Doctor of Nursing Practice

• Why St. Kate’s
• Academic Plan
• Courses
• Faculty

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Launched in 2008, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is a great next step for you if you are engaged in advanced nursing practice and want to influence or transform the field of nursing. St. Kate’s practice-focused DNP program educates master’s prepared nurses by:

• Developing advanced competencies for increasingly complex practice, faculty, and leadership roles
• Enhancing knowledge to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes
• Promoting leadership skills to strengthen practice and health care delivery

New to many healthcare facilities and academic settings, DNPs are prepared to take on leadership roles.

St. Kate’s DNP program prepares nurses to care for groups of patients, influence and implement needed systems and policy changes and lead healthcare providers through challenging and changing times.

Practice-focused doctoral education

The relatively new DNP degree is championed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Institute of Medicine’s Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization, which believe the healthcare profession needs more highly educated nurses to meet the needs of a changing population.

Careers for DNP graduates

DNPs can be expected to take on leadership roles including chief nursing officer, chief nursing executive, director of a primary care clinic or director of a system-wide quality improvement department. Graduates also may pursue full- or part-time careers in nursing education.