Moving the Clinical Inquiry Project from Concept to Completion: Steps in the Process

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this poster presentation is to illustrate the steps entailed in moving a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Clinical Inquiry Project (CIP) from conceptualization to completion. Illustration of these steps will demonstrate to educators the stages of project development needed to accomplish a high quality project. Ultimately these steps could be used to counsel doctoral students on progression through the CIP process, with the goal of producing high quality CIP projects and highly qualified DNP graduates. Background: There are many colleges of nursing who have implemented DNP programs and many more are anticipating implementation of DNP programs in the near future. The clinical inquiry project (CIP) is the capstone project of DNP programs. There remains some confusion as to what a CIP project entails. Programs in development, as well as established programs, may further their conceptualization and understanding of the CIP project from viewing the CIP process displayed in a step wise presentation format. Methods: The presentation will illustrate steps for the development of a CIP project. The steps thus demonstrated will help faculty counsel DNP students along the progression from CIP project conceptualization to project completion. Concept mapping often furthers the understanding of ideas. By visualizing the CIP displayed in a step wise format, both faculty and DNP students will further understand the organization and development that is a part of a DNP project. Presentation Process: The steps of the DNP project will be illustrated in a poster format. Within each step will be a description of how the step might be accomplished within a DNP program by a DNP student. Viewers of the poster will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenter and business cards will be available. In addition, the presentation will be available in a paper handout format. Conclusions: Viewers of the poster will walk away with a better understanding of the steps needed to complete a high quality CIP project. Faculty members may use this knowledge in their guidance of DNP students and DNP students may use this knowledge to guide their own project development.