Acute Care Nursing

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Acute Care Nursing

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Nursing offers an online program of study leading to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Acute Care Nursing. The DNP in Acute Care Nursing prepares nurses as Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) in adult populations.

Students eligible for the DNP in Acute Care Nursing must have an entry level degree (BSN, MSN) into the profession of nursing. Other preparation is evaluated on an individual basis. All graduates are required to have Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) preparation. Those who do not have APN preparation will have additional course work in their DNP program leading to eligibility for ACNP national certification. The ACNP preparation is also available to those students who are already APN certified in another role.

The curriculum design will vary according to students’ educational preparation upon entry into the program.

• Students entering with a BSN will have course work that prepares them for the ACNP doctoral role; the program is expected to be completed in 3 calendar years full time.
• Students entering with a MSN and no APN certification will be prepared for the ACNP doctoral role; the program is expected to be completed in 2 calendar years full time. 
• Students entering with a MSN and APN certification as ACNP, CNS, or CRNA will be prepared in the doctoral APN role specific to their certification; the program is expected to be completed in 2 calendar years full time.
• Students entering with a MSN and APN certification who wish to include coursework leading to eligibility for ACNP national certification will have a curriculum designed to prepare them for the ACNP doctoral role; the program is expected to be completed in 2 calendar years full time.

The program includes a series of didactic core courses such as Philosophy, Epidemiology, Health Economics, and Leadership. There are clinical experiences in most semesters.  Most clinical experiences are obtained in each student’s community in various clinical sites with preceptors.  Faculty supervise clinical experiences.  A direct patient care practice residency is required during the last semester that includes a capstone quality improvement project. This is an online program that requires travel for on-campus experiences once or twice a semester for approximately one week each on each visit. Dates for the on-campus weeks are published a year in advance.

DNP Acute Care Nursing
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