NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP
Sample Answer for NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP Included After Question
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.
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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
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NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP Grading Criteria
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What’s Coming Up in Module 3?
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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
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.
NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP 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)
Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(8), 447–453. https://doi.org/10.1097/JXX.0000000000000266
Document: DNP Project Process Guide (Word document)
Discussion: 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
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP
Title: NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP
Introduction
The DNP project and practicum/field experience demonstrate the competencies that the DNP curriculum contributes. The DNP Essentials represent the competencies the nursing scholar should exemplify to impact the desired impact on health care from the nursing perspective. They shape the education for the DNP to meet quality indicator criteria. The DNP Essentials increase emphasis on quality of education, evidence-based practice, and nurses having the competence to practice to the full extent of their scope of practice (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2006). The foundational outcome competencies necessary for DNP graduates to impact nursing’s research enterprise and promote evidence-based practice significantly align with completing a Doctoral Project and the practicum/field experience.
DNP Essentials
Alignment with the Completion of a Doctoral Project
The DNP Essential that aligns the most with completing a Doctoral Project is Essential I: Scientific Underpinnings for Practice. The DNP Essential mandates proficiency in scientific foundations of nursing practice. A DNP graduate should view problems at patient and system levels through which nursing can intervene (AACN, 2006). Essential I will be critical to the DNP Project as it will require integrating science-based concepts and theories to explain healthcare delivery phenomena, identify strategies to enhance healthcare delivery and evaluate their outcomes.
The second DNP Essential with a critical role in the DNP Project is Essential III: Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice. The DNP program enables one to identify problems and apply practice scholarship to address an identified problem. The program emphasizes the competence to translate research into practice and integrate or disseminate new knowledge (AACN, 2006). The relevance of Essential II arises because the DNP Project should rely on current clinical guidelines, involves reviewing and grading the literature, and integrates expert opinions. The DNP Essential will be vital because the DNP Project aims to generate new knowledge to impact evidence-based practice.
The third most important DNP Essential is Essential VIII: Advanced Nursing Practice. The DNP Essential advances that the DNP programs prepare competencies for advanced roles in specific clinical areas. The DNP Project should exemplify the capacity to use advanced clinical decision-making skills and develop therapeutic relationships with patients and interprofessional teams to improve patient outcomes (AACN, 2006; Butts & Rich, 2021). The relevance of the Essential to the DNP Project is the need for clinical scholarship to propose and explain new solutions to practice situations.
Alignment with the Completion of a Practicum/Field Experience
A practicum/field experience should prepare DNP students with the outcomes that all the DNP Essentials delineate. Opportunities to integrate all the essentials into practice are imperative. The three DNP Essentials feature significantly in the practicum/field experience. Essential I aligns with the demands of field experience requiring integrating sciences as the basis of nursing practice (Butts & Rich, 2021). The scientific underpinnings for practice are a common content area in practice-focused programs such as the practicum. The field experience involves hands-on actions and designing strategies to improve care delivery and enhance health outcomes. These practicum/field experiences offer exposure to real-life applications of science-based theories and concepts in healthcare delivery. Essential III applies because completing the practicum requires developing a practice perspective to merge nursing science, practice, patient condition, and care delivery (AACN, 2006). The practicum offers an opportunity to apply research to practice, ask practice-related questions, and base decision-making on expertise, practice guidelines, existing literature, and methodologies that can improve care in practice. The value of Essential VIII to the practicum/field experience lies in its insights into the need to develop mastery in one area of nursing practice. Advanced practice involves some specialization, and the DNP Essential necessitates identifying the area of specialization the practicum should target (Chism, 2021). Consequently, the DNP Essential serves as the basis for targeting specific practice specialty to ensure superior nursing practice, comprehensive evaluation, and optimal patient care.
Conclusion
Identifying the most relevant DNP Essentials competencies for a DNP Project and practicum is possible. The DNP Essentials are foundation competencies that any DNP project and practicum/field experience should have. They address the concepts and content concerning advanced nursing practice and education standards. The project and practicum should be designed to meet the DNP Essentials.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2006). The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice.
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2021). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chism, L. A. (2021). The Doctor of Nursing Practice: A guidebook for role development and professional issues. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP
Title: NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP
Doctor of nursing prepares a nurse to practice at the very apex of nursing process and care and contribute knowledge to the nursing field. By design, DNP programs share nurses to be more accomplished scientists and scholars by focusing on research methodology and scientific content (Root et al.,2018). The implication is that these individuals must engage in original research, evidence-based and innovative practice, and reflect on how best to apply credible research findings. Completing a DNP at Walden University requires that an individual undertakes a doctoral project and completes practicum. Completion of the two is aligned to the AACN DNP essentials achievement. The purpose of this week’s assignment is to explore some of the AACN DNP essentials that most align with the completion of a Doctoral project. Besides, the write-up will explore how the AACN DNP essentials relate to the completion of a practicum.
AACN DNP Essentials That Most Align to a Doctoral Project Completion
The enactment of the eight DNP essentials has been central to the competencies and curricular elements for the DNP course. These essentials align with the completion of the doctoral project completion. One of the AACN DNP essentials that align with completing a doctoral project, in general, is the scientific underpinnings for practice (Spencer, 2019). During a DNP project, nursing students engage in thorough scrutiny of the middle-range nursing theories and their potential application in the DNP project and as leading frameworks. These theories then form the foundation for the DNP projects to build and spur such projects to completion. When a nursing student completes a DNP project, the individual is in a position to utilize science-based concepts towards the evaluation and enhancement of patient care, health care delivery and ensure that the patient outcomes are at acceptable standards.
The other DNP essential that aligns to the completion of doctoral project completion is essential VII “Clinical Prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health.” This essential requires that a DNP student considers quality improvement as an integral part of practice to help prevent illnesses and infections and improve population health. During a DNP program, the DNP students undertake projects that tend to identify gaps and improve clinical outcomes, reduce risks and treat various illnesses (Valdres & Smith, 2019). The implication is that these students must correctly evaluate and interpret environmental, occupational, biostatistical, and epidemiological information penitent to the improvement of communities and individual health. As such, when a DNP student completes a DNP project, the projects already completed equips such individuals with skills to lead strategies to address preventable population health issues that lead to mortality and disability.
The third AACN DNP project that aligns to the completion of doctoral project completion is essential IV “Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care. In the era of technology, almost all the DNP projects to be undertaken by DNP students are technology-based or use some form of technology, ranging from informatics, healthcare technological equipment to technologies that improve the efficiency of staff (Valdres & Smith, 2019). During the process of completing the DNP project, nursing students use patient care technologies and information to enhance clinical decision-making and practice leadership. In addition, such projects also enable the DNP students to sufficiently understand the technology and technological applications and skills to foster technological innovation. Besides, they can assess healthcare customer information, gauge its appropriateness, and fine-tune operations to improve care.
How the AACN DNP Essentials Will Relate to Completion of a practicum Field
The three discussed AACN DNP essentials also relate to the completion of a practicum field. The Practicum field offers individuals an opportunity to practice what has been learned under the supervision and guidance of a mentor. For instance, the DNP essential of scientific underpinnings for practice relates to a practicum field involving the control of hospital-acquired infection in that controlling such infections requires the application of evidence-based practice (Valdres & Smith, 2019). Such evidence-based practice entails various scientific underpinnings. Completing a practicum session in this field helps the student to achieve this essential. Therefore, by engaging in a practicum setting on infection control, the DNP student capably applies science-based concepts to evaluate health care delivery and enhance improved patient outcomes.
Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health also relates to completing a practicum experience. By pursuing the control and management of healthcare-acquired infections as one of the practicum aims, the student learns and acquires knowledge on clinical prevention and population health (Valdres & Smith, 2019). With the guidance of a mentor to successfully complete a practicum experience, the students also gain knowledge on formulating strategies to improve patient outcomes regarding healthcare-acquired infections. Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care also relate to a practicum experience since DNP students explored various technological applications that can be used to effectively reduce the rates of patients contracting healthcare-acquired infections.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DNP programs are essential in preparing nursing students to improve care by creating new knowledge, applying evidence-based practice, and assuming leadership positions to influence care decisions. Completing a DNP project and practicum experience helps the students to align the program to the DNP essentials. This write-up has explored some of the DNP essentials that align with the completion of the DNP project and practicum experience.
References
Root, L., Nuñez, D. E., Velasquez, D., Malloch, K., & Porter-O’Grady, T. (2018). Advancing the rigor of DNP projects for practice excellence. Nurse Leader, 16(4), 261-265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2018.05.013.
SPENCER, T. (2019). The DNP project—The essentials. Leadership and Systems Improvement for the DNP, 221.
Valdres, R., & Smith, M. (2019). DNP essentials and its application to clinical practice: Practicum I synthesis paper.
NURS 8002 Assignment Linking Areas of Focus Into Future Plans for the DNP Rubric Detail
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
Name: NURS_8002_Module2_Assignment_Rubric
| Excellent
90%–100% |
Good
80%–89% |
Fair
70%–79% |
Poor
0%–69% |
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| Describe the 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most align to the completion of a Doctoral Project. Be specific. | 41 (41%) – 45 (45%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most align to the completion of a Doctoral Project. The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the selection of the 3 AACN DNP Essentials described. |
36 (36%) – 40 (40%)
The response accurately describes 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most align to the completion of a Doctoral Project. The response provides accurate details that support the selection of the 3 AACN DNP Essentials described. |
32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most algin to the completion of a Doctoral Project. OR The response describes < 3 AACN DNP Essentials. The response provides inaccurate or vague details that may support the selection of the AACN DNP Essentials described. |
0 (0%) – 31 (31%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes 3 AACN DNP Essentials that most align to the completion of a Doctoral Project, or it is missing. The response provides inaccurate and vague details that do not support the selection of the AACN DNP Essentials described, or it is missing. |
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| Explain how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field experience. Be specific. | 36 (36%) – 40 (40%)
The response accurately and clearly describes in detail how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field experience. The response provides accurate and specific details that fully support the relationship between the AACN DNP Essentials and a practicum/field experience. |
32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response accurately describes how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field experience. The response provides accurate details that support the relationship between the AACN DNP Essentials and a practicum/field experience. |
28 (28%) – 31 (31%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field experience. The response provides inaccurate or vague details that may support the relationship between the AACN DNP Essentials and a practicum/field experience. |
0 (0%) – 27 (27%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes how the AACN DNP Essentials will relate to the completion of a practicum/field experience, or it is missing. The response provides inaccurate and vague details that do not support the relationship between the AACN DNP Essentials and a practicum/field experience, or it is missing. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. |
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. |
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. |
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. |
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. |
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| Total Points: 100 | ||||||