The Doctor of Nursing Practice
Two types of doctoral programs exist in nursing. The Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) is research-based, while the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) is practice-focused. Though distinct in their goals and competencies, the two terminal degrees work synchronously to contribute to and advance the science of nursing. Over the last 20 years, the DNP has evolved to share a scholarly requirement with a comparable rigor and challenging capstone project as its PhD counterpart (AACN, 2006).
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In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Task Force on the Doctorate in Nursing issued a position statement defining the scope of advanced nursing practice and identifying the benefit of DNP programs. The culmination of this work resulted in the development of the DNP Essentials. These eight elements must be evident in DNP program curriculum and competencies:
I. Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
II. Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
III. Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
IV. Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and
Transformation of Health Care
V. Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
VI. Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation's Health
VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice
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DNP programs vary in focus, depending on the role for which the student is preparing.My DNP program at the University of Colorado Denver, which built upon my Master in Nursing Science degree, focused on organizational leadership and administration. The following pages contain scholarly and professional exemplars of integrative practice experiences that demonstrate how I met the requirements of the DNP Essentials.
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Reference
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American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (AACN). (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice [PDF]. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Publications/DNPEssentials.pdf
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