Overview of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, Coursework Example

The DNP education program possesses a number of differences from the traditional PhD program for nursing students. Nonetheless, the primary theories and practice methods within both areas possess some similarities. DNP students must be able to emphasize evidence-based practice and solutions to improve patient care quality, to identify the need for change and promote change as necessary, and to recognize patient safety as a critical priority at all times (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). Therefore, the adoption of interdisciplinary teams and research-based evidence must be considered as part of a larger framework to improve the delivery of healthcare to patients (AACN, 2006).

The DNP is different from the PhD in that the former is designed to emphasize the significance of practice tools, strategies, methods, and resources, while the PhD places a greater emphasis on research-based principles to achieve the desired outcomes (Chism, 2013). Research-based objectives are the primary focus of the PhD program, while DNP students are taught to become more engaged in clinical competencies and how they affect the practice environment (Edwardson, 2014). From the PhD perspective, it is important for nursing students to identify different forms of research, to determine their validity, and to be proactive in working towards solutions with this evidence base in mind. Furthermore, educators must be able to address the ability to synthesize evidence and apply it to existing issues in order to develop new methods that will be effective within the practice setting (Levin & Feldman, 2006). On the other hand, DNP students will apply these principles in real-world settings and seek opportunities to improve quality of care that will have lasting benefits for patients and for the practice setting as a whole. This process ensures that patient care quality is optimized at all times and is supported by a dynamic that involves high quality patient care and treatment at the highest possible level, using prior evidence as a guide.

References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006, October). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice. Washington, DC: AACN.

Chism, L. (2013). Overview of the doctor of nursing practice degree. In L. A. Chism (Ed.). The doctor of nursing practice: A guidebook for role development and professional
issue (3nd ed.) Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Edwardson, S. R. (2014). Introduction. In M. E. Zaccagnini & K. W. White (Eds.), The doctor of nursing practice essentials: A new model for advanced practice nursing (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Levin, R. F., & Feldman, H. R. (2006). Teaching evidence-based practice in nursing: A guide for academic and clinical setting (1st ed.). New York, NY: Springer.