Mission
The Mission of the Uniformed Services University FNP Program is to educate safe, competent providers prepared to practice independently in response to worldwide mission in the Uniformed Services.
Philosophy
The USUHS FNP program prepares advanced practice nurses with a clinical doctorate, preparing them to practice in diverse and increasingly complex health care systems. USUHS graduates are uniquely qualified to provide quality care within Federal health care systems and other diverse and austere settings. Evolving nursing roles, new scientific knowledge, and concerns about the quality and outcomes of patient care necessitated the creation of an enhanced curriculum that includes expanded coursework in healthcare leadership, research translation, and advanced clinical knowledge and skills.
Design
The DNP FNP program is a 36 month, full-time program in which didactic, simulation and clinical experiences are tightly and deliberately integrated using a life-span approach that supports the development of critical thinking skills. The program was built to achieve goals of the AACN 2021 Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, and meets the requirements of the 2011 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ (NONPF) guidelines for NP programs, and the 2012 NONPF specialty competencies for Family Nurse Practitioners.
Across the 3 year program, each graduate will acquire over 1800 direct practice hours, will create and implement a DNP project addressing a healthcare system problem and will create a personal portfolio demonstrating how they have achieved each of the 10 Essentials for Advanced-level Nursing Education.
Upon completion of the program, the DNP FNP/WHNP graduate will be prepared to meet all of the NONPF core and Family Nurse Practitioner population competencies and will also be prepared to:
- Manage the unique healthcare needs of Federal beneficiaries including active duty service members and their families, retirees, and other directed populations.
- Provide adaptive leadership in joint service environments within multidisciplinary teams.
- Deliver healthcare in unique and dynamic settings including military operational, austere, disaster, humanitarian and civic aid environments.
FNP/WHNP Program Terminal Competencies/Expected Outcomes
- Comply with the GSN requirements for graduation.
- 36 months of full time study
- Complete required number of program credits and clinical hours
- Complete the DNP Portfolio
- Comply with program requirements for graduation.
- Overall GPA of 3.0 or above
- Achieve the minimum grade required in each course
- Obtain a minimum of 1700 total clinical hours
- Meet the mission of the Family Nurse Practitioner program.
- Meet the GSN and FNP program terminal competencies/expected outcomes
- Be recommended for graduation by the FNP Program Director