Raising the Bar: NP Practice Evaluation at the DNP Level

The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) Essentials (2006) implies that clinical practice for the DNP prepared nurse practitioner (NP) should be different from the Master’s NP.  There is a need for clinical practice objectives and outcomes to reflect the DNP Essentials.  Students need to be evaluated in clinical settings according to their specialty competencies and the DNP Essentials.

A DNP curriculum task force (CTF) from family, pediatrics, and adult-gerontology, and public health programs began the development of a clinical practice evaluation tool.  There was faculty debate and discussion regarding the difference in practice with a DNP degree.  As the CTF developed a consensus these assumptions guided the process: 1) practice with a DNP degree is different than with a MSN degree; 2) licensure is the same for APRNs, but the approach to practice is different; 3) tool is clearly linked to the College’s DNP terminal objectives, DNP Essentials, and relevant population/specialty competencies; 4) clinical criteria are reasonable, feasible and attainable in the context of the clinical setting; 5) tool requirements are reasonable for preceptor efficiency; and 6) programs will add specific objectives based on their population/specialty competencies.  The CTF developed a crosswalk of domains and criteria from the DNP Essentials, NP Core Competencies, Interprofessional Core Competencies, College terminal objectives, current MSN clinical evaluation tool, and DNP clinical course objectives to ensure no gaps in the criteria.

The CTF developed a two page evaluation tool using the DNP Essentials domains as the organizing framework with a five point Likert scale to indicate student performance.  DNP Essentials were selected as the framework as all students were in DNP programs and the Essentials applied across all roles and populations. Specialty coordinators added their population/specialty specific criteria under Essential VIII (Advanced Nursing Practice).  The DNP CTF and specialty coordinators reviewed and commented on the tool.  Minor revisions were made before piloting the tool with selected preceptors and students in the practice setting.  The tool’s strength is its inclusiveness of all specialties/programs and roles and clearly demonstrates the integration of the DNP Essentials into the curriculum.