The development of practice scholarship in DNP programs: a paradigm shift.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Healthcare Leadership

Background:

• Doctoral nursing education is shifting towards practice-focused expertise.
• The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree aims to enhance clinical practice and accelerate evidence translation.
• Advanced nursing practice requires evaluating current approaches and appraising evidence for improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a definition for DNP projects that fosters collaboration between academia and practice settings.
• To address the need for consensus on DNP projects to support the acceptance of DNP-prepared nurses.
• To outline how DNP curricula can evolve through shared best practices and stakeholder input.

Main Methods:

• The article synthesizes current DNP curriculum elements and faculty perspectives.
• It emphasizes the importance of student, faculty, and agency input in curriculum development.
• The proposed DNP project model is based on "real world" evidence translation and practice improvement.

Main Results:

• Consensus on the nature and scope of the DNP project is currently lacking but urgently needed.
• The DNP project serves as a capstone for synthesizing DNP Essentials through practical application.
• Defining DNP projects as practice improvement partnerships offers a collaborative model.

Conclusions:

• DNP projects should be conceptualized as collaborative partnerships between academic institutions and community agencies.
• This collaborative approach benefits both healthcare quality improvement and the education of advanced practice registered nurses.
• Standardizing DNP projects will enhance the recognition and impact of DNP-prepared nurses in complex healthcare environments.