ALIGNING YOUR GOALS WITH WALDEN AND AACN'S THE ESSENTIALS

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program builds on the student’s knowledge and expertise to strengthen advanced nursing practice, augment healthcare delivery, enhance organizational leadership, and improve patient outcomes. The program’s coursework covers a range of topics, including healthcare policy and advocacy, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, information systems/technology, advanced nursing practice, and organizational and systems leadership.

Accreditation, Licensure, and Certification

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ( www.ccneaccreditation.org ).

Note on Licensure

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Traditional Program and DNP Executive Leadership specialization program are not licensure programs and will not prepare students for practice as licensed nurse practitioners.

The DNP nurse practitioner specializations programs are designed to prepare graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license or APRN license to practice in the U.S. as nurse practitioners in their program specialty area. However, each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own credential for an RN to be permitted to practice as a nurse practitioner in that state.

No graduate program can guarantee that graduates will obtain licensure to practice as a nurse practitioner. We encourage students to consult the appropriate board of nursing or regulatory authority in the states or jurisdictions in which they reside or intend to seek licensure to determine specific requirements. Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide general information relating to licensure; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to licensure for the state in which they intend to practice, as requirements vary widely.

Note on Certification

Walden’s DNP NP specializations are designed to academically prepare graduates to apply for national certification. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve national certification. We encourage students to consult an appropriate certifying body for the specific certification eligibility requirements. Students should also consult their state board of nursing or other state agency to determine what certifications are required or accepted in that state. It is an individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification, as requirements vary widely. For more information about nurse practitioner certification exams, students should visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board at  www.aanpcert.org , the American Nurses Credentialing Center at  www.nursingworld.org/ancc , or other nurse practitioner certification websites.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this program, students will be able to:

1. Translate quality research findings to direct evidence-based nursing practice.

2. Develop organizational system changes for quality improvement in healthcare delivery in response to local and/or global community or workplace needs.

3. Apply optimal utilization of healthcare information technology across healthcare settings.

4. Advocate for the advancement of nursing and healthcare policy and standards to improve health outcomes by addressing positive social change and social policy through sharing of science-based knowledge with healthcare leaders and policy makers.

5. Demonstrate leadership to facilitate collaborative teams for improving patient and populations health outcomes.

6. Utilize advanced nursing practice knowledge to implement methodologies to improve population and community health outcomes among culturally diverse populations.

7. Establish a foundation for lifelong learning for continual elevation of contributions to the field of nursing through active involvement in professional organizations and/or other professional and community bodies.

  Specialization in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse trained to provide a wide range of mental health services to patients and families in a variety of settings. PMHNPs diagnose, conduct therapy, and prescribe medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders, or substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, conduct psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, develop and manage treatment plans, and provide ongoing manage patient care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff. The PMHNP has a focus on making a psychiatric diagnosis, differentiates between medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and orders appropriate medications to treat various psychiatric disorders. A PMHNP can often practice autonomously, depending on state licensure laws.

AACN Fact Sheet - DNP

On October 25, 2004, the member schools affiliated with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) voted to endorse the Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing. This decision called for moving the current level of preparation necessary for advanced nursing practice from the master’s degree to the doctorate-level. In the 19 years since the position statement was endorsed, more than 73,000 nurses have graduated with a DNP.

· In a 2005 report titled  Advancing the Nation's Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs , the National Academy of Sciences called for nursing to develop a non-research clinical doctorate to prepare expert practitioners who can also serve as clinical faculty. AACN's work to advance the DNP is consistent with this call to action.

· The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs supports doctoral education for entry into nurse anesthesia practice by 2025. As of January 1, 2022, all students matriculating into an accredited CRNA program were enrolled in a doctoral program.

· In 2018, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, the leading organization for NP education,  called for moving to the DNP degree  as the entry-level preparation for NPs by 2025. NONPF has reaffirmed this position over the years, including its most recent  statement  issued in April 2023.

Sustaining Momentum for the DNP

· After a two-year consensus-building process, AACN member institutions voted to endorse the  Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice  on October 30, 2006. Schools developing a DNP are encouraged to use this document, which defines the curricular elements and competencies that must be present in a practice doctorate in nursing.  

· In July 2006, the AACN Board of Directors endorsed the final report of the Task Force on the Roadmap to the DNP, which was developed to assist schools navigating the DNP program approval process. This report includes recommendations for securing institutional approval to transition an MSN into a DNP program; preparing faculty to teach in DNP programs; addressing regulatory, licensure, accreditation, and certification issues; and collecting evaluation data. A  DNP Tool Kit  was developed using information and resources contained in the Roadmap report.  

· In 2014, the AACN Board of Directors commissioned the RAND Corporation to conduct a national study to examine the progress made by nursing schools in transitioning to the practice doctorate. The report, titled  The DNP by 2015: A Study of the Institutional, Political, and Professional Issues that Facilitate or Impede Establishing a Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice Program , found near universal agreement among nurse educators about the value of the DNP in preparing individuals for advanced nursing practice.  

· In June 2022, AACN released a report titled  The State of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education in 2022,  which provided the latest data on DNP trends; insights from employers, graduates, and program administrators on the value and impact of DNP education; and recommendations for ongoing engagement with practice partners and certification organizations to support the DNP for entry into advanced practice nursing.    

· Schools nationwide that have initiated the DNP are reporting sizable and competitive student enrollment. Employers are quickly recognizing the unique contribution these expert nurses are making in the practice arena, and the demand for DNP-prepared nurses continues to grow.  

· The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the leading accrediting agency for baccalaureate- and graduate-degree nursing programs in the U.S., began accrediting DNP programs in Fall 2008. To date, 373 DNP programs have been accredited by CCNE.

· American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2023, June).  AACN fact sheet - DNP Links to an external site. . https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/dnp-fact-sheet

· American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (n.d.).  Students Links to an external site. . https://www.aacnnursing.org/students