Washington State University’s College of Nursing will welcome the first group of students to its Doctor of Nursing Practice program this fall, including 40 students from WSU’s Vancouver and Spokane campuses.
The new graduate program has a practice-oriented focus on improving nursing’s involvement in research utilization and application in a variety of settings. Nurses with this background often work in leadership positions in clinical settings and strive to incorporate current research from nursing, medicine and allied health sciences into health care practice.
Students in the program will follow one of three tracks: advanced population health, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner. The first cohort includes bachelor of science in nursing graduates and next year will accept master of nursing graduates.
Many areas across the country are in need of advanced nurse practitioners, including family nurse practitioners, who can provide family and preventative care. WSU also offers a Ph.D. in nursing that focuses on conducting and contributing research to the science of nursing.
