Degree Requirements

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

MSN to DNP for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles Pathway

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP Core Courses
NU 607	Scientif Underpinnings Adv Nsg	3
NU 608	EBP & Quality Improvement HCS	3
NU 610	Healthcare Policy & Finance	3
NU 611	Translat Evidence Practice Sys	3
NU 612	Clinical Prev Population Hlth	3
NU 613	Organizational & Sys Leadrshp	3
NU 615	Qual Improv & Outcomes Assmnt	3
NU 616	Data & Dec Mkng Healthcare Sys	3
DNP Residency Courses
Select the DNP courses which match the MSN or Post-Graduate Concentration already completed:		12
Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
AHN 604	Adult-Geron Acute Care NP PP&D
AHN 617	AG ACNP Residency I
AHN 618	AG ACNP Residency II
AHN 619	AG ACNP Residency III
Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
AHN 693	Adult-Geron Primary NP PP&D
AHN 694	Adult-Gero Primary Cr NP Res I
AHN 695	Adlt-Gero Primary Cr NP Res II
AHN 696	Adlt-Gero Prim Care NP Res III
Adult-Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist
AHN 634	Adult-Geron CNS PP&D
AHN 635	Adult-Geron CNS Residency I
AHN 636	Adult-Geron CNS Residency II
AHN 637	Adult-Geron CNS Residency III
Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP) Option: A.) Family NP
AHN 680	Family NP (DR) PP&D
AHN 681	Family NP (DR) Residency I
AHN 682	FNP (DR) Residency II
AHN 683	FNP (DR) Residency III
Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP) Option B.) Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP
AHN 670	AG-ACNP(DR) PP&D
AHN 671	AG/ACNP (DR) Residency I
AHN 672	AG-ACNP (DR) Residency II
AHN 673	AG-ACNP(DR) Residency III
Dual Role (Family NP/Emergency NP)
NU 680	Family/Emergency NP PP&D
NU 681	Family/Emerg NP Residency I
NU 682	Family/Emerg NP Residency II
NU 683	Family/Emerg NP Residency III
Executive Nursing Administration
NU 661	Executive Nsg Admin PP&D
NU 662	Nurse Exec Admin Res I
NU 663	Nurse Exec Admin Res II
NU 664	Nurse Exec Admin Res III
Family Nurse Practitioner
CMN 680	Family NP PP&D
CMN 681	Family NP Residency I
CMN 682	Family NP Residency II
CMN 683	Family NP Residency III
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
MCN 674	Neonatal NP PP&D
MCN 675	NNP Residency I
MCN 676	NNP Residency II
MCN 677	NNP Residency III
Nursing Informatics
NU 656	Nursing Informatics PP&D
NU 657	Nursing Informatic Residency I
NU 658	NU Informatics Residency II
NU 659	NU Informatics Residency III
Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
MCN 604	Pediatric Acute Care NP PP&D
MCN 617	Pediatric Acute Care NP Res I
MCN 618	Pediatric Acute Care NP Res II
MCN 619	Pediatric Acute Cre NP Res III
Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
MCN 654	Pediatric Primary Care NP PP&D
MCN 655	Ped Prim Care NP Residency I
MCN 656	Ped Primary Care NP Res II
MCN 657	Ped Primary Care NP Res III
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
CMN 604	PMHNP PP&D
CMN 617	PMHNP Residency I
CMN 618	PMHNP Residency II
CMN 619	PMHNP Residency III
Public Health Administration
CMN 643	Public Health Admin PP&D
CMN 644	Public Health Residency I
CMN 645	Public Health Residency II
CMN 646	Public Health Residency III
Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
MCN 644	Women's Health NP PP&D
MCN 645	Women's Health NP Residency I
MCN 646	Women's Health NP Residency II
MCN 647	Women's Health NP Res III
Total Hours		36

Subspecialties

Students can earn a Post-Graduate Certificate Subspecialty when adding the requirements for any of the following subspecialties to their degree program curriculum.

Addictions Nursing

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 580	OUD/SUD Prevention/Screening	2
HSC 581	OUD/SUD Assessment/Treatment	2
HSC 582	OUD/SUD Recovery/Sys Practice	2
NU 510	Addictions Practicum I	1
NU 511	Addictions Practicum II	2
NU 512	Addictions Practicum III	2
NU 513	Addictions Practicum IV (Elective)	4
Total Hours		15

Advanced Forensic Nursing

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 500	Explore Culture Sexual Assault	2
NU 503	Trauma Care Sexual Assault Vic	2
NU 504	Adv Pharm Care Post Assault	2
NU 505	Sup Care Comorbid Post Assault	2
Total Hours		8

Cardiovascular

May be added to Adult-Gerontological Acute NP, Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP, Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP), and Dual Role (Family NP/Emergency NP), Family NP, Women’s Health NP, Post-Graduate Certificate Emergency NP, and any Adult- Gerontological CNS student with a strong background in cardiovascular and/or acute care nursing

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 520	Foundations of Cardiovascular Care for Advanced Practice	2
HSC 521	Advanced Cardiovascular Concepts I	2
HSC 522	Advanced Cardiovascular Concepts II	2
HSC 523	Advanced Cardiovascular Concepts III	2
Total Hours		8

Clinical Lipidology

May be added to Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP, Adult-Gerontological Acute NP, Adult-Gerontological CNS, Family NP, Dual Role (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute NP), Dual Role (Family NP/Emergency NP), Women's Health NP, and Post-Graduate Certificate Emergency NP.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 595	Evidence Basd Lipid Practice	2
HSC 596	Adv Vascular Biology	2
HSC 597	Adv Pharm Complex Dyslipidemia	2
HSC 598	Diag/Mgt C-plex Dyslipidemia	2
Total Hours		8

Nurse Educator

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 620	Prin Teach/Learn/Assess Nu Ed	3
NU 621	Curr Design/Outcome Eval Nu Ed	3
NU 622	Current Topics in Nu Education	2
NU 623	Nsg Educ Synthesis Practicum	3
Total Hours		11

Palliative Care

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
AHN 530	Found Palliative Care/Adv Role	2
AHN 531	Adv Palliative Cr/End of Life	2
AHN 532	Adv Chronic Illness Care	2
AHN 533	Adv Palliative Care Practicum	3
Total Hours		9

Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 501	Foundations of Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
HSC 502	Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities in Population Health	2
HSC 503	Current Issues and Trends in Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
HSC 504	Leadership and Change Management Advancing Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
Total Hours		8

Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 510	IPT for TI-IBH Primary Care	1
HSC 511	IPT Telehealth Deliv TI-IBH	1
HSC 512	TI-MI in IBH Seminar	1
NU 526	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum I	1
NU 527	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum II	2
NU 528	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum III	2
Total Hours		8

Elective Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 509	Bioethics Advan Practice Nsg	1
NU 597	Intro to Scholarly Writing	3
HSC 500	(Addressing Gender Discrimination and Disparities in Healthcare)	3
HSC 573	Resp Prescrib Common Used Drug	1

Additional Information

Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a professional degree and prepares graduates to provide the most advanced level of nursing care for individuals and communities. This includes the direct care of individual patients, management of care for individuals and populations, administration of health care and nursing systems, and the development and implementation of health policy. The program is designed to be in compliance with The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice as put forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

The College of Nursing has several pathways, specialization, and sub-specialization options within the DNP program. The pathways include the MSN to DNP for Advanced Nursing Practice roles, MSN to DNP adding a new advanced practice certification area, MSN to DNP Clinical Nurse Leader Bridge to Executive Nursing Administration, and the BSN to DNP.

Areas of Specialization

Several concentration areas are offered to meet the career goals of students. Available Nurse Practitioner options include Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nursing, Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nursing, Dual Role (Family Nursing/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nursing), Dual Role (Family Nursing/Emergency Nursing), Family Nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Neonatal Nursing, Pediatric Acute Care Nursing, Pediatric Primary Care Nursing, Women's Health Nursing. Clinical Nurse Specialist is available in Adult-Gerontological Nursing. Concentrations are also available for students pursuing careers in Executive Nursing Administration, Nursing Informatics, and Clinical Nurse Leader Bridge to DNP Executive Nursing Administration. Emergency Nursing is offered only as a post-graduate certificate. Sub-specializations are available in Addictions Nursing, Advanced Forensic Nursing Care, Cardiovascular, Clinical Lipidology, Nursing Education, Palliative Care, Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities and Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Subspecialty.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, graduates should be able to:

1. Assume organizational and system leadership in the analysis, delivery, and management of nursing care.

2. Implement the highest level of advanced nursing care to produce high-quality, cost-effective outcomes for diverse patient outcomes.

3. Use theories, concepts, and analytic methodologies to design, implement, and evaluate practice by applying evidence to transform nursing systems.

4. Contribute to the knowledge of best-practices and dissemination of outcomes through professional writing and presentations.

5. Develop practice standards based on the integration of ethics and evidence-based nursing care.

6. Build interdisciplinary professional collaboration through leadership and mentorship.

MSN to DNP for Advanced Nursing Roles Pathway

The DNP curriculum consists of 36 Credit hours for the student holding a Master of Science in Nursing degree with preparation in an area of advanced practice nursing. Students who graduated with an MSN from the University of South Alabama College of Nursing and completed the following courses NU 607, NU 608, NU 610, and NU 613 during the MSN coursework may complete the DNP program with an additional 24 Credit hours if the previous coursework is within the seven year limit. The MSN to DNP program can be completed in four semesters of full-time study. Full-time study is defined as six or more credit hours per semester. Permission to take more than 12 Credit hours per semester must be obtained from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Part-time study is also available.

The program must be completed in seven years of matriculation for the MSN to DNP for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles Pathway.

Course work for the MSN to DNP program is offered completely on-line. Students are not required to come to campus during the MSN to DNP program. Electives can be taken but are not required. The program does not require a thesis or dissertation; however, students are required to complete a major synthesis project that results in a quality improvement change and has a substantial effect on health care outcomes. Residency requirements for the synthesis project can be completed in the student's home region with an approved mentor.

Admission Criteria

To be considered for admission to the DNP program, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States of America.

2. Current registered nurse licensure with no restrictions. Nurses with any restrictions on their license, including participation in a voluntary disciplinary alternative program, cannot be admitted.

3. Graduate of an approved regionally accredited master's program with a major in nursing.

4. Applicants to the MSN to DNP pathway must have a minimal grade-point average of 3.0 on all MSN coursework (A=4.00).

5. Submission of a résumé which documents clinical experience.

6. Prior to enrolling in nurse practitioner clinical course, students are required to have at least 2 years of experience in an area appropriate to the specialty track.

7. Students are admitted to a specialty track and may not change their track without permission.

8. Students must be in good standing with all academic institutions/nursing programs that they have attended in order to be admitted to the DNP program.

Contingency for Admission and Initial Registration

Admission and initial registration is contingent on completion of the following requirements:

1. Acceptance Packet

2. Negative Drug Screen

3. Acceptable Background Check

4. All Health Requirements as outlined in the Medical Documents Manager.

5. Letter of Clinical Commitment.

Notification of missing documents will be sent to your JagMail email account. Only students who have successfully completed the Acceptance Packet in its entirety, have a negative drug screen and acceptable background check, and completed all required portions of the Medical Documents Manager will be permitted to register for classes.

Application Procedures

Admission to the program is limited and selective. Application forms and other information may be obtained from the College of Nursing's Website or by contacting the college directly at:

College of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama 36688
condnpadmit@southalabama.edu
Telephone: (251) 445-9400.

1. Completion of the Primary Application: 

   1. Primary Application submitted through Nursing Centralized Application System (NursingCAS).

   2. Official transcripts of all college and university studies, regardless of the outcome of enrollment, must be sent directly from the home institution to the NursingCAS. These documents become the property of the NursingCAS and will not be returned to the applicant. Applicants are responsible for any fees required by NursingCAS for their services.

   3. Personal Goal Statement is required. The Personal Goal Statement is a description of the applicant's purpose for completing the graduate degree. This essay serves as a writing sample to be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee to determine the applicant’s scholarly writing skills.

   4. Submission of a résumé which documents clinical experience.

2. Completion of the Supplemental Application:

   1. The Supplemental Application is submitted electronically directly to the DNP Office at the USA College of Nursing.  Under Academic Information please select the appropriate semester for admission.  Select "graduate" under both student type and academic level of interest.  A new option will appear asking if you are applying for a graduate nursing program, select "yes" and this will take you into the nursing application.

   2. Please note that the Supplemental Application should be completed AFTER you have completed your NursingCAS application and it has moved through the following stages: received, complete then VERIFIED.  Once it is verified you may complete the Supplemental Application.

   3. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their completed Supplemental Application is submitted by the deadline for the semester for which they are applying. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

   4. This application requires a non-refundable processing fee of $100.00.

Application Deadlines

The College of Nursing posts application deadlines on our website for the DNP programs.  Applications are accepted three times a year.

Graduate Student Clinical Placement Policy and Procedure

The University of South Alabama College of Nursing (USA CON) offers students a wide variety of clinical opportunities as required by their selected program of study. Clinical practice experiences, supervised and evaluated by faculty, promote the integration of new knowledge into advanced nursing practice. Because students are located across the nation and abroad, they have the flexibility to complete clinical requirements in approved clinical sites within a geographically accessible area.

The USA CON is ultimately responsible for locating and securing clinical sites and preceptors for fully-admitted students during the program. The USA CON also recognizes students have diverse needs related to scheduling and travel to clinical site rotations. Therefore, the USA CON encourages students to locate acceptable clinical sites and preceptors within their geographical area using their known professional network when possible. This process allows students to determine opportunities that fit their personal time commitments related to family and work.  

Upon enrollment in the first nursing course, students have access to the USA CON’s Department of Clinical Affairs staff and the department's Clinical Affairs Placement Site (CAPS). Clinical Affairs staff are available to assist students with the process of locating potential sites and preceptors as needed. The CAPS clinical placement system is used to manage all students' clinical placement approval requests.

A clinical placement must be identified to meet full admission requirements. Students who do not meet this requirement will be admitted conditionally pending the guarantee of future clinical site placement after the completion of 9 credit hours maximum of support courses (the 3 Ps). Students are encouraged to work with the Clinical Affairs staff to secure an appropriate clinical site and preceptor within the first semester of matriculation to be eligible for full admission. The USA CON will assist students, as needed, to identify appropriate sites but no guarantee of approved placement is offered. Should the USA CON or student be unable to secure clinical placement or the student be unwilling to accept placement identified by the USA CON, the student may request a transfer of completed academic credit (e.g., the 3Ps) to another institution. Transfer credit approval is only granted by the receiving institution and is not guaranteed.

Post-graduate certificate students admitted directly to the clinical specialty must provide evidence of a guaranteed clinical placement and preceptor to be granted full admission to the program. 

Academic Progression Policy

Students in the MSN-DNP for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles program must meet the following requirements to progress in the program:

1. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. Any term in which a graduate student drops below a 3.0 Program GPA, the student is placed on probationary status and has a period of two terms to attain a 3.0 Program GPA or be dismissed.

2. Students in these programs can have a maximum of one “C”. A student earning a second "C" or lower will be academically dismissed from the program.

3. A student earning one grade of "F" in the program will be academically dismissed.

4. The final outcome of the DNP Project Planning and Development course and the DNP Incomplete Extension course is "Successful/Unsuccessful." Students receiving two grades of “U” in these courses will be academically dismissed.

5. Failure to show good ethical and moral character including but not limited to any of the following may result in dismissal from the program:

   1. conviction of a crime,

   2. disciplinary action against a nursing license in Alabama or any other state,

   3. positive drug test,

   4. adverse background check, or

   5. disruptive behavior, including online behavior.
      All students must notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Dean of the College of Nursing immediately or no later than 48 hours of any of the above stated incidents.

6. All students must notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Dean of the College of Nursing immediately or no later than 48 hours following an arrest. Failure to report an arrest may result in removal from the program.

7. All students are subject to testing for controlled substances and must submit to random drug testing as requested. A positive test or refusal to submit to testing will result in removal from the program.

8. All students are subject to a background check and must submit to additional background checks as requested. An adverse finding or refusal to submit to a background check may result in removal from the program.

9. A student who has been academically dismissed is not eligible for readmission to the DNP program and is not eligible for admission to the MSN program.

Policy for Students Who are Dismissed from a Clinical Setting for Unprofessional Behavior or Refused Approval by the Setting due to Previous Experience with the Student

Professional behavior is expected of all USA CON students within the clinical setting. Students who are asked to leave a clinical setting (by an administrator or preceptor) due to unprofessional behavior will be removed from the clinical site with no approval of return to the same site.

Should a clinical agency refuse to allow a student to obtain clinical hours in their facility for any reason, the agency’s request will be honored by the college.

Students dismissed from a clinical site or refused by a clinical agency will be assisted to find an appropriate clinical placement at an affiliated clinical site at the college’s discretion.  Students who decline the placement provided will be delayed in completing the program. 

Depending on the nature of the unprofessional behavior, action taken by the college may include dismissal from the academic program.

DNP Residency Coursework Policy

The DNP Residency Coursework includes the DNP Project Planning and Development, Residency I, Residency II, and Residency III.  Students who need to change their DNP project focus after successfully completing the DNP PP&D course will be required to retake PP&D for project redesign prior to moving forward in the residency courses. Students who need to change a DNP Residency course clinical site after approval of the original project idea must meet with the DNP Program Director, DNP Department Coordinator, DNP Specialty Track Coordinator, and Faculty Advisor. The DNP PP&D as well as any previously completed Residency courses may be required of the student before progressing to a subsequent residency course.

Scientific Review Committee Policy

The DNP project will be reviewed by the USA College of Nursing DNP Scientific Review Committee to evaluate rigor and feasibility. The review process will occur during Project Planning and Development.  The DNP project must be reviewed by the Scientific Review Committee before enrolling in Residency I.

Graduation Information

The program must be completed in seven years of matriculation for the MSN to DNP for Advanced Practice Nursing Roles Pathway. Each candidate for the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree must submit an application for the degree the semester preceding their anticipated graduation through the Registrar's Office. See the University Calendar for specific deadlines. Deadlines for each semester application are located on the Registrar’s Graduation Website.