Erin had a lot to consider before enrolling in a doctoral program. Not only was she already a busy nurse executive; being a wife and mother meant there was plenty on Erin’s plate. The UIndy DNP features online coursework with visits to campus each semester, which means Erin was able to make the program fit her schedule.

Once she knew the format would fit her life, Erin found value in the variety of people that joined her cohort.

“We had nurse practitioners, we had educators, faculty, and nurse executives,” Erin explained. “The DNP is about the application of the evidence that’s out there. To see how my classmates would apply their learning based on the different hats they wear was really intriguing to me.”

UIndy DNP students each apply their learning with an evidence-based scholarly project, allowing them to make a difference in their work as part of their degree. Erin’s project focused on nurse manager succession planning. Erin says nurse managers are often the most impactful role in any hospital, as they oversee the nurses who provide direct care for patients and families. Despite that, the profession has yet to come up with a “best recipe” to create new nurse managers.

Erin’s project sought to correct that. She created a pilot program at Parkview and led 12 nurses through a leadership institute. “We’ve got to start providing opportunities for people who are in clinical roles to become managers one day,” Erin explained. Through rigorous statistical analysis, Erin was able to show significant increases in participant’s perception of their readiness to become managers, as well as an increase in their demonstrated leadership behaviors.

As Erin goes on to work in the highest levels of nursing leadership, she appreciates the community she was able to develop while studying at UIndy

“What really made the difference were the connections—knowing the people in my cohort and knowing the faculty. Knowing each other on a personal level and being invested in one another drew me to UIndy. It felt more like a home than a large University.