Texas Wesleyan University 2020-2021 Catalog

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DNP Project

For DNP-FNP and DNP Post-Master's Completion programs only

Texas Wesleyan University DNP-FNP and DNP Post-Master's Completion programs follow the recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) regarding the final scholarly product of DNP students. The DNP Project is the final product that demonstrates the students’ clinical scholarship. The DNP project is not a research dissertation.

The DNP Project Team guides the student in this work. The DNP Project Team includes the student, select faculty, and other mentors as appropriate (who may come from outside the University). Other collaborators who are experts in the field may provide limited support.

Students begin formulating ideas about the DNP Project in the first year of the curriculum. In Year 2 of the curriculum, students refine their ideas for improving health outcomes. The DNP Transition course in the final term of the Year 2 is designed to help students determine focus and scope of the project and develop the plan for implementation, evaluation and dissemination. During Year 3, first and second terms, the students implement and evaluate the project. The product is disseminated in the final term of Year 3.

The DNP Project may take various forms depending on the purpose and focus. The product of the DNP Project includes a description of the project, implementation, and evaluation components. Dissemination of the product is expected and may take many forms including, but not limited to, publication in a peer-reviewed journal, poster or podium presentations, presentation to stakeholders (verbally and in-writing), development of continuing education offerings, development of a clinical protocol that impacts practice change, or other significant contribution to improvement of practice and/or health outcomes.

The project should:

  • Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care.
  • Have a systems (micro-meso-or macro-level) or population/aggregate focus.
  • Demonstrate implementation in the appropriate area or arena of practice.
  • Include a plan for sustainability (e.g. fiscal, system, or political contexts)
  • Include an evaluation of processes and/or outcomes (formative or summative). These processes and outcomes must guide practice and policy.
  • Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship
  • (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, August 2015)