The Louisiana Board of Regents approved a proposal for a joint Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program between UL Lafayette and Southeastern Louisiana University last week. The DNP is the first of its kind for public universities in Louisiana.
“ This partnership will allow UL Lafayette and Southeastern the opportunity to provide stand-alone but mutually supportive DNP programs, with each university awarding the DNP degree,” said Dr. Gail Poirrier, dean of UL Lafayette’s College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions.
The partnership will maximize efficiencies through shared classes, library and other resources; utilizing distance learning technologies to increase access to students throughout the state; and improving Louisiana’s economic base by increasing the distribution and supply of doctorally-prepared registered nurses to better meet the needs of practice and education.
Both universities plan to implement the DNP program in Fall 2012, pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The program will prepare graduates at the highest level of nursing practice to provide complex hospital and community-based care for patients. It will also address dire shortages of clinical nursing faculty to mentor and educate new nurses.
“ The DNP is not a research doctorate; instead, the focus is on preparing expert practitioners who can also serve as clinical faculty,” said Dr. Melinda Oberleitner, associate dean and professor in the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at UL Lafayette.
The DNP program will be developed from and build upon the existing master’s level advanced practice nursing tracks offered at UL Lafayette and Southeastern. Initially, it will be offered as post-master’s entry programs. Over time, it is anticipated program admission requirements will change to allow students to be admitted directly from the bachelor’s in nursing program.