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Online DNP

Leadership Programs

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Overview

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Earn a new level of respect. Rise as a leader.

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You’re already a master's-prepared RN with aspirations for leadership. Now, it’s time to gain the doctoral-level expertise to transform that personal ambition into professional achievement.
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1,000 clinical hours
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9 semesters
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Learn 100% online with no campus residency requirements
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3 years
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Why choose Bradley for your online DNP-Leadership degree?

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Bradley's online MSN to DNP-Leadership program has been designed for MSN credentialed nurses that graduated from an NLNAC-, ACEN- or CCNE-accredited* nursing program, have a current nursing license and nursing GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale. This program also requires the completion of an undergraduate statistics course.

*The master's degree program in Nursing, Post-Graduate APRN Certificate program, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Bradley University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

At the completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Leadership program, the graduate can:

  • Synthesize knowledge gained from the humanities, the social sciences, the sciences, and mathematics as the base for advanced professional nursing.
  • Select and implement appropriate advanced concepts, principles, and theories necessary for application in the delivery of quality health care.
  • Synthesize and disseminate evidence to effect practice change that will contribute to the nursing profession and safe, cost-effective healthcare delivery.
  • Provide leadership in the evaluation of healthcare information systems and patient care technology.
  • Demonstrate nursing leadership for outcome improvement through strategies for change in policy and practice guidelines.
  • Collaborate as a member of the healthcare team to influence health care policy changes that will improve patient and population health outcomes.
  • Foster change in healthcare practice that will improve the health and status of individuals and communities through the equitable and ethical distribution of resources.
  • Demonstrate advanced skills in physical assessment, pharmacology, and therapeutic nursing interventions.
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Is an Online DNP Leadership track right for you?

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With Bradley’s 100 percent online MSN to DNP program, you can do more than discover your unique place in nursing leadership. You can:

  • Develop, evaluate and improve new practices and approaches to health care delivery.
  • Lead the planning and implementation of innovative health care technologies.
  • Enhance your understanding of nursing personnel management and education.
  • Prepare for advanced leadership roles in administration, teaching, research and patient care.
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Careers

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As a nursing professional, you’ve been changing lives one patient at a time. Now you’re ready to continue in your education and gain the credentials to become a transformational leader in your field. Maybe it’s through providing higher levels of advanced care to the patients you’re already treating. Or perhaps you aspire to transition to a new role, such as manager, instructor, or lobbyist.

Whatever your goal, earning an online Doctor of Nursing Practice from Bradley University can get you one step closer to achieving it. Our innovative program is designed for nurses like you who aspire to grow in their careers and make a greater impact in their communities. We can help prepare you to:

  • Qualify for advanced roles as a leader in health care administration, education, or policy
  • Serve as an advocate and mentor for other nurses
  • Work as an educator to teach the nurses of tomorrow
  • Fill a void in health care for doctorate-prepared nurse leaders to help advance nursing as a profession

Bradley’s DNP program offers four tracks — Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute and Primary Care, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner — which means you can focus your studies in the area where you hope to make the biggest difference.

Continue reading to learn more about the industry outlook and some of the opportunities you can pursue when you earn your Bradley degree.

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What's your growth potential?

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One of the primary benefits of earning your online DNP is the diversity of career options you’ll be able to pursue. Professionals with this degree work in a wide range of environments, including health care organizations, academic entities, government agencies, and private corporations.

Regardless of what path you choose, holding the terminal degree in your field can qualify you for higher earning potential. According to PayScale, the average salary for people holding a DNP is $112,000, compared to an average salary of $104,000 for individuals with an MSN and $95,000 for those with a BSN.

And if you choose to focus on the managerial side of health care, you might also qualify for roles with a higher salary. The median pay for medical and health services managers is $110,680, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Let’s take an in-depth look at a few of your career options:

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Where can you work?

  • Primary care
  • Private homes
  • Community clinics
  • Health departments
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Long-term and short-term-care facilities
  • Urgent care facilities
  • Hospitals and medical clinics
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Family Nurse Practitioner | Median salary: $125,180*
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Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are advanced practice nurses who perform many of the same functions as physicians. These practitioners can treat, diagnose, prescribe medicines, and serve as primary care providers. They can also be employed by insurance companies in roles that include reviewing claims and consulting with patients. Family nurse practitioners work with patients of all ages, from young children to older adults.
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Director of Clinical Services | Median salary: $97,745*
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Director of clinical services is a managerial position, overseeing teams of nurses, as well as other clinical professionals, and support staff. Typically, individuals in this role are responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and providing for the continued professional development of staff. They may also manage budgets, ensure compliance with regulations, and oversee specific departments.
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Nursing Director | Median salary: $167,514*
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Directors of nursing oversee groups of nurses in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and other medical institutions. These directors are responsible for ensuring that all administered care adheres to all laws and regulations and is provided in a caring and professional manner.
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Where can you work?

  • Acute care hospitals
  • Long-term care facilities
  • Home health care agencies
  • Academic institutions
  • Advocacy groups
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Chief Nursing Officer | Median salary: $145,364*
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Chief nursing officers (CNOs) direct nursing services at a health care facility, monitor the quality of service, and supervise nursing managers. They follow strict safety policies to ensure adequate patient care and collaborate with hospital leadership to design innovative patient care strategies.
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Nursing Professor | Median salary $105,879*
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Nursing professors teach courses in nursing and other health care-related disciplines at institutions of higher learning. Their duties typically include classroom or online instruction, developing curricula and lesson plans, mentoring students, conducting research, and presenting at academic conferences.
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Nurse Administrator | Median salary: $96,538**
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Nurse administrators provide strategic leadership to nursing staff and drive operations in a health care organization or facility. Responsibilities may include hiring and managing nurses, working to enhance the quality of patient care, ensuring compliance with regulations, and coordinating with other medical professionals.
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Nurse Lobbyist | Median salary (for all lobbyists): $96,180*
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Nurse lobbyists play a vital role in helping to shape health care policy and legislation. They frequently work on behalf of health care organizations, professional associations, pharmaceutical companies, or advocacy groups, building relationships with lawmakers on the national, state, or local level.
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Where can you work?

  • Hospitals
  • Private practice
  • Psychiatric and behavioral treatment clinics
  • Corporations
  • Residential treatment facilities
  • Public health agencies
  • Correctional facilities
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Substance Abuse Director | Median salary: $118,200*
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These individuals oversee the operations of treatment centers and hospitals that specialize in treating patients who are struggling with issues such as drug and alcohol addiction. Their responsibilities can include ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, securing funding, and hiring and managing staff, as well as clinical supervision of substance abuse professionals.
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Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Median salary: $127,580*
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Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who focus on delivering mental health care to all ages. Responsibilities typically include assessing, diagnosing and treating patients using a full range of therapeutic skills.
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*Salary.com
**Payscale
***Indeed.com
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Curriculum

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The innovative curriculum of our online DNP programs are designed to prepare you for the highest level of nursing practice, research and leadership.
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Online DNP – Leadership Track Courses

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ECO 605 Health Care Economics & Finance / 3 Credits
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Examines the economic and financial aspects of the health care system. Organizational and institutional structures through which an economy makes choices regarding the production, consumption, and distribution of health care services. Fundamental processes for the management of liquidity, major capital investments, debt, and funding. Examines both for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations.
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NUR 700 Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Science / 3 Credits
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Provides a theoretical analysis of nursing and the natural and social sciences for application as frameworks for research, practice, education, and quality healthcare delivery.
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NUR 703 Health Promotion in Populations / 3 Credits
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Focuses on core concepts in health and health promotion for groups, communities, and populations. There are two inter-related goals for this course. (1) Provide students with a basic understanding of the principles and determinants of population health with an emphasis on the tools provided by basic epidemiology for understanding health in populations. (2) Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the steps needed to develop, implement, and evaluate population-based health promotion and illness prevention programs.
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NUR 705 Research Design and Statistical Methods / 3 Credits
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Examination of research study design/methodology and application and interpretation of descriptive and inferential statistical methods appropriate for critical appraisal of evidence. Use of analytic software for data management and preliminary analysis prepares students to assess quantitative and qualitative data, understand research methodology, and critically evaluate research findings.
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NUR 720 Methods in Evidence Based Practice / 3 Credits
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Introduces the learner to theories related to Research Utilization (RU) and Evidence-based Practice (EBP) and provides opportunities to explore issues and refine questions related to quality and cost-effective healthcare delivery for the best client outcomes. Methods to collect evidence, plan changes for the transformation of practice, and evaluate quality improvement methods will be discussed.
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NUR 735 Leadership in Advanced Practice Nursing / 3 Credits
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Emphasizes organizational and system leadership strategies for the advanced practice nurse with an emphasis on productivity in emerging practice environment. Improvement of health outcomes, patient safety, and inter-professional collaboration will be included.
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NUR 740 Healthcare Policy and Ethics in Advanced Practice Nursing / 3 Credits
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This course examines the political and ethical decisions and issues that shape the organization, financing, and implementation of health care services and delivery systems at the local, national and global levels. Students will have opportunities to critically analyze ethical, social, and political issues that affect the provision of health care, practice, research, education, and administration and how each intersects with ones personal values. Students will define the APNs role in health promotion, healthcare delivery, and quality improvement through activities related to health policy reform. Health policy development and implementation and its impact on healthcare regulation, delivery, and finance will also be explored.
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NUR 752 Advanced Health Informatics / 3 Credits
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This course, the first of a four-course series, provides the DNP student with mentored opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate a multifaceted DNP project built upon the DNP Essentials. Each course builds on the knowledge, skills, and practice expertise of the DNP student and culminates in the completion of the DNP project. The focus of this course is on the identification and planning components of the written DNP project proposal. Students will register for 3 semester hours, completing 50 practicum hours in which the DNP student will seek opportunities, with the guidance of their mentor, to hone skills within the DNP Essentials.
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NUR 840 DNP Clinical Practice / 2 Credits
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Designed for the nurse to complete practicum hours required to achieve the practice doctorate. Tailored to meet the needs of a variety of specialty areas depending upon the educational backgrounds of participants. Students enrolled in this course will implement professional and leadership roles of the practice doctorate in their specialty areas. May be repeated for a maximum of 15 semester hours.
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NUR 841 DNP Project I (50 clinical hrs) / 3 Credits
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This course, the first of a four-course series, provides the DNP student with mentored opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate a multifaceted DNP project built upon the DNP Essentials. Each course builds on the knowledge, skills, and practice expertise of the DNP student and culminates in the completion of the DNP project. The focus of this course is on the identification and planning components of the written DNP project proposal. Students will register for 3 semester hours, completing 50 practicum hours in which the DNP student will seek opportunities, with the guidance of their mentor, to hone skills within the DNP Essentials.
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NUR 842 DNP Project II (50 clinical hrs) / 3 Credits
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This course, the second of a four-course series, provides the DNP student with mentored opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate a multifaceted DNP project built upon the DNP Essentials. Each course builds on the knowledge, skills, and practice expertise of the DNP student and culminates in the completion of the DNP project. The focus of this course is on the completion of a written DNP project proposal and the application and approval of Institutional Review Board or Committee on the Use of Human Subjects in Research of the DNP project. Students will register for 3 semester hours, completing 50 practicum hours in which the DNP student will seek opportunities, with the guidance of their mentor, to hone skills within the DNP Essentials.
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NUR 843 DNP Project III (125 clinical hrs) / 3 Credits
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This course, the third course in a four-course series, provides the DNP student with mentored opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate a multifaceted DNP project built upon the DNP Essentials. Each course builds on the knowledge, skills, and practice expertise of the DNP student, culminating in the completion of the DNP project. The focus of this course is on project implementation and evaluation of the DNP project. Students will register for 3 semester hours, completing 125 practicum hours in which the DNP student will seek opportunities, with the guidance of their mentor, to hone skills within the DNP Essentials.
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NUR 844 DNP Project IV (75 clinical hrs.) / 3 Credits
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This course, the fourth course in a four course series, provides the DNP student with mentored opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate a multifaceted DNP project built upon the DNP Essentials. Each course builds on the knowledge, skills and practice expertise of the DNP student, culminating in the completion of the DNP project paper. The DNP project culminates in a final oral presentation and dissemination of the DNP project course. Students will register for 3 semester hours, completing 75 practicum hours in which the DNP student will seek opportunities, with the guidance of their mentor, to hone skills within the DNP Essentials.
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*Clinical or practicum courses require a preceptor. Note: Curriculum is subject to change.

** NUR 840 course has variable credit hours and may not be taken by all students

Please note that this program is not designed for, and does not lead to, licensure or certification for a specific position or profession.

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Admission Requirements

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To be eligible for Bradley’s online MSN to DNP – Leadership program, you must meet the following qualifications:

  • MSN from an NLNAC-, ACEN-, or CCNE-accredited* nursing program
  • Proof of a current, unencumbered RN license
  • Students may be admitted unconditionally if they have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. Applicants with previous graduate coursework must have achieved a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in all graduate coursework and have completed a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours for the graduate grade point average to be considered for admission.

You must also submit the following:

  • Completed online application
  • Nonrefundable $40 application fee
  • Official transcripts of academic credentials
  • Admission essay and portfolio
    • DNP Leadership applicants must also discuss potential practice mentors to facilitate the implementation of the systematic or practice change identified.
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • CV/Résumé
  • Documentation and description of supervised clinical hours completed during your master’s program
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Learn from Innovative Nursing Leaders.

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The dedicated faculty members who lead our online DNP programs are committed to helping you succeed as you take the next step in your nursing career. They each bring a broad base of clinical expertise and professional experience into our online classrooms each day, and they are eager to share their knowledge with you.
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Meet Our Faculty
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Please note that this program is not designed for, and does not lead to, licensure or certification for a specific position or profession.
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