ASSESSING READINESS TO OFFER NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS
Assessing Readiness to Offer New Degree Programs is a supplemental campus-based
document that will
a) Inform the academic program development process and
b) Illustrate the unit’s readiness to offer the proposed degree program.
The proposing unit is expected to
a) Submit the assessing readiness document with the proposed program’s planning
document and
b) Update the assessing readiness document as unit conditions change for submission
with the proposed program’s request to establish.
Part One: Assessing Need for the Program
Need for the Program
●
Provide detailed information regarding linkages to the university mission, vision, and strategic
plan, and the impact of the proposed program on other unit programs.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree integrates and fulfills many elements of the
university mission, vision and strategic plan. ECU’s mission to serve as a national model for
public service and regional transformation provides a perfect framework for the proposed DNP
program. DNP graduates will be prepared to successfully serve a multicultural society, work in
clinical leadership roles, invest in a sustainable future in NC by translating research into
healthcare practice, transform health and healthcare, and improve the quality of life of the aged
and chronically impaired. ECU’s vision that “Tomorrow Starts Here” requires innovative thinking
and the DNP program is the future for advanced practice nurse preparation. The Strategic Plan
of ECU, ECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadership and Service, outlines “Health, Health Care, and
Medical Innovation” as a major strategic direction of the university (http://www.ecu.edu/csadmin/mktg/ecu_tomorrow/our_strategic_directionions.cfm). It notes that ECU will save lives,
cure diseases, and positively transform the quality of health care for the region and state. With
the addition of this program the ECU College of Nursing (CON) will be at the forefront, offering
the finest educational preparation for nurses who will serve our community, state and nation.
If the ECU CON is to meet the strategic objectives of ECU, it must offer educational programs
that are on the cutting edge of innovation. The DNP represents the evolutionary transition of
current master’s degree programs for nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse
specialists, and nurse midwives. To maintain its position of leadership in nursing in the state,
ECU CON must offer the full range of educational advancement programs for nurses.
Implementation of a DNP option will strengthen our academic program in health and health
sciences. It will enhance the ability of the CON to remain responsive to a changing health
environment and work more collaboratively with parallel programs in medicine, allied health,
dentistry and public health.
●
What is the societal need for the proposed program? Project the current and future
need for graduates with this degree at the regional, state, and national levels.
Recent trends in health care reform and the increased prevalence of an older, more culturally
diverse population has resulted in a need for practitioners that are skilled in treating chronic
illnesses and addressing health disparities. Recently passed healthcare reform legislation is
expected to expand access to care for millions of Americans. This, coupled with an aging and
multicultural society, will place intense pressure on the health care system. An increase in
1
advanced practice nurses is a strategic imperative that is a part of health care reform legislation.
Currently, nurses can achieve certification as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse
anesthetist or nurse midwife with only a master’s degree. However, recognizing the increased
complexity of delivering care in the future, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
(AACN, 2004) has recommended doctoral level education rather than master’s preparation for
these nurses. Future nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and
midwives will need this advanced level of preparation for certification. Current practitioners are
also interested in pursuing this degree because it enhances their skill in providing evidencebased care to a diverse population in a cost effective manner. It also will expand their
knowledge in health policy, which will allow them to be better advocates for their patients.
There are approximately 158,348 nurse practitioners in the United States (National Sample
Survey of Registered Nurses, 2008). These nurse practitioners will have a need for further
educational preparation in order to meet this new requirement. There are approximately 6,600
advanced practice nurses in North Carolina, of whom approximately 3,600 are nurse
practitioners (Lowery, 2010). At ECU CON there currently are approximately 150 master’s level
students being prepared as nurse practitioners. These students will be affected immediately by
this new requirement.
●
What are the expected enrollment patterns for the proposed program over the next five years;
what is the enrollment target within five years of establishment? What evidence is there that
the proposed program and this unit can attract quality students?
Here is the projected DNP enrollment by year:
(A table showing a visual progression of students is available on the following page.)
Year 1 (2013): In fall of Year 1, 20 students will be enrolled in the first year of the post-master’s
(PM) DNP program. During that year there will also be 50 students in the first year and 50 students
in the second year of the traditional MSN program. Thus the total for Year 1 will be 120 students-- of
whom 20 are new PM DNP students. This (2013) is the last year when the College will admit
students to the traditional MSN program in the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP) or
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentrations.
Year 2 (2014): In fall of Year 2 the 20 PM students will move to year 2 of the PM program. We will
admit another cohort of 20 new students to the PM DNP program. In addition we will admit
approximately 40 AGNP and FNP students who graduated the preceding May into the PM DNP
program. Total for the PM program is thus 80, of whom 20 will graduate in December, leaving 60
students in the PM program. The group that was in its first year of the traditional MSN program (50
students) will move up to the second year. In addition, we will accept a new cohort of 50 students to
the post BSN-DNP program. Thus the total number of DNP students for Year 2 in the fall will be 180
students and by the end of the year that number would reduce to 160 net.
Year 3 (2015): In fall of Year 3 the 60 students remaining in the PM program will move to their
second year. We will admit another cohort of 20 new students in the PM DNP program. The 50
students who were in the 2nd year of their traditional program, who would have graduated in the
preceding May, would move to the 1st year of the PM program. Total post-master’s students = 130.
The 50 students who entered the post BSN-DNP curriculum the previous year would move to their
second year. We would accept another cohort of 50 students in the first year of the post-BSN-DNP
curriculum. Thus the total for fall of year 3 would be 230 students and, subtracting the 60
students who would graduate in December, the total would be 170 net students.
2
Year 4 (2016): In fall of Year 4, the 50 students who entered the post BSN-DNP program the
preceding year would move to their 2nd year. The 50 students who were in their second year in Year
3 would move to their third year in the post-BSN-DNP program. We will admit another cohort of 20
new students in the PM DNP program. We would accept another cohort of 50 students in the first
year of the post-BSN-DNP curriculum. In the PM program the 70 students who were in the first
year would move to their 2nd PM year. Thus the total for Year 4 would be 240 net students of whom
70 would graduate after one semester leaving a net total of 170 students.
Year 5 (2017): In Year 5, the 50 students who completed their 3rd year of the post BSN-DNP
program would need an additional ½ year to complete the DNP program. The 50 students in their
2nd year of the post BSN-DNP program would move to their 3rd year. The 50 students in their 1st
year of the post BSN-DNP program would move to their 2nd year. The 20 students accepted in year
4 to the post-master’s program would move to their second year and would graduate in December of
Year 5.
We would accept an additional 50 students in the 1st year of the post BSN-DNP program. We will
admit another cohort of 20 new students to the PM DNP program. Total number of students for year
5 would be 240, of whom 70 would graduate in December, leaving a total of 170 net students for the
remaining part of year 5. The PM program will continue to admit 20 students per year and would be
expanded if additional resources were obtained.
Enrollments and progression in BSN-DNP and post-master’s DNP program, by year
Year
PM DNP
Post-BSN-DNP
Year 1 (2013)
20
0
MSN
2nd yr
50
Year 2 (2014)
20 + *20+
40=8060
(*20 grad.
In Dec)
*60 + 20
+50
=13070
(*60 grad.
In fall)
*70 +
20=9020
* 70 grad.
In Dec.
20 +*
20=4020
(*20 grad.
In Dec.)
50
50
360
450
Year 3 (2014)
Year 4 (2015)
Year 5 (2016)
Total Students
MSN 1st Yr Total
50 (last
admission
into tradit.
MSN)
120
180160
50 + 50=100
230170
50+50+50=150
0
50+50+50+*50=200150
(*50 grad. Dec.)
200170
240170
100
50
970
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There is ample indication that the proposed program will attract quality students. The demand for
the College of Nursing master’s program is very strong, as online programs provide educational
access for many who otherwise would be unable to pursue graduate study. The FNP and AGNP
concentrations, for example, have many more highly qualified applicants than can be accepted for
each class cohort. This past year there were 219 qualified applicants for 50 slots. Fifty students
were accepted, but the college was forced to reject the applications of another 179 students, many
of whom were extremely strong and well-qualified. To date, one student studying at ECU withdrew
from the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration to enroll in a DNP program. The College receives
weekly inquiries regarding the DNP degree at ECU from nurse practitioners seeking the clinical
doctorate.
Demand also is strong for the PhD in nursing program. Currently there are 26 PhD students in the
program, which is the targeted enrollment goal for that program.
There is evidence that demand for the DNP program is strong as well. In April 2012 the College
surveyed all its alumni who graduated since 1972 and for whom email addresses were available.
They were asked to indicate their level of interest in the DNP, ranging from “none” to “significant.”
There were 619 respondents, of whom 190 (31%) indicated a “significant” interest and 139 (23%)
indicated a “moderate” interest.
The College also surveyed its currently-enrolled baccalaureate students and master’s students.
There are currently 544 master’s students of whom 271 responded to the survey. Of these, 105
(39%) indicated a “significant” interest and 79 (29%) indicated a “moderate” interest in the DNP.
Similar results were obtained from the currently-enrolled baccalaureate students. There are
currently 666 students at that level of whom 265 responded to the survey. Of these, 111 (41%)
indicated a “significant” interest and 79 (29%) indicated a “moderate” interest in the DNP.
Comparison to Similar Programs in Other Universities
●
How common is this type of program nationally and what about the proposed program
would enable it to particularly stand out from the others? What would it take to
become a nationally recognized program in this area?
DNP programs are developing at a very rapid pace throughout the country. According to the
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), there are 182 DNP programs currently
enrolling students and an additional 131 programs in the planning stages. There are now programs
available in 37 states plus the District of Columbia. There are two private schools in NC offering the
DNP: Duke University and Gardner-Webb. There are currently four states bordering NC that offer
the DNP program. These states and the number of DNP programs offered per state include:
Virginia (5), Tennessee (3), South Carolina (2), and Georgia (2).
Two elements make the DNP program at ECU CON distinctive. They are the strong relationship that
the CON enjoys with the military and its emphasis on rural underserved and vulnerable populations.
East Carolina is surrounded by the state’s military bases and the CON has enjoyed a very strong
collaborative relationship with the military for some time. Advanced practice nursing students have
their clinical rotations in military facilities and are precepted by active duty military nurses. Several
faculty at the CON who teach in advanced practice concentrations have had distinguished careers in
the military prior to coming to ECU and they are committed to advancing the care of active duty and
veteran soldiers in the region. In 2010, ECU received the Secretary of Defense Employer Support
Freedom Award, the highest recognition given by the United States government to employers for
their outstanding support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.
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The CON currently is planning a nurse practitioner option in psychiatric/mental health nursing. This
was initiated because of the large number of military personnel returning from deployment with posttraumatic stress syndrome and other deployment-related health issues. These soldiers, as well as
their families, need psychiatric intervention, but psychiatric care in eastern North Carolina is very
limited. The option is being developed with the active support of leaders at the military bases and at
the corporate level in Washington, D.C.
The DNP emphasis on rural underserved and vulnerable populations also will make this program
distinctive. The eastern part of North Carolina particularly lends itself to a program of this type
because of very high poverty rates, high morbidity and mortality of the population, and strong
minority presence. The online nature of the program allows advanced practice nurses who are DNP
students to remain in their communities while engaged in the program of study. This, in turn, means
that their services to their communities are not lost during the time when they are engaged in the
program. The need for additional skilled practitioners in eastern NC is great and the proposed
program will help meet this need.
Accreditation Standards
●
Are there accreditation standards or requirements that will affect this program? Is so, describe
in detail how the proposed program will meet those standards or requirements.
The College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE),
an independent accrediting body of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The
CCNE accredits DNP programs as well as baccalaureate and masters’ programs. AACN has
established core knowledge and competencies required for each level of nursing curricula. They
published Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (2006).These “essentials”
comprise the concepts that must be included in a DNP program and, thus, constitute standards for
accreditation. CCNE specifies that a DNP program must have students enrolled for a one year
period before applying for accreditation. The planning committee has been cognizant of the
Essentials during preparation of this document and has developed the proposed curriculum to be in
concert with the Essentials. A consultant who is the director of a DNP program that is currently
accredited by CCNE has been identified to review the proposed plan.
Ranking among the nation’s top 20 distance education master’s or doctoral nursing programs in
2012 (http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/rankings112.cfm ), the ECU CON will continue to use
innovative technology to provide an evidence-based curriculum by using a combination of
synchronous and asynchronous formats to meet program objectives. The Essentials of Doctoral
Education for Advanced Nursing Practice
(http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/DNPEssentials.pdf ) and the Practice Doctorate
Nurse Practitioner Entry-Level Competencies
(http://www.nonpf.org/associations/10789/files/DNP%20NP%20competenciesApril2006.pdf ) provide
the theoretical and pedagogical foundations for evaluative outcomes and to ensure that graduates
meet licensure, certification and practice requirements. Nationally certified faculty with
demonstrated scholarship and content expertise will provide oversight and mentorship in the
assimilation and translation research and leadership in the delivery of advanced practice nursing in
diverse and complex health systems.
ECU College of Nursing was named a Center of Excellence for 2011-2015 by the National League
for Nursing in recognition of its outstanding achievements in student learning and professional
development. Only nineteen schools in the nation currently hold this designation and ECU CON is a
repeat designee, having first won the designation in 2008.
5
Since 2004, the National League for Nursing has invited nursing schools and colleges to apply for
this designation based on their ability to demonstrate sustained excellence in faculty development,
nursing education research, or student learning and professional development. Schools must show
a commitment to continuous quality improvement. The award to ECU CON was made in recognition
of the College of Nursing’s creation of student-centered learning environments that demonstrate
excellence in nursing education.
Part Two: Assessing Readiness of Current Faculty
●
Complete the Faculty Information Sheet (attached, with instructions for downloading
from Sedona) for each individual who will serve as a core faculty member, actively
involved in delivering the proposed program.
The Faculty Information Sheets are included with this document.
●
Provide a summary of faculty readiness in the unit to include the cumulative totals of
the following:
Faculty members of the College are well qualified to prepare and implement the DNP program.
Fourteen faculty members have assisted in the preparation of this document and will comprise
the core faculty for the proposed DNP program. All are prepared at the doctoral level and they
include 7 Professors, 5 Associate Professors, and 2 Clinical Assistant Professors.








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



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Dr. Sylvia Brown, professor and dean, College of Nursing
Dr. Bobby Lowery, clinical associate professor and director, FNP/AGNP concentration
Dr. Rebecca Benfield, nurse midwife, associate professor, and clinical researcher in
pain and uterine contractility
Dr. Garris Conner, associate professor and director, neonatal nurse practitioner
concentration
Dr. Elizabeth Jesse, nurse midwife, professor and clinical researcher in maternal
depression
Dr. Linda Mayne, associate professor
Dr. Jana Pressler, professor and associate dean for graduate programs
Dr. Elaine Scott, associate professor and director of the East Carolina Center for
Nursing Leadership
Dr. Susan Williams, associate professor and director, clinical nurse specialist
concentration
Dr. Martha Engelke, professor and associate dean for research and scholarship and
Richard R. Eakin Distinguished Professor of Nursing
Dr. Maura McAuliffe, professor and director of the nurse anesthesia concentration
Dr. Mary Ann Rose, professor, chair of the Department of Graduate Nursing Science
Dr. Carol Winters, professor and director of the nursing education concentration
Dr. Carol Ann King, clinical assistant professor, FNP/AGNP concentration
All of the above faculty members have directed either theses in master’s programs, served on
committees or directed PhD dissertations with the exception of four individuals. The exceptions
are Drs. Benfield, Williams, Lowery, and King. Dr. Lowery is an expert on health policy related
to advanced practice nursing and is well recognized throughout the state for his health policy
work with the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) and Nurse Practitioner organizations.
He completed the PhD degree in Nursing in summer 2012 and was awarded the 2011
American Association of Nurse Practitioners State Award for Excellence. Dr. Lowery was
6
recently appointed Chairperson of the FY 2013 Distance Learning Education Committee by the
board of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Dr. Benfield, Dr. King, and Dr. Williams are active advanced practice nurses. They have not
been actively involved with our PhD program; therefore, they have not directed dissertations,
but their clinical expertise is very much needed for the proposed program. The proposed
program does not culminate in a dissertation, but rather an in-depth clinical project. For that
reason their high level of clinical expertise is relevant.
Initially there will be 3 FTE devoted for the post-master’s DNP program. Seven faculty will be
teaching the initial courses. In addition, other faculty will be participating in working with
students in the scholarly capstone courses as they conduct a scholarly project. As the
enrollment expands to include BSN-to-DNP students the FTE will grow to nine FTE in year 5.
Although the UNC funding formula generates more positions for a program of this size, the ECU
CON faculty recognize that ECU is experiencing challenging economic times and therefore will
manage to offer the program with only two additional faculty lines that have been committed by
the vice chancellor for health sciences. There are 47 faculty who teach one or more courses in
the current MSN curriculum. The CON currently has twenty-seven advanced practice nurses on
faculty who are engaged in teaching the current MSN students in the advanced practice
specialties and/or are engaged in clinical practice. The following faculty are advanced practice
nurses: Bagley, Lowery, McAuliffe, Adams, Bolin, Brinsko, Dewees, Edge, Fell, Feyh, Green,
Harrington, Haynes, Jesse, Jnah, A. King, P.King, Kosko, Lancaster, Mallette, Powell, Reardon,
Reis, Robinson, Skipper, Spain, and Tillman. Five faculty members have recently obtained the
DNP degree (Drs. Woody, Sigmon, Powell, Harrington, and P. King) and two additional faculty
are currently pursuing the DNP degree (Bagley and Skipper). The DNP-prepared faculty will be
mentored by CON senior faculty to prepare them for teaching in the DNP program. The CON
has 42 faculty members with graduate faculty status, with additional faculty to be added
requesting graduate faculty status in fall 2012. All of these faculty will be engaged in working
with students as they progress to the capstone projects and will assist in teaching BSN-to-DNP
students throughout the curriculum.
 Number of scholarly and professional activities related to proposed degree (with
emphasis on the past 5 years)
The tenured and tenure track faculty in the ECU College of Nursing engage in scholarly activity
related to their area of expertise. Over the past 5 years, there have been approximately 35-40
faculty members who are either tenured or on tenure track. In an academic year they produced
35-40 refereed journal articles, 1-3 books or monographs and 10-20 chapters in books. The
number of refereed presentations at national/international meetings is affected by the amount of
travel money available and ranges from 50-100 conference presentations per year.
Dr. Martha Alligood, a member of the CON Graduate Faculty wrote Nursing Theorists and Their
Work, a book that is widely used throughout the United States. It is a required text for CON
graduate students in their core course on nursing theories. Several faculty members of the CON
have contributed chapters to this text and it has been translated into several languages as well.
The CON is a leader in the field of simulation and the director of the simulation programs, Dr.
Laura Gantt, has published approximately eight papers on this topic in refereed journals. She
has collaborated with students and other faculty at ECU and at other institutions.
The CON is headquarters for the National Association of Bariatric Nurses. The bariatric
research group in the CON has published approximately twenty papers on the care of bariatric
7
patients and is well qualified to spearhead the work with DNP students in caring for morbidly
obese patient populations.
 Number of publications related to proposed degree
The publications of the faculty have not at this point been related to the DNP degree, but they
have reflected the clinical, educational, and leadership ability of the faculty, skills that are highly
relevant to establishing a DNP program.
 Number of grants & contracts submitted and awarded related to proposed
degree
The CON does not have grants to support the DNP degree at this time, but has had significant
support in the past to support advanced practice nursing students, particularly the FNP, ANP,
and Midwifery concentrations. In the past 5 years, the CON has received funding from the
Advanced Education in Nursing Program (AEN) administered by the Division of Nursing within
the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Funding from this source is over
$1 million. In addition, the College also has received Advanced Education Nurse Traineeships
(AENT) funds from HRSA every year in the amount of $100,000-125,000. These funds are
given directly to students to support their tuition, fees and other expenses. Students in the DNP
program will be eligible for these funds once the curriculum is approved.

Invited research presentations outside ECU
Although several faculty members have been invited to give presentations of their work, the
CON faculty has not made invited presentations related to the DNP degree.

Patents/disclosures/copyrights

Participation in scholarly collaborations with other universities,
laboratories, & centers.
None
The CON provided scholarship assistance to the Faculté des Sciences Infirmières de
l’Université Episcopale d’Haïti in Léogâne (FSIL) School of Nursing in Haiti during the 2009-10
academic year following the disaster in that country.
The CON participates in the Community Based Education Advisory Group, which addresses
clinical placement of interdisciplinary students in the North Carolina Area Health Education
Center system.
AGNP/FNP concentrations developed a partnership with Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center to conduct student evaluations through the Office of Standardized Clinical
Evaluations (OSCE) in the central/western part of the state at their site.
Ongoing relationships and collaboration are maintained with hospitals in Vidant Health.

Service on related national/international boards or committees
Several ECU CON faculty members serve on boards or in national leadership positions related
to their specialty. For example, Dr. Ann Schreier is President of the American Society of Pain
Management in Nursing. Dr. Mary Ann Rose is President-Elect of the National Association of
8
Bariatric Nurses. Dr. Elaine Scott is President-Elect of the Council on Graduate Education for
Administration in Nursing. Three faculty members have served as site visitors for accreditation
visits. They include Dr. Frances Eason, Dr. Carol Winters, and Dr. Mollie Tripp Powell. Dr.
Lowery was recently appointed as Chairperson of the FY 2013 Distance Learning Education
Committee for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Several faculty members have
attended yearly AACN national meetings on the DNP program, and they have shared emerging
trends and policies with other faculty.
Part Three: Assessing Adequacy of Instructional/Research Facilities and Personnel to Support the
Program
Instructional and Research Facilities

Describe existing space and specialized equipment to be devoted to the
proposed program within the context of the space and equipment currently
assigned to the unit/s.
The ECU CON is located in an 84,000 square foot facility that was opened in 2006. The stateof-the-art facility is complete with eight concept integration laboratories hosting multiple levels of
simulation technology, 12 classrooms equipped with SMART Classroom Technology, 124
offices, and indoor access to the adjoining 63,000 square foot Laupus Health Sciences Library.
Classrooms vary in shape and configuration, with several spaces, including all labs, utilizing
free standing furniture which may be configured according to instructional needs. All faculty and
staff members are provided office space, desktop computers which are replaced on a threeyear cycle and loaded with the most current versions of MS Office, and other software as
needed by each individual such as SPSS, Nvivo, Adobe Creative Suite and others. Additional
web access to a comprehensive list of software titles is available through the ECU Onestop IT
system.
The CON has adequate facilities to accommodate the needs of the proposed program. The
DNP program will be conducted online; therefore, space for classrooms and other activities will
be limited. When the program transitions to the BSN-to-DNP, the specialty courses require a
limited number of on-campus experiences for clinical skill development which is accommodated
in our current concept integration labs. Office space is available for any new faculty hires.
The faculty and CON IT team have developed the Virtual Community Clinic Learning
Environment (VCCLE) as an online virtual reality trainer which is designed to develop
competency-based critical thinking skills in nursing students. The VCCLE is a web-based,
asynchronous, immersive clinic environment into which nursing students enter to meet and
interact with instructor-controlled virtual patient and preceptor avatars. In the VCCLE, with
virtual preceptor guidance, students interview patients and move through a classic diagnostic
sequence to arrive at a diagnosis, impression, and plan of care for each patient. The VCCLE
has proven to be an excellent, innovative resource for advanced practice nurse students thus
far, in both distance education programs and training for practicing in other cultures and
regions. Since it is asynchronous, distance education students are able to work their cases
when convenient for their schedule. Also, while traditional clinical training is limited to a specific
location with patients and pathologies typical to that local environment, the VCCLE enables
instructors to transcend physical practice boundaries and present students with culturally and
ethnically diverse patients and patient cases expressing conditions endemic to a specific
environment. The virtual clinic is a valuable augmentation of the on-site training that occurs in
the practice setting.
9

How will assignment of this space to the proposed program impact existing
programs?
There will be minimal impact since the program is offered online with minimal campus
requirements.

Describe additional facilities or specialized equipment that would be needed
over the next five years.
No specialized equipment will be needed for the proposed program.

Describe current holdings in library resources in the proposed program and
projected library resources needed to support the proposed program.
The Laupus Health Sciences Library (HSL) is a high quality comprehensive health sciences
library serving the Division of Health Sciences at East Carolina University and is housed in the
same building as the College of Nursing. The Library occupies 72,000 square feet and
welcomed 144,000 patrons through its doors in fiscal year 2011-12. The HSL makes a great
effort to reach out to patrons in online courses. Distance Education services include email, chat
and phone reference assistance, online databases and full-text journals access, web-based
instructional tutorials, and Document Delivery services where materials are sent online or in the
postal mail to students at a distance.
A full-time HSL librarian prepared at the master’s level is assigned as liaison to the College of
Nursing. This librarian has a command of the nursing literature and serves as a resource for
faculty and students in the College. Although not a nursing faculty member, the liaison is
embedded in the College processes. For example, the liaison attends nursing faculty
organization meetings and the general student orientation sessions at both graduate and
undergraduate levels. In addition, the liaison provides a rather extensive orientation to online
education for DE graduate students.
Last academic year, the CON library liaison assisted faculty with the development of an online
orientation program which is now required of every student enrolling in the graduate program. It
teaches needed skills such as how to do online searches of the data bases, how to avoid
plagiarism, how to navigate Blackboard, etc. Students are required to take the tutorial course
prior to being allowed to open Blackboard for the first course.
The liaison also is available for special faculty sessions; upon our request the liaison gave a
presentation for the Graduate Nursing Sciences Department on the recent changes in APA
format and one on copyright law. The liaison often comes to individual nursing faculty offices
for one-on-one consultation and is often asked to assist with setting up online literature alerts or
other types of searches.
Nursing resources are a core part of the HSL collections. The Library subscribes to major
databases such as Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL),
Proquest Nursing and Allied Health Source, Nursing and Allied Health Collection:
Comprehensive, and Mosby’s Nursing Consult. It carries publisher journal packages and
historical backfiles from the likes of LWW, Mary Ann Liebert, Science Direct and WileyBlackwell which are heavy with nursing research. Laupus also licenses the skills-based
resource Mosby’s Nursing Skills, and RefWorks, which allows students to organize and format
references and research papers. The library supplies access to more than 95,900 full text
electronic journal titles; has a current circulating print and e-book collection of 319,200 titles,
10
3,831 fall within the nursing call number range and 21electronic resources available on or offcampus with nursing-specific information. The present library holdings for the proposed
program will be excellent support for both instructional and research needs of this program.

Describe the adequacy of unit computer resources. If additional resources are
needed, give a brief explanation and an estimate for the cost of acquisition.
Include classroom, laboratory, and other facilities that are not currently used in
the capacity being requested. (Collaborate with ITCS to determine feasibility of
adding these resources, particularly in the areas of mainframe computer usage,
networking requirements, statistical services, network connections, and
student computer labs.)
The ECU CON has a strong, internal technology team to support its DE activities. The college’s
technology team is composed of experienced IT professionals with a wide range of training and
expertise. They provide immediate support for all the college’s DE activities. This support
includes instructional technology consulting for DE course development/delivery, and training
on/assistance with a wide array of available DE technical tools. The university also provides DE
instructors with many excellent technical resources, such as Blackboard, Centra, Mediasite, etc.
The college’s IT team manages those resources at the unit level, offering training workshops
and personal assistance to instructors. The ECU CON IT team also provides
hardware/software troubleshooting, repair and configuration for instructor workstations and
mobile devices.
One-time expenses for years one through four total $58,500. These expenses will include the
cost of equipment and technology used to start and maintain the program. A virtual server will
be requested through ITCS funds in year two which costs $6000. The CON has consistently
received funding through ITCS to support technology initiatives. In addition, students pay an
additional clinical fee of $125 each semester when enrolled in clinical courses. Equipment used
to support clinical training and online services are supported through these fees.

Provide e-mail verification of consultation with Office of Space Management
about the feasibility of new or additional space needs for the proposed program
E-mail verification is attached.
Personnel

What additional personnel would be needed to make the proposed program
successful for growth and development over a five-year period?
Existing faculty are well-qualified to begin the program. In addition to the doctorally-prepared and
clinically competent advanced practice nurse faculty, there are seven current faculty members
who either hold the DNP degree or are enrolled currently in DNP programs in other Universities.
Although more faculty positions are generated by the funding formula, the College is sensitive to
the current economic situation in both the state of North Carolina and the nation. The original
plan was to begin the program as a post-master’s offering and to request additional faculty.
Recognizing that this is not possible at this time, the faculty have changed the plan in order to
begin the program with a small post-master’s DNP program with transition to a BSN-to-DNP
program. This could be done with current faculty resources plus the support that has been
pledged from ECU by the vice chancellor of health sciences (Attachment A). There is no need
for post-doc or research tech support at this time. The CON recruited this past year a new
associate dean for graduate programs who served previously as the director of a DNP program.
11
This will provide experienced supervision and oversight for the program in concert with the
current FNP/AGNP director. It is anticipated that at the end of year five, six to eight additional
faculty will be needed to support the projected enrollment. The proposed tuition surcharge will
assist in financing this growth should enrollment growth dollars be unavailable.

What will be needed to recruit such individuals and what is the recruitment
market like?
Although the CON has not experienced major problems in faculty recruitment, in general the
recruiting market is fairly tight for nursing faculty. This can be attributed to the economic
downturn which has limited the ability of faculty throughout the country to sell houses and
relocate. The CON has been able, however, to recruit very well-qualified faculty for the few
vacant positions that have been open in recent years. The online nature of CON graduate
programs allows faculty to live at a distance and travel to campus less frequently. Technologies
such as Skype and Centra are used liberally in the CON. Faculty can engage in synchronous
chat and communicate readily with one another even when they are at distant locations around
the state.
Part Four: Assessing Financial Resources to Support the Program
 Describe existing financial resources to be devoted to the proposed program.
The CON has extensive technological equipment as well as programming and technical
assistance. The CON has eight teaching labs in addition to classroom facilities. All of these will
be available to be utilized by DNP students. The faculty who teach in the advanced practice
areas participate in a practice plan, which generates income to support professional
development and travel for faculty to assist maintaining the required continuing education
needed to maintain certification. Adequate administrative support will be assured to provide
support for the proposed program through existing resources.
 Describe what additional financial resources would be needed over the next five years
and their proposed sources of funding.
The program planners recognize that enrollment increase funds are not likely to be available.
Because of the high priority of this program ECU is willing to commit some resources to its
implementation. Among those resources is funding generated by our clinical faculty who do
clinical practice out in the field and generate revenue that comes back to the CON through an
established practice plan.
As the faculty members are awaiting permission to implement the program they will begin
preparation of grants to Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and other
relevant federal and state agencies requesting additional funding. Such grants may be submitted
when the program has received approval. Such funding can be used to subsidize faculty
salaries and to support faculty and doctoral student travel to professional meetings. Funds would
be requested in addition to enhance minority recruitment for the program, develop additional
practice sites in rural eastern North Carolina, and enhance the cultural competency of the
faculty. The CON has been successful in generating such grants in the past for the advanced
practice master’s programs and anticipates that this program would be attractive to such funding
agencies in the future as well. In addition, the CON traditionally receives approximately
$120,000 per year in traineeship funds from HRSA for master’s and doctoral students;
approximately one-third ($40,000) will be made available to help support students in this
program.
12
The last resort if funding is not received in the manner mentioned above would be to decrease
the enrollment in the program or reallocate resources from other program areas to ensure
appropriate implementation and sustainability.
The CON currently has faculty members who are qualified to teach in the DNP program. There
would be a need for 2 additional faculty members to support this program and these positions
have been pledged by the health sciences division within the university. Recurring operational
expenses will total $132,500 for years one through four and will include $63,000 in faculty
development and travel; $8,500 in supplies; $20,000 for contract services such as outside
clinical service fees, evaluation fees in year 2, lab fees, and certification fees; $41,000 for faculty
recruitment, marketing, and advertising. These expenses will also be paid for through
reallocation of existing resources, clinical fees from students, the faculty practice plan, proposed
tuition surcharge.
One-time expenses for years one through four total $73,500. These expenses will include the
cost of equipment and technology used to start and maintain the program. $6,000 of this will be
earmarked for a virtual server that will be requested in year 2.
The CON is requesting a tuition surcharge of $100/credit hour for all resident and non-resident
MSN students to be effective in the 2013-14 school year. Students who are currently enrolled in
the MSN program would not be affected this year but would incur the charge beginning in 2013.
We do not anticipate that this will result in a significant decline in enrollment. In order to maintain
consistency with other graduate programs at the university, such as the MBA and MSA
programs, the college would prefer to request the increase on a per credit hour basis. We also
request that the DNP credit hours have a tuition surcharge of $100/credit hour.
The tuition for MSN students at ECU is the least expensive in the state supported schools. As a
comparison, the UNC Board of Governors approved a tuition increase for FY 2012-13 of $3,257
for UNC-Chapel Hill’s MSN tuition (from $7,877 in 2011-12 to $11, 134 in 2012-13). The current
tuition and fees for MSN students at ECU is $2,786.50. The proposed surcharge would increase
tuition by $2600 for the first year (fall, spring and summer) for year one of the post-master’s DNP
program for a student enrolled full-time.
Between fall 2010 and summer 2011, there were 236 master’s level courses with a total of 8,137
generated credit hours. If the increase were approved, this would generate approximately
$813,700 in additional revenue for the CON. Typically 20% - 40% of this revenue is allocated to
student financial aid, which would leave a net gain to the CON of $488,220 - $650,960.
The additional revenue will be used to support need-based financial aid and recoup some of the
costs of offering graduate clinical programs such as clinical site placements, meeting clinical
agency requirements for safety and legal compliance, maintaining a high fidelity simulated
learning laboratory, and recruiting and retaining faculty to teach in graduate clinical programs.
The tuition surcharge would fund five to six faculty FTE, as well as provide additional funding for
DNP students.

What new financial resources will come to the university based on the projected
increase in enrollment?
Based on the funding model, ECU should receive additional faculty positions, although this is not
feasible due to current economic conditions. Increased student credit hour production will be
generated from the DNP program. The faculty will make an effort to manage the DNP program
with current resources. Additional funding may come in the form of research grants and
traineeships as well as grants from foundations or other sources.
13

Will the program students contribute to the financing of the program through
teaching, research, and clinical practice?
Since the program will be delivered online the students will most likely be at considerable
distance from the university. Teaching assistantships are not generally attractive to the current
online graduate students, most of who are employed on a full-time basis. It is therefore unlikely
that teaching assistantships will be attractive to the majority of DNP students. These students will
contribute to the research mission of the CON through their development and publication of
evidence-based projects and policy papers. They also may be included on research, training, and
service grant proposals prepared by faculty and thus augment the research mission and
scholarship mission of the CON.

What are your plans for the program if the financial resources anticipated for the
program (enrollment, external support, etc.) are 25% lower and 50% lower than
expected?
If the program were lowered by 25% and 50%, respectively, the number of students and
support personnel would be lowered by that percentage. The chart below demonstrates this
reduction:
With 25% Reduction
Net Revenue
Number
of Instr
Faculty
Students
Enrolled
20
$102,492.09
3
15
78
$879,317.45
6
131
$1,711,236.81
121
151
Students
Enrolled
Year
1
Year
2
Year
3
Year
4
Year
5
With 50% Reduction
Number
of Instr
Faculty
Students
Enrolled
$41,381.97
3
10
$31,771.84
2
58
$584,390.31
5
39
$314,684.53
4
9
99
$1,256,932.0
2
5
66
$782,805.22
5
$1,876,420.34
9
91
$1,371,659.5
0
5
61
$866,898.65
5
$1,657,878.07
9
116
$1,120,180.6
3
6
77
$655,964.84
6
Net
Revenue
Net
Revenue
Number
of Instr
Faculty
Part Five: Assessing External Support and Collaboration
 List active grants/contracts specifically related to the proposed program.
The CON does not have grant support specifically related to the DNP program. Sources of support
for other programs strongly related to advanced nursing practice include the traineeship funds from
HRSA for master’s and doctoral students. We traditionally receive approximately $120,000 per year
in traineeship funds. Approximately one-third ($40,000) will be made available to support students
in the proposed program.
 Describe existing collaborative efforts related to the proposed program with community or
state agencies, other institutions of higher education, federal laboratories or agencies,
national centers, or other external organizations.
14
Recognizing the value of collaboration in the development of the DNP, the College of Nursing has
discussed with faculty and administrators from UNC-Wilmington, Fayetteville State University, and
UNC-Pembroke the possibility of developing collaborative relationships that would benefit all parties.
UNC Wilmington and ECU have a Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment B) concerning the
intent to collaborate with one another. Within the context of this MOU we have agreed to continue
our efforts toward a collaborative arrangement. Although ECU does not have an MOU with
Fayetteville State University we have agreed to continue our conversation and possibly develop
mutually beneficial collaborations. Although the schools and programs are at varying levels in terms
of degrees offered, we have agreed to continue efforts to find collaborations at the course level.
UNC-Pembroke and the College of Nursing have made definite arrangements to collaborate and a
letter to this effect is attached to this proposal (Attachment C). Although we will continue our
conversations over the coming months our intention is to facilitate admission of 10% of our seats in
either the post-master’s DNP or the BSN-DNP program for their students and/or faculty members.
We also will provide consultation to UNC-Pembroke faculty as they begin to utilize their new
simulation technology and will move to develop collaborative research relationships with our two
faculties. They in turn are developing an MSN program with focus areas in rural case management
and the clinical nurse leader role which may be of substantial interest to some of our graduates and
students. They will also assist in the development of research sites for either DNP students or
faculty, particularly for those who desire an area of diversity. UNC-Pembroke faculty will also have
the opportunity to serve on committees for scholarly projects emanating from the ECU DNP four-part
scholarly practicum.
Extensive collaboration with other disciplines within ECU is anticipated. The CON also has contracts
or educational affiliations with approximately 800 health care agencies, rural hospitals, and other
health care organizations with which it collaborates regularly for education of nursing students at all
levels. These relationships will further the aims of the DNP program. The CON’s relationship with
the military at all levels is excellent and the military bases are used as clinical sites. In addition, the
college attempts to be particularly accommodating to military personnel who become nursing
students. These relationships will only grow stronger with the development of the DNP program.

How do you plan to use external funding to support the proposed program? To what
agencies or programs would proposals be submitted and with what timeframe? What
indications are there that the proposed program addresses significant problems of
stated interest to funding agencies?
The proposed program addresses the significant need for advanced practice nurses who can
provide culturally competent care to a diverse population in a complex health care delivery system,
particularly in rural areas. This need is addressed by The Advanced Education Grant Program (AEN,
Public Health Service Act, Title VIII, Section 8) within the Division of Nursing of the Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The AEN program provides a statutory funding
preference to applicants that meet one of the following criteria: 1) project substantially benefits rural
populations; 2) project substantially benefits underserved populations; and/or 3) project helps meet
public health nursing needs in State or local health departments.
In the past, ECU CON midwifery (3 grants) and FNP (2 grants) concentrations were funded by this
grant program and each grant was over $500,000 (over 3 years). The DNP program will be eligible
for this program, and these funds can be used to support program development and expansion. The
AEN program has funded several nursing schools that have developed DNP programs.
In addition, students in the DNP program will be eligible for the Advanced Education Traineeship
and the Advanced Education Anesthesia Training Grants available through HRSA. These grants are
15
based on enrollment numbers and the ECU CON has received these grants every year to assist
students with tuition and living costs.
Funding cannot be sought from these sources until courses in a program of study are approved by
relevant committees and bodies within the institution. For this reason, it is anticipated that such
funding will be sought initially during the first year of operation after the permission to establish the
program is granted.

How well does the proposed program align with state and national initiatives as stated by
the indicated governmental agencies?
The goal of the AEN program is to educate advanced practice nurses who will provide care in rural
underserved areas to a culturally diverse population. The ECU CON has an excellent track record in
supporting this goal and this goal is congruent with the goal of the DNP proposal.

How well does the proposed program align with state and national initiatives as stated by
the indicated foundations or other non-governmental sources?
The ECU CON has a history of success in obtaining funding from private foundations such as the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation (KBR), the Pitt County
Memorial Hospital Foundation (now Vidant Medical Center Foundation) and Duke Endowment.
These foundations direct their priorities to specific patient populations. After the program is
established, faculty and DNP students will become engaged in evidence-based practice projects that
improve care to specific populations. We will pursue funding from the appropriate agency at that
time.

What kind of university investments will be needed to leverage external support and over
what time period?
The Office of Research and Scholarship (ORS) within the CON has an experienced associate dean
and program assistant who are familiar with grant submission to all aforementioned programs.
Statistical support is also available through the ORS. The ORS works closely with the Office of
Sponsored Programs and Grants Management, another University investment in the process of
gaining support. Finally, the development officer assigned to the CON may be of assistance in
generating private funds to support the program.
16
REFERENCES
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2004). AACN position statement on the practice
doctorate in nursing. www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/DNPpositionstatement.pdf
ECU Tomorrow: A Vision for Leadership and Service. http://www.ecu.edu/csadmin/mktg/ecu_tomorrow/our_strategic_directions.cfm
Graduate Programs in Nursing and Business Named Among Best in Nation. (2012).
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/rankings112.cfm
Lowery, B. (2010). Personal communication.
National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. (2010). Health Resources Services Administration.
Retrieved from http://www.acnpweb.org/files/public/HRSA_2008_Initial_RN_National_Survey.pdf
Practice Doctorate Nurse Practitioners Entry-Level Competencies (2006).
http://www.nonpf.org/associations/10789/files/DNP%20NP%20competenciesApril2006.pdf
2012 Data on Doctoral Programs. (2012) Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/dnp
17
Faculty Information Sheet
Provide a sheet for each faculty member who will be actively engaged in delivering the proposed
program. To facilitate this process, the APD Faculty Information Template is available on the
Sedona website. The report should be downloaded, saved as a MSWord file, and revised to include
additional information requested below. (The publications query for the template is set for a fiveyear period. To extend that parameter, or for other Sedona questions, please contact Dr. Michael
Poteat.)
Faculty information sheets are to be updated at each step of the program planning process.
Name:
1.
Rank
2.
Degrees
3. Teaching Experience related to proposed degree (with emphasis on the past five years)
a. Overall nature of workload assignments
(%teaching/%research/%service/administration/clinical practice)
b.
Courses
c.
Graduate student supervisory experience (theses/dissertations)
4. Scholarly & Professional Activities related to proposed degree (with emphasis on the past five
years)
a.
Publications/Scholarly Activity related to proposed degree
b. Status of Grants & Contracts submitted related to proposed degree (including agency
names, years of funding, collaborative partners)
c.
Invited research presentations outside ECU
d. Patents/disclosures/copyrights
e. Participation in scholarly collaborations with other universities, laboratories, & centers
f. Service on related state/national/international boards or committees
5.
Other
18