School of Nursing

For more information about degree offerings, visit the School of Nursing webpage.

Mission

The Mission of The University of Tulsa School of Nursing is to educate students to become accomplished nursing professionals who advance health through clinical practice, research, teaching, and the promotion of health equity.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program prepares students for the highest level of nursing practice and provides opportunities for professional assimilation and involvement. The program seeks to promote clinical scholarship and life-long learning and aims to support student professional and ethical service to our communities. Through advanced nursing scholarship and practice, students and faculty will seek to enhance the quality of life for people of all cultures, economic levels, and geographic locations.

Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) programs are approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. The D.N.P. program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326. The D.N.P. Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) programs are accredited by the ACEN. The D.N.P. Nurse Anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), 222. S. Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge, IL, 60068-4001, 847-692-7137. The School of Nursing is a member of the National League for Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Graduate Academic Programs

The graduate faculty of nursing offer courses leading to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree with programs in adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner , family nurse practitioner , nurse anesthesia , and post-master’s to D.N.P. completion .

Program Goals

The D.N.P is a terminal degree. D.N.P. graduates will be viewed as leaders within the interprofessional team and larger health care community through enhanced clinical skills, dissemination of scholarly work to other health care professionals, and health care policy makers, advanced use of technology, and through demonstration of professional behaviors that encompass strong ethical, holistic, and organizational values.

Program Learning Outcomes

The core D.N.P. curriculum is driven by the missions, the end of program student learning outcomes, and The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006). Each program option has additional professional competencies that are expected to be achieved by each student in their respective field of study. At the completion of the program, students will:

Develop new practice approaches based on nursing theory and theories borrowed from other disciplines to improve health and reduce health disparities locally, nationally, and globally.
Employ strategic leadership skills and interprofessional collaboration to influence health policy, advocate for social justice, and promote equity locally, nationally, and globally.
Implement ethical, cost effective, and evidence-based changes in care systems, while advancing the profession.
Provide leadership at the highest levels to design, direct, and evaluate system changes to deliver and promote patient-centered care that is culturally competent, safe, timely, effective, efficient, and equitable.
Engage in complex, evidence-based advanced nursing practice, and evaluate innovative approaches to care delivery for individuals, communities, and populations.

Admission

Prospective graduate students apply for admission through the Graduate School.  Applicants submit their application, supporting materials and an application fee through the Graduate School application system.

Applications for the NP and Post-Master’s completion programs are reviewed throughout the spring and summer until spaces are filled. Applications for the NA program are accepted from May 1 to September 30 and are reviewed in the fall. Applications are reviewed as they are received, and potential candidates will be scheduled for an interview. Applications and all supplemental materials must be submitted before a decision can finalized for admission to the program.

To apply for the D.N.P. Program, applicants must submit the following:

Copies of all academic transcripts showing undergraduate and graduate coursework.
Two letters of recommendation; one written by an advanced practice nurse and one written by a nursing supervisor.
The NA program requires three letters of recommendation; the third one from a physician.
Documentation of a current Registered Nursing license.
Evidence of appropriate clinical experience for requested track as follows:
Nurse Anesthesia and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care - at least one-year full-time acute care nursing experience as a registered nurse
Family Nurse Practitioner - at least one-year full time nursing experience as a registered nurse  
Post-Masters to D.N.P. Completion - certification and experience as an Advanced Practice Nurse
TOEFL or IELTS scores along with transcripts accompanied by a certified English translation. (International students only)

If you have any questions or problems with the TU Graduate School application link, please contact grad@utulsa.edu or 918-631-2336.

Admitted NP students will begin the program during the fall semester. Admitted NA students will begin during the summer semester. Students must take and satisfactorily complete the required courses offered each semester to stay in the program.  Core courses are online. Most program-specific courses are face-to-face, but some are hybrid courses to provide opportunities for students to integrate their traditional course work with their clinical rotations.

Prior to enrollment in the D.N.P. Program, admitted applicants must provide evidence of the following qualifications:
Current unencumbered Oklahoma Registered Nurse license
A bachelor’s degree in nursing (B.S.N.) from an accredited nursing program. An overall G.P.A. of 3.0 is recommended.
Satisfactory background check
Urine drug screen
Proof of immunizations
To prepare students for board exams, most examinations are done on computer using ExamSoft or Blackboard Learning Management System with the Respondus Lockdown Browser. All admitted students are required to have or purchase a portable computer/laptop with a keyboard capable of running Microsoft Windows 7, 8, or 10, or macOS 10.1 or newer.

Advanced Practice Certification

The University of Tulsa cannot guarantee that completion of the D.N.P. program will enable a student to take the National Certification exam if the student has a previous arrest or conviction record. The Nurse Practice Act varies from state to state regarding arrests or convictions. States may prohibit nursing licensure due to violent misdemeanors or due to felony convictions. If seeking licensure in another state, contact the board of nursing in that state regarding arrest or conviction records.

Faculty

Director
Bill Buron

Adult Gerontology - Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program Director
Andrea Wall

Family Nurse Practitioner Program Director
Sheryl Stansifer

Nurse Anesthesia Program Director
Lisa Riedel

Nurse Anesthesia Program Assistant Director
Andy Tracy

Clinical Associate Professor
Sheryl Stansifer

Assistant Professor
Bull Buron

Clinical Assistant Professors
Jennifer Kuwitzky
Sarah McAuliff
Lisa Riedel
Andy Tracy
Andrea Wall

Programs

Doctoral

Courses

Nursing