Nursing Practice (DNP)

Minnesota State University, Mankato offers a graduate program for students interested in becoming a doctorally prepared family nurse practitioner. Students admitted into the BSN to DNP Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner program progress full-time through the curriculum and obtain the DNP degree in 3 years. Applicants to the post-masters DNP program must be either a certified nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or clinical nurse specialist. 

The DNP Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program is designed to prepare professional nurses for advanced practice nursing. The FNP program builds upon and extends the body of knowledge and competencies of baccalaureate education in nursing. Graduate study in the School of Nursing educates nurses by creating an academic environment that fosters scholarship, critical thinking, and creativity. Graduate courses include theoretical and clinical experiences that provide the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills necessary to assume the role of an advanced practice nurse. Upon completion of this curriculum, graduates are eligible to be certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and are then eligible to apply to the MN Board of Nursing for Advanced Practice Registered Nursing licensure. Graduates are prepared to practice in primary care settings where they diagnose and treat individuals across the life span and their families.

Program Requirements

Common Core

This course offers theoretical and simulated clinical practice to develop advanced skills in health and physical assessment throughout the life span. Students complete a client data base and identify nursing problems necessary in making clinical judgments and planning and caring for the health care needs of individual clients.

Prerequisites: none

Course content begins with legal and ethical considerations for nurse prescribers, proceeds with presentation and analysis of core decision-making processes and advanced practices nurses use to select drugs, and finally explores clinical case management concepts involved in monitoring persons as they use prescribed drugs.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a foundation in advanced physiology and pathophysiology at the cellular, organic and systemic level. This foundation serves as a basis for clinical assessment and management by advanced practice nurses. Key concepts and integration of function among systems will be emphasized. The impact of psychosocial variables on physiologic function will be explored.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced practice assessment tools and procedures encountered by a Family Nurse Practitioner are explored and practiced during seminars, including basic laboratory, electrocardiogram, and radiology interpretation, splinting, and dermatologic procedures.

Prerequisites: none

Concepts, theories, and models that inform advanced nursing practice are systematically examined and evaluated. Selected theories are analyzed and critiqued utilizing theory formation criteria. Students discuss application of nursing science and conceptual models to clinical area of focus and critically articulate use of theory-based practice in family and/or advanced nursing roles.

Prerequisites: none

This course is an analysis of the complex ethical and legal issues within clinical nursing practice. Emphasis is on inquiry into ethical ways of knowing and practicing in nursing. Ethical issues related to population health and health disparities are examined.

Prerequisites: none

Students will investigate mental health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management in providing care to individuals and families to assess and detect actual and potential mental health problems.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a foundation in human genetics and genomics to prepare advanced practice nurses to evaluate individual and family risk for genetic/genomic disorders, utilize diagnostic testing, and provide educational, and therapeutic interventions within their scope of practice. Ethical, legal, social, cultural, economic, and policy implications of genetics/genomics will be examined.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines family nursing models and middle-range theories useful for family nursing practice. Theoretical constructs and processes of family health and illness experiences are explored. Family as context and family as a unit of care are analyzed. Innovative and evidence-based family nursing interventions and models of care to influence family health are constructed, applied, and evaluated.

Prerequisites: none

Part I: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

Theoretical concepts, assessments, and intervention strategies related to health among culturally diverse children and adolescents are critiqued. Health promotion/protection and nursing management of acute and selected chronic health problems of the child and adolescent are addressed.

Prerequisites: none

Management of reproductive health care needs is addressed. Health promotion and management of acute and chronic health problems are examined. The role of the health care delivery system and issues related to reproductive ethics, health policy, and research are critiqued.

Prerequisites: none

Part II: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

Analysis of issues and best practices related to developing healthy lifestyles and behaviors in individuals, families, and communities. Selected health promotion middle-range theories and models for population health advocacy are examined.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child and adolescent-related health problems. Students will utilize assessment skills, develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs, as well as provide well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the beginning development of the family nurse practitioner. NURS 642, 643, 672, 743 must be taken concurrently.

Prerequisites: none

This course is a continuation of Child/Adolescent/Reproductive Health I, encompassing specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child/adolescent-related health problems. Students utilize assessment skills, further develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs and provide focused well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the developing family nurse practitioner skillset. Must be taken concurrently with NURS 673.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and develop skills related to the role of the family nurse practitioner in the healthcare management of clients/families in primary care settings.

Prerequisites: none

This course prepares advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead and mentor other nurses and health care workers to promote safe, quality health care in a variety of settings and within a variety of roles.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on the knowledge and skills related to information systems and patient care technology that prepare the DNP graduate to manage individual and aggregate level information and assess and improve the effectiveness of nursing care.

Prerequisites: none

Organizational and systems leadership skills are evaluated and tested. Focus of the course is on transformational leadership, leading in a culturally sensitive environment, change strategies, measurement of outcomes, data driven decision-making, and the business realities of leading health care systems.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced nursing actions to facilitate health of individuals, families and society and intervention models used to support nursing practice are constructed, implemented, and critically evaluated. The science of health and illness experiences and evidence guiding nursing actions are appraised.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program needs assessment, program development, and program planning within the interprofessional team. The DNP student works on small evidence-based projects at a clinical site under the direction of a preceptor.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program implementation and evaluation data collection. The DNP student works with a preceptor at the clinical site applying interprofessional team leadership and informatics skills related to evidence-based clinical program implementation and management.

Prerequisites: none

Research/Methods Course(s)

The role of research and its application, utilization and integration in nursing practice is examined. Research approaches, designs and methods are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on development of analytic skills for reading and applying research in advanced practice roles.

Prerequisites: HLTH 675

Capstone Course

This course provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and advance skills related to the role of the family nurse practitioner in the healthcare management of clients/families with complex disease states and conditions in primary care.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program evaluation and dissemination. The DNP student works with a preceptor to disseminate program outcomes and demonstrate applicability of findings for the clinical setting and the profession.

Prerequisites: none

Degree Plan

First Year

Summer - 6 Credits

Concepts, theories, and models that inform advanced nursing practice are systematically examined and evaluated. Selected theories are analyzed and critiqued utilizing theory formation criteria. Students discuss application of nursing science and conceptual models to clinical area of focus and critically articulate use of theory-based practice in family and/or advanced nursing roles.

Prerequisites: none

This course is an analysis of the complex ethical and legal issues within clinical nursing practice. Emphasis is on inquiry into ethical ways of knowing and practicing in nursing. Ethical issues related to population health and health disparities are examined.

Prerequisites: none

Second Year

Fall - 10 Credits

The role of research and its application, utilization and integration in nursing practice is examined. Research approaches, designs and methods are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on development of analytic skills for reading and applying research in advanced practice roles.

Prerequisites: HLTH 675

This course examines family nursing models and middle-range theories useful for family nursing practice. Theoretical constructs and processes of family health and illness experiences are explored. Family as context and family as a unit of care are analyzed. Innovative and evidence-based family nursing interventions and models of care to influence family health are constructed, applied, and evaluated.

Prerequisites: none

This course prepares advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead and mentor other nurses and health care workers to promote safe, quality health care in a variety of settings and within a variety of roles.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 9 Credits

This course focuses on the knowledge and skills related to information systems and patient care technology that prepare the DNP graduate to manage individual and aggregate level information and assess and improve the effectiveness of nursing care.

Prerequisites: none

Organizational and systems leadership skills are evaluated and tested. Focus of the course is on transformational leadership, leading in a culturally sensitive environment, change strategies, measurement of outcomes, data driven decision-making, and the business realities of leading health care systems.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced nursing actions to facilitate health of individuals, families and society and intervention models used to support nursing practice are constructed, implemented, and critically evaluated. The science of health and illness experiences and evidence guiding nursing actions are appraised.

Prerequisites: none

Summer - 8 Credits

This course provides a foundation in advanced physiology and pathophysiology at the cellular, organic and systemic level. This foundation serves as a basis for clinical assessment and management by advanced practice nurses. Key concepts and integration of function among systems will be emphasized. The impact of psychosocial variables on physiologic function will be explored.

Prerequisites: none

Students will investigate mental health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis and management in providing care to individuals and families to assess and detect actual and potential mental health problems.

Prerequisites: none

Analysis of issues and best practices related to developing healthy lifestyles and behaviors in individuals, families, and communities. Selected health promotion middle-range theories and models for population health advocacy are examined.

Prerequisites: none

Third Year

Fall - 10 Credits

Course content begins with legal and ethical considerations for nurse prescribers, proceeds with presentation and analysis of core decision-making processes and advanced practices nurses use to select drugs, and finally explores clinical case management concepts involved in monitoring persons as they use prescribed drugs.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides a foundation in human genetics and genomics to prepare advanced practice nurses to evaluate individual and family risk for genetic/genomic disorders, utilize diagnostic testing, and provide educational, and therapeutic interventions within their scope of practice. Ethical, legal, social, cultural, economic, and policy implications of genetics/genomics will be examined.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program needs assessment, program development, and program planning within the interprofessional team. The DNP student works on small evidence-based projects at a clinical site under the direction of a preceptor.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 11 Credits

This course offers theoretical and simulated clinical practice to develop advanced skills in health and physical assessment throughout the life span. Students complete a client data base and identify nursing problems necessary in making clinical judgments and planning and caring for the health care needs of individual clients.

Prerequisites: none

Advanced practice assessment tools and procedures encountered by a Family Nurse Practitioner are explored and practiced during seminars, including basic laboratory, electrocardiogram, and radiology interpretation, splinting, and dermatologic procedures.

Prerequisites: none

Part I: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program implementation and evaluation data collection. The DNP student works with a preceptor at the clinical site applying interprofessional team leadership and informatics skills related to evidence-based clinical program implementation and management.

Prerequisites: none

Summer - 9 Credits

Theoretical concepts, assessments, and intervention strategies related to health among culturally diverse children and adolescents are critiqued. Health promotion/protection and nursing management of acute and selected chronic health problems of the child and adolescent are addressed.

Prerequisites: none

Management of reproductive health care needs is addressed. Health promotion and management of acute and chronic health problems are examined. The role of the health care delivery system and issues related to reproductive ethics, health policy, and research are critiqued.

Prerequisites: none

This seminar and practicum course focuses on program evaluation and dissemination. The DNP student works with a preceptor to disseminate program outcomes and demonstrate applicability of findings for the clinical setting and the profession.

Prerequisites: none

Fourth Year

Fall - 8 Credits

Part II: Focuses on health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health for adults and older adults. Emphasizes development of diagnostic, prescriptive, and management skills related to selected health problems to facilitate clinical decision making and delivery of advanced practice nursing.

Prerequisites: none

This course focuses on specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child and adolescent-related health problems. Students will utilize assessment skills, develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs, as well as provide well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the beginning development of the family nurse practitioner. NURS 642, 643, 672, 743 must be taken concurrently.

Prerequisites: none

Spring - 6 Credits

This course is a continuation of Child/Adolescent/Reproductive Health I, encompassing specialty care of children/adolescents and clients with reproductive health needs across the life spectrum. Students contract with a certified family, pediatric, and/or specialty advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), physician or physician assistant for this 100-hour clinical experience. This course encompasses wellness care of children/adolescents and management of acute/chronic child/adolescent-related health problems. Students utilize assessment skills, further develop differential diagnoses, and implement plans of care for clients with reproductive health needs and provide focused well-woman exams and preventive care. The clinical experience focuses on the developing family nurse practitioner skillset. Must be taken concurrently with NURS 673.

Prerequisites: none