Strengthening the impact of Doctor of Nursing Practice projects in education and clinical practice

Abstract

The signifi cance and value of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects can be potentiated by collaboration between educators and practice leaders and when students build on previous DNP projects, as demonstrated in this article. Projects can have a longstanding fi nancial, quality, and outcome impact, helping demonstrate the worth and effi cacy of the DNP degree.

The DNP project

“…Endless opportunities exist to strengthen the impact of DNP projects. “The significance and value of DNP projects can be potentiated by collaboration between educators and practice leaders and when students build on previous DNP projects.”1 As academic institutions prepare to implement the concepts and sub-competencies of the new Essentials into their curricula, program leaders and faculty need to remember that working through the process of validating the identified competencies and sub-competencies as well as implementing the new Essentials , which will take years to perfect, will offer rich and endless opportunities for DNP projects.…”

“…As discussed by Melander and colleagues, another way to increase DNP project impact is to build upon previous DNP project work. 1 Th e importance of advancing the scope and depth of projects has been reiterated throughout the literature, including in a recent article by Turkson-Ocran and colleagues. 7 Th is can be accomplished by working with practice partners to identify student projects that they might like to continue to develop.…”

“…Student Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects are an outcome of DNP education that provides long-term professional value 1. DNP projects have existed since the beginning of the DNP degree, in that the first DNP program in the country, which was established at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing in 2001, required students to complete a DNP project to be awarded their degrees.…”