Post-Bachelor’s Nursing, D.N.P.

Julie Honey, Dean, College of Nursing
Erin Shankel, Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing
Kathryn Dambrino, Director, DNP Projects and Practice Experiences
Meg Rowland, Director, FNP Clinical Experiences

Faculty: Steven Busby, Kathryn Dambrino, Jeannie Giese, Laura Gray, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Meg Rowland, Erin Shankel, Linda Wofford.  

Post-Bachelor’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BSN-prepared RNs can continue their education and earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Belmont University School of Nursing, choosing between two separate tracks.

• Family Nurse Practitioner Track: Students on this track will be eligible for the national family nurse practitioner certification exam through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP). The FNP Track is a primarily online program with onsite immersions.
• Leadership and Innovation Track: Students will choose electives in one or both areas of healthcare leadership and clinical education. Students will be prepared academically to take the AONL Executive Nursing Leadership or Nursing Educator certification exam. The Leadership and Innovation Track is a primarily online program with onsite immersions.

The Belmont DNP meets the professional standards for the practice doctorate (“Doctoral Essentials”) developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The program is designed to be completed in three years of full-time study and offers flexibility to accommodate working students.

Graduates of Belmont’s Post-Bachelor’s DNP program will be able to:

1. Integrate knowledge from nursing, biophysical, social, analytical, and organizational sciences to develop and transform advanced practice nursing.
2. Translate nursing, biophysical, social, analytical, and organizational knowledge to improve patient and population health outcomes.
3. Manage increasingly complex health care system demands by incorporating knowledge of current and emerging health technologies.
4. Provide leadership and advocacy for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in health care.
5. Develop, implement and evaluate effective and sustainable educational programs for varying populations.
6. Demonstrate intra- and inter-professional collaboration to improve healthcare quality and outcomes across diverse populations and to address health disparities.

Minimum Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited baccalaureate-granting institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA from all undergraduate coursework. 
2. Proof of a current RN license from the student’s state of residence and/or practice. A Tennessee RN license or a license from a state that is in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is required for clinical experiences in Tennessee.
3. A completed application file (per the Application Steps below).
4. Students accepted into the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program may request graduate course credits from an accredited institution be reviewed for possible substitution for Belmont University course credit. The program department will determine at its sole discretion what course(s) are eligible for transfer toward the student’s program of study. Eligible transfer course work must have at least a grade of “B” in each course. The department may accept up to 20 credit hours of course work toward the graduate degree.

Application Steps

1. Create an account for your online application at www.nursingcas.org.
2. Log in to your application and complete all sections as directed.
3. As part of your application, enter all previously completed (and yet to be completed) college courses (you will need a copy of transcripts from all colleges attended to do this).
4. As part of your application (in the Colleges Attended section), download Transcript Request Forms for each college attended to arrange for an official transcript to be sent to NursingCAS.
5. As part of your application, complete all sections in the Program Materials area. Click on each tab at the top of the program page for instructions.
6. Submit your completed application to NursingCAS with the appropriate program designated.
7. Wait to hear from Belmont University via email regarding the status of your application. Update your application file as necessary.
8. If selected to interview based on a preliminary review of your credentials, come to campus during one of the Friday interview days listed above. Plan to be available on the interview day for up to 3 hours, typically beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Pre-Enrollment Checklist

Once accepted, candidates must complete the following requirements before enrolling:

1. $500 non-refundable enrollment deposit by a specified deadline after acceptance, applied to first semester tuition
2. Final official transcript of BSN degree sent directly to Belmont University, if not previously submitted through NursingCAS
3. RN licensure information, if not already submitted at time of application
4. A background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results
5. Required immunizations
6. Proof of health insurance coverage

If any of these requirements are not satisfied, admission to the program may be rescinded.

International Applications

1. International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by submitting official TOEFL scores (required minimum of 550 PBT or 80 iBT) or by successful completion of ELS Language Center Level 112.
2. International applicants with college level course work from foreign institutions must have their transcripts evaluated by a credential evaluation service such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Joseph Silny & Associates (www.jsilny.com).
3. In order to be issued an I-20 for the desired entry term, international applicants must be admitted no later than June 1 in order to begin enrollment in the fall.

Questions

Questions about your application and/or requirements should be directed to:
Belmont University
Graduate Nursing Programs
1900 Belmont Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37212-3757
615-460-6130 Phone
gradnursing@belmont.edu

The Plan of Study for Nursing Certification for Certified Nurse Educators Add-on

Doctor of Nursing Practice students awarded the Nurse Faculty Loan Program funding are required to complete 3 - 9 hours of coursework as a part of their program of study specifically preparing them to be nurse educators. These courses will prepare students in essential aspects of curriculum development, implementation, revision, and evaluation in healthcare education settings. Students will gain insight into learning theories and activating learning instructional strategies in the classroom, online, and in simulation. Students in the NFLP program are required to submit an approved individualized plan of study which includes the additional 3-9 hours of coursework.