conducted by the School showed that, of the 857 alumni who responded, a little over 30 percent were interested in the DNP degree.
The program will educate students in how to integrate evidence from nursing and other fields and use this knowledge as the basis for advanced nursing practice and for developing and implementing innovative approaches to health care delivery. DNP graduates will have specialized knowledge as well as practice expertise in an advanced nursing practice focus area. DNP students will also learn how to promote quality, safety and improved health of populations; identify best practices and translate evidence into practice; and develop, evaluate, and advocate for health care policy.
For more information on the program, please contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services at nursing@unc.edu or (919) 966-4260.