As a part of the DNP Capstone series of courses, all DNP-PHN and DNP/MPH students are required to complete practicum credit hours in public/community health settings. Practicum experiences for out-of-state students must be negotiated among course instructors,
students, and their program advisors to best fit the learning needs and professional goals of the student. For Colorado students, the majority of current practice sites are in local and state, community-based agencies, including public health departments.
Many of the sites serve the most vulnerable populations in Colorado and Region VIII.
As established by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006), a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised academic post-baccalaureate practice is required to achieve learning objectives associated with the DNP Essentials and specialty competencies.
CU College of Nursing DNP curricula, including the DNP-PHN and DNP/MPH, are based on the expectation that the first 500 hours are accomplished in master’s level nursing education. Baccalaureate-prepared nurses and other applicants who cannot
document 500 post-baccalaureate academically-supervised clinical practicum hours will be required to supplement their DNP program by enrolling in additional (1-12) credit hours of advanced public health nursing practicum to complete the balance of
the full 1,000 practicum hours.