Spring 2024 Doctor of Nursing Practice graduates with HPU nursing faculty and University leadership at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
HPU is pleased to share that its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program has received re-accreditation for another 10 years from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This significant achievement underscores the ongoing excellence and commitment to quality education that HPU’s DNP program has consistently demonstrated.
Accreditation is a rigorous process that ensures nursing programs meet the highest standards of quality and integrity, providing students with the assurance that the education provided meets or exceeds national standards. This renewed accreditation highlights HPU's dedication to producing highly competent and skilled nursing professionals who are prepared to meet the challenges of the healthcare industry.
"We are very proud of this accomplishment," says HPU Dean of the School of Nursing, Professor Edna Magpantay-Monroe, Ed.D., APRN, CMDCP, "and we continue to strive to improve and ensure we are producing competent practitioners and leaders. Having been awarded a 10-year re-accreditation means a lot to our DNP program. It shows our commitment to quality improvement, validates that our students and graduates are effective professionals and lifelong learners, and contributes to their communities. This accreditation also maintains HPU’s high level of accountability to our community of interests. With the new accreditation standards effective January 1, 2025, the School of Nursing is ready to adapt to the changing times in healthcare and higher education."
Shyanne Dela Vega on graduation day.
Graduates of the HPU DNP program have gone on to accomplish many impressive career achievements after earning their degrees. Shyanne Dela Vega, who earned her DNP – family nurse practitioner degree from HPU in spring 2024, has built an impressive career marked by numerous accomplishments.
During her undergraduate studies, Dela Vega earned her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from HPU, where she placed on the dean’s list and was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society for first-year academic success. She served as HPU’s student nurses association secretary, pinning committee liaison, and fundraising committee chairman, and was a nursing student peer mentor.
Dela Vega’s extensive volunteer work includes contributions to Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Queen’s Medical Center, Special Olympics Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Parkinson’s Association, Alzheimer’s Association, and Blood Bank of Hawaii. While pursuing her DNP, she was also inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and received multiple awards, including the "Light Up the Night" and "Outstanding Graduate Student" awards. With a solid background in various nursing fields, she currently works in primary care for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Dela Vega was selected for the highly competitive VA primary care nurse practitioner residency program, where she will begin a one-year residency in September 2024. Her future aspirations include gaining experience in aesthetic dermatology and eventually opening her own private practice. She remains dedicated to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care and hopes to return to HPU to teach and inspire future generations of nursing students.
Dione Cole, another distinguished HPU graduate, completed her DNP in 2023. Initially uncertain about what to expect from the online program, Cole quickly found that the faculty were deeply invested in her success. Their responsive and supportive guidance provided her with the courage and determination to persevere through challenges and reach her goal.
“The HPU faculty were all invested in my success. They were always responsive and available. It was their gentle guidance that gave me the courage and determination to push through the harder times and get to the finish line,” Cole said. “Not only did completing my DNP at HPU add to my knowledge and success, but it also put me on the path to the next step in my career. I am starting as an adjunct faculty in the School of Nursing at HPU this fall. I’m excited about the opportunity and I know I have been properly prepared for this journey.”
About the HPU DNP Program
HPU’s DNP program offers two entry points: one for BSN-credentialed nurses and another for MSN-credentialed nurses.
The BSN to DNP program prepares nurses for advanced practice and future leadership opportunities through three in-demand concentrations: family nurse practitioner (FNP), psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP), and adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (AGACNP). This comprehensive program is designed to equip nurses with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in these specialized fields and meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry.
The MSN to DNP program prepares nurses for leadership opportunities, builds a solid foundation in health informatics, strengthens understanding of health policy and policy creation, and advances understanding of transcultural care delivery. Graduates of this program are equipped to transform healthcare to better address current needs.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, post-graduate APRN certificate program, and doctor of nursing practice at HPU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
