Mission
The Mission of the Uniformed Services University FNP & WHNP Program is to educate safe, competent providers prepared to practice independently in response to worldwide mission in the Uniformed Services.
Philosophy
The USUHS FNP & WHNP 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 & WHNP 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 2022 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ (NONPF) Nurse Practitioner Role Care Competencies, and the draft 2023 NONPF specialty competencies.
Across the three-year program, each graduate will acquire over 1700 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.