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DNP Program Faculty and Graduates' Knowledge and Use of QI and Safety Processes
Elizabeth Tovar1, Julianne Ossege, Susan Farus-Brown
1Author Affiliations: Associate Professors (Drs Ossege and Tovar), College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington; Assistant Professor (Dr Farus-Brown), Ohio University, School of Nursing, Zanesville; Assistant Professor (Dr Zonsius), College of Nursing, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois; Clinical Assistant Professor (Dr Morrow), College of Nursing, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut.
Background:
Across doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs, wide variation exists for DNP project expectations and curricular integration of Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competencies.
Purpose:
This study examined DNP project characteristics and compared knowledge, skills, and attitudes about quality improvement (QI) processes between DNP program faculty and graduates.
Methods:
This descriptive study used a national convenience sample of DNP program faculty and graduates from multiple settings (N = 147) who completed an electronic survey of a modified version of the Quality Improvement Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Survey.
Results:
Most DNP projects were QI/practice improvement (85.5%) and required interprofessional collaboration (65%) and implementation of a practice change (55.8%) with evaluation (65.5%). DNP program faculty (n = 73) and graduates (n = 30) had no significant differences in QI knowledge or skills; faculty reported less confidence in their knowledge (P = .002) and skills (P = .007) than graduates.
Conclusions:
Faculty development efforts to improve QI knowledge and skills for DNP program faculty are needed.