Conceptualizing the DNP Project
Distinguishing the DNP Project from the Baccalaureate or Master’s Capstone Project
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project is more complex than baccalaureate and master’s capstone projects in its complexity, scope, and impact. In particular, whereas undergraduate and master’s projects tend to be literature reviews, case studies, or targeted research, the DNP project takes a high level, turning around evidence to practice (Wright et al., 2022). It involves clinical problem identification, synthesis of literature, intervention implementation, and outcome measurement: Conceptualizing the DNP Project.
The DNP project aims to produce change that lasts beyond the DNP professional and positively impacts patient care and policy. A DNP project is different from a PhD dissertation as the DNP project generates new research and translates existing research into practice, which is critical for advanced nursing leadership.
Boyer’s Criteria for Evaluation of Scholarship
Boyer’s standards of scholarship represent a framework that may be applied to judge almost any literature in almost any field. According to Skorinko (2020), these are clarity of purpose, appropriateness of methodology, the significance of the results, adequacy of resources, collaboration, and self-assessment. These elements make sure that quality improvement projects and research in healthcare are practical and methodologically reasonable.
For example, according to Rivaz et al. (2021), a well-defined DNP project will have specific objectives, use evidence-based interventions, and show measurable outcomes. When interprofessional projects are concerned, collaboration is required, while self-reflection promotes continuous learning and improvement. Boyer’s model can be used to foster academic rigor and research that is valuable in terms of contributions to professional practice.
Key Elements of a DNP Project as Defined by the AACN
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the essential elements of a DNP project are studied to make sure it is scholarly, rigorous, and effective in practice in healthcare. The first one is problem identification, which specifies a relevant clinical or organizational issue that needs improvement (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2021). This is followed by a literature search, analysis, and synthesis to review existing research and to provide analysis and synthesis of evidence-based findings to support the project.
At this point, evidence is translated into practice by creating a strategic intervention to address the identified problem. Following this, the project advances to the design and implementation stage, proving the feasibility and compatibility of the design with clinical environments. Finally, the outcome evaluation assesses the effectiveness of the intervention, analyzing data to determine how the intervention affects patient care and the health care system.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education (pp. 1–82). American Association of Colleges of Nursing. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Essentials-2021.pdf
Rivaz, M., Shokrollahi, P., Setoodegan, E., & Sharif, F. (2021). Exploring the necessity of establishing a doctor of nursing practice program from experts’ views: A qualitative study. BMC Medical Education, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02758-w
Skorinko, J. L. M. (2020). Scholarship of discovery and beyond: Thinking about multiple forms of scholarship and elements of project-based learning to engage undergraduates in publishable research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00917
Wright, R., Lee, Y.-J., Yoo, A., McIltrot, K., VanGraafeiland, B., Saylor, M. A., Taylor, J., & Han, H.-R. (2022). Doctor of nursing practice project: Key challenges and possible solutions. Journal of Professional Nursing, 41(41), 53–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.04.004
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Question 
Module 7 Discussion Board: Conceptualizing the DNP Project
Please address any (3) three of these prompts in your initial Discussion Board posting:
- What distinguishes the DNP project from the baccalaureate or master’s capstone project? (CO1, CO2, CO3, CO5)
- How can Boyer’s criteria for evaluation of scholarship be used to evaluate scholarly work in any domain? CO1, CO2, CO3, CO5)
- Briefly explain the key difference between the PhD dissertation in nursing and the DNP project from the standpoint of the production and application of research evidence (CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, CO5)
- Outline the steps in the DNP process model, including a brief description of the products and/or activities that are included in each step. (CO1, CO2, CO3, co4, CO5)
- How do DNP students typically identify potential DNP project ideas? Provide examples of internal and external drivers for projects. (CO1, CO5)
- Outline the key elements of a DNP project as defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (CO1, CO2, VO5)
- Share examples of evidence-based format frameworks that may be used to guide the development and implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI) projects. (CO1, CO5)

Conceptualizing the DNP Project
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