NURS 8002 Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP Essay
NURS 8002 Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP Essay
In obtaining your DNP degree at Walden, you will complete a practicum/field experience and Doctoral
Project. Both of these program-of-study milestones are directly aligned to the achievement of the AACN
DNP Essentials.
The focus of your Doctoral Project will be on a quality improvement project that you would advocate for
to address a nursing practice gap or organizational need.
Photo Credit: photoechno / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
In this first course, you will begin to consider the type of Doctoral Projects you might be interested in
pursuing for completion of your DNP degree. Similarly, the clinical hours you will complete in your
practicum/field experience will also align to the achievement of certain competencies as defined in the
AACN DNP Essentials. Consider how alignment between your future plans in completing your
practicum/field experience and your Doctoral Project will represent alignment to the DNP Essentials.
For this Assignment, reflect on the Discussion Forum from Week 4 and think about how the completion
of your Doctoral Project and practicum/field experience demonstrates alignment to the AACN DNP
Essentials.
To prepare:
Review the Discussion Forum from Week 4.
Review the AACN DNP Essentials document in the Learning Resources and reflect on how the
completion of your Doctoral Project and the completion of a practicum/field experience may
align to these Essentials.
Select at least 3 AACN DNP Essentials to focus on for this Assignment.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
Describe the 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most align to the completion of a Doctoral Project. Be
specific. Note: This is in general terms, not in relation to a particular quality improvement or
organizational goal.
Explain how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field
experience. Be specific.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction,
summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an
example of those required elements (available
at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All
papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7 of Week 5
Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 5.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “M2Assgn+last name+first
initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Module 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Module 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria
from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document
you saved as “M2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my
paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Module 2 Assignment Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Module 2 Assignment draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 5
To participate in this Assignment:
Module 2 Assignment
What’s Coming Up in Module 3?
Photo Credit: [BrianAJackson]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images
In the next module, you will analyze intra- and interprofessional collaboration and the DNP-prepared
nurse. You will also examine the role of the DNP-prepared nurse in fostering a community of practice in
responding to and addressing the needs/challenges of their communities.
Next Module
To go to the next module:
Module 3
Weeks 4–5: AACN Essentials for the Doctorally Prepared Nurse
[The AACN DNP] Essentials outline the foundational competencies that are core to all advanced practice
roles, including the four nationally-recognized Advanced Practice Registered Nursing roles: nurse
practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives.
— American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006)
What does it mean to be a DNP-prepared nurse? What core function of advanced nursing practice do
you hope to practice upon completion of your DNP? How will earning a DNP enhance your nursing
practice?
Questions such as these may represent some underlying consideration that led you to pursue a DNP. In
your role as a DNP-prepared nurse, you will likely be called upon to perform advanced nursing practice
skills that not only enhance patient care but will impact the delivery of healthcare, organizational
standards, and quality improvement initiatives.
This week, you consider the role of a nurse with a practice doctorate, including the expectations
associated with obtaining a DNP degree. You reflect on your personal motivations for pursuing a
doctoral degree and begin to examine how your proposed Doctoral Project and practicum/field
experience will align to the AACN DNP Essentials.
Reference:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2006). DNP essentials. https://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/DNP-Essentials
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze the role of a nurse with a practice doctorate
Analyze expectations associated with obtaining the DNP degree
Analyze personal motivations for pursing a doctoral degree
Explain the role of the DNP-prepared nurse in meeting organizational quality improvement
needs
Evaluate alignment between the AACN DNP Essentials and completion of Doctoral Projects
Evaluate alignment between the AACN DNP Essentials and completion of a practicum/field
experience
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced
nursing practice. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Publications/DNPEssentials.pdf
Beeber, A. S., Palmer, C., Waldrop, J., Lynn, M. R., & Jones, C. B. (2019). The role of Doctor of Nursing
Practice-prepared nurses in practice settings. Nursing Outlook, 67(4), 354–364.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2019.02.006
Falkenberg-Olson, A. C. (2019). Research translation and the evolving PhD and DNP practice roles: A
collaborative call for nurse practitioners. Journal of the American
Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(8), 447–453. https://doi.org/10.1097/JXX.0000000000000266
Fiset, V. J., Davies, B. L, Graham, I. D., Gifford, W., & Woodend, K. (2019). Developing guideline-based
quality indicators: Assessing gaps in pain management practice.
International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 17(2), 92–105.
https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000160
Giardino, E. R., & Hickey, J. V. (2020). Doctor of Nursing Practice students’ perceptions of professional
change through the DNP program. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(6), 595–603.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.08.012
Hartjes, T. M., Lester, D., Arasi-Ruddock, L., McFadden Bradley, S., Munro, S., & Cowan, L. (2019).
Answering the question: Is the Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Nursing
Practice right for me? Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(8), 439–442.
https://doi.org/10.1097/JXX.0000000000000273
Rew, L., Cauvin, S., Cengiz, A., Pretorius, K., & Johnson, K. (2020). Application of project management
tools and techniques to support nursing intervention research. Nursing Outlook, 68(4), 396–405.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.01.007
Tussing, T., Brinkman, B., Francis, D., Hixon, B., Labardee, R., & Chipps, E. (2018). The impact of the
Doctorate of Nursing practice nurse in a hospital setting. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(12),
600–602. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000688
Walden University. (n.d.). Field experience: College of nursing. Field Experience.
https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son
Document: DNP Project Process Guide (Word document)