Population Health Leadership, D.N.P.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program is an online population health-focused post-master’s degree program for nurses from a variety of practice settings to become leaders in addressing the complexity of health care and health care outcomes in the 21st century. Through the lens of the Jesuit tradition, the student builds on a previously earned master’s degree to achieve the highest level of academic preparation that incorporates scientific, philosophical, ethical, and historical perspectives of nursing practice along with a perspective of the complexities of present and future global and holistic health care. Additionally, organizational and systems leadership, population focused healthcare, health policy that includes advocacy in health care, and interprofessional collaboration to address health care outcomes will be considered. The design, implementation, and evaluation of delivery methods that address outcomes to improve the health of the nation will be the capstone focus. Xavier DNP graduates will be well positioned for translating the science of population health nursing as nurse leaders in an ever-changing global health care environment.

Immersion experiences in a variety of environments occur throughout the curriculum and focus on integration and application of credible research findings within the evidence base. Innovation to support management of care for individuals and populations, administration of nursing and health care organizations, and development and implementation of health policy that will ultimately influence health care outcomes for populations is also a part of the immersion experience. Using conceptual and analytical skills, students provide leadership in clinical scholarship and synthesize relationships among practice, organizations, diverse populations, fiscal resources and policy concerns to advance the delivery of quality, safe, efficient and effective health care for diverse populations.

The 39-42 variable credit hour program is a 100% online educational offering with a campus-based orientation prior to the beginning of the first fall semester. Students move through the 8 semester program taking 3 to 7 credits per semester. Variable credits are due to an epidemiology course that is required of all AACN Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) graduates and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates. MSN graduates who have approved credit for an equivalent epidemiology course from their master’s curriculum are not required to repeat the course. Up to 500 hours of clinical immersion from a master’s program and/or advanced certification may be accepted toward the 1,000 immersion hours required for DNP.