Doctor of Nursing Pracice (DNP) Program
Innovate healthcare through leadership excellence.Nursing Practice at the Highest Level
DNP graduates are prepared to be experts in the integration of nursing science and clinical reasoning to design, implement, manage and evaluate complex patient, organizational, environmental and system issues. Our program offers pathways from which to choose that will equip you for the highest level of nursing practice leadership.
- Post-Master's DNP
For the nurse that has a Master’s degree in Nursing (MSN). - Executive DNP
For the BSN nurse that does not have an MSN, but has a Master’s degree in ANY subject matter. - DNP Clinical Expert Track
For Advanced Practice Providers who have national certification as an APRN – Nurse Practitioners or Clinical Nurse Specialists. - DNP - BSN to DNP
For the BSN-prepared RNs who would like to achieve initial national certification and state licensure in an APRN role with a patient population focus.
Graduates will be trained to lead quality improvement and influence health care policy at the system level while applying scientific research and evidence-based knowledge to clinical practice.
Prepared for the Future of Health Care
The changing needs of the nation's health care systems have led to high demand for advanced practice nurses who are skilled in both patient care and health system leadership in order to improve patient outcomes. In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has recommended increasing the preparation needed for advanced practice nursing to the doctoral level, highlighting the importance of doctorally prepared nurses.
Flexible Online Format
UIndy's online DNP degree makes it easy for you to further your education while still working full time. The program can be completed in as little as six terms. While courses are offered online, new students are required to attend an online orientation session to help create connections with faculty and peers.
Alumni Spotlight
A Leader in Serving: UIndy DNP Alum Erin LaCross is Parkview’s Chief Nursing Officer
In 2003, Erin LaCross joined Parkview Health as a clerk in an inpatient nursing unit. Despite not yet having attended nursing school, Erin was motivated to join the profession by her sister, who is a nurse in the Parkview Health system.
Fifteen years on, Erin has completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Indianapolis and in February this year was named Chief Nursing Officer for Parkview Regional Medical Center.
“I’m always thinking of the next thing I need to do to best provide and serve for others,” Erin said of her choice to earn a DNP. “As a leader of leaders, I take care of people and those people are the ones that take care of our community. I have to make sure I have the skills to support the people I serve directly.”
Erin had a lot to consider before enrolling in a doctoral program. Not only was she already a busy nurse executive; being a wife and mother meant there was plenty on Erin’s plate. The UIndy DNP features online coursework with visits to campus each semester, which means Erin was able to make the program fit her schedule.
Once she knew the format would fit her life, Erin found value in the variety of people that joined her cohort.
“We had nurse practitioners, we had educators, faculty, and nurse executives,” Erin explained. “The DNP is about the application of the evidence that’s out there. To see how my classmates would apply their learning based on the different hats they wear was really intriguing to me.”
UIndy DNP students each apply their learning with an evidence-based scholarly project, allowing them to make a difference in their work as part of their degree. Erin’s project focused on nurse manager succession planning. Erin says nurse managers are often the most impactful role in any hospital, as they oversee the nurses who provide direct care for patients and families. Despite that, the profession has yet to come up with a “best recipe” to create new nurse managers.
Erin’s project sought to correct that. She created a pilot program at Parkview and led 12 nurses through a leadership institute. “We’ve got to start providing opportunities for people who are in clinical roles to become managers one day,” Erin explained. Through rigorous statistical analysis, Erin was able to show significant increases in participant’s perception of their readiness to become managers, as well as an increase in their demonstrated leadership behaviors.
As Erin goes on to work in the highest levels of nursing leadership, she appreciates the community she was able to develop while studying at UIndy
“What really made the difference were the connections—knowing the people in my cohort and knowing the faculty. Knowing each other on a personal level and being invested in one another drew me to UIndy. It felt more like a home than a large University.
Next Steps
Start your application today or contact the CHS Admissions team at gradnursing@uindy.edu.