Response to Discussion: Scholarship and Policy Development

Please read the discussion board post and complete a full 1-page response. Also, please elaborate on the discussion and follow the grading rubric. Please do not write the same information from my original paper (order # 121003). I do not need a title page. I have attached the discussion board post and grading rubric as a file.

Scholarship in nursing is defined as activities that advance the teaching, research, and practice of nursing through rigorous inquiry (AACN, 1999).  The components of inquiry include the following: (1) is significant to the profession, (2) is creative, (3) can be documented, (4) can be replicated, and (5) can be peer-reviewed.  The demand for doctoral education for advancing practice and nursing scholarship has caused a paradigm shift in nursing education programs to ensure that nursing scholarship is at the highest level of scholarly endeavor.

In the publication of the position statement on defining scholarship for the discipline of nursing, the AACN determined that academic nursing programs needed to be more involved in preparing the next generation of nurses to meet the healthcare needs of the public (AACN, 1999).  As a result, a new report was released by the AACN in 2016, which provided a new definition for academic nursing (AACN, Advancing healthcare transformation: a new era for academic nursing, 2016). In addition, the latest report encompassed the integration of practice, education, and research into the schools of nursing educational programs.  Moreover, faculty engaged in academic nursing must demonstrate a commitment to inquiry, generate new knowledge for the discipline, connect practice with education, and lead scholarly pursuits to improve health and healthcare (AACN, Advancing healthcare transformation: a new era for academic nursing, 2016).

Under the definition of scholarship provided by AACN, scholarship should be inclusive and applicable to scientists and practice, education, and policy scholars (AACN, Defining scholarship for academic nursing task force consensus position statement, 2018). It was further emphasized that nurses at the doctoral level have a greater responsibility to develop and propagate scholarship.  The information causes one to examine the role of the DNP nurse in more detail as it relates to scholarship.

An article by Trautman et al. (2018) provided a comparison of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the DNP-prepared nurse roles related to translational research and the advancement of scholarship (Trautman, Idzik, Hammersla, & Rosseter, 2018).  Both degrees complement the advancement of scholarship in the nursing profession.  The Ph.D. nurse collects, analyzes, and interprets research data to answer questions related to a phenomenon of interest that informs implementation science and translational research (Trautman, Idzik, Hammersla, & Rosseter, 2018).  The DNP-prepared nurse focuses on practice that is evidence-based and reflects the implementation of creditable research findings.  From the DNP perspective, nursing scholarship informs science, enhances clinical practice, influences policy, and impacts best practices for educating nurses as scholars, clinicians, and leaders.

Opportunities exist for the DNP nurse to be involved in shaping healthcare policy.  According to Chism (2019), involvement in one’s professional organizations is a significant first step (Chism, 2019). Other avenues of involvement may include running for a political office, the work environment, and participation in educational and research endeavors.  It is the leadership skills of DNP nurses that make them great candidates for public office. In addition, the candidate platform provides more visibility and opportunities to educate the public and politicians about topics of interest and the DNP role.

The DNP graduate possesses leadership skills, practice experience, and knowledge of research and evidence-based practice. Therefore, they can be powerful advocates for healthcare policies and patient care. In addition, DNP graduates can apply the knowledge they have gained related to research and evidence-based practice to initiate public, social, and health policies.

 

Discussion Board Responses Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Number of Responses

Students are expected to respond to at least 2 of their peers.

30 pts

Exemplary

28-30 points. The responses exceed the requirement for the activity.

27 pts

Satisfactory

23-27 points. The responses fulfill the minimum required number for the discussion activity.

0 pts

Unsatisfactory

0-22 points. The responses do not meet the number required for the activity.

30 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Substance of Responses
45 pts

Exemplary

42-45 points. The responses offer either an extension on the original posting or a clearly alternate point of view that fosters further thinking, reflection, or response on the discussion topic.

41 pts

Satisfactory

34-41 points. The responses generally offer some insight by either extending the point of the original or offering an alternate point of view, but they may not encourage further thought or reflection on the discussion topic as much as they possibly could.

0 pts

Unsatisfactory

0-33 points. The responses do not offer any new or very limited insight by either extending the position of the original post or providing an alternate point of view.

45 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Grammar, Punctuation & APA
25 pts

Exemplary

23-25 points. The postings have less than 3 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA.

22 pts

Satisfactory

19-22 points. The postings have 3-5 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA.

0 pts

Unsatisfactory

0-18 points. The postings have more than 5 errors in grammar, punctuation, and/or APA.

25 pts
Total Points: 100

Response to Discussion: Scholarship and Policy Development

As the complexity of health care continues to rise, healthcare systems need influential leaders who can advance clinical practice and contribute to the development of policies aimed at improving patient outcomes. It is for this reason that the American College of Nursing (ACN) introduced the doctor of nursing program (DNP) in nursing institutions. The DNP program is intended to prepare nurses who can provide an advanced level of nursing care, contribute to nursing scholarship, and participate in health policy development and implementation (Rivaz et al., 2021). The program offers an opportunity for nurses to acquire knowledge and skills that they can use to improve patient outcomes.

You have clearly explained the role of a doctorally-prepared nurse in scholarship and policy development. It is true that nurses at the doctoral level have a greater responsibility to develop and propagate scholarship. According to Chrism (2019), the roles of nurses have changed from direct delivery of health care to advocacy and research. As research professionals, DNP-prepared nurses have the skills to design studies and organize clinical inquiry aimed at collecting new evidence to inform nursing practice. The role of DNP-prepared nurses in research clearly comes out in your discussion. Indeed, DNP-prepared nurses focus on practice that is evidence-based and reflects the implementation of creditable research findings. Chrism (2019) further explains that DNP-prepared nurses play a crucial role in shaping health policy. Ideally, nurses are great politicians who can change healthcare through advocacy.

References

Chism, L. (2019). The doctor of nursing practice: a guidebook for role development and professional issues. Burlington: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

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), 328. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02758-w

 

 

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