The College of Nursing and Health Innovation added a new concentration this year to its Doctor of Nursing Practice program for post-masters students.
The innovation leadership concentration aims to help nurses who do not interact with patients directly to develop leadership skills in a complex health system to improve healthcare outcomes, DNP director Katherine Kenny said.
Admission into the program began in August 2012 and seven students are currently enrolled. The school anticipates admitting between 10 and 20 students each year, with its next admission date set for fall 2013, Kenny said.
Practicing nurses can use this new degree to look for jobs such as a nursing director or a chief nursing officer, Kenny said.
“I think this new concentration will just make me a better clinician,” said Nancy Denke, who works as a trauma nurse practitioner.
Denke said she felt the program would help her understand how to be a better leader as a nurse practitioner, improve outcomes in her practice and help other nurses improve.
Admitted students are required to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in either nursing or another health-related field, according to the college’s website.
In addition, the accreditation requires five full-time semesters with courses specific to innovation leadership with a total of 84 credits, equating to 1,000 practicum hours, Kenny said.
Students with a master’s degree are allowed to bring 30 credit hours toward their doctoral degree, Kenny said. Upon finishing the program, students will be eligible for certification from various nursing leadership organizations.
Denke said she would not have returned to school if it wasn’t for this accreditation.
“I have always said that I was not going to pursue a doctoral degree. When I saw this program had an emphasis on outcomes, I knew this was the program for me,” Denke said.
Deborah Martin, system director of profession practice at the Banner Health corporate office in Phoenix, said she probably wouldn’t have returned to school if it wasn’t for this accreditation as well.
“This program will give me additional knowledge and skills to add even more to my place of employment and will help me do my current job even better,” Martin said.
Contact the reporter at Dana.Demarco@asu.edu
