Dnps In Clinical Practice: A Case Study

Healthcare systems and the way safe, quality health care is delivered are continually changing to better serve patients and communities. Professional nursing practice is a large component in the healthcare system today. Back in the 1960s, professional nursing leaders tried to adopt the bachelor degree programs as the only educational track to become a registered nurse (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Due to nursing shortages and demands this motive did not hold fast. Individuals entering the nursing profession today must first decide which educational pathway to take to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

Compare the PhD and DNP degrees. Define the differences in roles and education associated with the two degrees. Describe future opportunities for DNP-prepared nurses.

Over the last few years, the nation health system has gone through some significant changes. Factors such as rising costs of healthcare, population increases, aging in the population as well as divergence in the health division has played a large role in shaping the health industry. Nursing is one of the professions has gone through a paradigm change in its organization and capabilities, structure and role stipulations (AHRQ, 2015). Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who receive advanced education and clinical training, in a wide variety of areas that range from preventive and acute health care services to individuals in all age groups. Nurse practitioner is usually involved in the direct practice of nursing, care, and medicine. At the same time, majority of nurse practitioners practice their skills in several different areas but most are in an ambulatory setting as compared to other nursing roles that are in an acute care setting (AHRQ, 2015).

In order to advance the education system continued education is important to keep up with current nursing issues and protocols to keep patients safe. Nurses should never stop learning. Nurses who do not have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) are encouraged to do so in order to advance their practice. The goal is to transform nursing education from 50% of nurses with a BSN to 8o% by 2020 and the number of nurses with a Doctorate to double by 2020 (Institute of Medicine, 2010). The number of nurses with a BSN or currently working towards a BSN has in fact increased thanks to added resources to make these goals more attainable. However, increasing the number of nurses with a BSN to 80% by 2020 is a little overzealous due to the overwhelming demands and time-frame; only 5 years away. There has been a significant rise of insured Americans who will be needing care because of the ACA. In addition, nearly 40% of working registered nurses (RN 's) were nearing retirement in 2010 and if this trend continues nursing shortages could be around 400,000 by 2020 (National Advisory Council on

her future practice. As the DNP Essential VI document denotes, the DNP graduates are well positioned to function as collaborators with members of the other professions (AACN, 2006). As an example, this writer has taken a step forward and collaborated with the local American Heart Association to provide basic lifesaving education to non- clinical members of the team. This was well received by the management team and has attracted potential clinic customers in the process. Looking at the big picture, this writer will apply principles learned to achieve high patient quality outcomes, emphasize evidence-based practice and deliver the highest level of nursing

The 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report titled “The Future of Nursing” discusses the vision for the future of nursing as part of the growing health care force. The outlined vision of practice builds on the fact that nursing has the largest number of members in health care. According to the IOM there are more than 3 million nurses in the United States. As such, the IOM outlined a series of steps in which nurses can take on a greater role. These steps assert 1) nurses should practice to the full potential of their education; 2) nurses should achieve the highest level of education and training; 3) nurses should have an equal collaboration power with physicians and other health care professionals in the role of developing the future of

Pamela, I enjoyed your post. You mentioned how Magnet hospitals are trying to achieve their nurses to have BSN degrees and the managers to all hold at least an MSN degree. I believe as a whole, the nursing profession is expected to be more educated which is a good thing. We have a Nurse Residency Program where I work and the program only accepts BSN applicants. The institution is steering away from ADN nurses. As you look at the different programs ADN, BSN, MSN, and DNP, you can see several skills added and each level. This does not mean that an ADN nurse is not a leader; however, the program does not incorporate core theory and analytical classes where as the DNP does. According to the Michigan Health Council (2016), the DNP degree prepares

Today the profession of nurse practitioners continues to grow in a number of settings while providing care to patients across the

There were already over 200 substantial programs of this type across the United States, but the goal of the AANP was to merge all of these associations into one ‘unified voice for nurse practitioners’ (AANP Historical Timeline, 2012). The purpose of the AANP, as written on their official website, “is to impact national and global health by engaging recognized nurse practitioner leaders who make outstanding contributions to clinical practice, research, education or policy” (AANP Brochure, 2012-2015). This association is very involved with healthcare in the United States, and even offered the service of hundreds of NPs following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Nurse Practitioners who are a part of the AANP must demonstrate five core values of integrity, excellence, professionalism, leadership, and

However, in the future, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will most likely be required for certification (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 11). Specialists in public health nursing are prepared at the graduate level, “with a focus in public health sciences” (as cited in Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 11). In addition, they “should be able to work with population groups and to assess and intervene successfully at the aggregate level” (as cited in Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 11). Whereas, a nurse specialist in the community focus on patients they see in a clinic or home setting (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 12). The focus of the nurse specialist is the individual person, or family, in a “subpopulation”, for which they are solving an issue for. Also, public health nurse specialists usually are concerned with more than one subpopulation at a time. Frequently, they are concerned with the entire community’s health (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2014, p. 12).

Utilizing the medical model and philosophies of nursing allow the DNP graduate to contribute to the discipline of nursing through a more holistic approach. Carper stated that the profession should “define itself separate from the medical model” (Zander, 2018). Another viewpoint is that advanced practice nurses learn to acquire knowledge from many sources and the medical model is a small part of that learning (Zander). If you examine the two professions closely it has been stated that the advanced practice nurse begins with the human being and not the specific disease (Zaccagnini & White, 2017).) As leaders DNP graduates are prepared to effectively combine these methods to provide expert nursing care. As part of the holistic approach using

DQ2: Nurses have many career choices to make as they advance their careers. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree the next step is a master’s degree. But which degree is best for each person can be a struggle. I have chosen the nurse executive route, although I question this choice frequently. I really enjoy informatics, and have also been told that I have good clinical diagnostic skills, so am I making the right choice? Considering my current role as an accountable care administration, I believe that I am. The same difficult choices come with the decision to enter a program for a doctorate in nursing. What is a better choice, a DNP or a PhD? As Dr. Keyes pointed out in a response to my post, wouldn’t it make more sense to combine these

According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (N.D.), the progression of the advanced practice nurse (APN) began nearly 50 years ago. From the advent of the first APN program to the over 350 accredited programs and over 222,000 certified nurse practitioners in the United States, the role of the APN has significantly increased and expanded a profession to better improve healthcare for Americans (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, N.D., American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2016). Of these, more than half are in the field of family practitioners (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 2016).

My nursing career began in 1980. Armed with a BSN, my early career was spent as a staff nurse on the medical-surgical units of two, large teaching hospitals in Boston. When my knowledge, skill, and confidence grew, I then became the nurse manager of an in-patient unit of the health service of a large, prestigious university. In addition to direct patient care, I had leadership and administrative roles as well as mentoring new nurses. I later transitioned into the role of Occupational Health nurse at a small community hospital. My duties included screening prospective employees, safety and health education, as well as follow-up of work-related injuries. After a brief hiatus from nursing, I became a home care and hospice nurse. It was then that I discovered what I enjoyed most about nursing was the hands on, caring connection I made with my patients. Based on my diverse experiences and love of nursing, I wanted to share my knowledge and skills with those wanting to pursue nursing. I have been a PN nurse educator for the past nine years. My long-term goal is to remain in academic nursing education, moving to an ADN program. In doing so, I must take the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2010), for nurses to achieve higher levels of education. As a master’s prepared nurse, I will be equipped with the knowledge and skill necessary to educate the future nursing workforce.

The media did not do any justice in depicting stories about the values of the nurse, yet alone the integrity, until the CAN ( The Center of nursing advocacy, 2007) decided to enlist a program where nurses were honored and rewarded for outstanding achievement in care. From the advent of the introduction of improved curriculum to now include the highest level of achievement for nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), where nurses can not only write prescriptions and treat independently, but can advance to research, enabling better evidence based practices (Andrews l. D., 2007). The patients appears, from various studies, to be more apt to follow instructions from the nurse over the doctor, as they see the nurse as giving a more personalized treatment, and a working relationship, extends far out from being a patient in the hospital, to home care services where they are happy to receive quality care in the comfort of their own home.