The Importance Of DNP Graduates

The AANP advocates for advanced practice nurses at both the state and federal level. This organization works diligently to advance and protect the ability and right of all nurses to practice at the full scope of their educational background, while also working to prevent any loss of independence. Additionally, educational opportunities are provided through membership services, guidance on research projects, access to mentoring relationships, and a wealth of resources and support are available through networking with peers (Mason, 2013). Currently there are over 150 different CEU activities

The competencies are essential behaviors of all NPs. “These competencies are demonstrated upon graduation regardless of the population focus of the program and are necessary for NPs to meet the complex challenges of translating rapidly expanding knowledge into practice and function in a challenging health care environment” (NONPF, 2014, para. 7). Nurse practitioner graduates have the knowledge, skills and abilities that are essential to independent clinical practice. The NP core competencies are acquired through mentored patient care experiences with emphasis on independent and inter professional practice; analytical skills for evaluating and providing evidence-based, patient centered care across settings; and advanced knowledge of the health care delivery system. The nine core competencies include scientific foundation competencies, leadership competencies, quality competencies, practice inquiry competencies, technology and information literacy competencies, policy competencies, health delivery system competencies, ethics competencies and independent practice competencies (NONPF,

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

The second MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to nursing leadership, in which an APN is aware of the influence and need for organizational and systems leadership and is able to apply various organizational theories in practice. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to quality improvement and safety. In this area, an APN is able to understand performance assessment, measurement, and evaluation processes that impact their practice. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to evidence-based practice. Here, an APN is expected to apply research utilization and translation skills as well as function as a change agent in MSN practice. The fifth MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to nursing informatics. In this area, an APN is able to incorporate nursing science, information science, and computer science to communicate effectively and thus improve MSN practice. The sixth MSN essential focused on integrative abilities related to healthcare policy. In this area, an APN is capable of effectively advocate for individuals, families, and focused populations as well as for the profession of nursing across diverse systems of healthcare. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to interprofessional collaboration. Here, an APN is able to apply elements of interprofessional collaboration and effective communication skills to practice improvements to improve health outcomes for individuals, families, and focused populations. The eight MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to population health. In this area, the MSN graduate should be able to apply population-focused and culturally-sensitive intervention strategies in delivering patient-centered care to individuals, families,

Although the American Association of Colleges of Nursing clearly defined the role of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2004, some confusion about the academic programs still exist. The role of both the DNP and PhD-prepared individuals is to improve the quality of health care and the health of population through the use of the best evidence when assisting them in making decisions about treatment options. Melnyk, B. M. (2013). According to the national leaders in major healthcare fields, mentioned a gap between research and practice and the importance to apply research findings and engage in evidence-based practice. In order to translate this knowledge, the clinician must understand the healthcare delivery in order to help narrow the research-to-practice gap and transform health care. DNP-prepared nurses are trained to reduce the research-to-practice gap. Because most nurse lack knowledge to critically appraise research studies and the skills to effectively implement evidence-based practice (EBP) in their clinical settings.

Some states allow NPs to practice independently; other states require NPs to have a written agreement with a collaborating physician (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). All NPs, however, are independently licensed practitioners who can practice advanced nursing autonomously regardless of the collaborating physician’s specialty (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). PAs are part of a physician-led team; thus, in contrast to NPs, all PAs must be assigned a supervising physician, and the services they can provide are limited to those for which the physician can provide adequate supervision (Ponte & O’Neill, 2013). PAs rarely practice independently but instead perform tasks delegated by physician supervisors (Gadbois et al.,

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

Both the DNP and PhD nurse educators are critical in helping build a nursing workforce that iscapable of increasing complex demands of the nations health care system. DNP nurses in advance proactice nursing roles are able to implement ways to improve nursing practice, patient population and a focus on patient outcomes. O'Lynn (2015) states that a nurse educator track for DNP students would greatly increase the nursing faculty and allow more students into nursing

The purpose of this paper is to describe the integrated primary care clinical setting under the affordable healthcare act, and the role DNP nurses fulfill as providers of care. Also described will be the professional, regulatory, legal barriers that exist, what DNP APRN nurses need to do to be recognized as DNP nurses with the ability to provide safe, quality, healthcare that improves patient outcomes who deserve to practice autonomously. DNP nurses are prepared to advocate for the patient, create innovative changes in the healthcare delivery system, and provide a holistic approach to healthcare and should be allowed to practice fully to the extent of their education, certification and training.

The core competencies of adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner center around health promotion, health protection, disease prevention and treatment (AACN, 2012). Consequently, The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) endorsed the evolution of the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) as the entry level for nurse practitioner and expanded related professional competencies. As outlined in the Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies statement (2011), demonstration of the independent and interprofessional practice; analytic skills for evaluating and providing evidenced-based, patient-centered care across settings; and advanced knowledge of the health care delivery system are essential qualities delineating full scope of practice for NP as a licensed independent practitioner (NONPF, 2011,

The shift in the health care management from individual disease management to the population health care approach has been a driven force for the recommendation by the institute of medicine (IOM) in the United States (Sickora, & Chase, 2014). Some of the recommendations include that the advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) to operate more efficiently, practice to their full professional scope, and in a cost effective manner. In light of this, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (ANCN) in 2004, endorsed that the training for APRN should receive training to the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree level (Potempa, 2011). In addition, the ANCN stipulated the education and competency roles of the DNP nurses to include eight

There are “more than 3 million members” that are in nursing profession taking part in “the largest segment of the nation’s health care workforce” (Health and Medicine Division, 2015). Along with some of the barriers to improve nurses’ skills and knowledge, fragmentation of the health care system, high rates of turnover among nurses, difficult school transitioning to practice and aging workforce and other demographic challenges are also being noticed by health care system (Nap.edu, 2011). The IOM report allow nurses such as nurse practitioners to see patients and prescribe medications without collaboration and supervision of a physician. Another program that assist on nursing high turnover rates is the versant or nurse residency programs. It was developed to provide a comprehensive time to train and acquire safe and standard knowledge and skills for high quality of patient’s care. A decrease turnover rates for versant program from 35 to 6 percent at 12 months and 55 to 11 percent at 24 months (Nap.edu, 2011).

Lack of understanding and barriers to practicing are the greatest challenges to the role of DNP in healthcare. In the field of addiction, there is a vast need for education related to the DNP role and treatment of patients who have substance use disorders. The lack of DNP practitioners in this field is also a significant challenge to transition in this role. The facilitators to this role as a DNP would include the ability to negotiate with other addiction specialists to promote the specialty of addiction and the advancement of nursing simultaneously. Utilizing leadership skills and understanding the importance of being a role model for other nurses will facilitate the transition to the DNP role. Learning new skills and maintaining professionalism will both be challenges and facilitators to the role of DNP nursing

The progress of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree and its place originated over 10 years ago. Rogers ' Diffusion of Innovation Theory is used to trace the history of the DNP. Nurse leaders from service and academia share strategies and innovations, and evaluate DNP education with a focus on outcomes and impact. As schools of nursing target DNPs to become faculty to mitigate the shortage, participants agreed it is time to focus on graduating strong leaders prepared to transform health care. A growing number of nurses practicing in diverse roles have earned the DNP from programs that vary considerably in rigor. Demand for the competencies, skills, and experience which DNPs bring to practice is high as organizations adapt to the accountable care environment. The DNP essentials (AACN, 2006) provide scaffolding upon which to build both educational programs and DNP practice that are well suited to this new and changing context (Terhaar, Taylor, & Sylvia, 2016). The DNP is a practice-focused doctorate that should prepare clinicians for leadership in evidence-based practice (EBP) (Melnyk, 2013).

The readings of chapter’s two and three from the course required text book, DeNisco and Barker (2016), discuss the rational for the development of the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) and curriculum standards that pertain to each advanced nursing degree. I agree that the DNP is a good option for nurses who seek to advance to a terminal degree but are not interested in a pure research route that is offered with a PhD in nursing. As noted by Swanson and Stanton (2013), the DNP is recognized for filling educational gaps for nursing professionals including nurse executives, but literature is missing information to support the perceived validity of the DNP for nurse executives (p. 35). Strech and Wyatt (2016), discuss how the role of nursing