Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Improve health outcomes through leadership in the nursing field.
 

CCNE

As a nurse dedicated to your patients and the field, you have the potential to play a larger role in the transformation of healthcare. Turn your passion into positive, tangible impact with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Walden.

  • Learn to design and assess care

  • Translate information into best practices

  • Improve patient outcomes

  • Plan, implement, and evaluate quality improvement initiatives

Fast Facts

Next Start Date: June 27, 2022

Transfer Credits: Up to 23 credits

Accreditation: CCNE Accredited for 10-Year Maximum

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Doctor of Nursing Practice Specializations

Enhance your clinical practice leadership skills to help improve nursing practice and delivery of patient care.
Develop greater management expertise and harness your experience to serve as a leader and role model in your organization.
Build the knowledge and skills to care for patients 13 and older with complex acute and unstable chronic medical conditions.
Gain the advanced training to oversee the health and well-being of patients 13 and older and improve health outcomes.
Prepare to manage disease prevention, health promotion, and restorative care in patients of all ages.
Prepare to oversee the health and wellness of patients from birth to age 21 in pediatric primary care settings.
Learn to care for the mental and emotional well-being of patients with psychiatric disorders and emotional challenges.

Curriculum

The DNP program’s coursework covers a range of topics, including:

  • Healthcare policy and advocacy
  • Quality improvement
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Information systems/technology
  • Advanced nursing practice
  • Organizational and systems leadership

A Personalized Guide to Completing Your Doctorate

Earning your online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) requires commitment, perseverance, and hard work. You can do it, and Walden is here to help--with our Doctoral Degree Coach.

  • Man at Crossroads

    Map and Track Milestones

    Break your research down into manageable, sequential steps. See where you are, what’s ahead, and what you’ve already accomplished—all in one place.

  • Meet Weekly Targets

    No more guesswork. Set prompts based on your to-do list and receive reminders and updates directly to your inbox.

  • Shaking Hands

    Connect With Faculty

    Stay on the same page and keep your progress on track. With shared access to your dashboard, your chair can easily guide you through your checklists, goals, and timelines.

  • Three Books Lined Up

    Access Helpful Resources

    Quickly find support from the right person at the right time. Our comprehensive resource guide points you in the right direction—no more frustrating searches.

Partnering with over 300 leading healthcare employers and organizations

More about our DNP program

Walden’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will prepare you with the knowledge and expertise to strengthen your advanced nursing practice, augment healthcare delivery, and improve patient outcomes.

Your career options may include a role as a:*

  • Chief nursing officer (CNO)
  • Director of nursing
  • Nurse educator
  • Nurse administrator
  • Manager of informatics
  • Clinical instructor

*Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Sources: O*Net Online. Summary Report for SOC Code 11-1011 Chief Executives.
Sample of reported job titles include Chief Nursing Officer. Retrieved February 2021;O*Net Online. Summary Report for SOC Code 11-9111 Medical and Health Services Managers. Sample of reported job titles include Clinical Director, Nursing Manager, Nursing Director. Retrieved February 2021;
O*Net Online, Summary Report for SOC Code 25-1072 Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary. Sample of job titles include Clinical nursing instructor. Retrieved February 2021;
O*Net Online, Summary Report for SOC Code 15-1211, Health Informatics Specialists. Sample of Job titles include Nursing Informatics specialist. Retrieved February 2021; and
American Nurse Journal. PhD vs DNP. June 2020.

Program Admission Considerations (BSN-DNP track): You must have a current, active RN license, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or equivalent from an accredited school and meet the general admission requirements.

Program Admission Considerations (MSN-DNP track): You must have a current, active RN license, a Master of Science in Nursing or equivalent from an accredited school and meet the general admission requirements.

Choose the BSN to DNP track if you are a registered nurse (RN) and have earned your bachelor’s in nursing degree. Choose the MSN to DNP track if you are a registered nurse (RN) and have earned your master’s in nursing degree.

You will also be required to submit a completed online application, employment history, and official transcripts.

Your Enrollment Specialist will help you gather all of the required materials starting with your application all the way through your first day of classes.

Tuition costs will vary depending on your previous education. Get in touch with a Walden Enrollment Specialist today at 855-203-5779, to learn more about tuition costs for this program and financial aid options.

Walden’s Enrollment Specialists are committed to helping identify and leverage opportunities for you to save money on your education.

Our Enrollment Specialists are ready to answer any questions you may have regarding this program. Fill out the form on this page to be contacted or call 855-203-5779.
CCNEThe baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), and doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org.)

Why earn your DNP at Walden?

relevant-small

Personalize Your Path

Select our Core Program or one of six specializations, including five that prepare you to seek nurse practitioner certifications.

group of students

Impact Your Community

Explore the complex factors that affect health outcomes and become an advocate for improving healthcare in your community.

learn-with-leaders-small

Doctoral Degree Coach™

Break your research down into manageable, sequential steps. Keep track of where you are, what’s ahead, and what you’ve already accomplished.

relevant-small

Personalize Your Path

Select our Core Program or one of six specializations, including five that prepare you to seek nurse practitioner certifications.

group of students

Impact Your Community

Explore the complex factors that affect health outcomes and become an advocate for improving healthcare in your community.

learn-with-leaders-small

Doctoral Degree Coach™

Break your research down into manageable, sequential steps. Keep track of where you are, what’s ahead, and what you’ve already accomplished.

“It seemed like each class I was taking covered an issue I encountered at work. What I learned in the classroom, I immediately applied to my work."

James McDaniel | MSN Graduate and DNP Student

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) IPEDS database. Based on the most recent year’s completions survey data, using CIP code family 51.38 “Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research, and Clinical Nursing” for Master’s(Award level 7) and Doctoral (Award level 17) degrees. Available at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data. (Retrieved January 2021; may consist of or include provisional release data.)

 

Note on licensure:

 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Core Program and DNP Executive Leadership specialization are not licensure programs and will not prepare students as nurse practitioners.

 

Note on licensure: 

 

Walden’s DNP nurse practitioner specializations are designed to academically prepare graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license to practice in the U.S. as nurse practitioners. However, each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own license for an RN to be permitted to practice as a nurse practitioner in that state. 

Enrollment Restrictions by State

Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into any DNP Nurse Practitioner specializations: Arizona, District of Columbia, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

ONGOING MILITARY OFFER:

A 15% tuition reduction for servicemembers, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and their spouses.*

*A 15% tuition reduction is available to new students who are servicemembers, veterans of the U.S. armed forces, or employees of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This tuition reduction is also available if you are a spouse of a servicemember, veteran, or employee of the VA. This tuition reduction cannot be retroactively applied. Tuition reductions are applicable to tuition only and do not apply toward books, materials, and other supplies or fees needed for a course.

Walden may change the tuition reduction offered hereunder at any time, but such change will not affect the tuition reduction for students who are currently enrolled at Walden and using the existing tuition reduction. All tuition reductions, grants, or scholarships are subject to specific eligibility requirements. Contact a Walden University Enrollment Specialist for details.