Clinical Experiences

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused degree. Six of the 8 courses in the DNP program have a clinical component or practica each of which explores a unique aspect of doctoral level clinical practice. Each clinical practica is designed as a course assignment and completed in your own community in partnership with faculty and/or a clinical mentor. The culmination of clinical experiences in the six courses plus the culminating project will total a minimum of 400 hours.

DNP Clinical Assignments
Clinical assignments differ by course. For example, as a part of your technology course, your clinical hours come from conducting an in depth assessment of an existing health care information system where you examine the interface of technology and health care. This involves interviewing users and administrators of the system, determining its strengths and weaknesses, and recommending potential improvements. Assignments such as these give you the opportunity to redesign and improve a health care information system in your own community while earning your DNP.

Culminating Project
Your culminating project consists of a clinical immersion experience in your own community. As a part of this clinical project, you can expect to complete a number of clinical hours appropriate to your project of choice.   

Impacting the Future of Nursing Practice
Nursing as a practice profession requires both practice experts and nurse scientists to expand the scientific basis for patient care. Doctoral education in nursing is designed to prepare nurses for the highest level of leadership in practice and scientific inquiry.

Being prepared at the doctoral level, you will develop a blend of clinical, organizational, economic, and leadership skills, that will enable you to significantly affect health-care outcomes and advance your career.

 
WesternU DNP Students