Post-Master’s Clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

The Post-Master’s Clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed for Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) who have graduated from a MSN program and are interested in pursuing a program to enhance their clinical innovation skills and develop a clinical area of expertise in their practice area.  

The Yale Clinical DNP is designed for APNs working part or full time in a clinical role who would like to pursue doctoral education as they develop their clinical knowledge and experience. The Clinical DNP graduate will apply the knowledge gained in their course work and clinical collaborations to develop new clinical practices, processes, and roles that will contribute to better health for all people.  

Yale has a rich history of clinical innovation in nursing, through our founding Dean, Annie W. Goodrich, who described nursing as the combination of “the adventure of thought and the adventure of action.” Our student professionals seek to develop scholarship, clinical innovation, translational expertise, policy influence and an expanded professional network.

Upcoming Virtual Information Sessions

Yale Clinical Doctor of Nursing Program Projects are designed to immerse students in real-world clinical questions and to use the knowledge and skills gained during their coursework and practica experiences to present a solution. Working with a Yale Clinical Doctor of Nursing Program project advisor and project team, the student designs a project, identifies the problems, purposes and aims, and reviews relevant literature. Using a methodological approach and analytic plan, they collaborate with an onsite mentor to implement the project, analyze the results, and make recommendations for practice and, if appropriate, future study. A formal presentation and scholarly paper are due at the end of the third year.

At YSN, students are encouraged to consider a wide range of Yale Clinical Doctor of Nursing Program projects, with a focus on clinical excellence, transformation, and innovation.  A few examples of these Quality improvement projects focused on innovative solutions to clinical problems are:

  • Development or adaptation of specific clinical interventions
  • Novel application of clinical interventions and protocols
  • Development of clinical process and protocols in healthcare settings
  • Design and implementation of new models of clinical care with defined patient groups 
  • Application of technology to address clinical problems in specific patient populations.  
  • Development of clinical interventions and protocols which address health equity  

Students will be enrolled in the Clinical DNP pathway as part-time students. 

Career Success for Post-Master’s Clinical DNPs

“…. we can already observe how these students and graduates are applying their YSN education to improve the care of their patients,” says Joanne DeSanto Iennaco PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, Director of the Clinical DNP Program. “Students and alumni are securing grants and scholarships for their work and being saluted as innovators in their areas of clinical expertise.”

Members of the cohorts actively share the knowledge and expertise developed in the program. YSN caught up with a few current students and recent alumni to share some of their recent achievements: Post-Master’s Clinical Doctor of Nursing Practice DNPs Present Research, Receive Scholarships

 

Application Requirements

  • Hold a master’s degree in nursing and a current license to practice as an RN and as an Advanced Practice Nurse or Certified Nurse Midwife in the United States prior to the start of the first semester of the Clinical DNP program. Licensure and certification are required where the student will practice and complete clinical practica. 

  • Completed NursingCAS Application 

  • Non-refundable application fee of $80

  • Personal Statement (Essay)

  • Current resume/CV

  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

  • Letters of Recommendation: from a recent faculty member and a recent supervisor or clinical preceptor (in your MSN program) 

  • Sample of scholarly writing: from a recent formal paper (written in your MSN program)

International Transcripts

International transcripts must be evaluated by credentialing agency World Education Services or SpanTran. This includes a course-by-course evaluation, as well as a certified English translation of all non-English transcripts. International applicants should also review: International Applicants Information.

Scores from either the TOEFL or the IELTS will be required of non-native speakers of English who have not received either a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning.

Please note: the Clinical DNP program is not available to applicants who reside outside of the United States. At this time, the program is not accepting applications from individuals residing in the following states: New York, Oregon, Washington. 

apply today

Program of Study

Details of the 3 year Part Time Program of Study:

  • The program is hybrid, requiring online coursework with scheduled in-person campus visits each semester.

  • The program requires on campus days each semester, as well as virtual class days. 

  • In each of the three years of the program, five to six credits per semester are required (although may vary based on student plan for meeting clinical focus and practicum hours). 

  • A total of 500 practicum hours are required in the Clinical DNP, students must enter with a minimum of 500 clinical hours from their MSN program.  

  •  Students work part- or full-time as an advanced practice provider or midwife while in the program and design a project to implement in their workplace. 

  • In addition to developing a project focus, in the first semester students will identify a clinical inquiry focus area and plan of study. This individualized plan will involve the development of a portfolio of clinically-focused learning in the clinical inquiry focus area.

  • To progress in the Clinical DNP program, students must be in good academic standing in the program and have their DNP Project Proposal approved to progress to Year 3. 

Courses Required in the Clinical DNP Program of Study:

  • Moving Health Care Forward: Innovation and Implementation
  • Evidence for the Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • Quality and Safety in Health Care Organizations
  • Uses of Data: Healthcare Informatics
  • Achieving Population Health Equity
  • Clinical Leadership and Finance
  • Health Care Policy, Politics, and Process

In addition to core DNP courses with distinct content and learning experiences for Clinical DNP students, the Clinical DNP specialty courses include seminars and practica for application of theory in healthcare settings. Advising experiences provide guidance and mentoring on development and implementation of the  Clinical DNP project, and for study in an area of clinical focus & innovation (the Clinical Inquiry focus area).

Financial Aid

Students are eligible for financial aid. Students must fill out applications at FAFSA.gov. For further information, please visit the YSN Financial Aid website or contact YSN Financial Aid. 

Please review federal limits to student loans for graduate students. Depending on a student’s current balance in federal student loans, they will find they are eligible for different types of both federal and private loans.  

Faculty

program director: 

Joanne DeSanto Iennaco, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN

faculty who teach in the clinical doctor of nursing practice program 

Ellen Andrews, PhD

Stephen Burrows, DPM, MBA, CPHIMS, FHIMSS

Jane K. Dixon, PhD

Elizabeth Molle, PhD RN

Rhoda Redulla, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, FAAN

Payal Sharma, DNP, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CBN

David Vlahov, PhD, RN, FAAN

Learn More