Lessons Learned Using Logic Models to Design and Guide DNP Projects.

BACKGROUND: A final culminating project that is derived from a practice immersion experience is a critical part of a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program. PROBLEM: Many schools use well-designed quality improvement (QI) projects to meet this requirement, but there is no consensus on which QI methods and tools are the most effective for DNP students to demonstrate before graduation. APPROACH: One Mid-Atlantic public university began using QI process models, one of which was a logic model, to guide their DNP projects. This led to subsequent changes in the curriculum, faculty preparation, and practice partner responsibilities. OUTCOME: Many benefits and challenges were identified during the logic model implementation that may benefit other schools seeking to increase consistency and rigor. Although the learning process for students and faculty may be challenging, the outcomes included improved project conceptualization, clarity, concision, and feasibility of goal attainment. CONCLUSIONS: Use of logic models expands DNP students' skills to develop and implement a successful project and supports clinical scholarship.

Structuring Doctor of Nursing Practice project courses to facilitate success and ensure rigor.

There is currently a lack of consensus on the best format for Doctor of Nursing Practice project deliverables. In this article the project course history, current format, and evaluation methods are described for a Doctor of Nursing Practice program during the transition from a sole post-master's option to one that also admitted post-baccalaureate students. The project course format shifted focus from one in which students independently implemented multiple types of projects under the direction of a chairperson and committee to one in which students carried out projects utilizing quality improvement methods and tools under the mentorship of a project faculty advisor and clinical site representative. The integration of quality improvement models is exemplified through course objectives and assignments. Lessons learned through this transition are provided in the hope that the work may benefit other nursing schools with similar programs.

Qualitative evaluation of a standardized patient clinical simulation for nurse practitioner and pharmacy students.

This article describes a qualitative evaluation of an interprofessional educational experience for nurse practitioner and pharmacy students using standardized patients and physicians role-playing physicians in clinical scenarios. This experience included the development of two clinical scenarios; training of standardized patients, providers, and faculty facilitators; pre-briefing preparation; partial facilitator prompting simulations; and facilitated debriefings. Forty-six students participated in the formative simulation. Small groups of students and faculty facilitators worked through two clinical scenarios that were based on the expected emergence of the patient-centered medical homes. The scenarios incorporated different interprofessional communication modes, including in-person, telephonic, and video-conferencing. Time-in/time-out debriefings were incorporated to provide guidance to students about how to engage in interprofessional collaboration. After completion of the scenarios, facilitated group debriefings allowed for reflection on communication strategies and roles. Immediately following the learning activity, 30 volunteer focus group participants provided comments anonymously in a semi-structured format. Conventional content analysis was used to identify overarching themes. Participants expressed improved understanding of individual roles, increased confidence, and a better sense of interprofessional support. The educational experience themes included the benefits of a realistic nature of the simulation and the need for improved student orientation to roles and expectations prior to the clinical simulations.

Developing standardized patient clinical simulations to apply concepts of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Interdisciplinary collaboration and interprofessional education (IPE) are essential for transforming health care. Students in nurse practitioner (NP) programs have limited exposure to IPE. Simulated clinical experiences, based on social learning theory, provide a safe and realistic environment to expose NP students to interdisciplinary collaboration as a step toward developing IPE. Faculty at a large university school of nursing developed a formative standardized patient experience to provide NP students with two opportunities to synthesize a patient assessment, to share patient problem-solving strategies, and to succinctly communicate with other health care professionals. This pilot project provided insight to better develop IPE and identified a growing interest to collaborate in future projects with faculty from other health care disciplines.