The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers the Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree to prepare advanced practice nurses at the highest level. This professional nursing preparation will include advanced coursework in leadership, research translation, and clinical knowledge and skills. This change was driven by evolving nursing roles in an increasingly complex health care system, new scientific knowledge, and ongoing concerns about the quality and outcomes of patient care.  Applicants to the DNP program will choose one of the role tracks, either Family Nurse Practitioner, or Public Health Nurse Leader and indicate on their application which track they are applying for.

Graduates of the DNP program will practice at the highest level. Specific expected outcomes of the program require that graduates will:

• engage in nursing practice using the advanced knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to improve health outcomes
• provide leadership and collaborate with leaders in other professions for change in systems of care
• synthesize and translate evidence from nursing and other disciplines to manage complex health problems
• provide culturally proficient care to respond to health disparities and societal needs

Core competencies essential for those preparing for direct care roles and for population based roles build on eight essential content areas: 

• scientific underpinnings for practice
• organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement, and systems thinking
• clinical scholarship and analytic methods for evidence-based practice
• technology and information for the improvement and transformation of healthcare
• health care policy for advocacy in health care
• interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population healthcare outcomes
• clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health
• advanced nursing practice for improving the delivery of patient care

The DNP Program requires completion of 43 foundation and upper level core semester credit hour courses and either 38 FNP role concentration (81 total), or 36 PHNL role concentration courses (79 total), post bachelor (see sample plans of study).  If a student already holds a master’s degree, a transcript evaluation and an individually tailored plan of study is created, reflecting the completion of some of the required course work in their previous graduate degree.  A post master’s student can expect a minimum of 36 credits to take to complete the doctoral degree. 
 

Course of study for the Family Nurse Practitioner and Public Health Nurse Leader Tracks

Core Courses

All students will take 43 credits of core courses that include the following:

PUBHLTH 540 Introductory Biostatistics (3)

N603 Theoretical Components of Nursing Science (3)

N630 Research Methodology in Nursing (3)

PUBHLTH 630 Principles of Epidemiology (3)

N735 Informatics for Nursing Practice (3)

N715 Intermediate Biostatistics (3)

N701 Healthcare Quality (3)

SCH-MGMT 680 Organizational Behavior (4)

N690E Nursing Ethics, Health Policy & Politics (3)

N725 Leadership of Public Health Systems (3)

N704 Health Disparities and Social Justice (3)

N790G Research Translation in Nursing (3)

Comprehensive Examination

N890A DNP Capstone Project (3)

N898A DNP Residency/Immersion Practicum (6)

Role Courses

In addition to the above DNP core courses, students will choose either the FNP or PHNL role, and complete additional courses as needed. An individually tailored Plan of Study will be created for Post-Master’s students based on transcript review.

N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (3)

N615 Advanced Pathophysiology  (3)    

N619 Advanced Pharmacology (3)

N670 Family Systems and Intervention (3)

N703 Pharmacotherapy Management (3)

N610 Primary Health Care of Children, Adolescents & Young Adults (3)

N620 Primary Health Care of Middle Aged and Older Adults (3)

N697V Women’s Health Care (2)

N797K Complex Health Problems in Primary Care (3)

N698A Practicum: Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning (1)

N698E Practicum:  Primary Health Care of Children, Adolescents & Young Adults (3)

N698W Practicum: Primary Health Care of Women (2)

N698X Practicum:  Primary Health Care of Middle Aged and Older Adults (3)

N798K Practicum:  Complex Health Problems in Primary Care (3)

Public Health Nurse Leader (PHNL) – 36 Credits

PUBHLTH 620 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System (3)

PUBHLTH 565 Environmental Health Practices (3)

PUBHLTH 601 Application of Social & Behavioral Theories in Pub Health Education and Intervention (3)

PUBHLTH 628 Financial Management of Health Institutions (3)

N640 Advanced Public Health Nursing I (3)

N790P Advanced Public Health Nursing II (3)

N790L Contemporary Issues in Public Health Practice (3)

N698L Practicum: Advanced Public Health Nursing I (3)

N798P Practicum: Advanced Public Health Nursing II (3)

N798L Practicum: Contemporary Issues in Public Health Practice (3)

PUBHLTH Elective (3)

PUBHLTH Elective (3)

All School of Nursing faculty members who have graduate faculty status are potential advisors for DNP students. Students will be assigned an advisor that is congruent with their area of interest whenever possible. DNP students are expected to meet regularly with their advisors to outline their plan of study, discuss academic coursework, and to prepare for the comprehensive exam and capstone scholarly project. Students are expected to contact their advisor before the start of each semester.

General Advising for Program—substantive questions:

DNP Program Office

Karen Ayotte, DNP Program Manager

University of Massachusetts Amherst, School of Nursing

104 Skinner Hall

Amherst, MA 01003-9304

Tel: (413) 545-1302   Fax: (413) 577-2550

kayotte@nursing.umass.edu

The DNP program is a practice-focused doctoral program that prepares advanced practice nurses for increasingly complex evidence-based nursing practice.  This includes translating research into practice, evaluating evidence, applying research in decision-making, implementing viable clinical innovations to change practice, and conducting and evaluating program development projects.  The final scholarly requirement of the DNP program is the capstone project. The capstone project in the UMass DNP program is a required 3-credit research translation project.  This project is begun in the required course, N790G Research Translation, and further developed and implemented in the N890A Capstone Project and N898A Final DNP Practicum Immersion Experience.  The Capstone Project focuses on the implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination of a theoretically based research translation project designed as a programmatic intervention to address a practice problem. 

Successful progression depends upon completing required course work, according to the students’ plan of study, maintaining a GPA of 3.0, and working closely with advisor.  Advisor and student should be mindful of incomplete grades in any prior coursework.

When a student reaches their final year of their plan of study, the following outline of steps shows the sequence of completion of the DNP Program.

1. ENROLL IN N790G RESEARCH TRANSLATION COURSE

Students must have completed all listed pre-requisite courses in their plan of study before enrolling in this course.  During this course students will explore an area of research translation in nursing and will learn the process of completing the final capstone project requirement.  This course will afford students the opportunity to engage in activities designed to help craft a Capstone Project Proposal.

2. DNP COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

Following completion of the course N790G Research Translation, you must pass your DNP Comprehensive Examination.  You will be guided by a Comprehensive Exam Committee composed of two School of Nursing faculty, with one serving as your Comprehensive Examination Committee chair.  Your Comprehensive Exam is usually in the same area as your Capstone Project, so you should have materials ready to use for this exam from the work you did in N790G and other DNP courses. You must submit and pass your Comprehensive Exam by the middle of October. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination is required of all UMass doctoral students and must be reported by the School of Nursing Graduate Program Director to the UMass Graduate School Dean in the form of a memorandum.   Comprehensive Examination is not a “test” it is a scholarly paper of publishable quality – See discussion of Comprehensive Examination for details.

3. CAPSTONE SCHOLARLY PROJECT

After completing N790G Research Translation, you will enroll in the course N890A Capstone Project. Students continue working on the Capstone Project Proposal they began in N790G, however the Capstone Project Proposal cannot be formally approved until after the student has successfully completed the DNP Comprehensive Examination.  Students work independently with their Capstone Committee to complete this scholarly project.  Students cannot begin implementing their Capstone Project until they have a formally approved Capstone Project Proposal.  Students receive a grade of incomplete in N890A until the capstone project is completed.

4. N898A DNP FINAL IMMERSION PRACTICUM

Students will enroll in N898A: DNP Final Immersion Practicum (6 cr.) in the LAST semester of their program.  Students may not enroll in N898A until they have passed their DNP Comprehensive Exam and have an approved Capstone Project Proposal. This practicum is designed to provide the environment for fully implementing the advanced practice role.  This is a 6-credit practicum that requires 336 hours of advanced practice. Once approved, the capstone project can be implemented in N898A Final Immersion Practicum (150 hours of the 336 practicum hours are allocated for the capstone project).
 

DNP Comprehensive Examination Description

The DNP Comprehensive Exam consists of the submission of a scholarly paper of publishable quality; it is not a question/answer “test”.  The paper can either be a review and critique of the evidence concerning a practice problem or a paper that examines a theory, model, or conceptual framework and its application to a problem in the student’s practice area.

The DNP Comprehensive Exam Committee for each student shall consist of two School of Nursing faculty who have Graduate Faculty Status.  The Chair of the DNP Comprehensive Exam is usually the student’s faculty advisor. Students shall seek guidance from their faculty committee on the focus of the paper. Students will be required to work with their committee to establish a timeline for submission of their written exam.  The Comprehensive Exam must be completed within six months after the date in which the student submits DNP Form 2, “Intent to Schedule the DNP Comprehensive Exam” to the Graduate Program Director.

The student will complete the comprehensive exam independently and will be the sole author of the Comprehensive Exam paper. The student will also be the sole author of any publications stemming from the exam. The paper should adhere to American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines or publication guidelines identified by a professional or scholarly journal.  The paper should be between 15 and 25 pages in length, excluding references or appendices.

Students may submit a final draft of their Comprehensive Exam to their committee for review.  Committee members will provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.  After revisions are made the student will then submit the final Comprehensive Exam.  The Committee members will then read the exam and vote on approval: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.  In the event of a tie vote on the exam, the Graduate Program Director will select a third graduate faculty member to read and vote on the exam.

Any student who fails the comprehensive examination will be permitted to retake the examination once. Students who need to retake the exam should work with their advisor to prepare for the second exam. A student has the right to consider changing their committee structure at this point.  If the Comprehensive Exam is failed a second time, the student may be dismissed from the School of Nursing DNP Program.

The student’s Comprehensive Exam Committee chair is also responsible for providing written notification regarding the results of the examination to the SON Graduate Program Director.  The SON Graduate Program Director will then submit a memorandum informing the UMass Graduate School of successful completion of this program requirement.  The student will receive a copy of the notification that they have either successfully passed or failed the exam.

Criteria on which the DNP Comprehensive Examinations are evaluated are as follows:

1. Responsiveness:  The paper provides a review and critique of the evidence concerning a practice problem or examines a theory, model, or conceptual framework and its application to a problem in the student’s practice area.
2. Clarity:  Wording is clear, consistent, and concise.
3. Logic:  The development of the paper flows smoothly from point to point throughout the paper.
4. Accuracy:  Information is accurately presented and referenced.  Research terminology and theoretical terminology are used appropriately.
5. Breadth:  An appropriate variety of information from scholarly and evidence-based practice literature is integrated in the paper to show a breadth of understanding.
6. Depth:  Specific information, including the studies of identified investigators, is included to illustrate or otherwise support the point being made to show the depth of understanding.
7. Analysis:  The paper critically evaluates the theoretical and empirical literature, prioritizes information, and comes to warranted conclusions. The paper provides a critical analysis of the several conclusions that can be drawn from the theoretical and empirical literature.
8. Synthesis:  The paper demonstrates an independent synthesis of what the literature means -- what insights, patterns, meaning, and implications can be derived from the literature.  Conclusions about the need for additional research and evaluation should be included.

It is expected that all DNP students will abide by the University’s Graduate Student Honor Code and the Academic Honesty Policy

The Capstone Scholarly Project is a required research translation project (Proposal drafted in N790G Research Translation course) with Proposal refinement and final approval occurring during N890A Capstone Project (3-credit) course. The DNP Capstone Project is the final scholarly activity in the UMass Doctorate of Nursing Practice program and is required of all DNP students.

The Capstone Project begins with a problem arising from clinical or public health practice. Graduates of the DNP program are uniquely prepared to help bridge the research-practice gap by appropriately developing, tailoring, implementing, and evaluating theoretically and evidence-based projects and programs and disseminating the results, thereby delivering the intended benefit of the research evidence to the particular group, population, or community. The capstone project gives students a supervised opportunity to independently undertake this research translation process.

The problem under study in the capstone project must represent an identified need, as evidenced by a needs assessment, gap analysis, community assessment, or other method of needs identification.  For the project to be most effective, the stakeholders present at the site must agree that there is a need for the project and must be consulted and involved throughout the project. Indeed, the project may be done in partnership with the clinical agency, health department, school, church, government or community agency, voluntary organization or community group.

The project literature review must support the need for the project and suggest an evidence base for the project. The literature review should include research studies on innovations that can be synthesized and developed into a program to address the practice problem. Further, the student must be seen as a credible authority on both the problem and the research-based innovation/program by stakeholders in the setting, thus, the focus of the problem and innovation/program must be on advanced nursing practice in the student’s role area. Finally, the student must be sufficiently familiar with the particular site in which the program will be implemented to tailor the program to the site’s organization, resources, and constraints.

The Capstone Project Committee is composed of two School of Nursing faculty members (one serving as chair), and a 3rd member from outside the University, considered your project mentor.  Students are expected to work closely with their entire Capstone Committee throughout the process of completing the capstone project, anticipating the submission of multiple drafts before final approval of completed capstone project.

In collaboration with their Capstone Project chair, students will identify the problem area and the site amenable to a research translation project. This process is begun when students submit DNP Form 1: “Pre-Planning for DNP Comprehensive Exam and Capstone Scholarly Project” and DNP Forms 2-6 follow as each component of process toward Capstone Project completion is accomplished. The Project is begun as soon as final approval of Capstone committee achieved and actualization of the project continues through N898A DNP Final Immersion Practicum course where 150 contact hours is dedicated toward the completion of the project. Students will not be allowed to enroll in N898A until they have passed their DNP Comprehensive Examination paper and have an approved Capstone Project Proposal.

The Capstone Project Committee will provide guidance and mentoring throughout the stages of the final capstone project design, implementation and evaluation.

It is the responsibility of the Chair of the Capstone Project Committee to facilitate the work of the capstone committee and to ensure communication between the members of the committee and the student.  All committee members should work with the student and discuss the capstone project before approving the Capstone Project Proposal.  Students should expect to work with their committee on multiple drafts of the proposal before final approval. A grade of Incomplete for N890A and N898A will be imported into the student’s transcript until the project is completed, and the final work has been “passed” as satisfactory. Some students may also need IRB approval for the project.  The Capstone Committee will assist with this process

The Capstone Committee has final grading authority on the Project.  A student must receive a grade of SATISFACTORY in order to pass the Capstone Project requirement. Once complete, Capstone Projects must be submitted to the School of Nursing DNP Program Office with a Title Page. An electronic copy of the final approved Capstone Scholarly Project, with Capstone Title Page, must also be submitted (signatures are not required, names may be typed on the Capstone Title Page).  All capstone scholarly projects will be archived on the UMASS Scholar Works and must be presented to a professional audience.

Sections 1-3 included in Capstone Proposal Document

1. Problem identification and evidence/justification/rationale
1. Statement of the problem
2. Evidence of the problem
2. Review of literature:
1. Critical appraisal of research on interventions/innovations to address the problem
2. Synthesis of evidence
3. Application of a theory, model or conceptual framework
3. Project Description, Implementation, and Monitoring
1. Description of the group, population, community, results of needs assessment or gap analysis
2. Organizational analysis of project site
3. Evidence of stakeholder support and Letter of Agreement
4. Description of the resources, constraints, facilitators, barriers, etc. to implementation at the project site
5. Protocol/Plan for individualized project/program/intervention tailoring
1. Project design and feasibility
2. Goals and objectives of project with specific outcome indicators or expected outcomes listed in measurable terms.
3. Costs and plan to obtain resources (e.g., budgeting)
4. IRB approval and ethical considerations, including protection of human subjects/participants if needed.
5. Plan for implementation and Plan for evaluation
6. Timeline

Sections 4 & 5 below not included in proposal – this information is included as critical component of final write-up

4. Evaluation
1. Results, findings, data analysis
2. Interpretation, discussion, and conclusions
5. Plan for post-project continuation and implications for future practice and translational research initiatives.

This timeline is designed to assist students in meeting the DNP scholarly requirements in a logical sequence.  This requires that students remain focused on their scholarship and work closely with their faculty advisor and committee members. Some students may require additional time to complete these requirements.  A series of forms, or memorandums are required to indicate, to the Graduate Program Director, the completion of your milestones.  Samples of these forms are found in Graduate Handbook, and are Forms 1-6.

DNP FORM 1 – Discuss with your advisor the practice area problem that you are interested in examining. Complete and submit DNP Form 1 - “Pre-Planning for the DNP Comprehensive Exam and Capstone Scholarly Project” at least 2 weeks before beginning the course 790G.  This form is to be completed by both the student and the advisor.  The advisor submits the form to the DNP program office for filing.

During Nursing 790G Research Translation you will be asked to Complete CITI course in the Responsible Conduct of Research found at www.citiprogram.org/rcrpage.asp.  Submit the results to the DNP Program Office for filing.

DNP Form 2 – “Intent to Schedule the DNP Comprehensive Exam”. Students should submit this form to the DNP Program Office in early September.

DNP Form 3 – “Successful Completion of DNP Comprehensive Examination” and an electronic copy of the exam to the DNP Program Office. Students should pass their Comprehensive Exam by mid-October.

DNP Form 4 – “Formation of DNP Capstone Scholarly Project Committee”.  Students should submit this form by the end of October.

DNP Form 5 – “Approval DNP Capstone Scholarly Project Proposal” and an electronic copy of the approved DNP Capstone Project Proposal. Students should submit the first draft of their proposal by early November and have an approved Proposal by the middle of December.

If required, obtain IRB approval from the UMass Human Research Protection Office – http://www.umass.edu/research/.  Students must receive guidance from their project chair before submitting an IRB application.

Implement capstone project in N898A during the last semester of DNP coursework.  .

DNP Form 6 – “Approval of DNP Capstone Scholarly Project” and an electronic copy of the approved Capstone Project with Title Page (with names typed on title page, no signatures required). Should be submitted DNP Office by mid-April if student plans for May graduation ; unless Chair has communicated that May graduation possible if  Capstone Project final work draft acceptable and plan for end May submission secured..

*Note – there is no guarantee of a commencement date until there is successful completion of this timeline.

Present Capstone Scholarly Project to a professional audience; Suggested venue Graduate Scholarly Presentations’ Day before Graduation.

*Note – there is no guarantee of a commencement date until there is successful completion of this timeline.

Present Capstone Scholarly Project to a professional audience; Suggested venue Graduate Scholarly Presentations’ Day before Graduation.

If required, obtain IRB approval from the UMass Human Research Protection Office – www.umass.edu/research/irb-guidelines-activities-involving-human-subjects-research.  Students must receive guidance from their project chair before submitting an IRB application.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program is focused on advanced nursing practice, and requires a core of theoretical knowledge and a significant number of practice hours. The UMass School of Nursing DNP curriculum adheres to the requirements of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), “Essentials of DNP Education", and the guidelines established by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties and The American Association of Community Health Educators.   Nationally, DNP programs in any practice role should include between 800-1000 practice hours. The UMass Amherst DNP program stipulates that all students engage in practicum experiences to fulfill the hours required of a practice doctorate. Post Master’s DNP students are required to document the number of practicum hours they obtained in their previous master’s degree program.

All DNP students are required to secure their own practicum placements and preceptors in quality health care agencies or practices.  The DNP program is an online program, with students located in communities throughout the United States and globally. As is typical of schools that have online programs servicing a broad base of students, it is not possible for faculty to secure preceptors for all students.  However, the School of Nursing is currently preparing to hire a placement liaison who will coordinate student placements and site visits.  Be on the lookout for an update regarding Placement assistance.

Preceptors should hold advanced degrees (a graduate degree) in nursing or medicine. Nurse Practitioners (MS prepared NP experts or DNP graduates) or physicians are preferred preceptors, but Physician Assistants (PAs) may be approved on a case by case basis. School of Nursing faculty instructors must approve all preceptors before a student can begin a practicum experience. 

Preceptors and agencies are selected based upon their best fit with the course objectives and practicum focus for each course.  Students must submit all required practicum documents well in advance of any experiences with an agency or community preceptor. Practicum guidelines and required documents are located in both the Preceptor Handbook and the Graduate Student Handbook.  See Appendix E for inclusions.

Please plan well in advance with placement liaison to secure, in writing, on the Preceptor/Faculty/Student Agreement Form, a preceptor or preceptors for each practicum course.  It can work best if a student plans for and secures an approved preceptor or preceptors for courses even a year in advance. Some students have secured all preceptors for all required practica before the first practicum course begins. Otherwise, it might be difficult to secure a qualified preceptor by the time the practicum must begin. Also make sure whether an agency needs a special Affiliate Agreement for any student to practice within the agency or its consortium well in advance of practica. 

If a student has not been successful in securing an approved preceptor prior to the beginning of any practicum experience, the student may be required to withdraw from the course. Withdrawal from a course will effect progression through the role and a new Plan of Study must be completed.

*Refer to Mrs. Maureen Bailey’s audio discussion regarding establishing practica and the material included in the Graduate Student Handbook and Preceptor Handbook appendices.

Students enrolled in the DNP/FNP role cannot begin FNP role courses until they are able to progress through the 5 course/6 practicum sequence in 6 consecutive semesters, culminating in graduation and application for a national FNP certification exam. Prior to beginning any advanced role courses in the DNP/FNP program, students must successfully complete the care core courses:  N615 Advanced Pathophysiology, N619 Advanced Pharmacology and N614/N698A Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning. Students must also have completed (or take concurrently) N703 Pharmacotherapeutics and N670 Family Systems and Interventions when enrolled in the first role courses in the sequence, N614 and N698A.

In the DNP/FNP program curriculum, there is a series of 5 theory courses with 5 concurrent practicum courses that provide content and experience in the role area of advanced primary care/family nurse practitioner. After completing these role courses, students will engage in the Final Immersion Practicum (the 6^th and final practicum course), taken during their final semester in the DNP program. All FNP students are required to take these courses, unless they have a Master’s degree in a nurse practitioner role, and have received some course waivers at the time of admission. These courses build upon each other and must be taken in the sequence outlined in the DNP/FNP Plan of Study.  This course sequence is offered every year, and students must follow their Plan of Study in order to efficiently progress in the program. Any deviance from the signed, current, Plan of Study will place students in jeopardy of falling out-of-sequence and will require a new Plan of Study with a new trajectory to graduation.

To further clarify the DNP/FNP practicum component: the 6 practicum courses total a minimum requirement of 1008 clinical contact hours. Three of these courses are 3 credit practicum courses that require 168 hours of supervised practice each, for a total of 504 hours; one course is a 1 credit practicum that requires 56 hours; and one course is a 2 credit practicum for 112 hours. In the final semester in the DNP program, students will also take the Final Immersion Practicum for 6 credits (336 hours – of which 150 hours may be used to implement the required Capstone Scholarly Project; about 120 hours will be supervised clinical contact hours with individuals of all ages; and about 66 hours will be individually negotiated with faculty of record for course for special considerations).

FNP Role Course Sequence from Overall Plan of Study

*Courses must be taken in sequence

N615 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 cr.) - This course examines the conceptual basis and specific knowledge of pathophysiology and disease recognition for children and adults as observed in the primary care setting.

N619 Advanced Pharmacology (3 cr.) - This course reviews in-depth the principles of pharmacology for classes of drugs commonly used in various health care practices.  The most pertinent drug classes for nursing practice are included in this course.

N703 Pharmacotherapy Management (3 cr.) – Integration of principles of pharmacology and therapeutic patient care management to construct, implement and evaluate optimal pharmacotherapeutic regimens for patients in various healthcare settings. This course includes an assignment with a local pharmacist.

N670 Family Systems and Interventions (3 cr.) - Selected concepts, theories and research related to family dynamics and family coping, with an emphasis on practice strategies to support family well-being and mental health.

N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (3 cr.) and N698A Practicum (1 cr.) – must be taken concurrently. N698A is the first practicum course in the FNP/DNP role concentration sequence.

Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to perform comprehensive health assessments and develop enhanced capacity for clinical reasoning and laboratory test interpretation.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698A, the first clinical practicum experience in the FNP role that affords students the opportunity to develop competence and confidence in a precepted clinical experience while applying knowledge obtained in a concurrent theory course. Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 56 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N698A UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. This first practicum experience, which starts mid-way through the semester, concentrates on the “Art” of Clinical Reasoning and, therefore, most any qualified provider from a variety of healthcare settings can be appropriate. The concentration of the practicum is for students to learn the techniques and practices of the “Focused Case Visit” and the “Complete History and Exam Visit” to acquire a sound knowledge base in diagnostic reasoning and differential diagnosis prior to launching into the individual patient population courses. NPs and MDs who see patients of all ages in a primary care setting are preferred.

N697D Primary Health Care of Women (2 cr.) and N698W Practicum: Primary Health Care of Women (2 cr.) – must be taken concurrently. Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to assess, maintain, and promote the health and wellbeing of culturally diverse women across the lifespan.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698W.  Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 112 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N698W UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit providers who see females of all ages--–providers can be NPs or MDs or a combination of both; Nurse Midwives and/or Obstetricians are excellent choices for this rotation as well.  NPs or MDs who specialize in family health can be good choices for preceptors if these providers see enough female patients of varying ages. It may be necessary to secure more than one provider to ensure ability to see females of all ages.

N610 Primary Health Care of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults (3 cr.) and N698E Practicum: Primary Health Care of Adults (3 cr.) – must be taken concurrently.

Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to assess, maintain, and promote the health and wellbeing of culturally diverse children, adolescents, and young adults.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698E.  Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 168 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N698E UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit a provider who services infants through young adults either in a family practice or in a practice that specializes in the care of children and young adults. Primary care NPs and MDs or pediatric NPs or pediatricians are appropriate choices for preceptors for this semester. Students will concentrate their experiences with patients with simple acute or stable chronic health problems.

N620 Primary Health Care of Adults and Older Adults (3 cr.) and N698X Practicum: Primary Health Care of Adults (3 cr.) – must be taken concurrently.

Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to assess, maintain, and promote the health and wellbeing of culturally diverse adults and older adults.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698X.  Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 168 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N698X UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit a provider who adult patients either in a family practice or in a practice that specializes in the care of adults and older adults. Primary care NPs and MDs and ANPs are preferred choices for preceptors. Internal Medicine Specialists, GNPs, or Geriatricians can be appropriate choices for preceptors for this semester as approved by the faculty. Students will concentrate their experiences with patients with simple acute or stable chronic health problems.

N797K Complex Health Problems in Primary Care (3 cr.) and N798K Practicum: Complex Health Problems in Primary Care (3 cr.) – must be taken concurrently.

Content and practicum focus is on building knowledge and skills beyond the provision of primary care for singular simple acute or stable chronic conditions of separate populations of patients to a focus on health care of patients of all ages with complex health problems. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N798K.  Students will select an agency and a preceptor(s) in their community and engage in 168 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N798K UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit a family provider or a pediatric and an adult provider in order to assure that complex patients of all ages will be seen –providers can be NPs or MDs or a combination of both. Students may also work with various healthcare specialists for a negotiated portion of the contact hours.

Final Spring Semester of Study in the DNP Program

N898A Final Immersion Practicum (6 cr.) - Students may not take this final practicum course until they have an approved Capstone Scholarly Project Proposal. Content and practicum focus is on implementing the full scope of the Doctor of Nursing Practice role.  This practicum consists of 336 hours, of which 150 hours may be allocated to implement an approved Capstone Scholarly Project; the remaining hours are targeted for implementation of DNP role activities with about 120 contact hours reserved for continuation of direct patient care with patients of all ages under the direct supervision of an appropriate preceptor or preceptors and about 66 hours reserved for individual experiences negotiated with faculty of record for course.  The N898A UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with any community preceptors that are selected by the student. The student’s Capstone Project Committee will supervise the capstone project component of this course. Preceptor or preceptors can be same preceptors as for N798K – in fact it may be beneficial for students to contract with same preceptors if there is a “good fit” from N798K experience or any previous practicum courses.

In the DNP/PHNL program curriculum, there is a series of 3 theory courses with 3 concurrent practicum courses that provide content and experience in the role area of advanced public health nursing. After completing these role courses, students will engage in the Final Immersion Practicum N898A, taken during their final semester in the DNP program. All PHNL students are required to take these courses, unless they have a Master’s degree in Community or Public Health Nursing, and have received some course waivers at the time of admission.

The PHNL program consists of a total of 4 practicum courses, for a total of 840 practice hours. Three of these courses are 3 credit practicum courses that require 168 hours of supervised practice, for a total of 504 hours. In the final semester of the DNP program, students will take the Final Immersion Practicum N898A for 6 credits (336 hours – of which 150 hours may be used to implement the required Capstone Scholarly Project).

The three (3) theory courses in the PHNL sequence are designed to provide instruction in Advanced Public Health Nursing. In the 3 concurrent practicum courses, students implement the knowledge they acquire in the companion theory courses. These courses must be taken in sequential order, as they build upon each other. The Final Immersion Practicum course, N898A, is not taken until the last semester of the student’s coursework in the DNP program.

Year I:

N640 Advanced Public Health Nursing I (3 cr.) (Fall) and N698L Practicum: Advanced Public Health Nursing I (3 cr.) (Spring). Content and practicum focus is on conducting a Comprehensive Community Assessment and a targeted Needs Assessment. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698L.  Students will engage in 168 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. This practicum is conducted in a community that the student chooses. The N698L UMass course faculty member will supervise this first practicum course. Students will not need an outside community preceptor for this course. However, by mid-semester students should be identifying a preceptor and an agency that they will affiliate with in the next practicum course, N798P, offered in next spring semester.

Year II:

N790P Advanced Public Health Nursing II (3 cr.) (Fall)  and N798P Practicum: Advanced Public Health Nursing II (3 cr.) (Spring).  Content and practicum focus is on program development and evaluation in the field of public health.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the clinical practicum N798P. This practicum should be conducted in the same community as the previous practicum course, N698L. Students will select an agency and a preceptor in the community and engage in 168 hours of practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N798P UMass faculty member will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s community preceptor.  

Year  III:

N790L Advanced Public Health Nursing III (Contemporary Issues in Public Health Nursing) (3 cr.) (Fall) and N798L Practicum: Advanced Public Health Nursing II (3 cr.) (Spring) – must be taken concurrently. Content and practicum focus is on current issues in public health nursing practice. Students will select and agency and a preceptor in the community and engage in 168 hours of selected practicum experiences to meet course objectives. The N798L UMass faculty member will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s community preceptor

Final Spring Semester of Study in the DNP Program:

N898A Final Immersion Practicum (6 cr.) - Students may not take this final practicum course until they have an approved Capstone Scholarly Project Proposal. Content and practicum focus is on implementing the full scope of the Doctor of Nursing Practice role.  This practicum consists of 336 hours, of which 150 hours may be allocated to implement an approved Capstone Scholarly Project; the remaining hours are targeted for implementation of DNP role activities.  The N898A UMass faculty member will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with any community preceptor’s that are selected by the student. The student’s Capstone Project Committee will supervise the capstone project component of this course.