The DNP Project Podcast

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more!

It’s time to get back to school. Our goal is to offer some quick tips for DNP Students. 

Today’s Tip: APA 7th Edition Update

The American Psychological Association (APA) released an updated Publication Manual in October of 2019, which likely you will hear called “APA 7th edition.” The reason we have to use standardized formatting for papers is so that we have a common language of communication. If you are a DNP student who was using the 6th edition, make sure you talk to your faculty about the plan for transitioning.

In this episode, we have put together some quick updates to share with you. As an overview, you will be pleased to know that some of the biggest changes were really needed when you think that we were operating on a 6th edition from 2009. Some changes have to do with biased free language, better examples of how to cite social media, and a student-specific paper format. What I am the most excited about is the visual appeal of the book, the spiral binding (there are options, but I would recommend to get the spiral bound if possible), and it is flat out easier to read and find what you are looking for.

The publisher location is no longer included in the citation of a book.
Section 9.29, p 295

Citing webpages has changed - no more “Retrieved from:”
Section 9.16, p 290

Biased free language, Ex: “They” is considered singular, not pleural
Section 5, p 140

More fonts to choose from:

• Times New Roman (12 pt) 
• Arial (11pt) 
• Georgia (11pt)  
• Calibri (11pt) 
• Lucida Sans Unicode (10pt)

Section 2.19, p 44

In-text citations are shorter (author list - et al.,) but reference page author list is longer
Section 8.17, p 266 (in-text citations)
Section 9.8, p 286 (reference page authors)

If you are a new DNP student, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of learning citation management, particularly with software like Zotero, EndNote, or RefWorks. These softwares allow you to switch between different styles of citation. Very important if you are publishing in a format you are not familiar with. So, if you have to learn a new APA, consider also learning a software to go with it. 

Last, but never least, get the cover page right! As a faculty member, when I have to grade multiple papers, having an incorrect cover page automatically puts me in a bad mood. First impressions count, even in written work. So, just a tip, get that part right!

Dr. Molly Bradshaw

Remember to “Subscribe,” hit “Like,” and “Write a Review” so that we can help others. Find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and other platforms.

To get your copy of The DNP Project Workbook, go to:

 Springer: https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

“For my project I’m going to do …” NOOOOOO!!! You need to say, “For my DNP Project, I see a problem with ....” That’s your first step.

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! Every time I hear a DNP student tell me their idea for their project, they will almost always say, “I was planning to do…” and then whatever it is. WRONG ANSWER. The DNP Project is about identifying problems, finding evidence-based solutions, implementing and evaluating those solutions, then sharing with with others the findings. So, when someone asks, try to reframe and say:

• “I see a problem with …”
• “There may be a gap with …”
• “Could there be an opportunity to …”

But, bottomline here, you need to identify the problem first.

Problems, gaps, and opportunities are everywhere in healthcare. The key is finding one that is relevant to your future career as a nurse. It has to also be a problem the partnering organization values. Most importantly you have to take a bite of the problem that you can chew. In other words, it has to be a problem that can reasonably be impacted within the timeframe of a DNP Project. Certainly, you can plan to sustain and expand, but let’s be real - you have to graduate too!

Other thoughts:

• Levels
• Systems
• Populations
• Geography

You will need partners - student, faculty, organizational, ect.

In the DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success, we guide you through some exercises to help you find your “favorite problems” and narrow them down. The workbook is filled with content, short and simple lessons, that will help you push your DNP Project forward. Check it out on the Springer website at: https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

In the first few episodes, we have tried to give you some fundamental information to get you started. In future episodes we will give more tips, inspire you by interviewing others and hearing their stories, hosting experts, and covering emerging ideas beyond the DNP Project. Stay tuned for more !!! 

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

Today we are talking all about the DNP “Clinical” Hours.

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! Exactly what are the DNP “Clinical” Hours? Are they like regular see patients kind of hours? Are they spent shadowing? Is it the time you spend doing your DNP Project? -- We need some clarity!

In previous episodes we have talked about the fact that the DNP is a degree, it is not a role. However, this degree is based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) DNP Essentials. At the time of this writing, the DNP Essentials are being revised. We anticipated release in early 2020, but also as of this writing we predict the COVID-19 Pandemic will impact or at best delay their publication (just my speculation). But these essential skills are the things we think that all practice-focused, doctorally prepared nurses should be able to do, regardless of their role. So that idea requires at least 1,000 hours to ensure competency. Work hours do not count. The hours have to be part of a supervised academic program, otherwise we can’t be sure that what you are doing relates to the larger goal.

The three main, larger goals:

• Hours spent to teaching you a new, “advanced-practice” nursing role
  • LACE Model
  • Lots of confusion on the term “advanced-practice”
  • Most traditional idea, time spent learning patient-care / leadership roles
• Hours spent ensuring that you achieve competency of the DNP Essentials
  • I. Scientific Underpinnings for Practice 
  • II. Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking 
  • III.  Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice 
  • IV.  Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care 
  • V. Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care 
  • VI.  Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
  • VII.  Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health
  • VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice
• Hours spent completing the work of the DNP Project
  • MUST go with the recommendations of your DNP Program
  • Depending on the structure of your program depends on what counts
    • Do I get time for my “looking stuff up and writing” ?
  • Implementation activities
  • Dissemination activities

Other discussion questions:

• What does the preceptor look like?
• What kind of setting does the DNP “Clinical” or DNP “Experience” occur in?
• What does documentation look like? Mapping?

To read more, look at the content of the AACN White Paper, the DNP Essentials, and our workbook, the DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success from Springer Publishing https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

In this episode, we are going to review the recommendations from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) on the minimum expectations of a DNP Project.

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! In today’s episode, we are going to talk about the AACN (2015) minimum requirements of a DNP Project.

In 2015, a white paper was written to clarify issues surrounding the DNP Project (AACN, 2015). It is often referred to by DNP Faculty as just, “The White Paper”. In the document, they tried to put language to some of the challenges that we are having.

Key Points: (not full list, please read the entire paper: 

• Clarification of terminology
  • Do not use “Capstone”; rather “DNP Project”
  • Do not use “Committee”; rather “DNP Team”
• Clarification on the idea of “implementation” you have to do something
• Clarification on group projects (another episode), can read more in our Workbook
• Clarification on “minimum” expectations of the project

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2015), all DNP Projects at minimum, should:

•  "Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care. 
•  Have a systems (micro-, meso-, or macro- level) or population/aggregate focus.
•  Demonstrate implementation in the appropriate arena or area of practice. 
• Include a plan for sustainability (e.g. financial, systems or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions). 
•  Include an evaluation of processes and/or outcomes (formative or summative). DNP
• Projects should be designed so that processes and/or outcomes will be evaluated to guide practice and policy.  Clinical significance is as important in guiding practice as statistical significance is in evaluating research.
•  Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship." 

In the next episode, we will take a deeper dive into what DNP “Clinical” or DNP “Experience” hours look like or what they can look like. You can also learn more about the DNP Project through our workbook, The DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success available from Springer at: https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

In this episode we are talking about the overall idea of the DNP Project, the nutshell.

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! This episode is dedicated to outlining the main points of the DNP Project. Just in a nutshell what is it and how does it work?

Start with the Problem:

It always starts with a problem that impacts a patient population (directly or indirectly). We learned that in the previous episode. In your core DNP Courses like informatics, theory, policy as such, you are learning to explore healthcare problems for populations and systems through multiple lenses. You will not do the project alone. You will have a DNP Team (structure depends on your school) and you will have to partner with others (organizations, hospitals, systems, clinics, schools, community, etc). The problem you choose has to be a priority for the partner and something that you can reasonably complete on an academic schedule. 

Your faculty will be most instrumental in helping you work out feasibility. Ideas usually start big and then must get narrowed down. But, when you find the problem, that’s the first step. The second step is to understand everything you can about that problem and its context. Why is it important? What is the gap? What needs to get done that isn’t getting done?

Examine What is Known:

What have others done to solve this problem? Could it work for you? Students must also have skills and an ability to search the literature in a meaningful way, find, and appraise the literature. It will help drive you toward evidence-based solutions. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Translate evidence-based solutions to your context.

Implement & Evaluate:

Here you need to use some theory and frameworks to guide you. Project design will also come into play. But, bottomline, you have to make a plan, get approval, do it, and then evaluate it. The evaluation should include both outcomes and process.

Share with Others:

As you complete the Project, you want to share with others what you found out. This will include the academic side, usually a paper, presentation, and maybe a poster or other means of dissemination. It should be tailored to share with organizational stakeholders and possibly the community or patient population at large. Each of these deliveries require rearranging information to meet the needs and interest of the audience.

Bottomline, this is a LIVING PROCESS -- the problems of today will not be the same as future

Sounds simple, right? To help you learn more, check out the DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success. Each element is talked about in more, but simple details and it gives you actionable steps that you can take throughout your DNP journey. Visit the Springer website at: https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

In the next episode we are taking a deeper dive into the concept of the minimum elements of a DNP Project from AACN.

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

In this episode, we will clarify the key differences between the DNP degree and the PhD degree.

Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! Today we are going to outline and discuss some of the key differences between the DNP degree and some of the other terminal degrees, especially the PhD.

Key Foundational Points:

• DNP is a terminal, practice-focused degree
• Programs are rapidly expanding
• Entry points are generally: BSN to DNP; MSN to DNP

As part of this degree process:

• Curriculum is based on the DNP Essentials (another episode)
• Students complete a DNP Project (the terminal academic product, another episode)

The American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN) is the leader in designing what the desired qualities of a DNP prepared nurses should have. Be sure to visit their website: https://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP

• AACN (2004) defines “practice” of a practice-focused degree
  • AACN definition of practice:
    • The term practice, specifically nursing practice, as conceptualized in this document refers to any form of nursing intervention that influences health care outcomes for individuals or populations, including the direct care of individual patients, management of care for individuals and populations, administration of nursing and health care organizations, and the development and implementation of health policy. Preparation at the practice doctorate level includes advanced preparation in nursing, based on nursing science, and is at the highest level of nursing practice.

Key Differences in DNP v PhD

DNP | PhD
Practice-Focused | Research-Focused
Designed for Local Context | Designed for Generalizability
Final Academic Product: DNP Project | Final Academic Product: Dissertation

When you earn the degree are you called “doctor” ? Let's talk about that.

To learn more, there is a lesson on this content in our workbook. You can order the book from Springer Publishing at https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html

Also, explore the 2018 webinar from the AACN on understanding the DNP Degree https://www.aacnnursing.org/Professional-Development/Webinar-Info/sessionaltcd/WGR18_10_10

*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program

*** Always follow the recommendations of your state for use of titles, etc.

In this episode we will explain who we are and why we are here hosting a podcast on all things DNP Project!

Welcome to this inaugural podcast all about DNP Projects: Tips, Inspiration, and More! In this episode we basically want to talk about who we are, why we are qualified to talk about this, and explain why we are here and how the podcast will work.

Bio-Sketch: Dr. Molly Bradshaw DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, WHNP-BC

Dr. Molly J. Bradshaw is a 15 year, Veteran, Nurse Practitioner nationally board certified in Family and Women’s Health. She is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the DNP Program at Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, KY. She maintains an active clinical practice at First Choice Immediate Care, in Columbia, KY. Her academic scholarship is rooted in teaching innovation, use of infographics/social media, and the DNP Project. She is the lead author of the Springer Publication, The DNP Project Workbook: A Step By Step Process for Success, released in March 2020. Clinically she is published and a frequent presenter on subjects such as prescribing habits of nurse practitioners and chronic disease management including hypertension, diabetes, COPD, and obesity.

Information:
My DNP Project: https://npmollyb.wixsite.com/who4nprx
Facebook: DNPmollyB, LLC
Email: [email protected]

Bio-Sketch: Dr. Tracy Vitale

Dr. Tracy Vitale has been a registered nurse for 20 years and nationally certified as both a nurse executive and in-patient obstetrics with a sub-specialty in electronic fetal monitoring. She is an Assistant Professor and Specialty Director for DNP Projects & DNP Project Courses at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She is also currently serving as the interim Assistant Dean for the Advanced Nursing Practice division. Her academic scholarship focuses on leadership and mentoring, with a more recent focus on DNP projects. She is the co-author of the Springer Publication, The DNP Project Workbook: A Step By Step Process for Success, released in March 2020. 

Facebook: Tracyvitalednp
Twitter: @tracyvitalednp

What is our successes so far?

• Bootcamps
• Publications and Presentations
• DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success

Why are we here?

• Need a common platform for conversation about the DNP Project
• Need tips on how to avoid common pitfalls, navigate challenges, etc = Repetative
• Need ideas and inspiration from projects which we can hear via interview
• Need to hear from experts on the topics
• Need to explore beyond the DNP Project. What happens after?

In summary, our goal is to publish a starter series of what we feel is the most common DNP Project questions, then start a series of additional podcasts. Enjoy!

*** Always consult your DNP Program requirements and with your DNP Faculty.

To purchase your copy of our workbook, go to:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/DNP-Project-Workbook-Step-Step/dp/0826174329