The BSN to DNP pathway allows RNs with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing to enter directly into the DNP program without first earning an MSN degree. This allows for a seamless progression from the completion of a baccalaureate degree to advanced nursing practice. The BSN to DNP pathway includes two specialty tracks: Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN)–Adult Geronotology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) or Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Health Systems Leadership. The pathway meets the program learning outcomes for the DNP degree at APU and is aligned with The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (AACN, 2021)¹. 

¹

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2021). The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Education. AACN.

APRN-AGPCNP or FNP Options

Course List

Code	Title	Units
APRN Core Courses		10
GNRS 610	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
GNRS 611	Advanced Pharmacology	3
GNRS 612	Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning 1	4 (3/1)
FNP and AGPCNP Common Core		26
GNRS 600	Nurse Practitioner Clinical Experience 2	2-6
GNRS 601	Primary Healthcare I: Adult and Aging	3
GNRS 602	Primary Healthcare II: Population-based Health Interventions	3
GNRS 603	Primary Healthcare III: Restorative and Palliative Interventions	3
APRN-FNP Specialty Courses 3		2-3
GNRS 590D	Primary Health Care of the Young Family	2-3
or GNRS 580	Gerontology
APRN Intensives		4
GNRS 615	APRN Intensive I	1
GNRS 616	APRN Intensive II	1
GNRS 617	APRN Intensive III	1
GNRS 618	APRN Intensive IV	1
Role-Specific Total Units		42-43
Additional DNP Courses		21
GNRS 703	Spirituality and Health	3
GNRS 705	Social Ethics and Health Policy	3
GNRS 712	Healthcare Quality Improvement, Program Planning, and Evaluation	3
GNRS 713	Advanced Statistical Analysis I	3
GNRS 716	Translation of Research to Practice	3
GNRS 717	Health Technology and Informatics	3
GNRS 718	Organizational Leadership and Strategic Planning	3
GNRS 732	DNP Clinical Residency 4	0
Intensives		4
GNRS 791	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive I	1
GNRS 792	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive II	1
GNRS 793	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive III	1
GNRS 794	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive IV	1
Doctoral Seminars		5
GNRS 780	Doctoral Seminar I: Elements of a Proposal and IRB Application	3
GNRS 736	DNP Scholarly Project Seminar: Evaluation and Dissemination	2
TOTAL BSN to DNP PATHWAY UNITS		72-73
DNP Clinical Residency Hours 4
NFLP Options 5
GNRS 660	Theories of Teaching and Instruction	3
GNRS 661	Leadership and Role Development in Nursing Education	3
GNRS 662	Assessment, Curriculum, Development, and Outcomes	3
GNRS 663	Clinical Practicum in Nursing Education	3
GNRS 664	Teaching and Learning Strategies for Nursing Education	3

Health Systems Leadership Option

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Leadership Courses
GNRS 613	Graduate Statistics	3
LDRS 512	EQ I: Self-Leadership	3
MGMT 502	Developing Management Skills	3
GNRS 560	Strategic Leadership in Health Care	3
GNRS 568	Healthcare Finance	4
GNRS XXX Elective Course		3
MGMT 516	High-Performance People Management	3
MGMT 561	Managing Teams and Conflict	3
MHA 571	Integrative Theories of Innovation in Health Care (Total Units)	3
Leadership Total Units		28
DNP Courses
GNRS 703	Spirituality and Health	3
GNRS 705	Social Ethics and Health Policy	3
GNRS 712	Healthcare Quality Improvement, Program Planning, and Evaluation	3
GNRS 713	Advanced Statistical Analysis I	3
GNRS 716	Translation of Research to Practice	3
GNRS 717	Health Technology and Informatics	3
GNRS 718	Organizational Leadership and Strategic Planning	3
GNRS 720	Wellness Promotion and Health Maintenance	3
GNRS 721	Health Disparities and Vulnerable Populations	3
GNRS 729	Population Health and Epidemiology	3
GNRS 732	DNP Clinical Residency	0
Intensives
GNRS 791	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive I	1
GNRS 792	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive II	1
GNRS 793	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive III	1
GNRS 794	Doctor of Nursing Practice Intensive IV	1
Doctoral Seminars
GNRS 780	Doctoral Seminar I: Elements of a Proposal and IRB Application	3
GNRS 736	DNP Scholarly Project Seminar: Evaluation and Dissemination	2
DNP Total Units		39
TOTAL BSN to DNP PATHWAY UNITS		67
DNP Clinical Residency Hours 4
NFLP Courses 5
GNRS 660	Theories of Teaching and Instruction	3
GNRS 661	Leadership and Role Development in Nursing Education	3
GNRS 662	Assessment, Curriculum, Development, and Outcomes	3
GNRS 663	Clinical Practicum in Nursing Education	3
GNRS 664	Teaching and Learning Strategies for Nursing Education	3
Elective Options 6
GNRS 650	History of Professional Nursing: From Origins to Nursing in Transition	3
GNRS 651	History of Professional Nursing: From Colonial Times to Present Day	3
GNRS 704	Faith Integration and Nursing Scholarship	3
GNRS 715	Psychosocial Issues of Older Adults	3
GNRS 722	Research in Nursing and Health	3
GNRS 730	Comparative Health Care Systems	3
GNRS 781	Doctoral Seminar II: Developing a Grant Proposal	3
GNRS 782	Doctoral Seminar III: Writing for Publication	3
GNRS 783	Doctoral Seminar IV: Developing Professional Presentations	3
GNRS 795	Special Topics	1-4

¹

Units in parentheses are classroom/clinical units.

²

Students may enroll in 2-6 clinical units per semester with faculty approval, with a total of 17 units for the program.

³

Students in the FNP track must take GNRS 590D. Students in the AGPCNP track must take GNRS 580.

⁴

Total required DNP clinical hours = 1,000 hours.

⁵

12 units required if enrolled in Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP).

⁶

Electives may be taken in either pathway option where appropriate. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:

1. Utilize nursing, bioethical, physical, spiritual, psychosocial, and organizational sciences in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of advanced clinical nursing practice.
2. Provide transformative and collaborative leadership in the organization and management of health care delivery systems for ethnically and culturally diverse populations to improve patient and population outcomes.
3. Critically examine, develop and translate research and other evidence as a basis for developing, implementing, and evaluating advanced clinical nursing practice and health care delivery.
4. Employ current technological and informational advances from health care and other disciplines to promote the highest level of health care delivery.
5. Actively participate in evaluating, formulating and implementing health care policies that address health disparities and health care from a social justice and ethical framework.
6. Integrate faith traditions and Christian values in the development of professional and advanced nursing practice.