Academics Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Become a leader in nursing and help shape the future of patient care.

Reach the height of your nursing education with a doctorate program that focuses on clinical expertise and expanding your career opportunities.

The part-time study plan offers an alternative to the traditional doctoral degree program by focusing on collaborative clinical learning in partnership with Penn Medicine-Lancaster General Health.

Customize your program based on your previous academic and professional experience.

Curriculum

The core courses of the DNP are listed below. The core curriculum represents the common courses taken by all DNP students, regardless of track. The core courses listed as variable (or waived) are included with the intention of providing adequate clinical hours to ensure all students have the necessary clinical exposure to reach the required 1,000 clinical hours to obtain a DNP degree.

Clinical Leadership Track

Prerequisites		Credits
IPC 511	Graduate Research or approved transfer Graduate Research course	3
	Clinical Hours from MSN Degree
Courses		Credits
IPC 512	Health Policy & Finance	3
IPC 850	Doctoral Integrating Experience II	NC
MAT 600	Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NHA 522	Organizational Behavior and Performance Improvement	3
NUR 700	Epidemiology & Population Health	3
NUR 801	Introduction to the DNP	2
NUR 803	Nursing Leadership for Quality and Safety	3
NUR 806	Leadership Practicum	2
NUR 807	Advanced Leadership Practicum	3
NUR 809	Health Information Technology	3
NUR 811	Clinical Role Immersion I	3
NUR 813	Clinical Role Immersion II	Waived or 3
NUR 815	Evidence-Based Practice: Research Translation	3
NUR 816	DNP I Project Planning and Development	3
NUR 817	DNP II Project Implementation	3
NUR 818	DNP III Evaluation & Dissemination	2
NUR 819	Knowledge Dissemination	1
Total Credits		40 (minimum)

DNP APRN/NP Track

Prerequisites		Credits
IPC 511	Graduate Research or approved transfer Graduate Research course	3
	Clinical Hours from MSN Degree
Courses		Credits
IPC 512	Health Policy & Finance	3
IPC 850	Integrating Experience II	NC
MAT 600	Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NHA 522	Organizational Behavior and Performance Improvement	3
NUR 700	Epidemiology & Population Health	3
NUR 801	Introduction to the DNP	2
NUR 803	Nursing Leadership for Quality and Safety	3
NUR 806	Leadership Practicum	2
NUR 807	Advanced Leadership Practicum	Waived or 3
NUR 809	Health Information Technology	3
NUR 815	Evidence-Based Practice: Research Translation	3
NUR 816	DNP I Project Planning and Development	3
NUR 817	DNP II Project Implementation	3
NUR 818	DNP III Evaluation & Dissemination	2
NUR 819	Knowledge Dissemination	1
Total Credits		34 (minimum)

Two-Year Track

First Year: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Fall Semester		Credits
IPC 512	Health Care Policy and Finance	3
MAT 600	Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NHA 522	Organizational Behavior and Performance Improvement in Health Care	3
Credits		9

Spring Semester		Credits
IPC 511	Graduate Research	3
NUR 700	Epidemiology & Population Health	3
Credits		6

Summer Semester		Credits
IPC 550	Integrating Experience I	NC
IPC 601	Role Development and Leadership	3
NUR 715	Evidence-Based Practice: Research Translation	3
Credits		6

Second Year: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Fall Semester		Credits
NUR 706	DNP Leadership Practicum Post-Master's 2 clinical credits - 120 clinical hours	2
NUR 710	Health Information Technology	3
NUR 800	DNP Project I: Planning and Development 1 semester credit, 2 clinical credits - 120 clinical hours	3
Credits		8

Spring Semester		Credits
NUR 810	DNP Project II: Implementation 1 semester credit, 1 clinical credit - 60 clinical hours	2
NUR 811	Knowledge Dissemination	1
Credits		3

Summer Semester		Credits
IPC 650	Integrating Experience II	NC
NUR 820	DNP Project III: Evaluation Dissemination	2
NUR 832 or NUR 833	Clinical Role Immersion II Non-NP or Clinical Role Immersion II NP 1-3 clinical credits - 60-180 clinical hours Waived if 1,000 clinical hour requirement is met	1-3
Credits		2 (or more)

Total Combined Credits		34 (or more)
NC = Non-Credit Bearing

Three-Year Track

First Year: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Fall Semester		Credits
IPC 512	Health Care Policy and Finance	3
NHA 522	Organizational Behavior and Performance Improvement in Health Care	3
Total Credits		6

Spring Semester		Credits
NUR 700	Epidemiology & Population Health	3
NUR 710	Health Information Technology	3
Total		6

Summer Semester		Credits
IPC 550	Integrating Experience I	NC
IPC 601	Role Development and Leadership	3
Total		3

Second Year: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Fall Semester		Credits
MAT 600	Statistics for Evidence-Based Practice	3
NUR 706	DNP Leadership Practicum Post-Master's 2 clinical credits - 120 clinical hours	2
Total		5

Spring Semester		Credits
IPC 511	Graduate Research	3
Total		3

Summer Semester		Credits
NUR 715	Evidence-Based Practice: Research Translation	3
Total		3

Third Year: Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Fall Semester		Credits
NUR 800	DNP Project I: Planning and Development 1 semester credit, 2 clinical credits - 120 clinical hours	3
Total		3

Spring Semester		Credits
NUR 810	DNP Project II: Implementation 1 semester credit, 1 clinical credit - 60 clinical hours	2
NUR 811	Knowledge Dissemination	1
Total		3

Summer Semester		Credits
IPC 650	Integrating Experience II	NC
NUR 820	DNP Project III: Evaluation and Dissemination	2
NUR 832 or NUR 833	Clinical Role Immersion II Non-NP or Clinical Role Immersion II NP 1-3 clinical credits - 60-180 clinical hours Waived if 1,000 clinical hour requirement is met	1-3
Total		2 (or more)

Total Combined Credits		34 (or more)
NC = Non-Credit Bearing

Our nursing degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. See more accreditation information.

Faculty

Suzanne Fischer Prestoy PhD, MSN, RN

Dr. Suzanne Prestoy is the Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. She joined the college in 2018 bringing a rich background in Nursing Education, Clinical Practice and Hospital Leadership. Dr. Prestoy has over 50 international, national and regional publications, presentations and grants. As a clinical nurse specialist, she developed interdisciplinary practice improvements in the hospital and community. She received her PhD from New York University in Nursing Research and Theory Development in Nursing, her MSN from the University of Pennsylvania in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, and a BS degree in Nursing from Wilkes University. Dr. Prestoy finds working with DNP candidates gratifying and enjoys mentoring Nursing scholars to improve health care. Dr. Prestoy resides in Richland Twp., Bucks County, with her husband Michael, and has 3 children, Michael and his wife ShuHan, Jackie, and Isabella. She enjoys socializing with friends and family, travel, home remodeling and decorating, and recreational activities.

Contact Dr. Prestoy