The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing received approval today from the Board of Regents to create a Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree.
The degree will prepare nurses in advanced clinical expertise and in methods and strategies to improve patient care quality in today’s complex health care system. The degree also will educate nurses on translating research findings to benefit patients.
The D.N.P. degree can be completed in one to two years by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who already have master’s degrees in nursing, or in three years by those with bachelor’s degrees in nursing.
Beginning in fall 2011, the college will accept 15 APRNs each year in the first two or three years of the program, then accept students with bachelor’s degrees in nursing. In the third year, the degree will be available at the college’s five campuses in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, Scottsbluff and Norfolk.
Nurse practitioners, also called APRNs, diagnose, treat, prescribe medication and focus on health promotion. In the coming years, they are poised to help solve the nation’s shortage of primary care physicians. APRNs also encompasses clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse-midwives who have master’s or doctorate degrees in nursing with advanced clinical experience.
Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said nationally, the D.N.P. program is fast becoming the degree of choice for advanced practice nurses. Recent surveys by the college show burgeoning demand for the D.N.P. degree. There are D.N.P. programs available in 35 states and the District of Columbia, and more in the planning stages. Four of the five states bordering Nebraska have programs.
“Over half of all academic medical centers offer this program so we are at a tipping point in the country,” Dr. Tilden said. “I’m delighted the board has supported this proposal so that the college can maintain its prominence nationally among the top-tier schools of nursing in the country.”
Sarah Thompson, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing associate dean for academic programs, said the new degree will prepare more nurses to meet the growing health needs of Nebraskans. “This degree is another crucial step towards reducing the shortage of nurses and nurse faculty in the state, especially in rural communities,” Dr. Thompson said. “We believe this additional education will speed the translation of research as well. It’s estimated it takes 15 years after research findings are known to translate that information that will benefit patients.”
The college will be accepting applications soon. For more information contact Dani Eveloff at 1-800-626-8431, or develoff@unmc.edu.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.