Clinical Placements
Universities offering distance education must abide by the laws of each state in which students are placed for their clinical immersion experience. There are several states at this time that may not allow WVU nursing students to participate in a clinical immersion experience, and therefore a site placement cannot be guaranteed. A State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) must be in place to allow a WVU nursing student to participate in clinical immersion. Visit WVU Online to determine if your state has been approved for clinical placements.
DNP Supervised Clinical Practice Hour Requirements
Per our accreditor the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), this programs graduates are required to have a 'minimum of 1,000 hours of practice post-baccalaureate as part of a supervised academic program' (CCNE Standards of Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs, 2024, p. 20). Of these 1,000 post-baccalaureate supervised practice hours, the initial 500 hours are typically attained through practica within a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) curricula. Previously precepted master’s level clinical hours may be counted as part of the first 500 practice hours, but they must be verified, evaluated, and approved by the DNP Program Director and the Associate Dean of Curriculum and Graduate Programs through a Gap Analysis and Course Credit Form to be counted in the 1,000 post-baccalaureate supervised practice required hours to complete this program program.
The student plan of study for our Post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree requires that a minimum of 400 precepted clinical hours must be earned at the DNP level within this program, even if they document 1000 hours or more of precepted clinical practicum hours in their MSN or Post-MSN program. If the student shows evidence of 600 hours of precepted clinical practice from their MSN program, and the hours are approved, that leaves 400 hours to complete (to equal 1000 post-baccalaureate supervised practice hours).