Guidelines for DNP Clinical Immersion Hours

The Post Masters DNP student is required to complete a total of 1000 practice hours. Up to 600 hours from an MS program resulting in national certification (i.e. APRN) may be applied to that 1000 hours. Most students are left to complete 400 DNP practice hours as part of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree.

The 1000 hours are the requirement from CCNE so that is what we follow. We do not take more than 600 hours from their MS degree. 

Course	DNP Practice Hours
NU 717	200
NU 718	100
NU 719	100
	Total= 400 hours

The UMass DNP Program prepares graduates to attain the highest level of nursing practice and to demonstrate synthesis and application of all DNP Essentials. Practice hours should contribute to the preparation of the DNP student to attain the outcomes delineated in the DNP Essentials. These hours should include indirect care practice in the health care setting or related environments that broaden the experience of the student.

At the beginning of each DNP course, the student will develop 3-5 learning objectives to be attained through the DNP practice hours experience. Practice hour experiences should be designed to help students achieve the student developed learning objectives related to all of the DNP Essentials, role outcomes, and application of theory and evidence to practice.

DNP program practice experiences are designed to provide:

• Systematic opportunities for feedback and reflection.
• In-depth work/mentorship with experts in nursing, as well as other disciplines.
• Opportunities for meaningful student engagement within practice environments.
• Opportunities for building and assimilating knowledge for advanced nursing practice at a high level of complexity.
• Opportunities for further application, synthesis, and expansion of learning.
• Experience in the context of advanced nursing practice within which the final DNP Project is completed.

• Opportunities for integrating and synthesizing all of the DNP Essentials and role requirements necessary to demonstrate achievement of defined outcomes in an area of advanced nursing practice. ¹