AACN Report on DNP Education

[Christina]

Thank you for sharing this PDF report from the AACN on DNP education. I like that it addressed the key elements of DNP education and the types of organizations that DNP graduates work for. As a DNP student, it is important for me to know what type of positions DNPs hold in various organizations and what exactly their roles and responsibilities are. One key finding that helped put things into perspective for me was that the variation in DNP graduate skill sets is due primarily to the level of experience a DNP graduate has prior to entering the DNP program. Another important point that stuck out to me was that many DNP graduates work as direct care providers who require only a master’s degree and therefore may not be utilizing the full scope of their DNP preparation, and they may not be recognized for that level of education.

Next, I really liked reading the report on the perspectives of recent DNP graduates. Many graduates discussed various challenges they encountered while completing the program. These challenges fell into the following categories: balancing personal life and coursework, limited time to devote to the DNP project, difficulty securing quality preceptors, adapting to the demands of coursework or the program, and cost. The biggest barrier they faced was balancing personal life and coursework. One of my biggest fears is getting stuck trying to find a project. I am currently in my third quarter, and I don’t have a direction yet as to what I want to base my project on. I feel like, as least for now, balancing my personal life and coursework has been well managed as I tend to really prioritize and focus on my time management skills. At my university, we get assistance when it comes to practicum placement and securement of preceptors, so I am grateful for that. Lastly, given the strong demand for the unique competencies gained by DNP graduates, the demand for DNP education remains high and continues to grow.

[Author]

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