NURS 8002 DQ The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice

NURS 8002 DQ The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice

NURS 8002 DQ The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice

NURS 8002 DQ The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice

A doctoral degree carries a certain set of expectations associated with the completion of advanced educational attainment. Earning a DNP degree is no exception. What are the expectations associated with a DNP-prepared nurse? How might these expectations differ among nursing staff without a DNP degree?

The role of a DNP-prepared nurse is multifaceted; they can serve as nurse educators, policy and legislation advocates, direct nursing care supervisors, or advanced practice nurses responsible for tracking, installing, and monitoring initiatives aimed at improving nursing and healthcare delivery. Regardless of the expectations associated with a DNP-prepared nurse, throughout your program of study, you will hone the skills necessary to enact each of these roles. Consider which role you are most excited about. What do you hope to accomplish in the realm of professional nursing practice with your DNP degree?

For this Discussion, reflect on your personal motivations to pursue a DNP degree. Consider the expectations associated with the DNP-prepared nurse, including how these may differ with a PhD-prepared nurse. Reflect on the DNP degree requirements, including your practicum/field experience and completion of your Doctoral Project. Then, think about how you will demonstrate the alignment of the AACN DNP Essentials to the completion of these program-of-study milestones.

To prepare:

• • Review the Learning Resources and reflect on the reasons you have chosen to pursue a DNP degree. How do you anticipate that earning this degree will support your professional goals?
  • Reflect on the differences between DNP and PhD degrees. How may this relate to your decision to pursue the DNP degree?
  • Review the degree requirements for completing your DNP at Walden. Specifically, consider the focus of the Doctoral Project and practicum experiences as discussed in the DNP Essentials document. Keep in mind that you will be required to identify a site or sites for completion of your DNP project and your practicum hours required for the degree. You can refer to the Field Experience requirements presented in the Learning Resources.

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• After reviewing the DNP Essentials document and the DNP Project Process Guide for the DNP project, reflect on what it means to address an organization’s needs to attend to a gap in practice or implement a practice change. What is the difference between a gap in practice and a practice change? How does your role as the DNP-prepared nurse contribute to meeting a stakeholder need?

By Day 3 of Week 4

Post a brief explanation of the role of the nurse with a practice doctorate. Be specific. Explain the expectations associated with

obtaining this degree, including how these expectations might be different for a nurse who holds a different degree. Then, explain how these considerations relate to your motivation to pursue a DNP, including a brief description of how your role as a DNP-prepared nurse will meet a potential organization’s need to address a gap in practice or implement a practice change. Discuss any experiences you have had in addressing a gap in practice or a practice change within an organization. Be specific.

By Day 6 of Week 4

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by suggesting an additional perspective on what it means to be a nurse with a practice doctorate, offer support to the expectations with obtaining the degree that your colleague posted, or expand upon your colleague’s post.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 4 Discussion Rubric

 

Post by Day 3 of Week 4 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 4

To Participate in this Discussion:

Week 4 Discussion

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 2: Professional Standards for the DNP-Prepared Nurse

Much like any other professional licensure credential, the DNP-prepared nurse must aptly demonstrate the skills and knowledge that align to the AACN DNP Essentials. These are the set of foundational competencies that will be structured and emphasized throughout a DNP degree program’s curriculum.

As a future DNP-prepared nurse, you will exemplify the DNP Essentials and the core set of competencies necessary for advanced nursing practice. Throughout your program of study, you will apply the DNP Essentials with the completion of your DNP program’s milestones, including your practicum/field experience and Doctoral Project.

What’s Happening This Module?

Module 2: Professional Standards for the DNP-Prepared Nurse is a 2-week module—Weeks 4–5 of the course—in which you analyze the role of a nurse with a practice doctorate. In the Discussion for Week 4, you will engage with your colleagues as you consider the expectations associated with earning the DNP degree and reflect on your personal motivations for pursing a doctoral degree. In the Assignment for this module, you will examine the role of the DNP-prepared nurse in meeting organizational and quality improvement needs. This is an important area of focus in that quality improvement will be the theme of your Doctoral Project. As you engage with the content for this module, you will also examine the alignment between the AACN DNP Essentials and the completion of your Doctoral Project and your practicum/field experience.

What do I have to do?	When do I have to do it?
Review your Learning Resources	Days 1–7, Weeks 4 and 5
Discussion: The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice	Post by Day 3 of Week 4 and respond to your colleagues by Day 6 of Week 4.
Assignment: Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP	Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 5.

Go to the Week’s Content

 Rubric Detail

 

Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.

Name: NURS_8002_Week4_Discussion_Rubric

		Excellent 90%–100%	Good 80%–89%	Fair 70%–79%	Poor 0%–69%
Main Posting: Response to the Discussion question is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.		40 (40%) – 44 (44%) Thoroughly responds to the Discussion question(s). Is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources. No less than 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least three current credible sources.	35 (35%) – 39 (39%) Responds to most of the Discussion question(s). Is somewhat reflective with critical analysis and synthesis representative of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. 50% of the post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least three credible references.	31 (31%) – 34 (34%) Responds to some of the Discussion question(s). One to two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed. Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Cited with fewer than two credible references.	0 (0%) – 30 (30%) Does not respond to the Discussion question(s). Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria. Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Contains only one or no credible references.
Main Posting: Writing		6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Written clearly and concisely. Contains no grammatical or spelling errors. Adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.	5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Written concisely. May contain one to two grammatical or spelling errors. Adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.	4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Written somewhat concisely. May contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Contains some APA formatting errors.	0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Not written clearly or concisely. Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style.
Main Posting: Timely and full participation		9 (9%) – 10 (10%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts main Discussion by due date.	8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Meets requirements for full participation. Posts main Discussion by due date.	7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Posts main Discussion by due date.	0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post main Discussion by due date.
First Response: Post to colleague’s main post that is reflective and justified with credible sources.		9 (9%) – 9 (9%) Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Responds to questions posed by faculty. The use of scholarly sources to support ideas demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.	8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Response has some depth and may exhibit critical thinking or application to practice setting.	7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Response is on topic and may have some depth.	0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
First Response: Writing		6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.	5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Communication is mostly professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are mostly answered, if posed. Provides opinions and ideas that are supported by few credible sources. Response is written in standard, edited English.	4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Response posed in the Discussion may lack effective professional communication. Response to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Few or no credible sources are cited.	0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Responses posted in the Discussion lack effective communication. Response to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited.
First Response: Timely and full participation		5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts by due date.	4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Meets requirements for full participation. Posts by due date.	3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Posts by due date.	0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post by due date.
Second Response: Post to colleague’s main post that is reflective and justified with credible sources.		9 (9%) – 9 (9%) Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Responds to questions posed by faculty. The use of scholarly sources to support ideas demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.	8 (8%) – 8 (8%) Response has some depth and may exhibit critical thinking or application to practice setting.	7 (7%) – 7 (7%) Response is on topic and may have some depth.	0 (0%) – 6 (6%) Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Second Response: Writing		6 (6%) – 6 (6%) Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.	5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Communication is mostly professional and respectful to colleagues. Response to faculty questions are mostly answered, if posed. Provides opinions and ideas that are supported by few credible sources. Response is written in standard, edited English.	4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Response posed in the Discussion may lack effective professional communication. Response to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Few or no credible sources are cited.	0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Responses posted in the Discussion lack effective communication. Response to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited.
Second Response: Timely and full participation		5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Meets requirements for timely, full, and active participation. Posts by due date.	4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Meets requirements for full participation. Posts by due date.	3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Posts by due date.	0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Does not meet requirements for full participation. Does not post by due date.
Total Points: 100

I want to first say that I appreciate your in-depth review of both the Ph.D and DNP roles. I honestly feel as though my learning was solidified with your explanations. There are two things that stuck with me as I read your discussion post—goal alignment and how COVID-19 has impacted nursing.

To begin, I think it is critical for nurses to reflect on their position and consider how they want to impact nursing in the future. Often times, I hear nurses state that they want to pursue an advanced degree, but they waiver back and forth with either being a nurse practitioner or Ph.D. When I ask what exactly they want to do, they say that they just want an advanced degree to be more marketable and “keep up with the times”.  I warn that this is dangerous because both roles are critical to the nursing practice and require a different skillset—advanced degrees are not to be entered into lightly. I believe the importance of these degrees and their contribution to nursing practice should be communicated at the BSN and MSN levels to help appropriately inform future nurse leaders about their impact on the profession. From my personal experience, I think that most nurses just want to attain the “glamour” of the degree to add the credentials, but they do not have a passion for research or practice improvement. Therefore, I agree that nurses need to identify and align their goals.

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the entire healthcare delivery system. While it has wreaked havoc on life as we know it and nursing care, it has also ignited my interest in evidence-based practice. I fully enjoy looking at data, creating a plan, implementing the plan, and waiting for the results. With that being said, as a labor and delivery nurse at the start of the pandemic, it was evident that care for COVID + labor patients would look different from the norm. Over the course of the year, we realized that pregnant COVID patients would present with pre-eclampsia symptoms, which posed a major problem for our unit—we were faced with asking this question, “how do we know who needs magnesium sulfate and who does not”? Did COVID pre-eclampsia symptoms take the same toll on the body as true pre-eclampsia? This was major shift in critical thinking and nursing practice. I absolutely fell in love with this, and I joined a task-force committee at work to help address the new concerns as we arise. It was exciting to engage in the research process and help create practice change on our unit. So, it is safe to say, I am ready for the DNP ride (insert major smile). The AACN (2006) identified the eight essentials of the DNP that are foundational competencies that are core to all advanced nursing practice roles. I am sure that I will develop the foundational essentials, but I most closely relate to Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence Based Practice.

Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/DNP-Essentials

The Doctoral Degree and Professional Nursing Practice

 

Week 1

The nursing profession offers two degrees, DNP and Ph.D.  While both are doctoral level degrees, they differ in that the DNP focuses on the clinical practice of nursing and the Ph.D. is trained to focus on research and the to generate new and knowledge and can use that research to educate the general public. Both professionals play a very important role in the entire health care system. According that (ANNP, 2021) there are fewer than thirty thousand doctorate degree nurses in the USA.  Both the DNP and Ph.D. prepare nurses to play a critical role in the development of knowledge that affect care and service delivery to patients through evidence base practices.

A DNP plays a significant role in the health care system and policy and advocacy to transform service delivery in the facilities they work. The nurse holding a DNP and using evidence base practice to collaborate with other health care professional in quality improvement services in the community. The Ph.D. is respected for promoting knowledge and therefore work in areas of academic to promote education for future nurse. (Clearly et al 2011).

My motivation for becoming a DNP has been a long journey, it is part of a promised made to by mother that I will become nurse. I am originally from West Africa Sierra Leone, where Mental Health is still remains a big stigma – and one of my aim as a DNP is to be able to provide the education and professional assistance to individual in the African community.

 

References

 

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2004).

AACN position statement on the practice doctorate in nursing. Washington DC. Author.

Clearly, M., Hunt, G. E., & Jackson, D (2011). Demystifying Ph.Ds: A review of doctorate                        programs deigned to fulfill the needs of the next generation of nursing.

 

Michael, M.J & Clochesy, J.M. (2016). From scientific discovery to health outcomes: A

synergistic model of doctoral nursing education. Nurse education Today, 40, 84-86