The Doctor of Nursing Practice Experience

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The Doctor of Nursing Practice Experience

• Melanie Hardin-Pierce, RN, MSN, APRN-BC

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Professional Background

• Critical Care Nurse
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Clinical Faculty, UK CON

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Professional Goals

• Nursing faculty member
• Promote and implement evidence-based practice in
  nursing education and clinical settings
• Assume leadership role in practice settings to
  improve the health outcomes of critically ill
  adults
• patients who require prolonged periods of
  mechanical ventilation and acute hospitalization

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Professional Goals

• Translate research into practice settings
• Program development, implementation and
  evaluation
• Conduct clinical research collaboratively and
  independently
• Manage change in organizations

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Why the DNP?

• Desire to function at the highest possible level
  of nursing practice
• Clinically focused doctorate
• Prepares for clinical research utilization
• Focus on leadership, management of change at the
  system level
• Focus on evidence-based practice
• Desire to work where the rubber meets the road
  and impact health outcomes
• Translate research into practice!

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Impact of DNP Education

• Ongoing critique of and search for evidence, both
  in classroom and clinical settings
• Improved ability to analyze existing evidence to
  determine need for change and to identify gaps
  in knowledge
• Ability to design and use clinical models that
  are evidence-based
• Ability to development, implement, and test
  interventions in practice
• Ability to conduct project and program planning,
  management, and evaluation

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Impact of DNP Education

• Increased expertise as a clinical faculty member
  with BSN and MSN students
• Increased clinical practice opportunities
• Enhanced ability to develop communicate
  clinical proposals
• Enhanced clinical scholarship skills
  publications, national international
  presentations

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MSN vs. DNP

• Skills to design, implement and evaluate
  innovations at the systems/organizational level
• Greater savvy in managing change and innovations
  in practice and academic settings, and policy
  changes
• Knowledge to ensure that we do the right thing
  for the right patient at the right time
  Evidence-Based Practice

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MSN vs. DNP

• Knowledge to apply and analyze biostatistical
  methods and principles of clinical epidemiology
• Confidence that I have the knowledge and skills
  necessary to make a positive impact on the lives
  of others

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Would I do it again?

• ABSOLUTELY!

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Thank you for the opportunity to share!

• Questions?