*This program is currently under review and is not accepting new applicants. 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership is designed to provide the learner with the knowledge, skills, values, meanings and experiences to assume the role of an executive administrator (nurse executive, healthcare professional or business professional) in healthcare settings. Didactic and clinical course content focus on role development in high-performance organizations with integrated health systems. Emphasis includes assessing, developing and measuring quality indicators in healthcare settings; business plans; budgeting and operations; health systems leadership; negotiations and mediation; human resources; legal and ethical considerations; planning for population management; and decision making. Clinical experiences are provided in a variety of healthcare settings appropriate for the nurse administrator. Clinical hours from prior graduate education or national executive certification may be eligible to combine with the clinical DNP Health Systems Leadership experiences to total 1,000 hours. Some clinical courses are offered with variable credit for two, three or four credits as needed by the student.

Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice in Health Systems Leadership will be able to:

1. Synthesize and utilize knowledge associated with expert nursing practice in management, administration, health systems leadership and planning in healthcare settings.
2. Demonstrate expert skills in health systems leadership to design, develop, implement, manage and administer the provision of care of diverse populations across healthcare settings.
3. Demonstrate values in health systems leadership consistent with the creation of a culture of excellence.
4. Demonstrate and verbalize specific meanings associated with expert administration and health systems leadership in the profession and in healthcare.
5. Actively engage with expert health systems leadership executives to gain expertise in creating environments of excellence for healing, supporting employee empowerment, nurturing therapeutic relationships and expanding innovative patient care practices.
6. Conduct a scholarly investigation of a clinically-based issue. Present outcomes of scholarly investigation through written and oral scholarly venues.