Doctor of Nursing Practice

The EMU and GC DNP Partnership seeks to prepare nurse leaders to serve and lead at the highest level of nursing practice as informed, articulate, culturally sensitive, compassionate, and responsible professional nurses. Such nurse leaders reflect the values of stewardship, human flourishing, sacred covenant, and peacemaking as foundational to promoting change within the healthcare setting. The program educates students from the perspective of the Anabaptist heritage and belief structures of both schools.

The philosophy of the GC and EMU DNP Partnership is based on the commonly held holistic nursing philosophies of both Goshen College and Eastern Mennonite University’s nursing programs. Integrated with this focus of viewing persons, health, and environment in a holistic manner, the partnership program has adopted the concepts of stewardship, human flourishing, sacred covenant, and peacemaking as core threads that are embodied in the developing character and work of the nurse.

Preparation of professional nurses at the DNP level requires the development of leadership capacities. The DNP graduate influences health care outcomes through directing care strategies for individuals and populations [Student Learning Outcome (SLO) #6], leading interprofessional teams toward improved healthcare systems, [SLO #2] providing leadership through engagement with health policy [SLO #5], and utilizing information for the transformation of healthcare [SLO #4]. As with other DNP programs, this practice-focused doctoral program is designed to prepare nurse leaders for the highest level of leadership [SLO #1] in practice that is innovative and evidence-based, reflecting translational science at its best [SLO #3]. The EMU & GC DNP Partnership graduate demonstrates leadership through an emphasis on population health promotion of vulnerable populations, formation of a covenantal relationship with clients and groups.

Stewardship is understood as a call to living within the biblical themes of creation, redemption, and discipleship. Management of fiscal resources, as well as care of creation, are some of the prime practices within the concept of stewardship in an Anabaptist context.¹

Human Flourishing is an emerging self-actualized well-being. The process of personal formation occurs within the context of the larger family and community. As students transform through the journey of one’s own human flourishing, they promote the flourishing of those in their care.²

Sacred Covenant is a philosophical approach to nursing that recognizes the interweaving of art, science, and spirit within the sacred ministry of health care and health promotion. The practice of nursing as a sacred covenant recognizes the holy spaces within relationships between nurse and client, whether individual, family, or community. The commitments of these relationships recognize all persons as created by God with human dignity and worth, working within a dynamic interdependent system of care.³

Peacemaking is a way of life based in the ethics of Anabaptist values of doing justice, and practicing reconciliation. ^4. As nurses experience human connectedness, opportunities for building peace and justice emerge. ^5.Living as peacemakers is an expression of rightness and goodness in love as participants in a world often filled with uncertainty and fear.⁵

1. 1. The Confession of Faith in an Anabaptist Perspective states “We believe that everything belongs to God, who calls us as the church to live as faithful stewards of all that God has entrusted to us” (Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. Article 21. Christian Stewardship. Retrieved from http://mennoniteusa.org/confession-of-faith/christian-stewardship/). Additional information on stewardship retrieved from http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Stewardship&oldid=143454.
   2. See also National League for Nursing (NLN) Competencies for Graduates of Nursing Programs, retrieved from www.nln.org
   3. O’Brien, M.E. (2017). Spirituality in Nursing (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
   4. Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective article 22
   5. Dossey, B.M. & Keegan, L. (2016). Holistic nursing: A handbook for practice (7th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. prevention that is consistent with both EMU’s and GC’s mission of producing servant-leaders for the church and the world.

1. Earned a Master of Science in Nursing from a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited program or any master’s in a business/health related degree (e.g. MPH, MBA, MHA) from a regionally accredited school.
   • If the applicant’s bachelor’s degree is not in nursing, the master’s degree must be in nursing.
   • If the Master’s degree is not in Nursing, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Co-Directors will review the applicant’s transcripts and professional experience for evidence of meeting the MSN Essentials.
   • Non-MSN applicants must be working in the field of nursing/healthcare (either directly or indirectly).
   • The program may be longer than 33 credits if the master’s degree is not in nursing.
2. Provide documentation of post-baccalaureate supervised practice hours from an accredited MSN program. If there are fewer than 400 supervised practice hours, the DNP program will be tailored to achieve the required 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate supervised practice.
3. Evidence of a current, unencumbered RN license in the state where the DNP project will be completed. (State of practice must be part of the SARA compact.)
4. Transcripts from all previous academic work.
5. Completed reference form from one (1) individual who is able to address the applicant’s ability to succeed in a DNP program.* Individuals completing the reference form should be from among the following:
   • Nurse faculty member who has knowledge of the applicant’s academic ability;
   • A professional work-related colleague or supervisor;
   • If practicing as an APRN, at least one should be from an APRN;
   • If practicing as a nurse leader/executive, one should be from a supervisor who can address the applicant’s leadership abilities.
6. Current resume or curriculum vitae
   • Evidence of currency in nursing practice
7. Interview with program co-directors via video conference

*Reference not required for graduates of Goshen College.

1. Practices at the highest level of nursing, integrating nursing theory and nursing science with knowledge from ethics, the biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, and organizational sciences.
   CCNE DNP Essential I, VIII
2. Demonstrates advanced leadership skills in interprofessional collaborative teams for quality improvement, improvement of patient and population outcomes, and meeting system-level challenges.
   CCNE DNP Essential II,VI, VIII
3. Employs analytical skills and translational science for the improvement of quality and safety in healthcare.
   CCNE DNP Essential III, VIII
4. Utilizes information technology for the improvement and transformation of healthcare.
   CCNE DNP Essential III, IV, VIII
5. Demonstrates knowledge of healthcare policy to provide leadership for advocacy and education that shapes the future of healthcare.
   CCNE DNP Essential V, VIII
6. Applies population health methodologies to design, implement, and evaluate health promotion/ disease prevention interventions and healthcare delivery models.
   CCNE DNP Essential VII, VIII
7. Demonstrates professional values consistent with the ANA code of ethics and the core values of the parent institutions.
   CCNE DNP Essential VIII

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is an academic designation. The DNP is the first practice doctorate available for nurses. Practice doctorates apply knowledge gained from evidence-based practice to patient care. The DNP offered by Goshen College, in partnership with Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), is a post-MSN, 9-semester program (33 credits, 10 courses), with a 6-semester 22-month accelerated option.

The DNP is a practice doctorate, not a research doctorate. Rather than writing a dissertation based on original research, the DNP graduate completes an evidence-based practice (EBP) project. This project requires that the student spend a significant amount of time examining an EBP question based on the student’s specific area of interest. Students might choose to focus their DNP project on the care of individuals, aggregate, systems or organizational level.

The DNP educates nurses to improve safety, effectiveness and efficiency in patient care. Essentially, the DNP graduate uses the research completed in the EBP project to influence their practice.

Anyone who has earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree from a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited school with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher is eligible to apply.

These are some of the reasons someone might seek a DNP:

• The DNP is a terminal degree. Some nursing programs, including GC and EMU, will allow someone with a DNP to teach in their program.
• The DNP program educates nurses to be change agents in their clinical settings.
• The DNP allows a professional to enhance their education and stay involved with patient care.
• Some DNP graduates will expand their work as administrative leaders.
• This degree will provide tools for the nurse who wishes to be part of improving the healthcare system.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (APRN) will be required to have a DNP by 2025.
• Any masters-prepared nurse who wishes to be an interdisciplinary leader should seek the DNP.

Goshen College and Eastern Mennonite University are partners in offering the DNP.

• You can enroll at either Goshen or EMU.
• You will take courses from faculty at both Goshen and EMU.
• Your degree will be granted by the institution where you enrolled.