RENO and LAS VEGAS — Next fall, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno will join the ranks of other prominent universities in the country, such as Purdue, Duke and John Hopkins, in offering a new advanced degree for nurses, the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP).

“The DNP program is essential to provide nurse practitioners with the increased skill set to provide the best health care for Nevadans, in partnership with physicians and hospitals,” said Carolyn Yucha, dean of UNLV’s School of Nursing. “DNP graduates will work hand-in-hand with physicians as part of primary care teams, or where appropriate, specialty services.”

“The profession needs a higher level of preparation for leaders who can design and assess care, especially with the shortage of nursing personnel and the national concerns about the quality of care and patient safety,” said Patsy Ruchala, director of UNR’s Orvis School of Nursing. “The program will also help fill that need.”

Ruchala said students in the program who choose to take additional education courses will also be prepared to become nurse educators.

Those enrolling in the program can choose the “Advanced Practice” or the “Nurse Executive” track for the second year of the two-year, 39-credit program. Only those holding a master’s degree will be eligible to apply for admission into the program.

To accommodate working professionals’ schedules, the program will be offered entirely online.

Students will apply and be admitted to either university and will only be required to visit their respective university for meetings once each academic year. UNLV faculty will teach seven courses while UNR faculty will teach seven courses and faculty of the student’s respective university will teach seven courses. Each school plans to admit 14 students next fall.

“At this time of economic crisis, this is a collaborative program that will better use resources within Nevada’s university system,” Ruchala said. “We are thrilled to be working with Dr. Yucha and UNLV to offer this collaborative degree that will benefit the entire state.”

“This collaborative program allows both of our state’s universities to stay competitive with our peer institutions and help meet the increasing demand for DNP-prepared nurses,” Yucha said. “It’s the Nevada System of Higher Education working at its best.”