Nursing: Clinical Nurse Leader, D.N.P. - CHHS, UNH

Graduate

Nursing: Clinical Nurse Leader

Master multiple aspects of advanced practice—from translating evidence into care delivery to improving healthcare systems and measuring outcomes.
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Location
Online
Courses
20*
Credit
60 hrs.*
Full-time
Varies
Part-time
Varies
Two professors observing two nursing students

Nursing

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at UNH offers advanced training in specialized healthcare leadership and innovation. Here you'll be able to master multiple aspects of advanced practice—from translating evidence into care delivery to improving healthcare systems and measuring outcomes. 

With a focus on interprofessional collaboration, quality improvement, and practical applications across diverse settings, our program prepares you for the highest level of nursing practice. Through intensive coursework and hands-on leadership experience, you'll develop the essential expertise needed to transform healthcare delivery and drive meaningful improvements in patient care quality. Our doctoral program prepares you for AACN certification as a clinical nurse leader.

*Number of courses and course credit hours may vary, please reach out to your academic advisor for exact requirements.

Click below to get more information about UNH graduate programs

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Contact Cards

Online Graduate Recruitment
(855) 250-6699

Why Get a DNP as a Clinical Nurse Leader?

UNH’s online Post-Baccalaureate Clinical Nurse Leader Doctor of Nursing Practice (PB CNL DNP) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. Graduates are innovative leaders prepared to translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care and measure health outcomes in diverse settings. Graduates are uniquely qualified to collaborate with leaders in healthcare to improve the quality of care.

Why Choose UNH's Clinical Nurse Leader DNP Program?

Benefit from UNH’s long history of leadership in the classroom and in the field of nursing. This unique program is geared towards the student who wants to specialize in quality improvement by achieving a terminal degree in nursing. Graduates are eligible for CNL certification, which addresses three areas:

  • Nursing leadership with a focus on health care advocacy
  • Clinical outcomes management with attention to benchmarks and quality metrics
  • Care environment management to ensure that where they receive care is optimized through continual quality improvement

Potential Careers

  • Director of Quality Improvement
  • Chief of Quality Management
  • Quality Management Specialist
  • Chief executive officer
  • Chief nursing officer
  • Clinical nurse manager
  • Director of nursing
  • Director of outpatient services
  • Director of quality &safety
  • Healthcare innovation officer
  • Nursing Faculty

Curriculum & Requirements

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Program Description
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The online Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Clinical Nurse Leader Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-DNP CNL) program prepares nurses for the highest level of specialized nursing practice. Students are prepared for innovative leadership where they will translate evidence into practice, improve systems of care and measure health outcomes in diverse settings. Students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project customized to support their unique aspirations.

This Bachelor of Science in Nursing to DNP Clinical Nurse Leader program is for nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who are seeking leadership development and certification as a Clinical Nurse Leader with a doctoral degree.

Graduates are uniquely qualified to collaborate with leaders in healthcare to improve the quality of care. Graduates attain eligibility for CNL certification through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Clinical Nurse Leader certification examination.

Admission Requirements

Registered nurses (RNs) who have successfully passed the NCLEX­-RN, currently hold an unencumbered, active RN license in the United States, and who hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing can be considered for admission. Applicants are required to have a good academic record and completion of coursework in statistics and research.  The following is required:

  1. Unencumbered, active RN license in the United States
  2. Baccalaureate degree in nursing
  3. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in associate and baccalaureate programs
  4. Nursing experience is preferred but not required for Clinical Nurse Leader and Evidence-Based Practice tracks
  5. 3 letters of recommendation

    Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted. Professional references should be substantial, and one academic recommendation is recommended.

  6.  Personal Statement. Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
    1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
    2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.
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Requirements for the Program
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Degree Requirements

Clinical Hours: 500*

Required Courses
NURS 812Advanced Pharmacology and Therapeutics3
NURS 814Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan3
NURS 816Health Promotion Theory and Population Health3
NURS 818Foundations of Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 820Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan3
NURS 910Genomics & Ethics3
NURS 917Biostats and Epidemiology3
NURS 815Leadership, Role, and Collaboration 3
NURS 960Healthcare Finance Management3
NURS 966Creative Leadership: Embracing Disruption and Innovation3
NURS 926Clinical Nursing Leadership Scholarly Project I3
NURS 927Clinical Nursing Leadership Scholarly Project II3
NURS 928Clinical Nursing Leadership Scholarly Project III3
NURS 943Fundamentals of Quality Improvement & Safety in Healthcare3
HMP 933Quality and Process Improvement in Healthcare3
NURS 964Information Systems and Technology Improvement3
NURS 967Evidence Based Practice Methods3
NURS 969Health Systems Policy, Economics & Financial Planning3
NURS 973Quality & Safety3
NURS 980Doctoral Scholarly Project I3
NURS 981Doctoral Scholarly Project II3
NURS 982Doctoral Scholarly Project III3
Total Credits66
*

CNL Clinical hours are completed through the following required courses: NURS 926, NURS 927, NURS 928.

DNP scholarly project practicum hours (500) are completed through the following required courses: NURS 980NURS 981 and NURS 982.

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Student Learning Outcomes
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Program Learning Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice Clinical Nurse Leader student builds upon the skills of the baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse.

At the completion of the Clinical Nurse Leader component of the program, the doctoral student is prepared to:
  • Integrate, translate, and apply knowledge from nursing and other disciplines, to formulate clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice as well as synthesize comprehensive knowledge of advanced nursing practice, integrating scientific principles and clinical expertise to enhance patient outcomes.
  • Design person-centered care that builds on a scientific body of knowledge focusing on individuals with multiple\\ncomplicated circumstances, including family and/or important others as well as critically analyze the effectiveness of person-centered care on patient outcomes, healthcare systems, and policy development through rigorous assessment and continuous quality improvement processes.\\n
  • Advocate for healthcare delivery from public health prevention to disease management through collaborative activities for equitable population health outcomes as well as formulate and evaluate strategies to improve health outcomes for diverse populations, addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities.\\n
  • Disseminate nursing knowledge to improve health care as well as critically evaluate current research and evidence-based practices in nursing, identifying areas for improvement and innovation.
  • Integrate established and emerging principles of safety as core nursing values to enhance quality and minimize harm to patients and providers as well as implement and evaluate quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and care outcomes, utilizing evidence-based practices to minimize risks and optimize healthcare delivery.
  • Lead collaborative care teams to optimize patient outcomes and improve health care experiences as well as facilitate and evaluate effective collaboration with interprofessional teams to improve patient and population health outcomes, fostering a culture of teamwork and communication.
  • Coordinate resources for diverse populations to provide safe, quality, and equitable care as well as analyze and influence healthcare systems to optimize care delivery, advocating for policies and practices that enhance system efficiency and patient outcomes.
  • Utilize informatics and communication technologies in developing and delivering optimal healthcare services according to best practice and professional and regulatory\\nstandards as well as integrate and evaluate informatics and healthcare technologies to improve patient care, utilizing data analytics to inform clinical decision-making and enhance health outcomes.
  • Cultivate a sustainable professional nursing identity that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values as well as exemplify professionalism in all aspects of practice, demonstrating ethical behavior, accountability, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
  • Utilize leadership skills, change theories, and effective decision making in advanced nursing roles in the provision of care as well as engage in continuous personal and professional development, demonstrating leadership in clinical practice, education, and healthcare policy.
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Disclosures
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Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

This is a non-licensure degree program. No additional license is required to practice in this field.

Visit the Office of the Registrar's website for more information about university programs that lead to professional licensure or certification eligibility.

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Application Requirements & Deadlines
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Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

  • Fall: May 1
  • Spring: N/A
  • Summer: N/A
  • Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters Eligible: No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

  • Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
  • Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

References should be substantial with one academic, if available, and two current nursing professionals with graduate education background.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

  1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
  2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Additional Department Requirements

Applicants are required to have an unencumbered RN license in the United States, degree in nursing or outside nursing, and successful completion of undergraduate statistics and research to be eligible to apply to this program. 

Non-BSN Admission Requirements:
RNs whose baccalaureate degree is in a discipline other than nursing may apply to the master of science degree in nursing (M.S.) program and will be considered for the track that is commensurate with their clinical experience based on faculty discretion.

  1. Unencumbered, active RN license in the United States
  2. Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher in associate and baccalaureate programs
  3. Nursing experience preferred but not required
  4. Successful completion of undergraduate statistics course and undergraduate research course
  5. Interview may be requested

Enrollment Deposit

This program requires an enrollment of $200. If admitted the deposit will be due by the deadline specified in your admit letter. For more information please see our .

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our for more information.

UNH Nursing Program Tracks: How to reach your goals

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I'm starting with a high school diploma
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I'm starting with an Associate’s Degree and Active Registered Nurse (RN) License
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I'm starting with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Higher Degree
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With your credentials, we recommend the Master of Science in Nursing (Direct Entry MSN) 

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I'm starting with a Bachelor's Degree and Active RN License
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Two academic tracks are available to you:

*Students are eligible for CNL certification exam

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I'm starting with a Master of Science in Nursing and Active APRN License
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I'm starting with a Master of Science in Nursing and Active RN License
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Explore Program Details

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Explore Program Details
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Professional Licensure/Certification

Visit our website to see whether our program meets your professional licensure requirements.