HPU Welcomes Its First Doctor of Nursing Practice Class

This month, five nursing professionals embarked on their educational journey as HPU’s inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) class. The DNP program, which is approved by the WASC Senior College and University Commission is a practice-based doctoral program that prepares expert clinicians to develop, implement, and evaluate nursing practice using research knowledge and methods to improve patient and population-based care. Students will learn from faculty reflecting an interdisciplinary approach and team focus of health care delivery.

The DNP is HPU’s first doctoral degree program. It is an online program in which the first course of the program is delivered during a one-week mandatory face-to-face intensive on the HPU campus. All other courses are completed online in eight-week sessions, which allows nurse practitioners to continue working while earning their doctoral degree.

Members of the inaugural DNP class hail from Oahu and the west coast.    

Pictured- third row Aneesha Remani Ravi (Oahu), Dr. Howard He (HPU Faculty), Dr. Jayne Smitten (Acting Dean, CHS), Dr. Michelle Higgins-Mahe (HPU faculty)

Second row- Seiichi Nakamura (Oahu), Sandra Kakiuchi (Oahu), Erlinda Bhat (Las Vegas), Dr. Michelle Johnson (Chief Nurse Administrator), Dr. Jamie Pagels (DNP Coordinator), President John Gotanda

Center Sean Plank (Southern California).

For more information on the DNP Program, click here or contact Dr. Jamie Pagels, DNP Coordinator, jpagels@hpu.edu