UT School of Nursing presents graduates of Texas’ first Doctor of Nursing Practice program
HOUSTON – (April 23, 2009) – The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing will present its graduates of Texas’ first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program during its Spring Commencement 2009.
These students are now prepared to be clinical scholars practicing at the highest level of advanced practice nursing and will help lead the way for the future of the nursing profession and health care reform. All nine of these DNP graduates are nurse practitioners interested in a practice-oriented doctorate degree.
“I am ecstatic,” said Joanne Hickey, Ph.D., professor and director of the school’s DNP program. “It’s about the quality of these students and the quality of what they will do for health care.”
Hickey says these students are excellent clinicians who are committed to patient care. She said doctoral education needs both a practice as well as research options. The DNP program offers a practice doctorate.
“Unless you wanted to become a researcher, there were no options for doctoral study for nurses,” said Hickey. “The practice doctorate provides that option. It is not only a new degree to Texas but is also relatively new nationally. We need both researchers and expert clinical scholars to provide excellent care.”
Hickey also stressed that during these tight economic times, the DNP graduates are innovators for quality and cost-effective care through their ability to identify and use evidence-based treatments that are effective. These nine students have also served as instructors of nursing students at the associate, bachelor, and master levels while completing the DNP.
Preparation for the degree requires an innovative quality improvement project, comprehensive case studies, first author peer review publication, and other components along with demonstrated high level clinical competency and professionalism. There are more than 40 students currently enrolled in the DNP program and approximately 15 more are expected to begin in the fall.
The first DNP graduates are Sharron E. Ballard of McKinney, Lilia A. Fuentes of McAllen, Betty A. Gonzales of Sugar Land, Lori D. Hull-Grommesh of Wichita, KS., Holly L. Jeffreys of Amarillo, Carrie A. Johnson of Waco, Monique Lambert of Pearland, Angela K. Phillips of Amarillo, and Laura L. Rooney of Houston.
The UT School of Nursing commencement will take place at 7 p.m. May 8 at the George R. Brown Convention Center General Assembly Theater at 1001 Avenida de las Americas.