Program Overview
The license-qualifying post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the Stony Brook University School of Nursing will prepare diverse clinical leaders who can influence healthcare outcomes, critically appraise evidence, and facilitate the transition of best evidence to best practices. The program, offered through distance education with on-site requirements, is designed for registered nurses who hold a baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing.
Graduates will ensure accountability for quality healthcare, utilize information technology to support and improve patient outcomes and healthcare systems, and set, influence, and implement health policies that secure improvements in global population health. Interprofessional teams with collaborative leadership will enable the DNP graduate to analyze complex practice and organizational issues to improve healthcare delivery models.
*The School of Nursing is currently only accepting applicants with advanced standing to the DNP program. Applicants must hold a Master of Science degree as an advanced nurse practitioner or certified nurse midwife.*
Dr. Kathleen Shurpin
Program Director
- Translate nursing’s discipline-specific perspective, theory, and research-based evidence to inform clinical judgment as the foundation for the highest level of advanced practice. (Domain 1)
- Synthesize advanced scientific knowledge with collaborative skills, recognizing the intersectionality of multiple interdependent and social determinants of health to design and deliver person-centered care that is holistic, respectful, just, evidenced-based, and person-centered. (Domain 2)
- Collaborate with traditional and non-traditional partners across settings to determine population-focused priorities, assess the system’s capability in addressing population healthcare needs, and lead in the development of healthcare policies and practices for the improvement of equitable population health outcomes. (Domain 3)
- Advance the scholarship of nursing by applying nursing's unique perspective to lead the translation of evidence into practice to provide optimal care and address health inequities, structural racism, and system inequity. (Domain 4)
- Apply principles of improvement science to evaluate care quality and safety to design system improvements and health policies that minimize the risk of harm to patients and providers for system effectiveness. (Domain 5)
- Lead inter-professional communication and collaboration to facilitate the integration of evidence-based strategies that improve processes within healthcare systems, optimizing outcomes for diverse populations. (Domain 6)
- Optimize system effectiveness by leveraging care coordination, informatics processes, and technologies to deliver safe, high-quality, equitable, and efficient healthcare services following best practices and professional and regulatory standards. (Domain 7 & 8)
- Model a resilient professional identity embodying accountability, perspective, ethical comportment, and a collaborative disposition reflective of nursing’s mission to the individual, society, and the profession. (Domain 9)
- Demonstrate self-reflection and cognitive flexibility to promote environments that foster life-long learning, professional growth, self-care, well-being, and resilience; and support the acquisition of nursing expertise and the assertion of leadership. (Domain 10)
Our program is designed for registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing and is offered using an on-site, executive cohort model. Throughout the program, doctoral students will develop the foundational, clinical, organizational, systems, and leadership skills necessary for transforming healthcare delivery and improving outcomes for selected vulnerable patients and populations. Through the development of a selected DNP project and participation in DNP residencies, students may pursue study in various areas of clinical inquiry.
The program length is 87 credits, and a minimum of 1,000 hours of scholarly clinical practice is required.
Nurse practitioners and nurse midwives who hold a master’s degree in nursing may be eligible for advanced standing and enter the DNP program at the post-master level. A gap analysis is conducted to confirm previous coursework and validate the number of clinical hours performed at the master’s level. The program length is a minimum of 42 credits. A minimum of 500 additional hours of scholarly practice is required to meet the 1,000+ post-baccalaureate scholarly practice hour requirement.
The DNP degree was adopted by the Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in response to several societal, scientific, and professional developments. Among these, the nursing shortage and the crisis in the healthcare system have collectively called for a major paradigm shift that will empower the advanced practice nurse to respond to these developments as they evolve. The DNP degree represents the highest level of preparation in specialty nursing practice.
The faculty of the School of Nursing is committed to a spirit of collaboration and mentorship. A major focus of the program is the development of a community of scholars, fostering a commitment to lifelong learning and cultivating an area of clinical scholarly inquiry.
The DNP program is offered in the following population foci:
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology-Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric-Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
- Registered professional nurse licensure.
- Malpractice insurance as either a DNP student or as a nurse practitioner student in the program specialty in which the student is enrolled.
- Baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing from an accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
- Written statement – see the online application for essay requirements.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Current curriculum vitae/resume.
- An interview may be required.
- School of Nursing COVID Vaccination Requirement: To comply with accreditation policies (CCNE and/or ACME) that require that the School of Nursing is responsible for locating clinical placements for all students, and since Stony Brook University Medical Center (SBUMC) is designated as the default alternate clinical placement site for SON students, all students must be prepared for the eventuality of a clinical placement with the SBUMC. As a result, evidence of a current COVID-19 vaccination is required for all enrolled students.
- All newly admitted students will receive an email from the SON Required Documentation email address, shown below, with detailed instructions to utilize the required CastleBranch web-based software system. This system requires a one-time fee and is where students will upload and manage required documents. son_required_documentation@stonybrook.edu
The Office of Clinical Placements facilitates the processing of clinical placement requests and contracts for all clinical affiliations within the baccalaureate, master’s, advanced certificate, and DNP programs. The office works collaboratively with faculty to secure clinical placement sites for students. Once a suitable site is identified, students submit a clinical placement request form for processing.
The office maintains electronic data systems and records related to students, clinical placement sites, clinical affiliation agreements, clinical contracts, and preceptors. Central to the clinical placement process for all programs is the establishment of a clinical affiliation agreement and clinical contract, which is executed between SUNY and the clinical site.
Upon final execution of a clinical affiliation agreement, SUNY procures and provides the site with a certificate of insurance or related protection evidencing the required insurance coverage. The provisions of a clinical affiliation agreement and clinical contract include the responsibilities and mutual terms that are agreed upon during the life of the agreement.
Please note that it is a Stony Brook Medicine policy that the School of Nursing is not permitted to pay for, approve, or participate in a clinical placement arrangement for our students that requires payment of any type by the School, student, or any other third party.
THE SCHOOL OF NURSING RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ADMISSION AND PROGRAM CRITERIA TO MEET PREVAILING ACCREDITATION AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
