Harris College plans to launch a doctorate in nursing practice

Fort Worth, TX

4/5/2007

Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences plans to launch a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) degree this fall, aimed at meeting the numerous challenges of health care today. The DNP program at TCU is in response to national trends in shaping the future of nursing education and practice.

The degree program will not focus on why a process does not work or why a patients' problem exists - the focus will be on solutions according to Dr. Linda Harrington, director of the DNP program.

"The practice doctorate in nursing provides the terminal academic preparation for nursing practice," Dr. Harrington said. "The purpose of this program is to prepare students to assume clinical leadership positions in a variety of health care, business, government, and educational organizations."

At three million, nurses are the largest group of health care professionals, followed by approximately 800,000 physicians and 200,000 pharmacists. Due to the size of nursing and intensity and amount of contact with patients, a dramatic change in nursing will be required to make dramatic changes in health care. Nursing offers the greatest potential for improving the quality of health care. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) adopted a position that recognizes the DNP program as the highest level of preparation for clinical practice. The AACN has stipulated that the current level of preparation necessary for advanced nursing practice move from the master's degree to the doctorate level by the year 2015.

The DNP is a two-year program designed with an innovative, solution-focused curriculum. The program is a practice doctorate designed to prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice. The focus is heavily on practice that is innovative and evidence-based, reflecting the application of credible research findings and theories to improving health care outcomes.

The post-masters DNP degree requires a minimum of 30-semester hours of coursework for completion. Courses include Complexity and Innovation in Health Care, Biostatistics for the Advanced Health Practitioner, Decision Science and Informatics, Translational Research, Health Care Policy and Politics, Emerging Sciences for Advanced Practice, Advanced Clinical Practicum I & II, and Advanced Clinical Project. The goal of the degree program is to cultivate critical thinkers, clinical scientists, and nursing leaders who are able to work skillfully, strategically, and collaboratively with clients demonstrating judgment, optimism, and vision about nursing and health care.

For more information on the Doctor of Nursing Practice at TCU, contact Dr. Linda Harrington at 817-257-6726 or l.harrington@tcu.edu.


Media contact:
Shawn Kornegay
Asst. director of communications
TCU
817-257-5061
s.kornegay@tcu.edu