Oct 13, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog. 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog. [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing, DNP ETSU-TTU (Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration)


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General Program Information


Dr. Lisa Haddad, PhD, RN, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
207 Roy S. Nicks Hall
Box 70629
(423) 439-5626
e-mail: HaddadL@etsu.edu

Dr. Nancy Cameron, DNP, ETSU-TTU Program Director
209 Roy S. Nicks Hall
Box Box 70629
(423) 439-4874
e-mail: cameronng@etsu.edu

Dr. Ernest Maupin, Concentration Coordinator
200 Roy S. Nicks Hall
Box 70629
(423) 439-4504
e-mail: maupine@etsu.edu

Faculty: Bernita Armstrong; Sharon Bigger; Nancy Cameron; Teresa Carnevale; Myra Carew; Kimberly Ferguson; Retha Gentry; Lisa Haddad; Christine Hall; Jean Hemphill; Kim Hudson-Gallogly; Sharon Loury; Ernie Maupin; Sheena Miller; Kristen Montgomery; Christine Mullins; Paige Mullins; Victoria Pope; Judith Rice; Arshak Sargsyan; Terri Schreiner; Candice Short; Holly Wei; Florence Weierbach; Mary Ellen Wright; PiMing Yeh

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers a terminal professional degree for those who wish to pursue or further their career as an advanced practice nurse focusing on healthcare needs of specific populations. The ETSU College of Nursing and TTU School of Nursing Joint Program currently offers six concentrations within the degree: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Nursing and Healthcare Leadership, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care, Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner.

The focus of the Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration is to prepare advanced practice nurses to provide comprehensive psychiatric-mental health care across the life span to individuals, groups and families in diverse settings. Graduates are eligible for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner national certification examination. The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner works in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team. Graduates are prepared for employment in varied healthcare settings.

For application terms and deadlines please refer to the College of Nursing website.

Admission Requirements


Applicants seeking admission to the  DNP program must fulfill all the requirements for admission to both the Graduate College and the College of Nursing.

There are different levels of admission depending upon prior credentials of applicants and whether or not they hold a BSN, MSN, or a BSN and a master’s in another discipline. Additional requirements for admission to the DNP program include:

  1. BSN-DNP applicants:
    1. A bachelor’s degree in nursing is required;
    2. For international applicants, a bachelor’s degree in nursing or equivalency (for BSN to DNP applicants), or a non-nursing master’s degree or equivalency  (for MSN to DNP applicants) from a nationally accredited nursing program or comparably recognized non-U.S. institution, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale;
  2. MSN-DNP applicants (4 options)
    1. Certification in the selected nursing specialty for the concentration. For example: Certified FNP for FNP concentration, Certified WHNP in the WHNP concentration, etc.;

or

  1. Master’s in Nursing in a specialty different than the intended concentrations (WHNP, PNP, ACNP, PMHNP, FNP, Nursing and Healthcare Leadership) will require a longer program of study adapted to the previous Master’s specialty and nursing experience;

or

  1. Non-nursing master’s with a BSN from a nationally accredited nursing program will require a longer program of study adapted to the previous Master’s specialty and nursing experience;

or

  1. For the MSN-DNP, Master’s in Nursing with advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) certification (Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Midwife, or Nurse Anesthetist) or master’s level nursing administration/ healthcare systems leadership concentration;
  2. NOTE:  All four MSN options for the Nursing and Healthcare Leadership in Nursing concentration require at least one year of experience in a nursing administration role.

 

  1. Unencumbered licensure as a Registered Nurse in the United States and eligibility for licensure in Tennessee or equivalency for international students;
  2. All applicants are required to have at least two years of full-time work experience (or equivalent) in nursing as a registered nurse;
  3. Three professional letters of recommendation are required;
  4. All applicants will participate in an interview;
  5. All applicants will be required to complete a personal statement with the application addressing why you want to go to graduate school and why this program would be a good fit with your career goals. The personal statement must also address the following questions: What current trend(s) in healthcare do you find the most concerning or compelling? What in your education and/or professional practice has prepared you to address the identified trend(s)? How do you think you will be able to impact the trend(s) you identified, in your new role when you have completed your graduate study? Use at least two scholarly references and write the essay in American Psychological Association (APA) format. They writing must be your own work; and
  6. A current resume or vita.

The completed application form and fee, transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work, personal statement, documentation of nursing licensure in the United States, MSN certification(where applicable), letters of recommendation and resume or vita must be submitted to the ETSU Graduate College or the TTU Graduate College, depending upon the applicant’s choice. International students must also forward the additionally required documentation to the appropriate Graduate College.

Factors given consideration in the admission decision include: previous grade point average (GPA), clarity of the applicant’s selected problem as stated in the personal statement and during the interview, writing ability, professional work experience and achievements, professional honors and awards, interest in rural and underserved population groups, and quality of references/recommendations. The Joint DNP Admissions Committee may recommend admission of a promising applicant who has not met all the admission standards on a conditional basis.

Student Retention and Progression Criteria


Required GPA

The DNP graduate student, to remain in good standing, must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better on all graduate work attempted.  In order to graduate, students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA overall and on the program of study.

Nursing Requirement

Credit toward a degree objective will be granted for any graduate course in which a grade of A, B, or S is assigned; however, not more than three (3) hours of credit below a B grade is allowed.

If a student’s grade is lower than “B,” s/he may repeat a course. However, no more than one required course may be repeated. In repeating a course the previous grade as well as the grade earned from the repeated course will be calculated into the subsequent GPA. Students will be dismissed from the program if they do not meet the requirements in this policy.

Incomplete (I) Grade

An incomplete grade (“I”) indicates that the student was passing the course at the end of the semester, but due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, was unable to complete the course work for which the “I” is assigned. The “I” grade cannot be used to allow a student to do additional work to raise a deficient grade or to repeat a course. An “I” grade must be removed no later than one calendar year from the time the grade is awarded. Time extension requests for removal of an “I” grade must be submitted by the instructor of record to (and approved by) the home school’s graduate school Dean before the allotted time expires. An “I” grade not completed within the one year time frame will be converted to an “F.”

Academic Probation: Unsatisfactory Performance

When the cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the graduate student will be placed on academic probation for the following semester.  If the student does not achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of one probationary semester, his/her home school’s Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and appropriate college/departmental/program officials will determine whether the student should be dismissed from graduate study or continued on probation.  No students will be allowed more than two probationary semesters, whether consecutive or cumulative. At the end of the second probationary semester a student whose cumulative GPA is still below 3.0 will be dismissed from graduate study. Students whose performance results in a GPA so far below 3.0 as to make it mathematically impossible to attain an average GPA of 3.0 after one semester may be subject to dismissal without a probationary term.

Dismissal

If the student does not achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the conclusion of one probationary semester, the ETSU or TTU Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and appropriate college/departmental/program officials will determine whether the student should be dismissed from graduate study or continued on probation.  At the end of the second probationary semester a student whose cumulative GPA is still below 3.0 will be dismissed from graduate study. A student will also be dismissed from graduate study if they receive a second grade below “B.”

BSN-DNP Degree Requirements: 80 credits


Core Requirements 35 credits
Concentration 33 credits
DNP Project 12 credits
TOTAL 80 credits

MSN-DNP Degree Requirements: 32 credits


Core Requirements 11 credits
Concentration 9 credits
DNP Project 12 credits
TOTAL 32 credits

Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration (MSN-DNP): 9 credits


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