Nursing Doctorate a European First

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) aims to equip the future leaders of nursing with the skills they need to make a dynamic contribution to healthcare, as advanced clinicians, managers or educationalists.

It marks a major change in the high-level training and education of nurses as it focuses on action as well as knowledge.

It is the emphasis on changing and challenging practice that makes the DNP different from the traditional nursing doctorate.

As part of their dissertation those taking the course will have to introduce an innovative new nursing practice and research its effectiveness. This is so that students can prove their ability to perform at a high level immediately.

Professor Jean Orr, the Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s, said she was proud that the university was pioneering nursing education in Europe.

“Uniquely, Queen’s DNP involves a blend of American innovation and European rigour. “The DNP is currently being pioneered in the USA, where it is planned that it will become the requisite degree for advanced nursing practice by 2015. “Possession of a DNP will consequently become the international gold standard qualification for advanced nursing practice in the near future.“

The course, which starts in September, can be completed full time over three years or five years part time.

Applications for the course can be made online at http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/

A number of scholarships are being offered to international students