Activating the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Through Competency-Based Leadership in Graduate Student Organizations.

BACKGROUND: As nursing programs across the nation shift toward a competency-based education model, academic institutions are working to quantify student learning outcomes based on the new American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2021) Essentials, domains, competencies, and sub-competencies. METHOD: Leveraging AACN Essentials, faculty and graduate nursing students engage in student organizations with the focus of Population Health, Professionalism, and Personal, Professional and Leadership Development (AACN, 2021). RESULTS: Graduate student members are involved in practicum activities throughout the course of their education. Through collaboration with faculty, the student body, and other community partners, student leaders integrate experiences applicable to professional roles outside of academia (AACN, 2021). As a result, students gain skills in leadership and communication, while also gaining confidence and professional identity formation. CONCLUSION: Other academic institutions may replicate this approach in promoting competency-based education, experiences and development in alignment with the AACN Essentials. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(10):580-583.].

Practice scholarship satisfaction and impact as perceived by DNP-prepared nurses.

BACKGROUND: Today's health systems are complex and are challenged to strive for high-quality care that leads to optimal health outcomes. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurses have the necessary competencies to influence health systems and delivery, that lead to safe and effective practice, by implementing practice scholarship, the translation of science to transform health care delivery, and clinical inquiry to improve practice. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine DNP-prepared nurses' satisfaction with their frequency of engagement in practice scholarship, and the relationship between the satisfaction and perceived impact of practice scholarship. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, DNP-prepared nurses (n = 309) were recruited from a U.S. national membership organization and were asked to complete an online survey. RESULTS: Usable data findings (n = 269) revealed that 81% of participants reported feeling very, or moderately, satisfied with time spent engaging in practice scholarship or clinical inquiry in the areas of quality improvement, translation of research, and evidence-based practice; however, 19% expressed minimal satisfaction or dissatisfaction. There was a significant, moderate positive correlation between impact and satisfaction with time spent engaging in practice scholarship. CONCLUSIONS: Unclear roles and the lack of objective data measurement of practice scholarship are hindering the ability of DNP-prepared nurses to work to the full extent of their education and scope of practice. IMPLICATIONS: Further studies to develop processes and tools to measure the value and impact of DNP-prepared nurses on quality and safety, health care policies, systems, and population health are recommended.

Entrustable Professional Activities in Clinical Education: A Practical Approach for Advanced Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: Competency attainment is foremost in the ethos of this project that provides a practical guide to implementing entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as one approach to competency acquisition in the clinical education component of a health care program. EPAs are units of work that provide evidence of required competencies for the clinical education component of a program of study for educators, preceptors, and students. PROBLEM: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has raised the importance of competency-based education and need for a practical approach to assess clinical competency challenges (eg, EPAs) in nursing education. APPROACH: The implementation of EPAs in the clinical component of advanced nursing education is detailed as an example in this article. Prioritizing a systematic approach, the Knowledge to Action framework, was chosen to guide the process. CONCLUSION: Nursing must act now to put in place a robust competency acquisition and validation system.

Impact of Practice Scholarship as Perceived by Nurses Holding a DNP Degree.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the perceived impact of practice scholarship among DNP-prepared nurses and the relationship of impact to primary work role and years since graduation. BACKGROUND: Healthcare organizations continuously seek ways to improve health outcomes and reduce cost. Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurses are educated with essential competencies to lead healthcare reform initiatives based on their practice scholarship contribution. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to administer a self-report online survey to a convenience sample of 306 DNP graduates currently in practice. RESULTS: The highest impact of practice scholarship was perceived on patients, populations, quality of care, and the profession. The impact on policy, cost, and cost savings was significantly lower. No significant difference was found on practice scholarship impact based on role or between years of experience since graduation. CONCLUSION: Doctor of Nursing Practice competencies support practice scholarship outcomes. Organizational resources are needed to support the impact of practice scholarship.

Practice scholarship engagement as reported by nurses holding a doctor of nursing practice degree.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 15 years after the introduction of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree, stakeholders anticipate practice scholarship outcomes from graduates. PURPOSE: To examine the frequency of engagement in practice scholarship, the relationship between the knowledge gained in DNP programs and the frequency of engagement in practice scholarship and the relationship between engagement in practice scholarship, work role, and years since graduation with a DNP degree, as reported by practicing nurses. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study recruited 306 practicing DNP graduates via a national organization and employed an electronic survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics, correlational analysis, and a one-way analysis of variance were conducted on demographics and outcome variables for 269 completed surveys. RESULTS: The practice scholarship activity reported most frequently was evaluation of current clinical evidence and least frequently was dissemination of policy papers. Reported knowledge gained from DNP programs and frequency of engagement in practice scholarship indicate a weak positive correlation. There was a significant difference in the direct care work role and practice scholarship engagement compared with other roles, and between those practicing greater than 10 years and those with less experience. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the underutilization of knowledge gained in DNP programs and engagement in practice scholarship. The study emphasizes the complexity of realizing practice scholarship outcomes of DNP-prepared nurses to influence patients, populations, systems, and policy as well as the advancement of the nursing profession. IMPLICATIONS: This is a call to action for DNP graduates, academia, practice, and the nursing profession to support and value practice scholarship.

Drivers for seeking the doctor of nursing practice degree and competencies acquired as reported by nurses in practice.

BACKGROUND: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing introduced the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2004. To date, few publications examine the competencies and impact of nurses with practice doctorates. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for seeking a DNP degree, assess knowledge and competencies acquired from DNP programs, and to inform stakeholders about the skills acquired by nurses with practice doctorates. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to administer a self-report survey to a convenience sample of DNP-prepared nurses in practice, recruited from a national membership organization. The electronic survey was designed using constructs developed from the literature, national organization position statements, and standards of doctoral nursing education. RESULTS: A total of 306 participants responded to the survey, 270 were used after data review. The majority of respondents did not seek a DNP degree because it was required for a job, to gain additional supervised practice, or to receive additional training with a specialty population. The majority strongly agreed that they gained competency in translating and synthesizing research evidence into practice, designing and implementing quality improvement, and identifying, measuring, and evaluating outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Primary reasons for seeking a DNP degree were seeking knowledge, skills, competencies, confidence, and job opportunities. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurses hold unique, advanced knowledge, competencies and skills to affect health care across multiple settings. Study results suggest that highly skilled DNP-prepared nurses are equipped to lead quality improvement, engage in practice scholarship, and improve clinical outcomes.