Byers School of Nursing
Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner Online Program
Are you ready to become a Leader in Health Care?
With nationwide demand for primary care, now is the time to become a family nurse practitioner (FNP). Walsh University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner online program will help you do just that. As a student, you will prepare for this advanced nursing role through didactic and clinical experiences that focus on the primary care needs of individuals, families, and communities.
Walsh’s online BSN to DNP-FNP program is ideal if you are looking to:
- Gain more professional autonomy
- Earn the highest credential available for clinical nursing practice
- Focus on the primary care needs of patients across the lifespan
- Understand culturally competent care with respect to cultural and spiritual beliefs
- Develop leadership skills in organizational and health systems management to improve health care on a larger scale
- Improve patient and population health outcomes in complex health systems
Earning an online BSN to DNP-FNP at Walsh will demonstrate your commitment to quality and empower you to change lives as a nurse leader. A DNP is the highest credential in nursing practice, preparing you to lead the way as an advanced practice registered nurse. Our program will help you explore the dynamics of primary care and develop advanced nursing knowledge, a strategic mindset, and leadership skills.
Fast Facts
- 64 total credit hours (complete in as little as 3 years. Part-time options available.)
- 3 start dates per year (fall, spring, summer), 8- and 16-week courses
- 1,250 clinical hours (750 hours direct patient care, 500 DNP clinicals and project)
- Clinical placement support provided
- 2 hands-on intensive experiences
- Small course sizes (15-20 students)
- Affordable tuition
At Walsh University, we want to make sure you’re prepared to succeed. To be considered for enrollment in this program, you must meet the following requirements:
- BSN degree from an accredited school of nursing, with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- A current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license
- Completion of an undergraduate or graduate-level statistics course
Note: This program is currently not open to international students.
To begin the admissions process, please schedule an appointment to speak with an admissions advisor.
As a student enrolled in the online FNP program, you’ll participate in two intensive experiences beginning in your second year, one virtual and one in-person on our campus. These experiences provide hands-on instruction in a dynamic workshop format and are designed to prepare you for your clinical rotations by demonstrating basic skills, performing health assessments and interpreting and discussing exam results.
For more information about the intensive experience, please schedule an appointment with an admissions advisor.
As a student, you’ll benefit from an exceptional learning experience from a reputable, values-focused university.
Accreditation
Walsh University Online is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the Higher Learning Commission.
Recognition
- 96% FNP Licensure Pass Rate (for 2020-2021)
- #6 Nursing School in Ohio – Nursing Schools Almanac
- #59 in Best Value Schools – U.S. News & World Report
- #54 in Regional Universities Midwest – U.S. News & World Report
BSN to DNP-FNP Tuition:
- $775 per credit hour
- Total program credits = 64 credits
- Total tuition cost = $49,600
Additional fees may apply. Tuition is subject to change.
Our Financial Aid Office is committed to working with you. We also award aid based on need. For full tuition and fee information or to discuss your financial aid options, schedule an appointment or contact an enrollment advisor today at 888.899.4046.
Employment
Between 2020 and 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment for Nurse Practitioners to grow 52%, well over the national average.
You will have exceptional opportunities as an FNP. There is a nationwide shortage of primary care doctors, and organizations are seeking NPs trained in primary care. As independent primary care providers, FNPs are equipped to answer the call.
As a DNP-degree holder, you’ll ensure that you are well-prepared for future positions, especially as many major organizations are calling for all nurse practitioners to have a DNP by 2025.
Salary
As an advanced practice registered nurse, you will have substantial earning potential. FNPs take home an average salary of $109,980 per year, and many earn more with tenure. The top quarter of all NPs earn a mean annual wage between $125,440 and $150,320.
Job Satisfaction
NP is one of the highest-rated occupations in the country. U.S. News & World Report gave NP high marks for salary, the job market, and future growth, ranking it #4 for Best Health Care Job.
Here’s What Our DNP Program Students Say
“As a current nursing instructor, the knowledge I've gained in Walsh's DNP program has increased my ability to meet the needs of the students that I teach every day. With this degree, I hope to teach at the master's level or maybe, one day, do some consulting.
Although I like the convenience of the online program, I also truly enjoy the times that we meet on campus as a group. It allows us to put faces to names and instills a greater sense of community among classmates.”
–Mary C. current student
“I was very impressed that right from the beginning that every class I have taken has helped me understand something better and take it back to where I work. All the coursework has been applicable in my real life. It's not taking a class just to take a class.”
–Victoria B., current student
Walsh University opened its doors in North Canton, OH, on November 17, 1960. Founded and operated by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, whose beginnings date back to France following the French Revolution. Walsh University grew from humble beginnings to a thriving campus community.
Today, Walsh is a Catholic liberal arts university that has grown to encompass more than 2600 students and 16,000 alumni. Our North Canton campus sprawls over 130 acres, and we offer more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programs. Through Walsh University’s online degree completion program, we also educate students virtually from anywhere in the world.
A Values-Based Education
As a Catholic university that welcomes students of all faiths, Walsh is dedicated to developing the whole person. Like our courageous, hard-working, and faithful founders, you will be prepared to lead in service to others. Evolve as a well-rounded individual through meaningful relationships within a diverse community of faculty, students, and mentors.
Advanced Pathophysiology
This course focuses on the interrelationships of human biological systems, biochemical, genetic and cellular concepts, providing the framework for the study of advanced pathological concepts. Case studies illustrate theoretical concepts and assist in the application of theory to practice.
Care of Adults and Elderly
This course emphasizes illness prevention, health life style adaptations, wellness promotion and health maintenance of adult clients, including health/wellness motivation and promotion, disease prevention, and pro-activeness and self-determination. Socio-economic influences on wellness are also elements of this course. Research guidelines, and evidence-based practice will be utilized to enhance the students learning and clinical education, including clinical procedural, diagnostic, and treatment skills.
This course will also focus on the intricacies and interrelationships between disease processes, human physiology, and pharmacologic and other treatment modalities inherent in the care of the adult or elderly patient with multiple chronic healthcare conditions (MCC).
Nursing Science in Advanced Practice
This course explores the development of advanced practice nursing knowledge. The process of critiquing, evaluating and utilizing theoretical knowledge as a context for nursing practice is emphasized. The development and use of various theories in practice are brought together from the perspective of clinical nursing and other scientific disciplines as a foundation for achieving optimal client outcomes.
Advanced Leadership and Management
This course is designed to advance the student’s ability to use leadership and management theory in nursing practice within current and emerging organizational systems. The student will build on previous course work to further develop the DNP leadership role in these focus areas: leadership development, management of care, collaboration with other health professionals, group and team dynamics, finance, physician relations/alignment, planning and human resource management. (150 clinical hours).
Advanced Pharmacology
This course builds on prior knowledge of pathophysiology and human physiology. It provides the basis for pharmacotherapeutics and therapeutic management guidelines for treatment of select disease processes, drug information by classification, and principles of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Clinical application, adverse reactions and patient education implications are presented.
Pre-requisites: NURS 610
This practicum will focus on providing primary care for the adult and elderly patient with multiple chronic conditions. Students will provide patient care as a family nurse practitioner student under the guidance and oversight of a preceptor. Students will focus on thorough health history taking, physical assessment, and disease management including pharmacotherapy. Evidenced based practice and guidelines are applied in the care of adults and elderly patients with multiple chronic conditions. (250 clinical hours)
Advanced Nursing Research
This course focuses on the translation of research into practice and the dissemination of new knowledge. Students explore evidence-based practice and engage in leadership of the translation of research into practice and the evaluation of current practice to improve health care outcomes. The students will generate evidence through their practice to guide improvements in both practice and the outcomes of care. A project related to a population of interest will be developed. The analysis and critique of research studies is the primary method for developing the knowledge and skills relevant to improve the quality of care and improve health care outcomes.
DNP Residency
This course is designed to provide a culminating practicum experience for the DNP leadership student. Students will focus on promoting evidence based practice as interdisciplinary team members and providing high quality, cost effective care in a dynamic health care environment. Emphasis is placed on further refinement of competencies related to the leadership complex issues, organizations, and systems. (150 clinical hours).
- Applications are currently being accepted for next intake
Advanced Health Assessment
This course builds on the student’s’ knowledge and skills of basic health assessment and provides a foundation for the advanced nurse to evaluate the health of individuals across the lifespan. Theory and research-based methodologies and skills will be incorporated to assist students in the comprehensive assessment of individuals, including advanced communication skills such as clinical interviewing and focused history taking, psychosocial and physical assessment, critical diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision making. Interpretation of data for the purpose of differentiating normal from abnormal findings as well as for recognition of potential and/ or actual health problems will also be addressed. The course requires 30 laboratory hours.
Care of Child / Care of Women
This course provides didactic and clinical experiences to prepare the advanced practice nurse to provide primary and episodic care to the pediatric population, from birth through adolescence. Emphasis is on the integration of theory, development, health promotion, disease prevention, and clinical decision making. Didactic content and clinical address comprehensive diagnosis and management of common health problems, appropriate diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests, therapeutic interventions for pediatric patients and families. Management and promotion of health, treatment of acute episodic health problems and stable, chronic illness in the continuum of infants through adolescence is the focus of the clinical application in a variety of health care venues. The course has a strong focus on providing culturally competent care to achieve health promotion, disease prevention, and the care of underserved, vulnerable populations.
In this course, you will also be presented with theories, principles and skills in assessing, promoting, and maintaining the health of women across the lifespan, with a focus on the gynecologic and reproductive health needs of women. Management of common health problems is included.
Applications of Epidemiology to Health Services
This course explores the determinants and distribution of health and illness; application of epidemiological principles and biostatistics to advanced nursing practice and health care delivery. Nurse executives and clinical nurse leaders are provided the conceptual orientation and the knowledge of techniques from epidemiology to design, manage, and evaluate nursing and health care delivery systems which are focused on populations. The epidemiologic approach along with evidence based practice serves as the basis for analysis and application of the theory and skills needed to assess, plan and evaluate the care of populations within integrated healthcare systems. Cultural, ethical, and organizational factors impacting at-risk populations are explored.
DNP Project
Students undertake a systematic investigation of a clinical or administration based problem selected by the student and supported by faculty. The student will identify the problem to be addressed, review and critique pertinent literature, and implement and evaluate the project. The designed and approved project will be implemented and within a mentored and supervised clinical immersion experience. The project uses an evidence-based practice model and is systematically developed in consultation with the student’s doctorate of nursing practice and scholarly project committee who evaluates each step of the process. (200 clinical hours).
Clinical Assessment and Management
This course builds on the students’ knowledge and skills of Advanced Health Assessment focusing on the diagnostic process within the primary care context. Evidence-based practice will be incorporated to assist students through the inductive process of moving from specific physical findings or patient concerns to possible diagnoses based on history, physical, and laboratory and diagnostic tests. Students will be expected to synthesize diagnostic information in order to arrive at appropriate diagnoses.es.
Prerequisites: NUR 614.
This practicum will focus on providing primary care for women and pediatric patients and families. Students will provide patient care as a family nurse practitioner student under the guidance and oversight of a preceptor. Students will focus on thorough health history taking, physical assessment, and disease management including pharmacotherapy. Evidenced based practice and guidelines are applied in the clinical setting. (200 clinical hours).
Healthcare Policy, Organization, and Financing
This course focuses on analysis and synthesis of organizational theories within the health care environment and the impact of ethics, values, politics, and market forces on the structure and function of nursing and health care organizations. The evaluation of system level coordination and policy issues and the analysis of contributions of nurse executives to improving the health care systems are explored. The application of economic and financial theories in understanding the strategic impact of market dynamics, utilities, incentive structures, and driving and restraining forces in health care change is highlighted. The emphasis is on critically analyzing the actual and potential impact of these dynamics on the structure and function of the health care system.
Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology builds upon NURS 612 Advanced Pharmacology. Specific requirements, responsibilities, interprofessionalism, and concerns as an APN prescriber, including safe prescription writing and medication management of patients throughout the lifespan, including persons with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), will be comprehensively reviewed. Controlled substances and the functions of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), as well as state monitoring as aspects of prescribing, will be reviewed.
Pre-requisites: NURS 612
Capstone / Primary Care
This course serves as the capstone experience for the FNP program and synthesizes all material from previous FNP courses. In addition, this course will explore legal and governing issues that impact advanced practice. Didactic content promotes transition into practice.
Translating Evidence into Practice
This course focuses on the critical examination of data analysis and interpretation for advanced nursing practice research problems. SPSS statistical program will be utilized for data analysis. Issues related to data analysis and interpretation of results will be discussed.
Pre-requisites: NURS 702
Nursing Leadership Role and Ethics
In this course students will explore and analyze the Doctor of Nursing Practice role. The students will understand the changing healthcare arena in which the clinical doctorate is practiced and will utilize interprofessional collaboration, systems thinking, global and population health, quality improvement/professional education to improve patient outcomes. Both the traditional and emerging roles of the Doctor of Nursing Practice will be addressed with ethical decision making emphasized. Students will explore methods for assessing emerging issues utilizing psychosocial dimensions and cultural diversity to improve outcomes as related to population and global health.
This course is the culminating clinical experience for the Family Nurse Practitioner student in the role of primary care. Students integrate the skills of history taking, physical examination and disease management while incorporating pharmacology and evidence based practice into work with clients and the interprofessional health care team. Clinical experiences promote transition into practice. (250 clinical hours)
Intensive - Essential Skills
Essential Skills; held on campus (Must be completed prior to the start of clinicals).
Healthcare Technology and Data Management
Students will explore healthcare technology and data management concepts, theories, legal and ethical implications, and application within the healthcare environment. Critical issues affecting the development and implementation of healthcare technologies (clinical, administrative, and learning), knowledge management principles, and professional practice trends will be analyzed. Students will apply new knowledge, manage individual and aggregate level information, and assess the efficacy of healthcare technology appropriate to their area of practice.
Healthcare Finance and Economics
This course explores healthcare specific financial policies and issues, analytical framework and economic transformation for financial decisions (such as investment and working capital), methods of financial management, insurance coverage and financing. In addition, the course focuses on the ability to apply economic and population health models to address health service issues and problems.
Intensive - Advanced Skills
Advanced Skills/Professional Practice; held on campus (Must be completed during FNP IV).
