NONPF 39th Annual Meeting
Purpose: The purpose is to discuss the development and implementation of a clinical portfolio as the capstone project for Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) students.
Background: The evolution of practice-focused doctoral programs has created the need for educators to develop innovative final projects demonstrating integration of core doctoral competencies within advanced specialty practice. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), this final project should provide tangible evidence of the student’s expertise derived from all educational experiences with a focus on the practice immersion. Methods: Faculty from this School of Nursing participated in a workshop facilitated by nurse faculty experts from Columbia University School of Nursing regarding DNP clinical portfolio development. The portfolio requirements were mapped with program outcomes and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) student competencies. The portfolio was revised and is being implemented as the capstone for the 2013 DNP graduates.
Results: The clinical portfolio reflects a number of diverse artifacts that represent student accomplishments of each of the program outcomes as well as individual clinical competencies. It is a flexible portfolio that facilitates student’s goals for professional development. The current portfolio exists within an online portal offered by Digication© and the clinical eportfolio includes, but is not limited to the following: clinical immersion logs, curriculum vita, SWOT analysis, business plan, evidence-based case studies, evidence-based research proposal, grant application, IRB proposal, NIH human subjects certification, CDC epidemiology certification, quality improvement proposal and/or project, data-based systems improvement project, inter-professional leadership improvement project, end of semester self-assessment reflections and other certifications, CEUs and documentation to meet immersion objectives and capstone publication-ready manuscript focusing on case study, integrative literature review or other course material/ issues of interest, capstone presentations to professional audience and faculty.
Conclusions & Implications: The clinical portfolio represents a robust and flexible capstone project that will meet program outcomes, individual clinical competencies and personal learning outcomes. Initial implementation of the portfolio has been successful.
