Brandman University BSN-DNP

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 5, 2011

Moved to the post-grad forum (vs. the GN forum) to encourage responses.

iamana · Jul 14, 2011

Hello Nurich,

I am in the BSN-DNP program at Brandman and can tell you that it is going very well. We started in January '11 with an on campus "immersion"/orientation in Irvine which afforded us the opportunity to get to know the other students and faculty and learn how to use the tech all together. We have students from all over the country and our smaller class size makes our "synchronous" online class discussions (Live, via WIMBA) more engaging and the experience more personal and rewarding than some other online graduate programs I've experienced.

The students and professors are passionate and motivated, which is necessary as the program is fast paced, but in my opinion, this is the best way to go as an adult learner. We take one class at a time,(at least in Y1+2) but each class is only 8 weeks long. Clinicals and Capstone project are in Y3 and we are starting to discuss the Capstone in earnest. Actually, we have talked about it since day 1 but now that students are comfortable with the process and pace, we are beginning to refine our ideas for that project, which is an applied clinical research project. The faculty are all doctoral prepared and are working clinicians, so the curricula is directly applicable to current practice. Students can tailor their individual and small group projects in the core classes toward their specialty practice area. I am in the Family Psych/mental health program; all students take the core classes together. We will all be together again in Irvine (LA) at the end of August for another immersion. We get together twice yearly in Y1+2 and several times in Y3.

The program has a linear progression; they have auto-enrollment for each session, which is great- all you have to do is order your books online. The pace is aggressive, but the professors are flexible and that makes it do-able for working students. Students have the professor's cells and emails, so its' not been an issue to contact them if you should need them.

I am very happy with my decision to pursue the DNP @ Brandman for my APRN education. Here's why...

1. The curricula and tech are at the cutting edge required for the new era of health care- bringing the expanding uses of the internet into the daily patient care arena for diagnostic, therapeutic, research, and educational purposes.

2. The DNP is rapidly becoming the new standard for APRN education with an emphasis on executive leadership not only in the clinical setting but in areas of social justice and health care policy, as well.

3. The DNP expands the functional role of the APRN from clinician to "clinician PLUS". The PLUS may involve education, IT, systems and health care delivery/design, and patient advocacy in policy and social justice as it relates to the determinants of health and improved accessibility to health care.

4. Brandman made a commitment to nurses who want to do "bigger things" by making the DNP achievable for highly motivated students. Each of us has big plans for the rest of our career, no matter at what stage we are in our career.

Nurich, I hope that gives you some of the information you wanted. I think you will be happy with the program, but as with anything else worth doing, it is what you make of it. There is a lot of room for individuality here, so dream BIG and go for it!

Ann

cdhannah · Sep 17, 2011

Hi Ann,,

I am interested in the Brandman BSN-DNP program and was wondering how often do you have "synchronous" online class discussions. Previous online courses I have taken have had this component and I am curious. I assume you have had your second immersion; how did you enjoy it? Any thing else you might feel a potential student should know?

Thanks,

Chad