DNP Student Participation Report

In order to reach one’s goal, the goal should be well defined, firm and the individual must be completely committed to attaining it. Pursuing a career as a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner has always been my driving goal throughout all my education and training since the age of seventeen. Over the past three years working within a Surgical Inpatient unit as a Registered Nurse, I have become aware of the lack of community resources and access to health care available in rural areas. This has inspired me apply to the University of Western Ontario’s Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner program for the fall of 2014. After completing my Bachelor of Science of Nursing at the University of Western Ontario, I am certain that no other

In addition, a DNP degree will help me better serve my community by advocating for quality and safety healthcare system. Once attained, I would seek employment at either a school or university with the mission of educating nursing students to practice the highest quality of patient care. One of the major issues facing the nursing profession today is the lack of advance nursing practices. The medical field is in crisis. Doctors are stretched to the limits, and patients are demanding more advanced care. To alleviate some of the concerns facing medicine in the 21st century, advance nursing practices is a vital area in the contribution of understanding and working within the bounds of a team structure, and the promotion of communication between the interdisciplinary health team. The mission of the advance nursing practice is to help individual patients, and their families, determine and achieve optimum physical, mental and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work Nurses are among the largest professional care group within the healthcare service industry. We are responsible for providing quality care and assisting patients towards independent and healthy living. Considering the changing working environment, health care practitioners like nurses are

Being a nurse not only means compassion, dedication, and intelligence, but the profession also requires endurance, personal sacrifice, and the need for continuous education. I have learned that nurses are some of the most caring and selfless people that anyone will ever meet. Nurses are more than willing to complete challenging tasks and care for others in a way that the majority of people are unwilling to. I am driven to bring all of these qualities into my role as a future nurse practitioner, which is why I am committed to pursuing my Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP).

This “incorporates the roles of assessing, critical thinking, communicating, providing care, teaching and leading” (Grand Canyon University, para. 7). I also believe that an individual’s maturity over a four-year period has time to evolve with the concepts of critical thinking and decision making the BSN framework offers. The difference in cost and time from ADN to BSN programs is a deciding factor in many educational decisions. The economy and decrease in job opportunities has driven many into the nursing profession that may not have initially considered it a career option. Sadly, I believe that has contributed to the lack of interest in pursing an advanced education. The professional choice wasn’t driven out of a motivation to help humanity or a sense of altruism; it was merely an employment opportunity.

Health care is a fundamental element to sustaining the welfare of our society. The ability to become a student in the Grand Canyon University (GCU), Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program, takes me one step closer to being able to achieve my dream of playing a vital role in helping our society towards disease prevention. My experience in the acute care setting has reinforced my passion in disease prevention and health preservation. My short term goal is to be able to successfully complete the required course work. Secondly, I want to be able to acquire the necessary certifications to be able to practice as a FNP. The program at GCU will provide me with the knowledge, and skills I will need to effectively develop my role. The long term goal I have set for myself is to reach the Doctorate level degree at some point in my career. I would like to practice at an independent level and have my own practice in

Nurses’ involvement in policy debates brings our professional values to bear on the process. (Warner, 2003) The Master’s prepared nurse’s goal as an advocate should be to fight to enhance the client’s wellbeing in every possible way, at every available opportunity. This can be achieved by being part of organization that advocate for patients’ right as well as for better working condition for our colleagues. Also, nurses could choose to get involved in politics or lobby on behalf of other nurses.

The afore= mentioned issues being addressed through legal channels by the AANP are barriers to effective and efficient practice, the type of barriers that were to be eliminated by the expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Dunphy, Winland-Brown, Porter, & Thomas, 2015). Only twenty-two states have allowed full practice authority, which is less than half of the nation. It is imperative that every advance practice nurse has a voice that is heard in their state and the nation, this is the message of the AANP (Hain & Fleck,

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2015) the traditional roles of the advanced practice nurses include nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists. Therefore, the impact of the research on the practice of the preparation of DNP nurse educator requires education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, leadership, policy advocacy, informatics, and systems theory. Furthermore, transitioning to the DNP as a nurse educator does not change the current scope of practice of the Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) for their current roles. The transition of the DNP better prepares APRNs by utilizing new models of the care delivery system and growing complexity of health

According to American Nurses Association [ANA] (2013), advocacy is the key element in the nursing profession and during lobby day, nurse 's expertise is valued and acknowledged in the policy development process. To further analyze the significance of lobbying day, this paper will identify the purpose of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), describe one issue, identify the behavioral characteristics of the group leader, describe the discussion, and analyze alternative strategies for the full discussion of issues.

The nursing profession was designed to focus on individual care, their families and the communities they serve to ensure accessibility to optimal health. Nurses are not limited to a specific practice. They work in a variety of settings and serve countless roles in the hospital community. They are a support system when bad news is relayed but they are also birthday party hosts for ailing children. Being a nursing student will not only challenges my intellect but also my character.

To ensure that we as nurses are advocates for not only our patients, but also out communities as a whole, it is imperative for us to fully understand our scope of proactive and our voices that can be heard as an individuals but also as a collaborative voice in legislations by being in empowered professional groups such as the ANA. Promoting better health care polices benefits our society with better health outcomes as well as better financial futures since a healthier society wastes less money and resources when compared to one that does not promote health initiatives. One way to ensure that we as nurses are up to date on current policy and legislation issues is to join a professional group such as the ANA. Advocacy for health care policy requires knowledge and efforts of such large groups and active lobbyists that professional organizations can offer its members (Abood, 2007). Being well informed by a reputable and trust worthy group not only keeps one up to date on all current healthcare issues, but also gives access to resources to actively engage in proposed solutions so that nurses may better advocate for the patients and populations who are so greatly affected by healthcare

The National League for Nursing (NLN) is guided by four core values; caring, integrity, diversity and excellence (National League of Nursing, n.d.). Initially the NLN was called the American Society of Superintendents of Training Schools for Nurses (Matthews, J., 2012, n.p.). Though smaller in membership than the ANA, the NLN has existed for over 100 years and boasts forty thousand members. The NLN mission is to advance the quality of education for nursing in order to enhance health not only for the country, but also the world. The organization represents educators as well as nurses. Membership opens the doors to testing services, research grants, and professional development through continuing education webinars, conferences and

DNP prepared nurses hold the implements to create amendments and revolutions within our society. Knowledge and education are authoritative and persuasive mechanisms; DNP prepared nurses possess both. DNP level nurses also hold practice skill and involvement, management abilities, and knowledge regarding research and evidence-based practice, which permits them to be prevailing promoters and advocates for healthcare.

The role of the DNP is to be committed to one’s practice career, and be focused toward improving patient care and outcomes, as well as population health. The role of the PhD prepared nurse is to dedicate one’s practice to research which is focused toward developing new nursing knowledge and answering scientific inquiry (AACN, 2014). The DNP and PhD programs are both difficult and challenging, both are committed to research, one degree is not better than the other, both are terminal degrees (Baker, 2014).

Nurse leaders are aware that today’s health care system has many issues complicating the goal of quality patient care and outcomes for all. Nurse leaders must stay informed and become involved as an advocate influencing changes in policy, laws, and/or regulations that govern the health care system they practice in. At times the advocacy requires a nurse leader to become more involved beyond their immediate level of practice and into the world of politics and policy.