The Lee University School of Nursing’s newest nursing doctoral programreceived initial approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing and is accepting applications for the fall 2022 semester.
“As the School of Nursing continues to grow, we are excited to offer this opportunity for nurses to develop skills as transformational leaders and be prepared to serve at the highest levels of administration,” said Dr. Julie Campbell, director of graduate studies in nursing and assistant professor of nursing at Lee.
This newest track, transformational executive nursing leadership, will be the second addition to Lee’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program. The first doctoral program, Family Nurse Practitioner, was started in 2019.
According to Dr. Campbell, this program is designed for the working nurse. It offers a degree in the highest level of nursing leadership and is geared toward those who are or who want to be in administration, such as management or chief nursing officer positions. Students may enter the program with either a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing. Courses are delivered online and can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.
The DNP TENL track was developed in collaboration with Lee University's School of Business and includes four graduate-level business courses. Students will also have the option of completing a Master of Business Administration along with their DNP TENL degree, which will require four extra School of Business courses to be completed.
“We are thankful for the School of Business’ partnership in this new DNP track, and for the university’s support of our continued expansion of graduate studies in nursing,” said Dr. Campbell.
While other universities offer a similar degree, Dr. Campbell shared that unique to Lee is the rural, global, and disaster and health care missions’ management aspects covered in the program.
The DNP TENL track finalized approval in February. Along with the TBON, the program was also approved by Lee’s Board of Directors.
According to Dr. Campbell, there is a long-term vision to add additionaldegree options to the graduate nursing program in the future. These programs give the opportunity for people to have advanced degrees that don’t necessarily want to be a nurse practitioner.
Lee’s nursing program began in 2014 and has grown rapidly to include almost 400 students. The program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Applications are open now for Fall 2022 admittance for the first cohort of the DNP TENL track. To apply, visit landing.leeuniversity.edu.
For more information about Lee’s School of Nursing, visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/nursing, or email schoolofnursing@leeuniversity.edu.