As a doctoral student, this is a competency reflection paper that will address the effectiveness of doctoral student practice in nursing and more so in project implementation. The doctoral student practice change initiative has a significant support to the nursing practice. Through the DNP practice, implementation of evidence-based practice has been easy in the nursing practice (Carter, 2012). Again, the doctoral student practice has enabled research-based practice for nurses and thus promoting patient outcome in the healthcare setting. The research-based practice has been supported through PICOT development which is a qualification in the DNP program. Concerning the DNP essentials, they provide a practice framework for doctoral student practice (Dunbar-Jacob, Nativio, & Khalil, 2013).
Following the DNP essentials, they have supported my DNP project on HAPU management through implementation of skin care champions. Skin care champion nurses are experts in the wound, ostomy and continence management, and prevention (Sullivan & Schoelles, 2013). Regarding the reflection on the DNP essentials in my practice and DNP capstone project, they were well applied throughout the project. On the first essential which is "scientific underpinnings for practice," the HAPU capstone project was able to address both the current and the future practice in HAPU (Zaccagnini & White, 2017). In the project, I applied scientific frames to research on HAPU management whereby through a literature review, hospital-acquired pressure can be treated and managed. On the second DNP essential which is "organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking," it was properly applied in running the capstone project on HAPU management. Leadership is an essential tool for building a quality practice through application of quality improvement strategies. Organizational leadership skills enable one to evaluate and establish care delivery system based on effective organization management (Coetzee, Klopper, & Kim, 2015). The third essential is "clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice," whereby the competency is based on the development of evidence-based practice. Additionally, application of scholarship and research is also evident in the DNP capstone project on HAPU management. The scholarship is, therefore, applied when translating research into practice which is evident in the DNP project (Brown, & Crabtree, 2013).
Concerning the fourth essential which is "information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of health care," I can provide an account of this competency (Zaccagnini & White, 2017). The DNP project on HAPU management was based on patient care technology to improve on HAPU prevention through modified devices for HAPU prevention (Zaccagnini & White, 2017). The fifth DNP essential has also been accounted in practice regarding my project. "Healthcare policy for advocacy in Health care" is a DNP essential that has been practiced all through the project set up to improve patient outcome. Healthcare policy causes a significant influence in the quality of care and therefore, concerning the competency, it is well applied to support the project (Mazurek, 2016). The sixth DNP essential is "inter-professional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes." Inter-professional collaboration is a key factor in the implementation of healthcare projects and does my competency to run a successful project on HAPU (Carvalho, et al., 2016).
Concerning the seventh DNP essential, "Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation's health," it has been reflected in the entire project. Clinical prevention has the best initiative to improve the health status of the entire population (Coetzee, Klopper, & Kim, 2015). The competency in this essential requires professional health promotions and disease prevention measures. The last DNP essential for this self-assessment is "advanced nursing practice" (Zaccagnini & White, 2017). In advanced practice, one needs to show the expertise in the field of specialization. Developing an evidence-practice change is one of the competencies for advanced practice which can be accounted on the development of the DNP project. Advanced practice is the key DNP essential that is used to implicate the actual practice competencies in the specified fields (Mary, Linda, & Marie, 2014).
Concerning the experience of implementing the eight-week capstone project, it was quite a good experience to practice on the advanced practice. Through the project, I can account that all the DNP essentials are important and competencies need to cut across all of them to improve on healthcare practice (Pritham, & White, 2016).
References
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Carvalho, B. G., Peduzzi, M., Silva, J. A. M., & Souza, G. C. (August 01, 2016). Teamwork in
nursing: restricted to nursing professionals or an interprofessional collaboration?. Revista Da Escola De Enfermagem Da Usp, 50, 4, 642-649.
Carter, M. A. (December 01, 2011). The impact of the essentials of doctoral education for
advanced nursing practice. Clinical Scholars Review, 4, 2, 68-70.
Coetzee, S. K., Klopper, H. C., & Kim, M. J. (January 01, 2015). The quality of doctoral nursing
education in South Africa : original research. Curationis, 38, 1, 1-9.
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Pritham, U. A., & White, P. (April 17, 2016). Assessing DNP impact Using program evaluations
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Sullivan, N. & Schoelles, K. M. (2013). Preventing in-facility pressure ulcers as a patient safety
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Mary, V. F., Linda, L. H., & Marie, N. (February 01, 2014). Graduate Nursing Education for
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model for advanced practice nursing. Burlington, MA : Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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