SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIAN UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Doctorate of Nursing Practice Curriculum Committee Meeting
DATE: August 28, 2013
TIME: 2:00 PM
PLACE: Wholly Ground Coffee Shop, Walker, LA
MEMBERS PRESENT: Janet Jones, Susan Pryor, Donna Hathorn, Luanne Billingsley
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
AGENDA ITEM
I.Call to order
II.Approval of Minutes
III.Old Business
ACTION/DISCUSSION
I.Call to order at 2:05 PM by
J.Jones also serving as
designated recorder
II.Minutes of April 25, 2013 &
May 6, 2013
III. DNP Curriculum Crosswalk to
DNP Essentials completed May
6, 2013 & incorporated into the
DNP Self-Study. Following
recommendations emerged from
the crosswalk:
3.1 Add the following DNP
Essentials to the respective
SLU course syllabi
a.N800 Add DNP Essential VII
b.N802 Add DNP Essentials I,
IV, and VIII
c.N804 Add DNP Essential
VIII
d.808 Add DNP Essentials II,
III, V, and VII
3.2 Change Course Outcomes to
Course Objectives for N803,
N804, N806, N821, N822, &
N823 for consistency in Syllabus
presentation.
PLAN
Approved with no revisions
unanimously.
3.1 Luanne Billingsley stated
these changes have been made
and are in the proper approval
process. The group unanimously
agreed to the changes.
3.2 Luanne Billingsley stated
these changes have been made
and are in the proper approval
process. The group unanimously
agreed to the changes.
Discussion that these curriculum
changes need to progress
through SLU Graduate
Curriculum Committee that
reports to Graduate Faculty.
Luanne shared that the term
Graduate Faculty will be used in
the future for the Masters’ and
DNP faculty. Donna mentioned
that changes may be needed in
the Bylaws as overseen by the
Faculty Affairs Committee. To be
addressed at the next Graduate
Faculty Committee on Tues.
Sept. 3rd ar 3:30 PM.
IV. New Business
4.1 Graduate Coordinator & DNP
Coordinator Recommended
Syllabus Changes. These
coordinators met and made the
following recommendations for
the DNP Syllabi:
a.NURS809 Advance Directed
Studies – does not currently list
practicum hours as is and does
not provide flexibility for
students to add practicum hours
as needed. Recommend to read
1 – 6 credit hours and 60 – 360
residency hours. May take
course twice.
Luanne explained that NURS809
provides an option for students
to obtain the necessary
practicum hours to complete the
DNP which is recommended at
1,000 hrs. Some students who
completed a NP program may
come with a high number of
hours and can achieve the
supplementary hours through
residency. Other students, such
as nurse executive students may
have a deficit of hours and may
enter with only 120 hrs.
Therefore there is a need to
supplement those hours. Other
students may have delays
related to their project which
will demand additional hours.
The current description of N809
does not allow for this flexibility.
UL has already made this
adjustment. The
recommendation is for NURS
809 Advance Directed Studies to
read 1 – 6 credit hours and 60 –
360 residency hours. Students
may take course twice. The ratio
of practicum hours to credit
hours is 60 : 1. The student must
supply objectives and an action
plan to justify the number of
practicum hours to be achieved.
4.1 The group consensus was to
approve the changes in the
description, flexible credit hours
and practicum hours based on
the individual student needs.
The catalogue changes will need
to progress through appropriate
university approval channels.
b. Grading Scale – Another
recommendation was to change
the current DNP syllabi from the
ICMSN grading scale that is in
the syllabi as follows:
A =
92.5 - 100
B =
84.5 – 92.49
C =
76.5 – 84.49
D =
68.5 – 76.49
F =
0 – 68.49
to grading scale used by SLU SON
and UL DNP program as follows
for all DNP syllabi:
A = 93 – 100
B = 85 – 92
C = 77 – 84
D = 69 – 76
F = 0 - 68
4.2 NURS802 Biostatistics
Syllabus Changes
Various issues were encountered
during the previous presentation
of NURS802 consequently the
instructor has been changed as
well as course logistics. Dr.
Devaney submitted a revised
syllabus for approval. The
textbook has been changed. The
objectives were revised to align
with statistics’ application and
use of SPSS. The description and
policies remain unchanged. The
addition of specifics regarding
SPSS were added.
4.3 NURS804 Syllabus Changes
were submitted by Dr. Jones.
The objectives were altered to
match the course content and
outcomes. Two required texts
and two recommended texts
were changed to two required
texts only with reference to
Biostatics texts as a resource.
Evaluation methods were
changed based on student input
to delete exams and concentrate
on critiques and PICOT
assignment. Grading scale was
b. The group consensus was to
change the grading scale as
requested with a note included
below the scale that discusses
rounding:
Note: If the score is 0.50 or
higher the score will be rounded
to the next highest whole
number. If the score is less than
0.50 the score will be rounded
to the next lowest whole
number.
The group felt that rounding
should be standardized among
professors within the program,
which was the intent of the
previous grading scale.
4.2 The group consensus was to
approve the syllabus changes
and advance the changes
through appropriate approval
channels. The group did
recommend that the grading
evaluation be changed from
TBD to more specific
measurements.
4.3 The group agreed to the
course objectives changes,
textbook changes, evaluation
methods changes (but in a
format similar to other syllabi),
grading scale as specified earlier,
and course content outline
changes. The group
recommended changes to all
DNP syllabi to include references
to arrest and convictions,
conduct, and performance
standards with reference to the
DNP Student Handbook. Luanne
changed as noted earlier. Online
requirements were added.
Explanations regarding
arrests/convictions, conduct,
and performance standards
were added, which were missing
from the previous syllabus. The
Content Outline was revised to
align with the revised Course
Objectives and outcomes.
4.3 Course Sequencing for the 4
semester plan, 6 semester plan,
and 8 semester plan were
discussed at length. The
pre=requisites and co-requisites
fo each course were discussed.
The major issues that evolved
were:
a. 701 Statistics should be
completed prior to or in
conjunction with Biostatistics.
Dr. Devaney has volunteered to
teach 701 Statistics in the
summer. This course should be
encouraged as an elective prior
to applying to the DNP program.
b. N802 Epidemiology should be
a pre-requisite or co-requisite
with N805 Preventative Health.
c. N801 Biostatistics should be a
pre-requisite or co-requisite of
N804 EBP.
d. N809 Advanced Directives
currently has no pre-requisites
or co-requisites.
informed the group the changes
in course objectives and content
outline should move forward
through appropriate approval
processes. The addition of
specifics such as
arrest/convictions, conduct, and
performance standards will be
made to all DNP syllabi with
reference to the DNP student
handbook without further
approval. The group
recommended that all online
rubrics be placed in an
addendum and not part of the
N804 EBP syllabus.
4.3 The group consensus was
that the current DNP course
sequencing for the 4 semester, 6
semester, and 8 semester plans
had no major conflicts.
a. The group agreed that 701
Statistics should remain a prerequisite or co-requisite of N802
Biostatistics and strongly
supported a summer course. No
further action needed.
b. A conference call was
conducted with the current
instructor of N805 Preventative
Health, who supported that
N802 Epidemiology should
remain as a pre-requisite or corequisite to this course. No
further action needed.
c. The group concluded that
N801 Biostatistics should remain
as a pre-requisite or co-requisite
of N804 EBP. No further action
needed
d. N809 Advanced Directives
should include the pre-requisite
or co-requisite of N803 Project
The group was asked if these
pre-requisites/co-requisites
should remain and if the current
sequencing of courses for these
curriculum plans are satisfactory.
e. Catalogue description of N801
Biostatistics not correct in terms
of the pre-requisites.
V. CCNE Visit
V. CCNE visit and related DNP
Curriculum Committee
responsibilities were discussed
VI. Future Goals
VI. The group discussed future
DNP curriculum committee
goals.
VII. Adjournment
VII. Committee was adjourned at
4:20 PM.
Minutes submitted by Janet Jones DNS
Planning. This change should be
reflected in the catalogue.
e. The catalogue description of
N801 Biostatistics should be
changed from a pre-requisite of
a graduate level “biostatistics”
course to a graduate level
“statistics” course. This
recommendation should move
through the proper approval
channels.
V. CCNE visit will commence
beginning Sept. 11, 2013. Luanne
will send out the SLU DNP SelfStudy and the CCNE schedule.
There will be an opportunity for
DNP curriculum committee
members and DNP faculty to
meet with the CCNE visitors.
Luanne will contact members
regarding specific information
needed to prepare for the visit.
VI. Group consensus was to
pursue two major future goals:
a. Leveling Objectives –
Comparing DNP
curriculum course
objectives with the BSN
& MSN programs and
leveling the objectives to
ensure doctorate level
objectvies
b. Mapping course content
across the DNP
curriculum to avoid
overlap and gaps in the
doctorate program.
VII. The next meeting will be
announced after the CCNE visit.