Attachment A - Florida Atlantic University



Florida Board of Governors

Request to Offer a New Degree Program

Florida Atlantic University August, 2008

University Submitting Proposal Proposed Implementation Date

Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing ______________________

Name of College or School Name of Department(s)

Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice

Academic Specialty or Field Complete Name of Degree

(Include Proposed CIP Code)

The submission of this proposal constitutes a commitment by the university that, if the proposal is approved, the necessary financial resources and the criteria for establishing new programs have been met prior to the initiation of the program.

| | | | | |

|Date Approved by the University Board of Trustees | |President | |Date |

| | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|Signature of Chair, Board of Trustees | |Date | |Vice President for Academic Affairs | |Date |

Provide headcount (HC) and full-time equivalent (FTE) student estimates of majors for Years 1 through 5. HC and FTE estimates should be identical to those in Table 1. Indicate the program costs for the first and the fifth years of implementation as shown in the appropriate columns in Table 2. Calculate an Educational and General (E&G) cost per FTE for Years 1 and 5 (Total E&G divided by FTE).

|Implementation Timeframe |Projected Student Enrollment (From Table 1) | |Projected Program Costs |

| | | |(From Table 2) |

| |HC |FTE | |Total E&G Funding |Contract & Grants |E&G Cost per FTE |

| | | | | |Funding | |

|Year 1 |12 |7.8 | |$149,251 | |$19,134 |

|Year 2 |27 |17.63 | | | | |

Note: This outline and the questions pertaining to each section must be reproduced within the body of the proposal to ensure that all sections have been satisfactorily addressed.

Introduction

Program Description and Relationship to System-Level Goals

A. Briefly describe within a few paragraphs the degree program under consideration, including (a) level; (b) emphases, including concentrations, tracks, or specializations; (c) total number of credit hours; and (d) overall purpose, including examples of employment or education opportunities that may be available to program graduates.

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is proposing a new degree program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The DNP prepares nurses for the highest level of professional practice in the discipline. It is similar to the professional doctorates in medicine (MD), dentistry (DDS), pharmacy (PharmD), and physical therapy (DPT). Graduates are competent in an advanced practice specialty area, are prepared as leaders in healthcare able to design state-of-the-art nursing theory-guided and evidence-based models of care delivery, conduct research on the evaluation of outcomes of care, develop policies and programs to promote population health, use technology and information to transform healthcare systems, and collaborate in interprofessional teams to improve patient and population health outcomes across a continuum of care. The program emphasizes core nursing values of caring, a holistic perspective on personhood and health, innovation, diversity, and leadership.

The American Association of College of Nursing has mandated that by 2015 entry into advanced nursing practice roles will require the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Currently, entry into advanced practice requires preparation at the master’s degree level. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has graduated approximately 500 advanced practice nurses over the past 14 years with many employed locally. Currently there are approximately 300 APN students enrolled in the College. In the future, all of these students will require further education at the doctoral level to meet national standards.

The proposed program incorporates the essential areas of content identified by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for practice doctorates in nursing (aacn.edu). Graduate education in nursing occurs within the context of societal demands and needs as well as the inter-professional practice environment. The Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2003) and the National Research Council of the National Academies (2005) have called for nursing education that is evidence-based, interdisciplinary, patient-centered, and focused on information systems and quality improvement. These areas of preparation will be the cornerstones of the DNP. The DNP at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing will emphasize caring for an aging population in a diverse society.

Graduates of the DNP program may work in a variety of settings and roles depending on their areas of advanced practice in nursing. They may assume positions as primary care providers, patient care coordinators, clinical nurse specialists in acute or long term care, nursing faculty, nursing or healthcare administrators, innovative designers of healthcare information systems or complementary care models and planners/policymakers in national/international healthcare.

There are two entry options for the program: post MS or post BS in Nursing. At this time only the post-MS entry option will be developed, with plans to initiate the post BS entry as the College phases out most of the MS degree tracks for advanced practice preparation.

At this time, only students with a master’s degree in advanced practice or administration will be accepted into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Each student’s transcript from their master’s program will be evaluated individually, and a curriculum plan will be developed. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree will require students to take a minimum of 39 credits post master’s degree. Therefore, these students will meet University requirements of at least 80 credits post-baccalaureate credits for a doctoral degree.

B. Describe how the proposed program is consistent with the current State University System (SUS) Strategic Planning Goals. Identify which goals the program will directly support and which goals the program will indirectly support. (See the SUS Strategic Plan at )

This proposed program is consistent with all four of the current State University System Strategic Planning Goals.

Goal 1: Access to and production of degrees: This program directly supports the goal by adding a new degree program to the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. Sixty nurses surveyed at an initial meeting expressed interest in the DNP degree. There are currently four DNP programs in Florida, and none in South Florida. The development of this degree program is essential for current advanced practice nurses in South Florida who want the practice doctorate. By 2015 the degree will be essential for the preparation of advanced practice nurses, and it will replace most of the current tracks in the Masters program. The DNP does not compete with the PhD in Nursing; one is a practice-focused doctorate, the other a research-focused doctorate. The addition of the DNP on the national scene has not decreased enrollment in PhD programs.

Goal 2: Meeting statewide professional and workforce needs: The proposed program directly supports this goal by providing the required education and a terminal degree mandated by national organizations for entry into advanced practice for the future. Advanced practice nurses have demonstrated the ability to provide high quality primary care across the lifespan. While advanced practice nurses were educated initially to work in primary care settings such as private practice and clinic settings, due to the decreasing numbers of family practice physicians, it is now evident that APNs will also work in emergent community care centers within retail stores. Therefore, the need for increased numbers of advanced practice nurses is evident. There is a need to increase the numbers of advanced practice nurses in the area of leadership and administration as well. These students are needed to meet the quality standards set by the Institute of Medicine for patient safety and improved patient outcomes. All advanced practice nurses will be involved in system redesign as our healthcare system is changed to meet the demands of an aging population.

Goal 3: Building world-class academic programs and research capacity: This goal will be indirectly supported by the addition of the proposed Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree program. The academic program of study for the DNP degree will focus on caring for an aging population. This area of study is essential to maintaining and improving the healthcare of our community and nation, and will distinguish this program from others. It builds on the faculty research and practice strengths in caring and aging, and positions the College to become a model curriculum.

The U.S. population of persons 65 years or older numbered 37.3 million in 2006. They represented 12.4% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 71.5 million older persons, more than twice their number in 2000. People 65 years old and older represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 20% of the population by 2030. Therefore the focus of the DNP on the aging population has potential to create a world-class academic program within the College of Nursing.

Doctorally-prepared advanced practice nurses are prepared to use evidence in practice and evaluate practice outcomes. Translational research is needed to determine the effect of interventions on large groups of people. Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates are uniquely positioned in practice to participate in translational research.

Goal 4: Meeting community needs and fulfilling unique institutional responsibilities. The proposed DNP program will directly support this goal in the strategic plan. The underpinning of the DNP program will be the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing caring philosophy. Nursing makes a unique contribution because of its special focus: nurturing the wholeness of persons and environment through caring. Educating DNP students in the philosophy of caring meets a need in the community to provide primary healthcare providers who can identify the uniqueness of individuals dynamically interconnected with others and the environment in caring relationships. The philosophy of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing underpins the education of advanced practice nurses to understand that the well-being and wholeness of persons, families, groups, communities and societies are nurtured through caring relationships.

According to the State of Florida Department of Health, the entire state is experiencing a shortage of primary healthcare providers. Educating advanced practice nurses to meet national requirements and to meet the needs for healthcare re-design will positively influence the health of the South Florida community. Educating nurse administrators in advanced practice at the DNP level will enable the development of nursing leaders better able to promote quality patient care in a variety of health care delivery systems.

Institutional and State Level Accountability

Need and Demand

B. Need: Describe national, state, and/or local data that support the need for more people to be prepared in this program at this level. Reference national, state, and/or local plans or reports that support the need for this program and requests for the proposed program which have emanated from a perceived need by agencies or industries in your service area. Cite any specific need for research and service that the program would fulfill.

During the past three decades the doctorate has become firmly established as the terminal degree in nursing. As programs developed, priority was placed on research-focused education that would lay the groundwork for knowledge development in the field. Tremendous strides have been made in the development of nursing science. At the same time research-focused doctoral programs were expanding, master's degree programs were moving from an emphasis on role preparation to an emphasis on specialized clinical knowledge and practice (advanced practice nursing).

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has identified that the growing complexity of health care, burgeoning growth in scientific knowledge, and increasing sophistication of technology have necessitated master's degree programs that prepare APNs at credit levels and clinical clock hours far beyond the requirements of master's education in virtually any other field. Nurse practitioners have identified important content areas missing from their MS curriculum including practice management, health policy, use of information technology, risk management, evaluation of evidence, and advanced diagnosis and management. Preparation in these areas requires additional education. In addition, the knowledge required to provide leadership in the discipline of nursing is so complex and rapidly changing that doctoral level education is needed. Therefore, at the national and state level the Doctor of Nursing Practice will be the entry into advanced practice nursing for the future. Advanced practice nursing education will be phased out at the Masters level by 2015. This is similar to entry level degrees in other disciplines such as Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor Dental Surgery (DDS) and the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), and the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT).

Increasing educational requirements reflect the trend in the health care field for advanced practice nurses to assume greater responsibility for the provision of primary healthcare, leadership and redesigning healthcare systems. The number of nurse-managed primary care centers has increased from a small handful fifteen years ago to about 250 across the US today. Nurse Practitioners (NPs) have been steadily gaining greater access to third party reimbursement across the country. In about half of the states, NPs are now recognized by insurance carriers as primary care providers. Often nurse practitioners can practice either independently or with remote supervision from physicians. Because Florida is a state that has identified a shortage of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners are more in demand than ever before. With the advent of local clinics in many retail stores staffed by nurse practitioners to care for persons in the community with acute illnesses, the need for an increased number of advanced practice nurses is evident. This has occurred along with the call for increased educational preparation to enter advanced practice.

In the area of nursing leadership and nursing administration, a critical need for clinicians to design, evaluate, and continually improve the context within which care is delivered has been recognized by many healthcare organizations and governmental groups. The need for this change was supported by the November 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on medication errors; To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System. This report estimates that somewhere between 44,000 and 98,000 Americans die each year as a result of errors in health care. These numbers, even at the lower levels, exceed the number of people that die each year from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer, or AIDS. The national costs of preventable adverse healthcare events (injury and errors) were estimated to be between $17 and $29 billion of which health care costs represented over half. To combat this problem, a focus of the DNP programs is to educate nurses who are able to affect systems level changes to improve patient care outcomes.

Two other IOM reports support the need for the DNP. The report, Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001), stresses that our health care system as it is currently structured does not make the best use of resources. Changing demographics in our country including the increase in the number of elderly and development of new services and technologies have contributed to increasing costs. Wasting resources, however, is a significant problem. One of the recommendations in the report calls for all health care organizations and professional groups to “promote health care that is safe, effective, client-centered, timely, efficient and equitable” (p. 6). In a follow-up report, Health Professionals Education: A Bridge to Quality (2003), the IOM Committee on Health Professionals Education states that “All health professionals should be educated to deliver patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement approaches, and informatics” (p.3)

DNP programs are a direct outcome of nursing’s plan to address the IOM challenges. Nurses prepared in DNP programs have a blend of clinical, organizational, economic, and leadership knowledge and skills to enable them to critique nursing and other clinical scientific findings and design programs of care delivery that are locally acceptable, economically feasible, and have significant impact on health care outcomes. DNP graduates are experts in designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating health care delivery systems and patient populations. DNP graduates are prepared to lead at the highest level of practice and executive ranks in nursing. The DNP will facilitate the preparation of more doctorally-prepared nurses thereby increasing the numbers of well-prepared professional nurses to assume leadership positions in health care and nursing education.

C. Demand: Describe data that support the assumption that students will enroll in the proposed program. Include descriptions of surveys or other communications with prospective students.

The Christine E Lynn College of Nursing had graduated at least 500 advanced practice nurses with Master’s degrees, many of whom have stayed in the area to practice. Each semester approximately 20 nurse practitioners and 10 advanced nurses in administration and leadership are graduated from the College with master’s degrees. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree will begin as a post master’s program to meet the needs of these NPs and others who practice locally to acquire doctoral education required by the AACN.

A DNP Information Session was held in March 2007 for advanced practice nurses interested in the DNP. Sixty potential students attended that session with another 50-75 asking for information because they could not attend. This group stated that they were all interested in coming to the FAU’s DNP program within the next several years. Each week there are at least 5-10 inquiries about the DNP program. Potential applicants attending the Information Session were surveyed; an overwhelming majority indicated that they wanted to attend the program part-time, and specifically selected the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing because of its caring philosophy and excellent faculty.

D. If similar programs (either private or public) exist in the state, identify the institution(s) and geographic location(s). Summarize the outcome(s) of any communication with such programs with regard to the potential impact on their enrollment and opportunities for possible collaboration (instruction and research). Provide data that support the need for an additional program.

The Universities that currently offer the DNP in Florida include University of Florida in Gainesville, University of South Florida in Tampa, University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and University of Central Florida in Orlando. The program proposed for the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing would be the only DNP program in Southeastern Florida from Miami to Orlando. There are over 6000 advanced practice nurses in the state of Florida who are potential students for the DNP program. Therefore, more programs are needed to accommodate this group of potential students particularly in southeast Florida where no programs currently exist. All four of the current programs offer MS degrees that will require conversion to the DNP by 2015.

E. Use Table 1 (A for undergraduate and B for graduate) to categorize projected student headcount (HC) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE) according to primary sources. Generally undergraduate FTE will be calculated as 40 credit hours per year and graduate FTE will be calculated as 32 credit hours per year. Describe the rationale underlying enrollment projections. If, initially, students within the institution are expected to change majors to enroll in the proposed program, describe the shifts from disciplines that will likely occur.

Table 1 is attached. The proposed program is two full years in length (fall, spring and summer) and students will enroll in an average of 7 credits/term or 21 credit hours/year. We plan to admit 12 students to the program in Fall 2008. We anticipate about 20-30 applicants in the first year and will select those most qualified in order to carefully evaluate the process of implementation. The second year we will admit 15-17 new students to keep head count at 27. We will increase admissions to 20-22 the next year, and will maintain admissions at 20/year after this. We feel that we will be able to handle a total of 40 students and will shift enrollment down in the MS program by this number of projected FTE. FTE was calculated by multiplying projected head count by 21 credit hours/year and dividing by 32.

F. Indicate what steps will be taken to achieve a diverse student body in this program, and identify any minority groups that will be favorably or unfavorably impacted. The university’s Equal Opportunity Officer should read this section and then sign and date in the area below.

Most students who will apply for the DNP program will be students who have completed master’s degrees at FAU or another College in South Florida as nurse practitioners or administrators. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has a diverse student body in all of its current programs including the Nurse Practitioner and Nursing Administration tracks. Currently, 41.7% of our MS students are minority students. The ethnic origin of our current 442 master’s students include 261 white students, 109 black students, 1 Indian student, 24 Asian students, 40 Hispanic students and 10 students who did not designate ethnicity. Therefore, the DNP program should have a similar demographic composition. Information about equal access to degrees is available on web and print resources. The program is planned for innovative part-time study so that all students can maintain employment while in school. This makes the program more accessible.

__________________________________________ _______________________

Equal Opportunity Officer Date

Budget

G. Use Table 2 to display projected costs and associated funding sources for Year 1 and Year 5 of program operation. Use Table 3 to show how existing Education & General funds will be shifted to support the new program in Year 1. In narrative form, summarize the contents of both tables, identifying the source of both current and new resources to be devoted to the proposed program. (Data for Year 1 and Year 5 reflect snapshots in time rather than cumulative costs.)

Table 2 is attached. The DNP program will be supported by reallocating resources from the MS Program to the DNP program. We plan to decrease the number of sections taught in the MS program to the same extent that we are increasing the number of sections needed for the DNP curriculum. We are planning to decrease the enrollment in the MS program by the FTE of DNP students that we are enrolling. With this principle in place, Table 2 shows that in Year 1 we will reallocate $135,142 (in Faculty Salaries and Benefits) and $14,109 in USPS Salaries and Benefits from the MS Program to the DNP program. In Year 5 the budget will increase based on increased student enrollment and course sections taught; however, once again the total of $415,916 is shifted from what would have supported the MS Program to the DNP Program. Table 3 shows the decrease in the base from B80000 College of Nursing (E&G Boca Campus), the current salary pool for the College of $149,251. Offsetting these increased costs will be the fact that DNP students will register for Graduate II level courses as opposed to Graduate I level courses.

The College of Nursing is submitting an application to the Health Resources and Services Administration-Division of Nursing for a training grant to support the development of the DNP. We have not projected this funding as part of the budget; however, it is a possibility.

H. If other programs will be impacted by a reallocation of resources for the proposed program, identify the program and provide a justification for reallocating resources. Specifically address the potential negative impacts that implementation of the proposed program will have on related undergraduate programs (i.e., shift in faculty effort, reallocation of instructional resources, reduced enrollment rates, greater use of adjunct faculty and teaching assistants). Explain what steps will be taken to mitigate any such impacts. Also, discuss the potential positive impacts that the proposed program might have on related undergraduate programs (i.e., increased undergraduate research opportunities, improved quality of instruction associated with cutting-edge research, improved labs and library resources).

Faculty resources will be shifted from the MS Program to the DNP Program. This is justified because by 2015 the DNP will replace MS education for advanced practice. We will gradually decrease student FTE in the MS program as we similarly increase it in the DNP program. We expect no negative impacts to the undergraduate nursing programs since the reallocation will occur at the graduate level. With the implementation of the Doctor of Nursing Practice undergraduate students will have more and better role models in practice. It is possible that DNP graduates will seek clinical faculty positions which will improve the quality of clinical instruction. In addition undergraduate students may have more opportunities for research as the DNP students will be involved in evidence-based practice projects and clinical evaluation research on units where students are in their clinical practica.

I. Describe other potential impacts on related programs or departments (e.g., increased need for general education or common prerequisite courses, or increased need for required or elective courses outside of the proposed major).

The students must enroll in three prerequisite courses: Biostatistics, NGR 6703 (if they have not had the foundational course in Caring at the MS level), and Epidemiology. Both Epidemiology and Biostatistics are offered at other Colleges at FAU, and students may enroll here or at another college or university.

J. Describe what steps have been taken to obtain information regarding resources (financial and in-kind) available outside the institution (businesses, industrial organizations, governmental entities, etc.). Describe the external resources that appear to be available to support the proposed program.

The College of Nursing is in the process of writing a training grant (HHS-HRSA-Division of Nursing) to support the implementation of the program. The special emphasis on caring for an aging population offers some potential for funding. The grant will be submitted this Fall and we will receive notification in July, 2008. If funded the grant would support faculty salaries for enhancement of the curriculum and may enable a larger number of students to be recruited into the program.

Projected Benefit of the Program to the University, Local Community, and State

Use information from Table 1, Table 2, and the supporting narrative for “Need and Demand” to prepare a concise statement that describes the projected benefit to the university, local community, and the state if the program is implemented. The projected benefits can be both quantitative and qualitative in nature, but there needs to be a clear distinction made between the two in the narrative.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing will benefit the University by providing access to this highly sought-after degree program to a substantial pool of graduates from FAU and other colleges and universities; by meeting future projected workforce needs; by building a unique academic program reflecting the strengths of the College faculty; and by increasing the University’s visibility by preparing practitioners who will provide a higher level of health care to the community. Increasing the education level of advanced practice nurses will also benefit the community by filling the gap in primary healthcare that exists not only locally but throughout the State of Florida. The program will reallocate student FTE from the current MS enrollment to DNP enrollment. Budget for faculty salaries/benefits and adjunct faculty salaries will shift from supporting the MS program to the DNP program.

Access and Articulation – Bachelor’s Degrees Only (Not Applicable to this Proposal)

K. If the total number of credit hours to earn a degree exceeds 120, provide a justification for an exception to the policy of a 120 maximum and submit a request to the BOG for an exception along with notification of the program’s approval. (See criteria in BOG Regulation 6C-8.014)

L. List program prerequisites and provide assurance that they are the same as the approved common prerequisites for other such degree programs within the SUS (see Common Prerequisite Manual ). The courses in the Common Prerequisite Counseling Manual are intended to be those that are required of both native and transfer students prior to entrance to the major program, not simply lower-level courses that are required prior to graduation. The common prerequisites and substitute courses are mandatory for all institution programs listed, and must be approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC). This requirement includes those programs designated as “limited access.”

If the proposed prerequisites they are not listed in the Manual, provide a rationale for a request for exception to the policy of common prerequisites. NOTE: Typically, all lower-division courses required for admission into the major will be considered prerequisites. The curriculum can require lower-division courses that are not prerequisites for admission into the major, as long as those courses are built into the curriculum for the upper-level 60 credit hours. If there are already common prerequisites for other degree programs with the same proposed CIP, every effort must be made to utilize the previously approved prerequisites instead of recommending an additional “track” of prerequisites for that CIP. Additional tracks may not be approved by the ACC, thereby holding up the full approval of the degree program. Programs will not be entered into the State University System Inventory until any exceptions to the approved common prerequisites are approved by the ACC.

M. If the university intends to seek formal Limited Access status for the proposed program, provide a rationale that includes an analysis of diversity issues with respect to such a designation. Explain how the university will ensure that community college transfer students are not disadvantaged by the Limited Access status. NOTE: The policy and criteria for Limited Access are identified in BOG Regulation 6C-8.013. Submit the Limited Access Program Request form along with this document.

N. If the proposed program is an AS-to-BS capstone, ensure that it adheres to the guidelines approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee for such programs, as set forth in Rule 6A-10.024 (see Statewide Articulation Manual ). List the prerequisites, if any, including the specific AS degrees which may transfer into the program.

Institutional Readiness

Related Institutional Mission and Strength

O. Describe how the goals of the proposed program relate to the institutional mission statement as contained in the SUS Strategic Plan and the University Strategic Plan.

The goals of the proposed DNP program are entirely consistent with the SUS and FAU’s Strategic Plan. Table 3 aligns State and FAU goals with the goals of the DNP program.

Table 3

Institutional Goals

|State University System |Florida Atlantic University |Proposed Doctor of Nursing Practice Goals |

|A. Access to and Production of Degrees |1. Providing Increased Access to Higher |Providing access for nurses to a program |

| |Education |that will soon be required for advanced |

| | |practice in nursing. |

|B. Meeting Statewide Professional and |2. Meeting statewide Professional and |Providing increased numbers of nurses |

|Workforce Needs |Workforce Needs |educated to practice in expanded roles to |

| | |provide health care services to citizens of|

| | |the state. Focus on caring for an aging |

| | |population is essential to meet local and |

| | |state healthcare needs. |

|C. Building World-Class Academic Programs |3. Building World-Class Academic Programs |Developing a program of excellence building|

|and Research Capacity |and Research Capacity |on faculty research and practice strengths.|

| | |Preparing students for translational and |

| | |evaluation research. |

|D. Meeting Community Needs and Fulfilling |4. Meeting Community Needs and fulfilling |Meeting state and community needs for |

|Unique Institutional Responsibilities |Unique Institutional Responsibilities |primary care, care of an aging population |

| | |and care of a growing culturally-diverse |

| | |population. |

| |5. Building a State-of-the-Art Information |Preparing advanced practice nurses to |

| |Technology Environment |inform the development of technologic |

| | |solutions to health care problems. |

| |6. Enhancing the Physical Environment | |

| |7. Increasing the University’s Visibility |Being the 5th College in the State of |

| | |Florida with the DNP degree program and the|

| | |only in Southeastern Florida. |

The Board of Governors Strategic Plan lists the criteria for new doctoral/research programs as those that are: consistent with the institutional mission and statewide goals in targeted fields; non-duplicative or sufficiently unique compared to similar SUS programs; demanded by both students and employers, especially in the context of economic development; and capable of demonstrating that their costs, when weighed against their measurable benefits, make a compelling argument for return on investment (FL Board of Governors, Strategic Plan 2005-2013, p. 6).

In meeting the Challenges identified by the Board of Governors Strategic Plan, Section I on Balancing Institutional Supply and Student and Employer Demands, specifically names nursing as a field in great need which also has student demand. Limitations in available seats can be partly addressed by producing more nurses with advanced degrees who may serve as future faculty. The DNP, while a practice doctorate, will qualify graduates for faculty roles to fill critical vacancies. Section II lists Ensuring Geographic Access as an important challenge. Advanced practice nurses seeking further degrees are not geographically mobile and require education programs delivered in a location and format that fits their work schedules. The proposed DNP program does this for all of south Florida. Section III, Competing Internationally with other Institutions and Systems, requires that FAU be able to offer the soon-to-be mandated degree that prepares nurse practitioners and nurse administrators. Section IV addresses recruiting faculty and students. The DNP will be the only approved pathway for preparing nurse practitioners and nurse administrators by 2015. Without this program the graduate student credit hours of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing will be reduced by 68%.

The proposed DNP program will assist the SUS in taking advantage of identified opportunities. Specifically, Florida’s anticipated growth increases the need for health care providers to meet increasing demands. Florida attracts senior citizens who need a disproportionate amount of care. Additionally, the rate of health disparities grows with large numbers of undocumented workers in the state. Preparing a higher level of practitioner who is able to address the complexities of health and health care will benefit the citizens of the State of Florida.

The proposed DNP program assists the SUS in meeting its goal of increased production of degrees, producing more degrees in health, particularly the high demand area of nursing. The DNP will prepare health care professionals who are able to conduct translational research that brings basic science into practice and ensures high quality health care for the citizens of the state.

P. Describe how the proposed program specifically relates to existing institutional strengths, such as programs of emphasis, other academic programs, and/or institutes and centers.

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at FAU is internationally recognized as a leader in the development of a Caring model which is core to the practice of nursing. The College has assembled a faculty that is productive in teaching, research and practice, well-qualified to extend its current graduate offerings to include the proposed DNP program. Particular success in research and program funding has come in the areas of gerontology and in care of vulnerable populations. The Christine E. Lynn Center for Caring has funded research in nursing care delivery. The Quantum Foundation Center for Innovation in School and Community Well-Being has been a research and teaching site for baccalaureate, masters and PhD Students. The Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center provides access to research and clinical practice for all levels of nursing students, and could be a site for DNP practica. The Nurse Leadership Institute and the Novice Nurse Leadership Program have supported the development of leadership skills of nurses throughout the area, and support research in nursing leadership and administration. Faculty active in all these centers are set to be faculty for the proposed DNP program.

Q. Provide a narrative of the planning process leading up to submission of this proposal. Include a chronology (table) of activities, listing both university personnel directly involved and external individuals who participated in planning. Provide a timetable of events necessary for the implementation of the proposed program.

Planning Process

Planning for the DNP program has occurred over the past several years and has involved several key faculty and administrators from the College. Activities have included development of a Task Force in the College to oversee development of the program, attendance at national meetings about the development of the new degree, participation on national boards setting standards for the new degree, focused discussion with faculty of the College in order to determine readiness, meetings with community leaders and settings to determine interest from potential students and employers, an Information Session held at the College to determine interest, and the engagement of a national consultant key to the development of the DNP movement. Table 4a lists the key steps in the development process. And 4b describes events leading to implementation.

Table 4a

Planning Process for DNP degree

|Date |Participants |Planning Activity |

|4/05 |Marlaine Smith |Attended AACN National Meeting on the DNP |

| | |Essentials and Competencies |

|1/06 |Marlaine Smith, Susan Chase, Patricia |Attended the AACN Doctoral Programs meeting with |

| |Liehr |special DNP information and preparation sessions |

|1/06      |Rose Sherman                  |Joint AONE and CGEAN Meeting on the DNP |

|4/06 |Susan Beidler, Susan Chase, Ruth |National Organization of Nurse Practitioner |

| |McCaffrey |Faculties, Annual Meeting with special session on |

| | |the DNP. |

|9/06 |Susan Chase, Terry Eggenberger, Anne |Teleconference on DNP |

| |Dahnke, Rose Sherman, Joanne Weiss | |

|11/06 |Susan Chase, Ruth McCaffrey |Veteran’s Administration Hospital Information |

| | |Session on DNP |

|5/07 |Ruth McCaffrey |DNP Conference Sponsored by Drexel University |

|1/07 |Susan Chase, Patricia Liehr, Marlaine |American Association of colleges of Nursing, |

| |Smith |Doctoral Conference special sessions on |

| | |implementing DNP programs |

|3/07 |Ruth McCaffrey, Susan Chase, Marlaine |Information Session on the DNP Christine E. Lynn |

| |Smith, Kathryn Keller, Rose Sherman as |College of Nursing |

| |leaders, 50 attendees | |

Table 4b

Events Leading to Implementation

|Date |Implementation Activity |

|6/15/06 |College MS Program-Nurse Practitioner track - began curriculum discussion |

| |related to need for the DNP |

|7/8/06 |DNP Task Force Meeting/ ANCC/NONPF competencies review |

|9/06 |DNP Task Force Meeting/ Developed Program Objectives |

|11/16/06 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Planned Needs Survey |

|2/15/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Developed Admission Criteria, Discussed HRSA grant |

|3/15/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting /Course Syllabus Development |

|4/10/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Course Syllabus Development |

|5/23/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Course Syllabus Development |

|5/30/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Course Syllabus Development |

|6/11/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/Course Syllabus Development |

|6/20/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/finalize course descriptions |

|7/10/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/ Plan proposal writing |

|7/25/07 |DNP Task Force Meeting/ Proposal finalization |

|8/9/07 |Consultant visit with Dr. Donna Hathaway, Dean, |

| |University of Tennessee, Memphis Academic Health Sciences Center School of |

| |Nursing |

| |Open forum with Faculty |

|8/07 to 9/07 |Committee on Programs Review and Approval of Program and Courses |

|9/24/07 |Approval of Program and Courses by College Faculty Assembly |

Program Quality Indicators - Reviews and Accreditation

Identify program reviews, accreditation visits, or internal reviews for any university degree programs related to the proposed program, especially any within the same academic unit. List all recommendations and summarize the institution's progress in implementing the recommendations.

The baccalaureate and masters degree programs of Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education through 2014. At its initial accreditation review, no citations or recommendations were noted for the College. Until the DNP was developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, there was no specific accreditation of doctoral programs in nursing. The standards for quality for DNP programs have been established as Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice. Table 5 lists the indicators along with proposed student objectives and course titles showing that the proposed DNP program is designed to meet quality indicators.

Table 5

Standards of Quality for DNP Programs

|AACN Essentials |FAU DNP Student Objectives |FAU DNP Course Titles |

|1. Scientific Underpinnings for Practice |3. Apply theoretical and conceptual models that|Caring as an Essential Domain of Nursing |

| |directly relate to nursing practice. |Knowledge |

| | | |

| | |Theory-Guided Models for Advanced Practice |

| | |Nursing |

| | | |

| | |Population-Based Caring in Aging Societies |

|2. Organizational and Systems leadership |5. Articulate the role of the Doctor of Nursing|Health Care Systems Leadership and Finance |

|for Quality Improvement and Systems |Practice as a leader of systems change in a | |

|Thinking |multidisciplinary context. |Evaluating Systems and Models of Care |

|3. Clinical Scholarship and Analytical |2. Utilize nursing and other disciplinary |Biostatistics (pre-requisite) |

|Methods for Evidence Based Practice |knowledge and research to support improvement | |

| |of nursing practice in population based care |Research for Advanced Practice Nursing |

| |across the continuum of healthcare delivery. | |

| | |DNP Seminar I |

| | |DNP Seminar II |

| | |DNP Residency & Capstone Practice |

|4. Information Systems/Technology and |6. Critically evaluate the design and |Health Care Systems Leadership and Finance |

|Patient Care Technology for the |implementation of information systems and | |

|Improvement and Transformation of Health |technologies as they support whole person care |DNP Seminar I |

|Care |across the lifespan. |DNP Seminar II |

| | |DNP Residency & Capstone Practice |

|5. Health Care Policy for Advocacy in |4. Interpret and influence health policy in the|Public Policy in the Context of Nursing and|

|Health Care |design and evaluation of advanced nursing |Health |

| |practice and multidisciplinary services, with a| |

| |consideration of the financing of healthcare. | |

|6. Interprofessional Collaboration for |7. Design systems of population based health |Epidemiology (prerequisite) |

|Improving Patient and Population Health |promotion for the improvement of global health | |

|Outcomes |using multidisciplinary approaches that |Innovative Nursing Practice Grounded in |

| |demonstrate cultural competence. |Caring |

| | | |

|7. Clinical Prevention and Population |7. Design systems of population based health |Population-based Caring in an Aging Society|

|Health for Improving the Nation’s Health |promotion for the improvement of global health | |

| |using multidisciplinary approaches that |Emerging Therapies of Care in Advanced |

| |demonstrate cultural competence. |Nursing Practice |

|8. Advanced Nursing Practice |8. Integrate knowledge of caring in the design,|Creating a Deliberative Practice Model |

| |implementation and evaluation of innovative |Capstone Practice I |

| |models of advanced nursing practice. |Capstone Practice II |

Initial DNP program review will be sought from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education before the first class finishes its program. This will allow all completing students to be graduates of an accredited DNP program, assuming all quality indicators are met.

Curriculum

R. Describe the specific expected student learning outcomes associated with the proposed program. If a bachelor’s degree program, include a web link to the Academic Learning Compact or include the document itself as an appendix.

A. The organizing principles for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program are:

1. The program will demonstrate the uniqueness of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing while at the same time meet national guidelines for DNP curricula and eventual accreditation.

2. The program will initially be designed as a post-Master’s degree program, and the current MS degree programs will be fully supported. Eventually, the transition to a post-Baccalaureate program with phase-out MS preparation for advanced nursing practice will occur (before the national requirement of 2015).

3. Initially, the first cohort of DNP students will be small to allow for on-going program evaluation.

4. To support development of increased competence to influence practice in the community, students may use existing practice sites for at least some of advanced practicum experiences.

5. By providing cross registration between the DNP and PhD students for selected courses, efficiency in course delivery is supported, and mutual respect for the two pathways of doctoral education will be developed.

The expected student learning outcomes associated with the proposed program are as follows:

By the end of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program students should be able to:

1. Integrate knowledge of caring in the design, implementation and

evaluation of innovative models of advanced nursing practice.

2. Utilize nursing and other disciplinary knowledge and research to support

improvement of nursing practice in population-based care across the continuum

of the healthcare delivery system.

3. Apply theoretical and conceptual models that directly relate to nursing practice.

4. Interpret and influence health policy in the design and evaluation of advanced

nursing practice and multidisciplinary services, with a consideration of the

financing of healthcare.

5. Articulate the role of the Doctor of Nursing Practice as a leader of systems

change in a multidisciplinary context.

6. Critically evaluate the design and implementation of information systems and

technologies as they support whole person care across the lifespan.

7. Design systems of population-based health promotion for the improvement of

global health using multidisciplinary approaches that demonstrate cultural

competence.

S. Describe the admission standards and graduation requirements for the program.

Admissions standards:

1. Master’s degree in Nursing (Until 2013)

2. Advanced Certification as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or administrator (Until 2013)

3. Grade point average in Master’s program of at least 3.5 on a 4 points scale

4. Combined GRE scores of at least 1000

5. Personal Interview

6. Personal Philosophy as an Advanced Practice Nurse – completed immediately before the interview.

Graduation Requirements:

1. Completion of all course work with a grade of B or better

2. Completion of all aspects of the final project

3. A minimum of 1000 clinical hours post baccalaureate degree

T. Describe the curricular framework for the proposed program, including number of credit hours and composition of required core courses, restricted electives, unrestricted electives, thesis requirements, and dissertation requirements. Identify the total numbers of semester credit hours for the degree.

The DNP program will consist of 39-45 credits hours with no elective courses. Pre-requisites for the program include:

NGR 6703 – Advanced Practice Nursing Grounded in Caring

STA 5172 – Biostatistics

Graduate Level Course in Epidemiology

The survey of potential students conducted in March 2007 showed that 100% of students responding requested a part-time curriculum of no more than two courses per semester.

D. Therefore, the curriculum for the Doctor of Nursing Practice has been proposed in the following manner:

Pre-requisites: Bio-statistics, Caring 6703, Epidemiology (9 credits)

Epidemiology may be taken prior to starting the program or during the first semester

PROPOSED CURRICULUM FOR THE DNP PROGRAM

|TERM |COURSE TITLE | |CREDITS |COMMENTS |

|Fall I |Caring as an Essential Domain of |Existing Course | 3 |Focus on dimensions of caring as knowledge within the |

| |Nursing Knowledge | | |discipline of nursing. |

| |Theory-Guided Models for Advanced|New Course | 3 |Discusses nursing theories as they relate to practice: |

| |Practice Nursing | | |Particular attention to mid-range theories |

|Spring I |Population Based Caring in Aging |New Course | 3 | Focuses on caring for specific populations in an aging |

| |Societies | | |society |

| |Research for Advanced Practice |New Course | 3 |Emphasizes evidence based practice, translation research, |

| |Nursing | | |and data management |

| |DNP Seminar I |New Course | 1-3 |Register for 1 to 3 credits depending on needed practice |

| | | | |hours. Seminar includes information technology and |

| | | | |cultural diversity. Practicum is applying role in their |

| | | | |setting. |

|Summer I |Creating a Deliberative Nursing |Existing Course | 3 |Decision-making models in practice considering ethical |

| |Practice Model | | |decision-making. |

| |Emerging Therapies of Care in |New Course | 3 |Focuses on genetics, CAM, nanotechnology, assistive |

| |Advanced Practice Nursing | | |devices and other therapies as they evolve |

|Fall II |Health Care Systems Leadership |New Course | 3 |Discusses the leadership role of the DNP and financial |

| |and Finance | | |aspects of care. |

| |Innovative Models of Nursing |Existing Course | 3 |Integrates multiple patterns of knowing in developing care|

| |Practice | | |delivery models. |

| |DNP Seminar II |New Course | 1-3 |Register from 1-3 credits depending on needed practice |

| | | | |hours. Seminar includes caring for an aging population in |

| | | | |diverse society. Practicum is applying role in setting |

| | | | |and beginning to conceptualize capstone project. |

|Spring II |Evaluating Systems and Models of |New Course | 3 |Evaluating the evidence, managing data, using large data |

| |Care | | |sets |

| |DNP Seminar III |New Course | 1-3 |Register for 1-3 credits depending on needed practice |

| | | | |hours. Seminar is design for culminating project. |

|Summer II |Public Policy in the Context of |Existing Course | 3 |Interrelations of nursing, health and public policy. |

| |Nursing and Health | | | |

| |DNP Residency & Capstone Practice|New Course | 3 + 3 |Will be completed over the Summer II and Fall III |

| |Course | | |semesters. |

| | | | |This course will require students to design, implement, |

| | | | |and evaluate a change in health care practices and enact |

| | | | |the role of the DNP in a health care organization |

|TOTAL |Six Semesters | |39 – 45 Credits | |

Of these courses four already exist in the PhD program and will provide an opportunity for PhD DNP students to participate in class work together. Each cohort of DNP students will progress through courses together. No electives are present in the curriculum. The total number of credit hours for the degree is 39-45 with some flexibility for needed additional clinical hours for those students with an MS in nursing administration. AACN recommends 1000 practice hours post-baccalaureate.

U. Provide a sequenced course of study for all majors, concentrations, or areas of emphasis within the proposed program.

All courses in the DNP curriculum are mandatory and will be taken in the order listed above. Each cohort accepted into the DNP program will move through the program in this sequence by cohort.

V. Provide a one- or two-sentence description of each required or elective course.

Caring as an Essential Domain of Nursing Knowledge (existing course):

Advanced study of caring as an essential domain of nursing knowledge grounding nursing practice, research, administration and education. Caring in nursing is studied from ontological/existential, epistemological, ontical, metaphysical, theoretical, historical, sociocultural and other perspectives.

Theory-Guided Models for Advanced Practice Nursing (new course):

This course focuses on the development of grand, midrange and practice-level theories to support theory guided models for advanced practice nursing.

Population-based Caring in Aging Societies (new course)

This course offers an in-depth study of population based health in an aging society. Includes consideration of health and illness, social support, end of life and policy issues.

Research for Advanced Practice Nursing (new course): Critique and application of research to support advanced nursing practice and to support new models of care delivery using evidence-based practice.

DNP Seminar I (new course):

Introduction to the leadership role of the DNP. Students will explore and select topics for the final DNP project and complete 45 hours of practicum experience per credit to begin preparing for the capstone project.

Creating a Deliberative Nursing Practice Model (existing course):

In depth study of decision making models and processes supported by nursing theory and research. Decision making grounded in caring is evaluated through frameworks, including patterns of knowing, reflection, evidenced-based science, cross cultural understanding, and ethical reasoning.

Emerging Therapies of Care in Advanced Practice Nursing (new course): This course will present new technological advances in health care within a caring-based framework which may include: genetics, pharmaceuticals, alternative and complementary therapies, nutritional therapies and advances in medical devices and other emerging therapy.

Health Care Systems Leadership and Finance (existing course):

This course explores the structure and functions of health care delivery systems and health care financing with special consideration to the impact of an aging population. The role of the DNP in creating caring environments through both organizational and systems policy changes will be addressed throughout the course.

Innovative Practice Models Grounded in Caring (existing course):

Advanced study of caring concepts applied to innovative practices/models to illuminate the human experience within nursing situations. Emphasis is on the creative integration of multiple patterns of knowing in the study of phenomenon of concern to nursing.

DNP Seminar II (new course): This course will continue to guide the student in the process of developing a capstone project integrating the role of the DNP in practice. 45 practicum hours per credit hour.

Evaluating Systems and Models of Care (new course):

An examination of various program evaluation strategies for nursing models and systems of care. Phases of evaluation will be included.

DNP Seminar III (new course): This course will continue to guide the student in the process of developing a capstone project integrating the role of the DNP in practice. 45 practicum hours to one credit hour.

Public Policy in the Context of Nursing and Health (existing course):

Explores the interrelations of nursing, health, and public policy with emphasis on developing and sustaining collaborative relationships contributing to mutual goals. Diverse health care organizations are studied along with legislative, governmental, and political agencies, and processes. Students explore the use of caring philosophies and theories to evaluate, frame and develop policy.

DNP Residency & Capstone Practice Course (new course):

This course encompasses clinical practice components and completion of a final practice based project. Projects will reflect the DNP designing systems of care for an aging population within a caring framework. In designated practice setting, the program requires a minimum of 250 clinical hours across 2 semesters. Course will be repeated at least once to meet overall program requirements.

Students will present a written project plan that includes a description of the following:

1. Challenges/problems leading to the proposed project

2. Description of the project and how it addresses at least one challenge/problem that influences health care for a significant number of persons.

3. Role of the DNP to address the challenge or problem.

4. Synthesizes current literature regarding the problem or challenge to be addressed.

5. Timetable including all phases of the project.

6. Secure resources needed to insure project completion including description of budgetary and technological considerations.

7. As appropriate to the individual project as determined by the project advisor and community or professional advisor the student will present a market analysis, strategic analysis, and or product/services, sales/marketing, operations and financial plan that justifies the need, feasibility and sustainability of the proposed project.

8. A project evaluation plan including specific measures that will be evaluated during the capstone project. This evaluation plan includes evidence-based outcomes.

The DNP Project Plan is evaluated by the faculty Capstone Advisor and the Community or Professional advisor. An oral presentation and a written plan is completed by the student and the written plan is signed by both advisors. An evaluation form for the plan is completed by the advisors and placed in the student file.

W. For degree programs in the science and technology disciplines, discuss how industry-driven competencies were identified and incorporated into the curriculum and identify if any industry advisory council exists to provide input for curriculum development and student assessment.

Not applicable

X. For all programs, list the specialized accreditation agencies and learned societies that would be concerned with the proposed program. Will the university seek accreditation for the program if it is available? If not, why? Provide a brief timeline for seeking accreditation, if appropriate.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has provided standards, competencies and curricular guidelines for the Doctor of Nursing Practice. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners has issued a position statement in favor of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as the entry into advanced practice. The accrediting body for the Doctor of Nursing Program will be the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) related to the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN). Officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate education programs preparing effective nurses. CCNE is in the process of developing an accreditation process for DNP programs that will help assure educational quality and provide public protection. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University will seek accreditation for the DNP program from CCNE. If the program is begun in fall 2008 it is anticipated that the first cohort will graduate in 2010. Prior to that an application for accreditation will be submitted and it is anticipated that an accreditation visit will take place that year and that the program will be accredited before the first graduates complete the program.

Y. For doctoral programs, list the accreditation agencies and learned societies that would be concerned with corresponding bachelor’s or master’s programs associated with the proposed program. Are the programs accredited? If not, why?

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing currently provides baccalaureate degrees in nursing for generic students, RN to BSN programs for those with associate degrees in nursing and an accelerated baccalaureate program for students with a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than nursing. At the master’s level degree programs are offered with an emphasis on family nurse practitioner, adult nurse practitioner, geriatric nurse practitioner, education, administration and leadership and an individualized program developed with faculty at the college. All of these programs hold CCNE accreditation. For the present time, the DNP program will be a post-master’s program; however, by 2015 the program will begin a post-baccalaureate entry pathway that leads directly to the DNP as required by the AACN.

Z. Briefly describe the anticipated delivery system for the proposed program (e.g., traditional delivery on main campus; traditional delivery at branch campuses or centers; or nontraditional delivery such as distance or distributed learning, self-paced instruction, or external degree programs). If the proposed delivery system will require specialized services or greater than normal financial support, include projected costs in Table 2. Provide a narrative describing the feasibility of delivering the proposed program through collaboration with other universities, both public and private. Cite specific queries made of other institutions with respect to shared courses; distance/distributed learning technologies, and joint-use facilities for research or internships.

This program will be offered in a variety of formats including on-line courses using the E-College platform and live courses on all campuses with Blackboard components. Live courses would be offered during times that would be appropriate for doctoral students who are in practice. Times convenient for students in full time practice are usually evenings and weekends. The College may explore the possibility of intensive courses. All of these formats currently exist within the College of Nursing and no new course format recourses would be needed to provide DNP courses.

Faculty Participation

AA. Use Table 4 to identify existing and anticipated ranked (not visiting or adjunct) faculty who will participate in the proposed program through Year 5. Include (a) faculty code associated with the source of funding for the position; (b) name; (c) highest degree held; (d) academic discipline or specialization; (e) contract status (tenure, tenure-earning, or multi-year annual [MYA]); (f) contract length in months; and (g) percent of annual effort that will be directed toward the proposed program (instruction, advising, supervising internships and practica, and supervising thesis or dissertation hours).

AB. Use Table 2 to display the costs and associated funding resources for existing and anticipated ranked faculty (as identified in Table 2). Costs for visiting and adjunct faculty should be included in the category of Other Personnel Services (OPS). Provide a narrative summarizing projected costs and funding sources.

Table 2 is attached and displays the cost of existing and anticipated faculty. In Year 1 costs will be reallocated from those associated with the Masters Program and will involve salaries for faculty and staff. In Year 5 there is some OPS salary for adjunct faculty for work with students in the DNP Residency & Capstone Practice course. The total cost of the program is $149,251 in Year 1 to be reallocated from faculty resources for the Masters program. In Year 5 the total cost of the program is $415,916.

AC. Provide the number of master's theses and/or doctoral dissertations directed, and the number and type of professional publications for each existing faculty member (do not include information for visiting or adjunct faculty).

|Faculty Name |Theses |Dissertations |Professional Publications |

| | | |(# and type) |

|Susan Chase | |26 |8 book chapters, 3 books/monographs, 20 papers (11 |

| | | |databased) |

|Ruth McCaffrey |16 |2 |5 book chapters; 27 papers (7 data-based) |

|Rozzano Locsin | | |3 books, 8 book chapters, 36 papers (no indication re: |

| | | |data) |

|Theris Touhy | | |3 books; 6 book chapters;13 papers (8 data based) |

|Rose Sherman | |4 |3 book chapters, 13 papers (3 data based) |

|Kathleen Jett |3 |1 |2 books (co-author 26 chapters); 5 book chapters; 16 |

| | | |articles (8 data-based) |

|Marlaine Smith |14 |67 |9 book chapters, 51 papers (10 data-based);6 monographs |

|Marilyn Parker |45 |8 |3 books; 12 book chapters; 13 papers (7 data-based) |

AD. Provide evidence that the academic unit(s) associated with this new degree have been productive in teaching, research, and service. Such evidence may include trends over time for average course load, FTE productivity, student HC in major or service courses, degrees granted, external funding attracted, as well as qualitative indicators of excellence.

The College of Nursing has been highly productive in fulfilling its strategic goals related to teaching, research, scholarship and service. The total student enrollment has stayed relatively stable between 2003-04 to 2005-06 with about 1100 students. The annualized FTE produced per instructional person-year for undergraduate Nursing increased from 12.9 to 14.0, with all the change occurring in the graduate level FTE. Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral Degrees awarded increased across all levels from 2003-04 to 2005-06. Baccalaureate degrees awarded increased from 228 to 250, and Masters degrees increased from 71 to 81. The first doctoral degrees in nursing for FAU were awarded May 2005. Four graduates received the Doctor of Nursing Science degree, a milestone for the College and for FAU.

The College’s FTE for departmental research for tenured and tenure-earning faculty increased from 6.6 in 2004-2005 to 7.8 for 2005-2006. Sponsored research for tenured and tenure-earning faculty decreased from 3.6 to 2.6 (person-years) in 2004-2005 and from 4.8 to 3.5 (FTE) in 2005-2006. We expect to see more growth in sponsored research numbers in the coming years as we increase our base of external funding for tenured and tenure-track faculty.

Books and peer-reviewed publications were almost level from 03-04 to 05-06 while presentations at professional meetings or conferences (+27) and grant proposals submitted (+12) were all up significantly for 2005-2006. All other publications were down from 39 to 35, but this is not surprising since tenure track faculty have been urged to concentrate on books and peer-reviewed journal publications.

We increased or held our own in most of the categories in which we expect tenure track faculty to be most productive, increasing in the categories of books and peer-reviewed publications (+0.1 per faculty), and grant proposal submissions (+0.4 per faculty). Professional presentations increased from 2.7 to 3.6 per faculty, exceeding the university in this category. We also exceeded the university in books (by 0.2 per faculty) and grant proposals (by 1.2 per faculty). We increased our efficiency in peer-reviewed publications (by 0.1 per faculty) but lag behind the university by 0.7 per faculty in this category.

.

Faculty membership on college/university committees increased from 118 in 2004-2005 to 123 in 2005-2006, while community/professional committee membership declined from 107 memberships in 2004-2005 to 95 in 2005-2006. Faculty service as editors or referees for professional publications increased from 39 in 2004-2005 to 51 in 2005-2006. College of Nursing faculty members are very committed to internal and external service to the college, university, community and profession. The faculty in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing far exceeds the university average per faculty member in their service commitments.

Non-Faculty Resources

AE. Describe library resources currently available to implement and/or sustain the proposed program through Year 5. Provide the total number of volumes and serials available in this discipline and related fields. List major journals that are available to the university’s students. Include a signed statement from the Library Director that this subsection and subsection B have been reviewed and approved for all doctoral level proposals.

Resources are generally in place for the proposed program which will draw heavily upon resources used for teaching current graduate programs including the nurse practitioner, the nurse administrator Master’s degrees and the Doctor of Philosophy Programs. Library resources are adequate assuming continued access to online databases and journals. The DNP program will require students to have access to current research and policy literature available from these sources. Major journals currently available through electronic sources include: Nursing Research, Research in Nursing and Health, Journal of Professional Nursing, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Nursing Science Quarterly, Nursing Administration Quarterly, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

AF. Describe additional library resources that are needed to implement and/or sustain the program through Year 5. Include projected costs of additional library resources in Table 3.

Additional journal access would include Nursing Politics and Policy.

__________________________________________ _______________________

Library Director Date

AG. Describe classroom, teaching laboratory, research laboratory, office, and other types of space that are necessary and currently available to implement the proposed program through Year 5.

Sufficient classroom space is available for live classes. The Casual Learning area in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing has sufficient space to allow for access to human patient simulators and mock private office facilities.

AH. Describe additional classroom, teaching laboratory, research laboratory, office, and other space needed to implement and/or maintain the proposed program through Year 5. Include any projected Instruction and Research (I&R) costs of additional space in Table 2. Do not include costs for new construction because that information should be provided in response to X (J) below.

No new additional space is needed.

AI. Describe specialized equipment that is currently available to implement the proposed program through Year 5. Focus primarily on instructional and research requirements.

Specialized equipment available in the Casual Learning Area will be available for the DNP students. These include clinical equipment such as otoscopes and ophthalmoscopes as well as simulation equipment.

AJ. Describe additional specialized equipment that will be needed to implement and/or sustain the proposed program through Year 5. Include projected costs of additional equipment in Table 2.

No new equipment is requested.

AK. Describe any additional special categories of resources needed to implement the program through Year 5 (access to proprietary research facilities, specialized services, extended travel, etc.). Include projected costs of special resources in Table 2.

No additional special resources are identified.

AL. Describe fellowships, scholarships, and graduate assistantships to be allocated to the proposed program through Year 5. Include the projected costs in Table 2.

Assistantships available to all graduate students will be needed. With the transition from MS preparation to DNP preparation, there is no anticipated increase in numbers of student requesting aid. At least for the first 5 years all DNP students will be MS graduates and will be available as Teaching Associates which will support the College’s teaching mission.

AM. Describe currently available sites for internship and practicum experiences, if appropriate to the program. Describe plans to seek additional sites in Years 1 through 5.

Ideal sites for DNP practice will be any health care system where advanced practice nurses currently are employed. The degree is designed to improve the quality of health care, so active practices are ideal. Several large healthcare organizations including the Veterans’ Administration are interested in sponsoring student work. Our current practice of working with MS students in developing selected practicum sites will be employed. We will seek practicum sites that understand the role of the DNP and want to implement the role in their setting. Site and preceptor development will be part of the responsibility of the DNP Program Director.

AN. If a new capital expenditure for instructional or research space is required, indicate where this item appears on the university's fixed capital outlay priority list. Table 2 includes only Instruction and Research (I&R) costs. If non-I&R costs, such as indirect costs affecting libraries and student services, are expected to increase as a result of the program, describe and estimate those expenses in narrative form below. It is expected that high enrollment programs in particular would necessitate increased costs in non-I&R activities.

Not applicable.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download