Nurses in the United States With a Practice Doctorate, Coursework Example

The DNP program presents a number of challenges with respect to this role and how it impacts nursing practice. DNP students must be prepared to balance a variety of tasks and frameworks under which specific theories operate and demonstrate knowledge and skill in navigating a variety of issues that influence nurses and the care that they provide to patients (Chism, 2016). In addition, this process requires the skill and ability to analyze different types of clinical cases in order to successfully address common problems in patient care that require advanced solutions (Smolowitz, Honig, & Reinisch). Comparing and contrasting DNP programs must be evaluated in order to provide students with the best possible programs that will suit their needs accordingly.

DNP students must be accepting of change as it occurs throughout their coursework and how it might be applied to the nursing practice environment (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). The learning curve for DNP students is steep and requires their full attention and focus in order to be successful in promoting a nursing environment where change, adaptability, knowledge generation, and collaboration go hand in hand with the growth of the practice setting. Therefore, students must obtain the appropriate training and guidance to manage a wide variety of tasks to become leaders and forces of nature and guide nursing practice to an even greater level of success and achievement (Redman, Pressler, Furspan, & Potempa, 2015). Students are required to respond to different programmatic requirements that are contingent upon the programs that they are interested in; therefore, they must be examined with respect to their offerings and benefits for students.

DNP students must obtain proper training, knowledge, and skill development in order to be successfully prepared for the duties and responsibilities of the practice environment at a high level, regardless of the program that they choose. This requires students to embody the theories and principles of their programs at a cohesive level to support improvements across the practice setting.

References

Chism, L.A. (2016). The Doctor of Nursing Practice: A Guidebook for Role Development and  Professional Issues. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Redman, R. W., Pressler, S. J., Furspan, P., & Potempa, K. (2015). Nurses in the United States with a practice doctorate: Implications for leading in the current context of health care. Nursing outlook, 63(2), 124-129.

Smolowitz, J., Honig, J., & Reinisch, C. Writing DNP Clinical Case Narratives: Demonstrating and Evaluating Competency in Comprehensive Care. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Zaccagnini, M.E., & White, K.W. (2014). The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials: A New Model for Advanced Practice Nursing. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.