Summary

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Board of Regents authorize the State University Board of Trustees to confer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree on duly qualified students successfully completing registered programs at the State University of New York at Binghamton?

Reason(s) for Consideration

Required by State statute.

Proposed Handling

This question will come before the full Board at its January 2010 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken. 

Procedural History

On November 17, 2009, the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees adopted the following resolution:

Resolved that the Chancellor be, and hereby is, directed to seek the authorization of the Board of Regents for the State University of New York at Binghamton to confer the additional degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.).

On December 3, 2009, the Department received the State University of New York at Binghamton’s proposal requesting registration of eight programs leading to the D.N.P. degree.  

Background Information

              Approval of this resolution will authorize SUNY at Binghamton to confer the additional degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), subject to the approval of the Board of Regents.  Degree authorization is necessary as the award represents SUNY at Binghamton’s first use of the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree title.  Authorization by the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents will allow the approval of programs to the D.N.P. degree.

              The D.N.P. offers an alternative to research-oriented doctoral programs, such as the Ph.D. and the D.N.S.  Nurses with either a bachelor’s or master’s degree will have curricular pathways to the doctoral level. The national organization that represents baccalaureate and higher degree programs in nursing, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, is moving toward a requirement that all programs to prepare advanced practice nurses (nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists) be at the doctoral level and that the degree to be awarded is the D.N.P. The Decker School of Nursing seeks to offer the D.N.P. degree in keeping with national trends and requirements. Upon approval, SUNY Binghamton would be the second SUNY institution authorized to confer the D.N.P. degree. SUNY Stony Brook received authorization in January 2008 to award the D.N.P. degree. New York State also has six private institutions authorized to award the D.N.P. degree: Columbia University, Daemen College, New York University, Pace University, St. John Fisher College and the University of Rochester.  At this time, there are 92 D.N.P. programs throughout the nation. The D.N.P. is consistent with SUNY Binghamton’s Mission Review II Memorandum of Understanding.  The curriculum is consistent with the standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and SUNY Binghamton will seek CCNE accreditation after the first cohort of students graduate.

              SUNY Binghamton is proposing a total of eight D.N.P. programs. The four nurse practitioner programs and four clinical specialist programs will be in the areas of community health, family health, gerontology, and mental health.  Projected enrollments in the first and second years of the programs are 25 full-time and 25 part-time students.  In the third and fourth years, the full-time and part-time numbers are expected to increase to 35 each.  By the fifth year and thereafter, enrollments are projected to be 50 full-time and 50 part-time students annually.

              The Decker School of Nursing at SUNY Binghamton has programs of study leading to the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Nursing. Post-Master’s Advanced Certificates are available to prepare nurse practitioners and nurse educators. The currently registered master’s degree programs in the 4 specialty areas consist of 48 credits.  For the 77 credit post-baccalaureate programs leading to the D.N.P. degree, 40 credits from existing master’s degree programs will be combined with 24 credits of coursework that is part of the Ph.D. program in Nursing that was first registered in 1999, and 4 credits of coursework from the Department of Public Administration. The post-baccalaureate programs will require completion of a minimum of 1,000 clock hours of clinical experiences with preceptors who are nurse practitioners, physicians, or clinical nurse specialists in the various clinical practice areas.  In addition to 33 credits of clinical specialization, practica and role courses, the remaining coursework covers content in the areas of biostatistics, conceptual analysis, epidemiology, evidence-based practice, health assessment, health care systems, health policy, information systems, organizational behavior, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. The post-master’s curriculum in each specialty area will consist of a 38 credits and a minimum of 400 clock hours of preceptored clinical experiences.  Twenty-one of the 38 credits represent new courses developed for the D.N.P. degree.  

Recommendation

              It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize the State University of New York Board of Trustees to confer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree on duly qualified students successfully completing registered D.N.P. programs at the State University of New York at Binghamton effective January 12, 2010.

Timetable for Implementation

              If the Board authorizes the Trustees to confer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree at the State University of New York at Binghamton, the Department will proceed to register the proposed D.N.P. programs in Nursing and the University will proceed to recruit and enroll students in the programs.