Doctor of Nursing Practice
Designed for You, the Working Professional
100% Online
You can complete coursework on your schedule—anytime, anywhere.
Only 32 Credit Hours
Just 6 semesters—the time will fly by.
2 Years to Complete
Or take a little longer … we understand the demands of work and life.
Why Oak Point Is the Right Choice for Your DNP
Many of our alums have received one, if not multiple degrees, from Oak Point University. Hear Dr. Hussain discuss why it is a privilege to be an advocate for patients and that being a badass in any profession is giving 110% every day.
Sarah Hussain, DNP, APRN-APN, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
2022 Calling All #BadassNurses Finalist
Oak Point University Alum, MSN-FNP 2014, BSN 2008
(Resurrection University and West Suburban College of Nursing chapters)
The DNP Advantage
A Doctor of Nursing Practice prepares nurses for the highest level of clinical practice, leadership, and healthcare system management.
Expanded Career Opportunities
A DNP degree can open doors to various career paths, including nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife, and healthcare executive positions. With a DNP, nurses can also pursue roles in academia, research, and healthcare policy.
Enhanced Clinical Skills + Expertise
A DNP program focuses on evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems thinking. Nurses with a DNP have the advanced clinical knowledge and skills necessary to provide the highest level of patient care, improving patient outcomes and overall healthcare quality.
Leadership + Advocacy
DNP-prepared nurses are trained to be leaders and advocates within the healthcare system. They can effectively communicate with interdisciplinary teams, influence healthcare policy, and champion patient care and safety improvements. This level of leadership can have a significant impact on the nursing profession and the healthcare system as a whole
Higher Earning Potential
With a DNP, nurses can expect to earn a higher salary than those with a master’s degree or lower. In many cases, advanced practice registered nurses with a DNP can earn six-figure salaries, depending on their roles, experience, and geographic location.
Personal and Professional Growth
Pursuing a DNP can lead to personal and professional growth, as nurses develop a deeper understanding of their field and acquire advanced skills. This can lead to increased job satisfaction, as nurses feel more confident and competent in their roles and can make a greater impact on patient care and the healthcare system.
Our Program
Getting Your DNP at Oak Point
YOU are the Ideal Candidate if:
Program Outcomes
- Use an ethical framework to guide the integration of nursing science, evidence-based practice, and population health to inform practice.
- Demonstrate critical thinking at the highest level of practice and accountability in the management of healthcare, considering ethical, legal, cultural, and socially just patient-centered care.
- Institute a role within the healthcare delivery system that provides for interprofessional collaboration, interdependence, and a professional identity as an advanced nursing professional with specialized knowledge.
- Lead interprofessional teams by initiating and maintaining effective working relationships using mutually respectful communication and collaboration.
- Serve in the role of patient health care coordinator/facilitator across health determinants and health care settings with an emphasis on urban/regulatory environments.
- Integrate clinical expertise with political skills, systems thinking, and business insight to transform the evolving healthcare system at local, regional, national, and international levels.
- Incorporate processes that support technology-enhanced and data-based health care across populations and systems.
Curriculum
| Course | Semester Hours |
|---|---|
| NRG 7101 // Foundations for Advanced Clinical Scholarship | 3 |
| NRG 7103 // Urban Health | 3 |
| NRG 7105 // DNP Practicum Independent Study (as needed) | 0 |
| NRG 7202 // Informatics | 2 |
| NRG 7203 // Epidemiology and Biostatistics | 3 |
| NRG 7204 // DNP Project | 0.5 |
| NRG 7205 // DNP Practicum I | 0.5 |
| NRG 7302 // Population Health | 2 |
| NRG 7303 // Leadership, Economics, and Finance | 3 |
| NRG 7304 // DNP Project II) | 1 |
| NRG 7401 // Nursing Policy, Regulation, and Public Protection | 3 |
| NRG 7404 // DNP Project III | 1 |
| NRG 7502 // Healthcare Innovations | 1.5 |
| NRG 7503 // Ethical Dimensions of the DNP Role | 3 |
| NRG 7504 // DNP Project IV | 0.5 |
| NRG 7505 // DNP Practicum II | 1 |
| NRG 7604 // DNP Project V | 2 |
| NRG 7502 // Healthcare Innovations | 0.5 |
| NRG 7605 // DNP Practicum III | 1.5 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Recent Doctoral Projects
Published by Our Graduates
A Quantitative Study on Essential Oils Verses Opioids in the Management of Physical Pain Utilizing the Harich Comparative Pain Scale
Christopher Galloway, DNP 2019
Instilling Resiliency to Reduce Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Registered Nurses
James Kerridge, DNP 2020
A Quantitative Study on the Efficacy of a Condensed Introduction to the 12-Step Program in the Prevention of Poly-Drug Addiction in a Primary Care Setting
Katherine Skurski, DNP 2021
Building Resilience and Competence in Adjunct Faculty through
Mentorship
Carolina Peña, DNP 2022
Career Outlook
Graduates of Our DNP Program Work as:
- Professors
- Department Chairs
- Hospital Administrators
- Primary Care Leads
- Independent Practice Owners
