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Public Health Nursing

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) offered in the Public Health Nursing (PHN) Option is one of several at the University of TN Health Science Center. The PHN Option is a population- and community-focused practice that addresses disparities and populations with special needs. The population or community of interest may be an aggregate or a government entity i.e., municipality, county, state or country, or the focus of the student may be national or global, i.e., policy, legislation, or practice. The practicum will impact populations/communities in the student’s interest area and includes 3 targeted areas that measure progressive development of skills related to:

• Program or intervention formation (including formal community assessments, skills in identification and negotiations with stakeholders, techniques for collaborative goal development);
• Implementation of innovative population focused project (including development of time lines, logic models, policy development and implementation in population interventions, programs or systems); and
• Summative system development (including valid and reliable tool development and scholarly evaluation of outcome measurements).

The PHN Option has been awarded a grant that funds refocus of the existing program to encompass a health disparities framework. In the refocus, the curriculum will address the population focused health needs of high risk groups, minorities, and underserved and disparaged populations.

The graduate of the PHN Option will be a leader in public health nursing who will impact their community of interest by utilizing the skill set and scholarly information made available through out the student’s matriculation. The graduate will be qualified for the Community Health Nursing Examination Certification offered by ANCC.

The program of study is:

• Full-time, 2 years for individuals already holding a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree.
• Two academic terms per year, 20 weeks each term. Efforts are made to stagger classes throughout the term.
• The first three terms consist primarily of core courses, plus specialty courses in Public Health Nursing. The last term consists primarily of a resident practicum and a resident project in the area of interest of the student. Resident work is arranged by the student in conjunction with the Public Health Nursing Option Coordinator. Students will typically perform their clinical experience in their home community. There is a scholarly DNP Evidenced Based Project; and there is no Dissertation.

This program is designed to offer students flexibility in determining their own living arrangements, schedule of study, and timing of engagement in the coursework with weekly modules.

Students are required to be on campus four times yearly, at the start and end of each term. On-campus time is for professional development, face-to-face meetings, classes, presentations, examinations, seminars, discussion and mentoring.

On-campus schedules will vary from term to term depending on classes and specialization.

(Laptops computers are available for loan)

For more information about the PHN option, contact the PHN Option Coordinator, Patricia Speck, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, DF-IAFN, SANE-A/P

email: pspeck@utmem.edu

phone: 1-800-733-2498 and ask for Dr. Speck

For help with application to the PHN option, Ms. Trimika Bowdre, MPH, is the PHN Project Coordinator, and can be reacehd at:

email: tbowdre@utmem.edu

phone: 1-800-733-2498 and ask for Ms. Bowdre