DNP Mission & Philosophy

The University of Wyoming Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing (UW FWWSON) DNP program educates advanced practice nurses (APNs) who utilize evidence to create innovative ways to improve health care. The DNP program is distance accessible and provides clinical experiences in the rural Rocky Mountain region.

Mission:

To educate APN leaders in rural, client-centered primary and mental health care

Outcomes:

Graduates will.

  1. Engage in evidence-based practice to optimize health outcomes
  2. Engage in leadership activities to promote excellence in rural health care

Core Concepts (graduate):

Transformation

  • Transformation includes learning, education, leadership, and nursing as a whole; engaging creativity with theory and evidence-based practice to result in critical reflection and cognitive flexibility. 

Rurality/Frontier

  • Practice in a low population area where resources and/or access to care are limited and be able to innovate accordingly.

Service

  • Providing advanced practice nursing care and services to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations includes altruism, leadership, decision-making, cooperation, education, listening, problem-solving, person-centered care, fidelity, advocacy, ethical behavior, and practice.

Comprehensive Global healthcare system perspective

  • An interconnected and comprehensive global health care system perspective incorporating the following attributes: advocacy, altruism, creativity, ethical conduct, effective communication skills, leadership, problem-solving skills, professionalism, and scholarship. 

Clinical Scholarship

  • Activities that systematically advance nursing science, including its teaching, research, and practice through rigorous inquiry that 1) is significant to the profession, 2) is creative, 3) can be documented, 4) can be replicated or elaborated, and 5) can be peer-reviewed through various methods and includes discovery, teaching, practice, and integration.  

 Updated 5/9/2025

(*See Ch. 3 "Professional Behaviors" in DNP Handbook)

Teaching Philosophy:

The University of Wyoming's Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing's DNP faculty believes that NP education is a terminal, doctoral degree. This degree requires commitment to achieving the highest level of autonomous, advanced nursing practice. Our curriculum is grounded in adult learning theory. We expect students to be accountable for their own learning as they pursue excellence in clinical practice.

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approved DNP subcommittee, 2/15/2011; edited 3/10/2016

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Page updated: 10/7/2016