Grant Dillard
Staff Writer
For the past four years, every student participating in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program passed their certification exams.
The program consists of 20 students and is three years long. Students have the option to take the certification exam during their last semester or right after
graduating.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program is made up of 76 credit hours, and includes over 1000 clinical hours in a variety of settings like family practice, adult health, pediatrics, urgent care, prenatal care and women’s health. These settings are selected to give students the experience they need to provide the best quality of care.
Jessica Bridgforth, a 2019 Murray State graduate, was one of the students who passed the certification exam.
“In the program, test questions are designed to prepare students for the certification exam,” Bridgeforth said.
She selected Murray State for graduate school knowing the program was designed to help students succeed not only with the certification exam, but in their future careers.
“I prepared for the certification exam by taking advantage of the curriculum provided throughout the DNP-FNP program, knowing I would use it not only for the certification exam, but also in my future practice,” Bridgforth said.
Amy Hale, who lives in Hanson, Kentucky and graduated in 2019, also went through an extended period of studying in order to achieve her goals of passing the exam.
“I read up on guidelines and any unsure information in textbooks and online,” Hale said. “I spent about three weeks (several hours per day) studying both on my own and with other students.”
Hale chose Murray State after a lengthy conversation with another student. Having always wanted to continue her education, she applied after researching the opportunities Murray State provided.
“I found MSU to be a student-focused and success-oriented University with professors who genuinely want each student to succeed,” Hale said. “I felt that the online and classroom hybrid program enabled students to interact with each other and with faculty.”
