The profession of nursing is attempting to provide academic
preparation and title comparable to other advanced clinical degrees in the
healthcare arena such as Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD),
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), etc. The
Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) is the highest academic preparation for
nursing practice. For new nursing practitioners, the DNP degree may become the
requirement to practice advanced nursing by the year of 2015. The DNP degree
focuses on incorporating scientific findings/knowledge into practice, thereby
improving the health care services provided to our patient population.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), today’s
health care system requires safe and advanced nursing practice to transition
scientific evidence into practice. A DNP program prepares the advanced
provider with extensive leadership training and education to lead the changing
health care system. The DNP programs are congruent with the Essentials of
Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice recommendations. The
essentials guide the curriculum of DNP programs and will reflect much of the
coursework. These essentials are as follows:
- · Scientific underpinnings for practice
- · Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking
- · Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice
- · Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of healthcare
- · Healthcare policy for advocacy in healthcare
- · Interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes
- · Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation's health
- · Advanced nursing practice
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ReplyDeleteIt has been discussed by experts that the DNP graduate is in a great position to impart his or her knowledge on evidence-based practice in the clinical, educational, and administrative setting (Slyer & Levin, 2012). DNP graduates who take on the role of educators in the academic setting are faced with the challenge of obtaining a tenure-track faculty member positions in universities (Kutzin, 2010). Kutzin (2010) explores the downside of this issue in the context of the current nursing faculty shortage. The said response of universities to DNP graduates who are seeking tenure-track or full-time faculty positions may pose a bleak resolution to the ongoing problem of nurse educator shortage in the academia. I believe that the utilization of DNP graduates as full-time or tenure-track faculty members will be a great boost to educating future nurses because of the DNP program's thrust on leadership, evidence-based practice, policy-making, and health innvations. Furthermore, I am more likely to enter the academia in about 5-10 years after graduating as I want to pursue a teaching career specifically a tenure-track position.
ReplyDeleteKutzin, J. (2010). Other lessons learned completing a DNP program. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(4), 181-2. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/193913465?accountid=35812
Slyer, J., & Levin, Rona F,PhD., R.N. (2012). On the doctor of nursing practice (DNP). Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 26(1), 6-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1015342871?accountid=35812