Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

The doctor of nursing practice degree program at Colby-Sawyer College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Program Overview

Colby-Sawyer's online DNP: Advanced Leadership (post-MSN) program prepares students with the enhanced leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to translate research into practice, fostering improved patient outcomes.

The DNP program focuses on the improvement of patient safety and quality of care through instruction in organizational/systems leadership, quality improvement processes and the transformation of evidence into practice. The degree prepares graduates for career advancement in healthcare leadership, advanced clinical care or health policy, and offers a path to a career as a nurse executive, clinical educator or clinical scientist.

The curriculum consists of asynchronous courses that are delivered in an online format in 8- and 15-week blocks. The DNP curriculum includes five core courses and three DNP Scholarly Project courses (8 courses; 28 credits) and can be completed in a 20-month or 32-month course of study. Courses are facilitated by doctorally prepared research- and practice-focused faculty that are actively engaged in professional and clinical work.

The required DNP Scholarly Project is designed to address complex issues that affect patients, healthcare organizations and systems. Over three clinical practicum semesters, the DNP student will develop, implement, evaluate and disseminate a sustainable, evidence-based project designed to improve patient safety and quality of care.

By the end of the program, students are required to successfully finish all DNP coursework, complete 1,000 documented, advanced-practice clinical hours, present their DNP project and produce a publishable scholarly paper. Students may apply up to 500* hours earned during their master’s program toward the 1,000 required practicum hours.

Admission for Students Interested in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program: The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Colby-Sawyer College is extremely selective. Prerequisites for admission include a Master of Science degree in Nursing from an accredited institution.  Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Satisfactory completion of prerequisite graduate level coursework includes statistics and nursing research.

Transfer Students: Colby-Sawyer's Doctor of Nursing Practice program accepts transfer students. Up to nine (9) graduate-level credits may be transferred from other programs after evaluation by the Registrar.

DNP program Academic Policies: A minimum grade of a B is required in all DNP courses. Students may repeat one course one time if necessary.  Nursing faculty reserve the right to require withdrawal of any student whose health, conduct or academic standing makes it unsafe for the student to remain in a nursing course or clinical setting. Failure to comply with clinical agency policy is also cause for dismissal from the DNP program.

For program specific complaints, all students are encouraged to work with their advisor to resolve issues directly with their professor. If resolution at the faculty/course level is not reached, students are encouraged to talk with the DNP Program Coordinator, Director and Chair of Nursing, and then the Dean of the SNHS and to follow the specified process in the Graduate and Professional Studies Course Catalog.

Clinical Education Policies: The DNP program abides by the policies articulated by the clinical agencies in which it is engaged.

Philosophy: Nursing is the care of persons, families or populations who are experiencing or can be expected to experience variations in health; and the tending of the entire environment in which care occurs.

Mission: The nursing program mission flows from the College mission by preparing competent ethical nursing graduates at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. The integration of knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences with professional education is designed to provide a student-centered, high-quality education in nursing, grounded in evidence-based theory, including the educational and clinical opportunities that prepare them to practice as professional nurses. It is expected that graduates will practice in a variety of settings as they serve persons from diverse backgrounds in need of health care, and form collaborative partnerships with professionals in other disciplines. In addition to a liberal education, the core components of the program in nursing are grounded in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008), The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (2011), and The Essentials: Core Competency for Professional Nursing Education (2021) and include the competencies and knowledge essential to nursing practice, the values of the healing professions, and the development of the professional role of the nurse. The program prepares its graduates for lifelong learning and a spirit of inquiry.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Goal

The goal of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program is to offer professional education that prepares students at the highest level of clinical nursing to advance the application of nursing knowledge and assume leadership roles focused on improving the quality and safety of healthcare at all levels, in diverse environments, and for individuals and populations.