Skip to main content

National Nursing Leaders to Speak at UR School of Nursing’s DNP Summit

  By Jessica O'Leary
  Thursday, October 13, 2016

Nursing shortages, national concerns about patient safety, and a wide array of other challenges are causing today’s health care environment to be increasing complex. As a result, nurses are now required to have the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise possible.

In response to those demands, a movement is underway to transition to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as the standard for advanced practice nursing. Last year, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommended that all advanced practice nursing programs evolve from the master’s level to a doctoral degree, and other national reports have called for the doubling of DNP-prepared nurses by 2020.

But, while the number of DNP programs and graduates continues to grow, less than 1 percent of nurses in the country have their doctoral degrees, and the transition to doctoral entry to advanced nursing practice has been slow to catch on in some parts of the country.

To help inform nurses and those working in the health care field about the importance of DNP-prepared nurses, the UR School of Nursing is bringing three national leaders in DNP education and practice to speak at its 2016 DNP Summit on Oct. 28.Tracy Williams, DNP, RN, FNAP, the senior vice president and system chief nursing officer at Norton Healthcare, Kim Tharp-Barrie, DNP, RN, vice president of Norton Healthcare’s Institute for Nursing, and Sheila Melander, PhD, APRN, ACNP-BC, FCCM, FAANP, the assistant dean of graduate faculty affairs and DNP program director at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing will discuss the value of the degree and how they are effectively integrating DNP-prepared nurses into their health care system.

“This is a unique opportunity to learn from the leaders in this field about the movement toward the DNP degree and how DNP-prepared nurses can serve as change agents, clinical scholars, and practice leaders,” said Lydia Rotondo, DNP, RN, CNS, associate dean for academic and student affairs and director of the DNP program at the UR School of Nursing.

The event, which will feature panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities, will also include conversations with current DNP students and recent DNP graduates, who will discuss their educational experiences and how they are using their doctoral education in their current professional roles.

The summit is set for Oct. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Helen Wood Hall, located at 255 Crittenden Blvd. in Rochester. The cost for the summit is $75, or $55 per person for groups of four or more. 5.5 contact hours and lunch will be provided.

To register, visit www.son.rochester.edu/r/DNP-Summit or call 585-275-0446. 

Media Contact

Contact the Communications Office with media inquiries related to the University of Rochester School of Nursing.

Scroll to top of page