The College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation at Arizona State University has changed the name of its Doctor of Nursing Science degree to PhD in Nursing & Healthcare Innovation. The change was effective Fall 2007.
The PhD program at ASU is an on-site program with use of web-enhanced courses. It builds upon the successful existing research intensive DNS, which emphasizes extensive student mentorship and socialization through interaction with faculty members and involvement in faculty research. Given the worsening faculty shortage in nursing due to the lack of PhD prepared nurses in Arizona and most other states, the program meets an essential need.
The PhD is designed for persons, including interdisciplinary health professionals, who wish to pursue careers as leaders in nursing and healthcare innovation research and education, consistent with scientific and academic roles. With a PhD, graduates are prepared to assume leadership positions in academic, research and healthcare institutions, giving direction on issues that will optimize quality of life and health resources across populations and settings. The PhD program is the primary research degree offered by the College.
For more information, e-mail PhDNursing@asu.edu
innovative flexible DNP program added to meet student
and healthcare needs
The College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation at Arizona State University also has added a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program. The hybrid online program format fuses technology with face-to-face learning, according to Renee McLeod, DNSc, APRN, BC, CPNP, Director, Office of Transformational Technologies and Organizations.
"Students will gain in-depth knowledge and skills to provide the highest quality of evidence-based care and generate innovative solutions to the most challenging healthcare problems from a cadre of outstanding, nationally recognized advanced practice faculty," Dean Bernadette Melnyk said.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused program comparable to professional degrees offered in other disciplines, including entry-level degrees such as Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Doctor of Audiology (AuD), and those that offer advanced practice degrees (e.g., the Doctor of Psychology or PsyD).
The program is in full compliance with American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) professional standards for the practice doctorate which require the DNP as the appropriate credential for all advanced nursing practice roles by 2015. Based upon the growing complexity of healthcare compounded by an escalating demand for services, burgeoning growth in scientific knowledge, and the increasing sophistication in technology, the nursing profession's current practice of preparing advanced practice nurses in master's degree programs is no longer adequate, according to McLeod.
The ASU DNP will have multiple entry point options for students. A student may enter with 1) a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, (2) a Master of Science degree in Nursing with advanced practice certification as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, or (3) with a Master of Science degree in Nursing either without advanced practice (i.e. nursing administration), or for students who want to add an additional advanced practice specialty.
"We have created a flexible DNP curriculum in combination with our advanced practice tracks," McLeod said. "The curriculum provides student access to knowledge and is quantum rather than memory-based. Our DNP and graduate program now focus on the learner rather than a fixed learning process." For more information on the ASU DNP Program, contact GPONursing@asu.edu or telephone (602) 496-0937.
"The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is strongly encouraging colleges of nursing to move to two doctoral programs: one emphasizing advanced clinical practice Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and one emphasizing research and scholarship Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (PhD)," Dean Bernadette Melnyk said. "Furthermore, the move to the PhD at this time is consistent with transformational changes in the focus of our College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation and ASU as an institution."
