NONPF 38th Annual Conference
Pushing a Round Marshmallow into a Square Hole: The DNP Project is not a Dissertation
The DNP capstone project has been an integral part of the DNP educational experience since the development of the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in 2006. It is widely accepted that this scholarly project, aimed at improving health care delivery and outcomes, reflects the mastery, synthesis and application of elements of the DNP program. Despite the various formats DNP projects may take, many schools have embraced PhD dissertation model to provide the structure and rigor expected of a doctoral project. As DNP programs have grown over the past 5 years, experience has revealed that looking at the DNP project through the research lens may not be the most effective or appropriate approach to a practice doctorate scholarly project.
Schools of nursing have encountered numerous challenges in the operation of the DNP project process. A discussion regarding the hurdles encountered in the implementation of DNP projects in a variety of academic settings and possible solutions will addressed. Questions poised for discussion will include:
>What components are necessary to ensure rigor in a scholarly project in practice doctorate program?
>What impact does housing the DNP program within the School of Graduate Studies have on the structure and process of the DNP project?
>Should institutional IRB’s review process be modified for DNP project review?
>What models, other than PhD dissertation models, are viable options for DNP projects?
>How can Schools of Nursing manage the workload required for nursing faculty working with DNP projects?