Enhance your leadership, administrative, and organizational skills to improve patient care and outcomes. This online DNP program offers a professionally relevant curriculum that explores health care delivery, patient advocacy, and health care policy development, implementation, and reform. This DNP degree is not a clinical degree and is not designed to prepare advanced practice registered nurses for roles as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified nurse anesthetists.
The FlexPath option offers the potential to significantly reduce the cost of earning your degree, accelerate the time required for degree completion, and better align your learning to the needs of employers and society. Traditionally, degree programs are constructed around credit hours that measure the time required to complete specific courses. Under, FlexPath, degree programs are constructed around the direct assessment of demonstrated competencies. While resources will be recommended, you can use any materials and resources you choose, including textbooks, eBooks, simulations, videos, articles, and work experiences. This new competency-based format allows you to complete course work at your own pace throughout each quarter. Once you believe you have mastered the course concepts, you will complete activities to demonstrate specific competencies by the end of the quarter.
Outcome goals and graduates' proficiency levels
Each doctoral program and specialization is
designed around expected learning outcomes (see Expected Program
Outcomes below). End of program performance is determined during the
comprehensive exam and dissertation process. Because the work is
unique to each learner's dissertation or research topic and the
criteria for evaluation are aligned to that work, we do not collect
data on proficiency levels for doctoral programs.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Quality and Professional Relevance
- The DNP curriculum incorporates The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
- The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Capella University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
- All faculty members in the master's and doctoral nursing programs have doctoral degrees. Many faculty members have distinguished themselves through practice leadership, service to the profession, and scholarly endeavors.
- The DNP features interprofessional education in which students share courses with other nursing and public health practitioners to learn about, from, and with others in the industry.
- Capella’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences Advisory Board helps ensure the curriculum is developed with the insight and support of industry leaders.
Expected Program Outcomes
- Employ a science-based theoretical foundation to develop and evaluate new practices and approaches to health care delivery.
- Lead and create health and care delivery models for quality
improvement.
- Evaluate and analyze theory and
research-based methods to improve the reliability of health care
practices and outcomes.
- Lead planning and
implementation of health care technologies for quality improvement
appropriate for specialized areas of practice.
- Develop, implement, and advocate for health care policy that
meets the needs of specific populations.
- Employ
interprofessional collaboration skills to improve patient and
population health.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate
evidence-based health promotion, prevention, and intervention
service delivery models for individuals, aggregates, and
populations.
- Apply the advanced communication skills
needed to create scholarly products and lead in professional and
academic endeavors.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduates
Data from graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program have been combined for these Career Outcomes results.
The graphs below show some key findings from Capella's Alumni
Outcomes Survey. We use this information to help improve our courses,
programs and services and to give you an idea of how alumni are using
their degrees.
Career Preparation
Doctor of
Nursing Practice Graduates
Career Preparation
Doctor of
Nursing Practice Graduates
The skills and knowledge have been immediately applicable to my career: 100%
My degree has positioned me to achieve my professional ambitions: 75%
Capella's competency based curriculum has prepared me for the needs of my profession: 100%
Percentage of respondents who answered
"strongly agree" or "agree"
Source:
Responses to the Alumni Outcomes Survey one year after graduation.
The data were collected during Q3 2017 - Q1 2018.
Career & Professional
Accomplishments
Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduates
Career and Professional
Accomplishments
Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduates
Made a significant contribution to my profession: 50%
Successfully changed jobs and-or-careers: 75%
Assumed leadership responsibilities: 38%
Received a salary increase: 38%
Received a promotion: 50%
Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes, and Capella does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, or other career growth.
Percentage of respondents who indicated they had accomplished each item.
Source: Responses to the Alumni Outcomes Survey one year after graduation. The data were collected during Q3 2017 – Q1 2018.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduates
Data from graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program have been combined for these Student Experience results.
The graphs below show some key findings from Capella's Alumni
Outcomes Survey. We use this information to help improve our courses,
programs and services and to give you an idea of how alumni feel about
Capella and what general skills and abilities they gained.
Satisfaction With Capella
Doctor
of Nursing Practice Graduates
Satisfaction with Capella
Doctor
of Nursing Practice Graduates
I have or intend to recommend Capella: 100%
I am satisfied with my Capella education: 100%
Capella gave me the most efficient direct path to completing my degree: 100%
Percentage of respondents who answered
affirmatively.
Source: Responses to the Alumni Outcomes
Survey one year after graduation. The data were collected during Q3
2017 – Q1 2018.
Skills & Abilities
Doctor of
Nursing Practice Graduates
Skills & Abilities
Doctor of
Nursing Practice Graduates
Write clearly, accurately, and professionally; use sources appropriately : 100%
Communicate thoughts and ideas in varied settings : 100%
Show ethical conduct reflecting values and beliefs of discipline : 100%
Show knowledge of field; respect contributions of other fields : 100%
Analyze theoretical issues or investigate real-world phenomena, create knowledge : 100%
Locate, evaluate and communicate information; address legal, professional, other issues : 100%
Critically examine, analyze, and evaluate thinking using intellectual standards and creativity : 80%
Critically evaluate, select, and use discipline-appropriate technology : 100%
Show appreciation for group and individual differences : 100%
Demonstrate effective leadership in diverse environments : 100%
Apply the specialized knowledge associated with professional practice area : 80%
Percentage of respondents who rated
themselves as "proficient" or "exceptional" on
ability to demonstrate the skill or ability on the job.
Source: Responses to the Alumni Outcomes Survey one year after
graduation. The data were collected during Q3 2017 – Q2 2018.
Earn Your Doctoral Degree
Become an expert in your field. Enroll in an online PhD, PsyD, or EdD program at Capella.
"The greatest reward to me is the ability to look at the big picture and influence the direction of the organization."
Jeffrey Fenne, MS
2008 Graduate
School of Public Service Leadership
Specialization in Health Care Administration