DNP: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program is a full-time doctoral program for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who desire to become nurse practitioners. Consistent with the mission statements of the School of Nursing and the Graduate College at St. Catherine University, the DNP-NP Program educates nurse practitioners to lead and influence as doctoral-prepared experts in advanced nursing practice.  

The DNP-NP Program begins with core graduate nursing courses and courses that lay the foundation for nurse practitioner clinical practice. Students will continue with track-specific course work, followed by clinical hours and their DNP project. Courses are grounded in a commitment to critical inquiry, innovation, ethical leadership, social justice, with a holistic view of the person, designed to prepare scholar-practitioners who lead and influence, advocate for justice, honor diverse and global perspectives, and demonstrate expertise in their area of study.

Why the DNP?

The Nurse Practitioner program at St. Catherine University was one of the first NP programs in Minnesota. Our graduates have a long and successful history of providing excellent patient care, especially for the most vulnerable populations in Minnesota and throughout the country. Dynamic changes in the role of the nurse practitioner and the need for nurses to earn higher degrees supported the need to transform the M.S. Nurse Practitioner program into a DNP-NP program. 

Years to Complete the Program

This is a 3- or 4-year program of study to complete the DNP-NP program. Students are expected to complete the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program within seven years of initial enrollment.

Important Technical Standards

For successful admission and continuance in St. Catherine University’s pre-licensure nursing programs, a specific set of essential cognitive, sensory, communication, psychomotor, and behavioral/ emotional/spiritual health abilities are required to be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

Read the full requirements

Curriculum

NURS 7140Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 8150Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice3
STAT 7000Introduction to Biostatistics3
IPE 7000Evidence Based Practice: Interprofessional Perspectives and Competencies 13
NURS 7080Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 8300Advanced Outcomes Measurement and Evaluation3
NURS 6223Advanced Pharmacology across the Lifespan3
NURS 6160Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology across the Lifespan3
NURS 6143Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 6260Clinical Reasoning, Diagnostics, and Procedures3
NURS 6135Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 6420Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 6445 Primary Care Clinical I: Common Acute Conditions in Adults and Older Adults1
NURS 7420Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 7425Primary Care Clinical II: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 7820Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 7825Primary Care Clinical III: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8125 Primary Care Clinical IV: Adults and Older Adults2
NURS 8523Advanced Evidence-based Practice3
NURS 8536Healthcare Economics and Finance3
NURS 8543Health Care: Power, Policy and Politics3
NURS 8515DNP Integration I2
NURS 8516DNP Integration II2
NURS 8517DNP Integration III2
NURS 8518DNP Integration IV2
Total Credits68
1

May also be fulfilled by NURS 7060 Evidence Based Practice

Fall Term
NURS 7140Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 8150Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 6223Advanced Pharmacology across the Lifespan3
Spring Term
STAT 7000Introduction to Biostatistics3
NURS 7060Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 6160Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology across the Lifespan3
Summer Term
NURS 6143Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 6260Clinical Reasoning, Diagnostics, and Procedures3
Fall Term
NURS 7080Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 8536Healthcare Economics and Finance3
NURS 6135Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
Spring Term
NURS 8300Advanced Outcomes Measurement and Evaluation3
NURS 6420Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8523Advanced Evidence-based Practice3
Summer Term
NURS 7420Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 6445 Primary Care Clinical I: Adults and Older Adults1
NURS 8515DNP Integration I2
Fall Term
NURS 7820Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 7425Primary Care Clinical II: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8516DNP Integration II2
Spring Term
NURS 8543Health Care: Power, Policy and Politics3
NURS 7825Primary Care Clinical III: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8517DNP Integration III2
Summer Term
NURS 8125 Primary Care Clinical IV: Adults and Older Adults2
NURS 8518DNP Integration IV2
Total Credits68
Fall Term
NURS 7140Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice3
NURS 8150Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice3
Spring Term
STAT 7000Introduction to Biostatistics3
NURS 7060Evidence Based Practice 13
Summer Term
NURS 7080Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice3
Fall Term
NURS 8300Advanced Outcomes Measurement and Evaluation3
NURS 6223Advanced Pharmacology across the Lifespan3
Spring Term
NURS 6160Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology across the Lifespan3
Summer Term
NURS 6143Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 6260Clinical Reasoning, Diagnostics, and Procedures3
Fall Term
NURS 8536Healthcare Economics and Finance3
NURS 6135Health Promotion in Primary Care: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
Spring Term
NURS 6420Primary Care I: Common and Acute Conditions in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8523Advanced Evidence-based Practice3
Summer Term
NURS 7420Primary Care II: Chronic Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 6445 Primary Care Clinical I: Adults and Older Adults1
NURS 8515DNP Integration I2
Fall Term
NURS 7820Primary Care III: Chronic and Complex Health Challenges in Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 7425Primary Care Clinical II: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8516DNP Integration II2
Spring Term
NURS 8543Health Care: Power, Policy and Politics3
NURS 7825Primary Care Clinical III: Adult and Geriatric Populations3
NURS 8517DNP Integration III2
Summer Term
NURS 8518DNP Integration IV2
NURS 8125 Primary Care Clinical IV: Adult and Geriatric Populations2
Total Credits68