Family Nurse Practitioner

The program holds national accreditation approval through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE):  

CCNE  
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530 
Washington, DC, 20036-1120  
Phone: (202) 887-6791

The Division of Nursing offers a Master of Science degree, Family Nurse Practitioner. The graduate program builds on the philosophy and organizing framework of Dominican's undergraduate nursing program. The Division emphasizes the pursuit of truth and academic excellence. The program is designed around an evolving body of knowledge that encompasses life processes of unitary human beings in their environment. Emphasis is placed on integration of practice and theory across diverse settings where primary care is delivered.  

Students complete the 42-credit program in four academic semesters and two summer sessions. Lecture courses are offered in an evening format. Students must complete all course requirements within a 5 year timeframe. Students who have completed graduate courses, with a B or better, that fulfill some of the master's requirements may transfer up to 6 graduate credits into the program.  

At the end of the program students will:

1. integrate principles of systems theory, natural, biological, physical, and social sciences in advanced nursing practice;
2. analyze client responses to therapeutic interventions;
3. synthesize the nursing process in a manner inclusive of biopsychosocial phenomena and cultural and ethnic variations;
4. synthesize primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention to promote optimal wellness;
5. integrate nursing research methods to improve advanced practice nursing; and,
6. demonstrate dependent, independent, and interdependent professional behaviors in advanced practice nursing.

Admissions  

Students are admitted to Dominican University New York through the Office of Graduate Admissions on a competitive basis.  

A candidate will:

• Be a graduate of a fully accredited, license-qualifying baccalaureate degree nursing program  
• Hold a license to practice registered professional nursing in New York State and/or be eligible to hold same
• Have a minimum of one year of professional experience as a licensed registered nurse
• Have earned a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 with a B grade in each undergraduate nursing course and a B average in all natural science coursework
• Submit evidence on official transcripts of: (a) baccalaureate health assessment course; (b) introductory nursing research course; (c) introductory statistical methods course
• Write a personal essay including statement of career goals
• Submit three letters of recommendation on official stationery, at least one of which testifies to the student's clinical skills
• Submit a complete and current health record, malpractice insurance and such other documents as are required by the Division of Nursing
• Submit a complete application with non-refundable application fee.

Transfer credits:  

Students who have completed graduate courses with a grade of B or better that fulfill the requirements of some of the courses may transfer up to six (6) credits. Courses eligible for transfer must have been taken at an accredited master-degree-granting institution. The determination of course transfer will be made by the program Director on the basis of transcript evaluation.   

Deferment:

Any student accepted into the program who wishes to defer enrollment must write a letter to the program Director requesting permission to defer. Permission will be granted for one year beginning at the time of request. Filing the request in a timely fashion a place for the following year's class.

Academic Requirements and Standards

Students accepted into the Master of Science Nurse Practitioner pro-gram must adhere to the standards and policies set forth by the University and the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. Students are responsible for and required to sign the Student Handbook Appendix F form found in the Family Nurse Practitioner Handbook.  

In order to maintain continuous enrollment in the program, all graduate students must achieve a "B" in all clinical courses and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 to continue in the sequence and graduate from the program.   

A student who does not achieve a "B" in a clinical course may, with the approval of the instructor and the Program Director,  repeat the course. A student may only repeat one course once during their progression through the program.

Honors: 

Sigma Theta Tau International 
Sigma's mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, and nurse leaders exhibiting exceptional achieve-ments in nursing who meet the eligibility criteria, are invited to join. Sigma has more than 135,000 active members residing in more than 90 countries.   

Students who have completed 12 credits, ¼ of the nursing curriculum, have at least a 3.5 cumulative nursing average, and meet the expectations of academic integrity, may be invited to apply for membership to the Zeta Omega Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau.  

Off-Site Requirements  

Students complete 150 clinical hours in each of three clinical courses and 300 clinical hours in Integrated Advanced Practice (total of 750 clinical hours). Precepted clinical experiences are individually arranged by students. Students must complete their clinical hours in an approved clinical site with an approved preceptor. Students should be prepared to travel to a clinical site. Students must also be prepared to work around the availability of the clinical site and preceptor. Particular days and times for clinicals cannot be guaranteed. Students will work with the Clinical Coordinator in a timely manner to have preceptors and sites approved as well as contracts signed.  Students working fulltime during the program should understand that time and priority must be devoted to clinicals.   

A variety of health care settings serve as clinical sites. Students gain experience in primary care, illness care, urgent care, long term care facilities, and community health centers. Hospitals, emergency rooms and specialty groups can be used in the final semester of the program.

Capstone and Final Requirements

Students complete 750 hours of clinical practice with a final written project to satisfy degree requirements. For their written Capstone project, students may continue with a proposal begun in the research course or choose another evidence-based topic pertinent to their practice, which will lay the foundation 
for future scholarly work.  

Faculty will act as facilitator in assisting students to complete the written project. Since advanced practice nurses are expected to engage in evidence-based practice, be expert clinicians, and  participate in research, faculty will scrutinize the quality and exactness of the written project.  Graduate faculty hope to engage students intellectually and stimulate desire for life-long learning.

Procedures

Students are advised to refer to the Dominican University New York Student Handbook and the Family Nurse Practitioner Student Hand-book for additional information.

Advisement:

Once a student is accepted into the Master of Science Family Nurse Practitioner Program he/she is assigned an advisor. Graduate students should make an appointment to register for courses, to discuss drop/add procedures, and for counseling on progression in the program. Please contact the Program Director whose office is located in the Prusmack Center, Second Floor, Room 210.

All graduate students must show evidence of an annual physical examination with up-to-date immunizations, a PPD or chest x-ray, and/or titers as required by regulatory agencies.  

Leave of Absence:

Once enrolled a student may request a leave of absence from the program/University, which, when granted, permits the student to maintain matriculation status although not in attendance and to resume study without applying for readmission. Leave of absence status is ordinarily granted for no more than two semesters. To be official, this request must be submitted in writing to the Pro-gram Director at least one month prior to the semester for which the leave is sought, unless extenuating circumstances prevail.

Withdrawal:

To be official, any withdrawal from a course must be submitted in writing, with authorization by the Program Director, to the Registrar. Students may drop a course within one calendar week after the official opening if the academic term by filing "Drop/Add forms with the Program Director.

Insurance:

All graduate students must hold Student Nurse Practitioner malpractice insurance coverage before entering their first clinical rotation. Information regarding coverage is available in the Office of the Program Director in the Prusmack Center.