The Relationship Between DNP Admission Criteria and Success in the Program

When developing a Doctorate in Nursing Practice Program admission criteria was debated and a specific set of criteria were determined by faculty.  Initial admission to this DNP Program was offered to students who were current Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Anesthetists.  These students were to enter the DNP Program at the upper division after providing documentation of completion of a masters degree in their specific area of clinical specialization.  In addition to evidence of completion of graduate education the students were required to provide evidence of national certification.  References reflecting clinical practice, education, and scholarship were also required.

                Students who met admission criteria submitted to an interview with faculty members responsible for the DNP Program.  An interview evaluation tool was developed and implemented in the interview process in order to provide a standardized interview process.  This tool was scored by each faculty interviewer.  The DNP faculty met as a group and reviewed the interview evaluation tools completed by each faculty interviewer.  Selection of the students admitted to the DNP Program included academic achievement, clinical practice experience, scholarship, and interview score.

                Thirty students were admitted to the program.   In addition to grades on assignments, students were evaluated by faculty during each class session on a scale of 0-10 for quality of oral presentations. At the completion of each course the grade for the course and the scores for the quality of oral presentations were compared to each student’s admission criteria.  In addition the successful completion of scholarly products and dissemination of those products were compared to each student’s admission criteria.  There was a positive relationship between prior academic achievement, clinical practice experience, and interview score with increasing scores on oral presentations, grades, completion, and dissemination of scholarly products.