Technology Focused DNP/NP Projects as Practice Implementation Tools

The attendees of this symposium will develop an understanding of: 1. How to structure student projects in order to enhance the implementation of technology in practice and 2. Barriers to the implementation of technology into practice and strategies for overcoming the barriers. In order for technology to be utilized to its fullest potential, practices must be willing to adopt it. All too often, practices resist the implementation of technology. This may be due to lack of understanding, fear of change, no time, or confusion. Practices that successfully implement technology usually have a member of the team that is willing to champion the initiative. In order to create champions, DNP/NP students were assigned projects in technology implementation. Each student was asked to choose one of the modalities presented in the technology workshop (electronic health records, social media, telemedicine, or clinical decision support). The student assessed the need for the specific technology in their practice. Based on their findings, they developed a step-by-step plan for implementing the chosen technology. Barriers related to cost, knowledge, and resources were identified. Specific strategies were developed in order to overcome the barriers. As a result of the assignment, many of the practices began adopting new healthcare technologies. During this session, several successful projects will be presented along with the strategies that were utilized.