Background: In the United States, accredited nursing programs must align their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curricula with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials , necessitating a shift to a competency-based curriculum and the adoption of structured approaches to curriculum redesign. Revising a DNP curriculum across 12 baccalaureate nursing to DNP specialty programs and two postmaster's DNP programs presents challenges in coordination, faculty engagement, and competency alignment. Method: Faculty at a large public school of nursing applied a modified Delphi method, grounded in backward design, to revise the DNP curriculum. The process incorporated theoretical frameworks, methodology, and implementation strategies. Results: Through iterative feedback and consensus building, faculty developed new courses and an innovative curriculum supporting advanced practice clinical and nonclinical programs. Conclusion: This approach resulted in a revised DNP curriculum aligned with the Essentials and offers insights for programs undertaking similar curriculum revisions.
Anderson et al. (Mon,) studied this question.