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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Dnp projects from 2023 2023.

Implementing an African American Cultural Awareness Program for Skilled Nursing Facility Staff , ADEKEMI T. ADEDIPE

Community Health Worker Certification Program - Motivational Interview, Advocacy, Communication and Conflict Resolution , Stella Antony

Predicting the Risk of Falling with Artificial Intelligence , Ann Aquino

Mindfulness Based Self Care Toolkit for Psychiatric Healthcare Staff , Harkirat K. Bajwa

Mindfulness Based Self Care Toolkit for Psychiatric Healthcare Staff , Harkirat Kaur Bajwa

Trauma-Informed Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: Improving Long-Term Recovery , Aline M. Bales

Improving Patient Safety for Surgical Clearance: A PreOp One Stop Shop , Anna Benedictos

Using Critical Incident Debriefing after Code Blue Events to Support Registered Nurses , David L. Boyd

Improving New Nurse Manager Orientation and Onboarding Program , Leanne E. Deegenaars

Effects of Leadership Education and Mentoring for Assistant Nurse Managers , Karen T. Descent

Promoting Parent-Child Relationships Through Community-Based Family Wellness Programs to Improve Mental Health in Children , Maria Elena Falcon

Supporting Mental Health in Children by Providing Basic Skills and Knowledge of Mental Health to Middle-School Teachers , MariaElena Falcon

Reducing 30-day Heart Failure Hospital Readmissions Through the Implementation of a Telehealth Education and Screening Program , Madison Geib, Jo Loomis, and Maria (Dupi) Gomez Cogan

Responding to a Deteriorating Patient: An Educational Intervention for Outpatient Clinic Nurses , Angela N. Ikeme

Screening for Uterine Fibroids in Black Women , Winnie N. Kagendo

School-Based Development and Implementation of Adolescent Mental Health Educational Toolkits , Chantel M. Kilford Ms

School-Based Development and Implementation of an Educational Toolkit , Chantel M. Kilford Ms

Assuring a Continuum of Care for Heart Failure Patients Through Post-Acute Care Collaboration , Purnima Krishna

Save the Children Community Health Worker Program – Adverse Childhood Events Prevention , Jieun Lee

Educating Community Health Workers and Gatekeepers to Screen for Suicide , Jennifer Maina

The importance of suicide screening training for healthcare providers as part of suicide prevention , Jennifer Maina

Mental Health Services: Reaching the Homeless , Gurdeep Mann

Improving Outcomes in Persons Who Inject Drugs: A Multidisciplinary Healthcare Initiative , Carla S. Martin

Implementation of a Community Health Worker (CHW) training program to improve birth outcomes , Emiko Maruri

Beyond the Physical Wounds: A Proactive Approach to Mental Health Recovery After a Traumatic Injury , Christine McGahey

Environmental and Occupational Health Risks: Educating Undergraduate (ADN-BSN) Nursing Students for Safer Practice , Dorinda A. Mercado

Enhancing Mental Health Assessments for Hysterectomy Patients: Implementing a Depression Screening Tool for Healthcare Clinicians , Dede Mihedji

Depression Screening Tool for Hysterectomy Patients , Dede C. Mihedji

Developing and Implementing an Infection Prevention Practice Fellowship Program , Sejal Naik

Implementing Community Health Workers to Improve the Management of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Children , Julia L. Newell

Implementing an Infant-Driven Feeding Practice Model , Ann P. Nguyen

Reducing 30-Day Psychiatric Inpatient Hospital Readmission of Mentally Ill Homeless Men with Substance Use Disorder by Using a Discharge Checklist , Chibuogwu E. Ogbuka

A Quality Improvement Project on Anxiety Management Before Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy , Kiera Paulo

Enhancing Nurse Manager Resilience with a Resilience-Enhancing Toolkit , Rosarina A. J. Pelikan

Strategies to Reduce Chronic Disease: Adding Role to Community Health Workers , Ingrid J. Renwanz DNP, PMHFNP-BC/APRN, MSN, RNC

Community Health Worker Program: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Early Childhood , Arelis Sandoval

Implicit Bias in Nursing: Raising Awareness, Fostering Change , Jeanette C. Sandoval

Determining Care Delivery Model Feasibility Using Discrete-Event-Simulation , Tanya Scott

Implementation of Implicit Bias Training in a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner Program , MacDana Selecon

Improving Health Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Youth Through Provider Education , Marissa Simko

Implementation of Fast-Track Triage Process to Improve Ambulance Patient Offloading Time (APOT) in a Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) Unit , OKE AUGUSTINE UMEUGOJI

Improving Health Outcomes Among Patients with CHF Through Implementation of Telehealth Depression Screening and CHF Symptom Management , Akudo Udodiri Unanwa

The Dedicated Education Unit: Increasing Capacity and Confidence , Heather Marie Van Housen

DNP Projects from 2022 2022

Save the Children Community Health Worker Program—Project Management , Lauren Loree Burchfield

Increasing vaccination rates in the Latin X communities through a public health initiative for increasing education and vaccination , Gabriela Carrico

Educating Providers Without Prescriptive Authority About Psychopharmacology Basics: Bridging the Interdisciplinary Work Among Psychotropic Prescribers and Psychologists , Olivia Ceja

Psychosocial Distress Screening for Patients with Cancer: A Value-Based Approach to the Integration and Delivery of Holistic Care , Candy Cheung

Engaging Rural Providers About the Potential of Low-Earth Orbit Internet Satellite Supported Rural Telehealth Programs , Joshua M. Cleary

Development and Implementation of a Standardized Protocol for Nurse Practitioners Working in an AUD Treatment Telehealth Program , CJ Dea

Oleoresin Capsicum Gel: Enhancing Safety for the Home Health Clinician , Lilly Dickens

Diabetes Prevention and Management Education for Punjabi-Sikh Older Adults , Mandeep K. Gill

Improving Home Health Nurses' Knowledge of Heart Failure Self-Care Management , Nenette Hoffman

Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening in Primary Care , Bushra iqbal

Improving Colorectal Cancer Screening in Primary Care , Bushra Iqbal

Community Health Worker Program - Substance Use Disorder in Pregnancy , Alicia Claire Kletter DNP

Improving Diabetes Self-Management (DSM) Among Patients with Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): A Patient-Centered Education Model , Maria Hannah Tiangha Mandecote

Save the Children® Community Health Worker Program - Prenatal Care , Deirdre A. Martinez

MITIGATE Toolkit for Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship: Enhancing Safe Antibiotic Prescribing Practices , Allyssa Marie Montemayor and Allyssa Marie Montemayor

Implementing a Diabetic Foot Care Program in a Virtual Primary Care Clinic , Zahra Naderi Asiabar

Decreasing Seclusion and Restraint Events Among Clients Within an Inpatient and Crisis Stabilization Behavioral Health Facility , Karen Lee Richards

Utilization of the Nurse Practitioner Skillset in Partnership with the Medical Device Industry , Daniel C. Rowland

Integrating Culturally Tailored Interventions to Increase Cervical Cancer Screening: A Quality Improvement Initiative in a Primary Care Clinic , Marife Centeno Solomon

Advancing Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in a Rural Emergency Department , Jill M. Wabbel

DNP Projects from 2021 2021

Technology-Based Advance Care Planning Education for Primary Care Patients , Taryn Achong

Development and Implementation of an Evidence-Based Practice Mentor Fellowship , Stacy L. Alves

Promoting Antibiotic Stewardship in Primary Care Setting: An Evaluation Process of Treatment Practices for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Premenopausal Non-Pregnant Women , Ira Amayun

Manager Onboarding to Improve Retention, Knowledge, and Confidence to Lead , Christine Asiimwe

Manager Onboarding to Improve Knowledge and Confidence to Lead , Christine (Tina) K. Asiimwe

Designing and Implementing a De-Escalation Toolkit to Improve Staff Education and Competency on De-Escalation within a Mental Health Outpatient Setting , Balraj Bajwa

Increasing Chlamydia Screening in the High-Risk Population using Electronic Notification and Targeted Education: A Primary Care Approach , Michael Barnett

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Implementation of Shared Decision-Making , LIESEL BUCHNER

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy Staff Training Program to Tackle Postpartum Depression , Helen XUMIN Chen

Implementation of an Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit in a Community Hospital , Kimberly A. Colonnelli

Bullying in the C-Suite: A Nurse Leader Perspective , Kimberly Ann Colonnelli

Educating Providers to Screen for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder , Alyssa Fraino

Creating a Pipeline to Increase Diversity in Executive Leadership Positions , Trarina Harris

Developing a Culturally Relevant Mental Health Assessment for Persons of African Descent , Roberta Iyamu

A Peer Feedback Process to Improve Assistant Nurse Manager Job Satisfaction , Juanita A. Jularbal-Walton

Development of an eHealth Harm Reduction Resource to Address Opioid Use Among Youth in Rural Northern California , Carolyn Perrotti Lake

Implementation of a Mental Health Environmental Risk Assessment Tool , Alan Le

Purposeful Nurse Hourly Rounding: A Plan To Decrease Patient Falls During a Pandemic , Robbie Masangkay

Purposeful Nurse Hourly Rounding: Plan to Decrease Patient Falls During a Pandemic , ROBBIE MASANGKAY

Regulatory Orientation to Support Transition to Academic Leadership , Annmarie Munana

Preparing Nurses in Management Positions for Bedside Care During Times of Crisis , Trevor Murray

Utilizing Digital Technology to Address Loneliness and Isolation in Older Adults through a Community-Based Connection Model: Responding to a Pandemic , Melissa A. Nagel

The Nurse Will See You Now: Improving Nurse-Led Chemotherapy Teaching , Laura Oka

PROVIDING HYPERTENSION EDUCATION FOR AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS AT A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONGREGATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC , Esther Oshunluyi

PROVIDING HYPERTENSION EDUCATION TO AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS AT A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONGREGATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC , Esther Oshunluyi

Increasing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Compliance with Various Telemedicine Interventions: An Integrated Literature Review , Tracy Partington

Telehealth Appointments to Increase Therapy Compliance in Patients with MOSA , Tracy J. Partington

Behavioral Health Patients and Agitation in the Emergency Department: A Synthesis of Literature , Adam Pelzl

Implementation of an Agitation Scale in Three Emergency Departments in an Urban Area of Northern California , Adam Pelzl

Targeting Pre-Operative Booking Processes to Decrease Risks of "Never Events" , Rebecca Lynn Poths and Rebecca Lynn Poths

Building Excellence through Shared Governance and Continuous Process Improvement , Deborah Reitter

Streamlining Care for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Siavash Rostami Jafarabad

Nurse Practitioner-Led Care Pods: A Team Communication Enhancement Model , Miranda Saint-Louis and Miranda Saint Louis

Use of Simulation to Improve Nurse's Response to COVID-19 Code Blue: A Literature Review , Charity Shelton

Using Simulation to Improve COVID-19 Code Blue Outcomes , Charity Shelton

Utilizing Group Prenatal Care to Support Underserved Pregnant Women , Kathleen Shrader

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All about the DNP project

Understanding the process helps ensure a successful project..

The final doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project provides students with the opportunity to systematically translate the best current evidence into practice. However, variability in how projects are implemented exists among programs. In response, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) commissioned white papers from two internal task forces: the Implementation Task Force (ITF) and the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Clinical Training Task Force. The ITF’s white paper, The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations, describes and clarifies the characteristics of DNP graduate scholarship (including the DNP project), efficient resource use, program length, curriculum considerations, practice experiences, and collaborative partnership guidelines. The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Clinical Task Force white paper, Re-envisioning the Clinical Education of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses , explores how APRN education can adapt to include more simulation opportunities, academic-practice partnerships, competency-based assessments, and nontraditional APRN clinical education models, such as technology or informatics. However, the AACN doesn’t make specific recommendations with regard to the final DNP project, pointing instead to the DNP Essentials to explain the project’s scope and depth.

This article discusses the issue of project variability, then explores DNP project fundamentals to help eliminate ambiguity and confusion and broaden students’ understanding of the project’s significance. Before initiating a DNP project, several key elements—mentoring, time management, organizational and academic support, potential institutional review board approval, and planning for dissemination—must be in place. (See 8 steps to completion.)

8 steps to completion

Students should take these eight steps to complete their doctor of nursing practice (DNP) projects.

• Identify and obtain approval for the area of interest.
• Write a proposal.
• Create a project timeline.
• Acquire institutional review board approval (if needed).
• Implement project.
• Write final report.
• Present an oral presentation.
• Disseminate the project.

Source: Anderson et al. 2015.

DNP project variability

With the increased volume of new programs and growing interest in the DNP degree, the profession must clarify the scope of the final project, including implementation, impact on system and practice outcomes, extent of collaborative efforts, dissemination, and degree of faculty mentorship and oversight. Some universities require students to complete a practice improvement project over the span of a course, whereas others require students to initiate an evidence-based practice (EBP) innovation project when they begin the program and continue it through the final semester.

Despite projects’ various forms, many elements—including planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability—must be consistent across programs. Without concrete guidelines, programs have employed several interpretations, including portfolios, case studies, systematic reviews, and writing projects. (See Project dissemination variability. )

Project dissemination variability

Several doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project types are included in the DNP Essentials . The table compares the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) white paper recommendations and AACN DNP Tool Kit with regard to dissemination.

Reasons for variability include:

• lack of faculty familiarity with quality improvement (QI) and EBP methods
• strain on faculty capacity and time commitment for project completion
• lack of faculty expertise in DNP education
• inability to find clinical sites that allow students to implement projects
• lack of DNP faculty resulting in programs led by PhD faculty
• lack of graduate-level writing skills
• differing student education levels (for example, BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP)
• time constraints within the iterative process requiring multiple revisions of written work.

Although some program variability is expected, concern about the lack of adherence to the DNP Essentials exists . In response, the AACN is committed to enhancing program congruency. To ensure consistency, post-master’s and post-baccalaureate DNP students (who begin their doctoral programs with different education and practice backgrounds) should graduate with the same comprehensive skill set as described in the DNP Essentials .

Project fundamentals

The DNP project, previously called the capstone project or the scholarly project, should demonstrate translation of acquired knowledge into clinical practice and exhibit the student’s growth in clinical knowledge, expertise, and use of the DNP Essentials and DNP Tool Kit. (See DNP Essentials and Tool Kit.)

DNP Essentials and Tool Kit

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) eight DNP program essentials prepare nurse leaders for advanced practice.

• Scientific underpinnings for practice
• Organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement and systems thinking
• Clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice
• Information systems/technology and patient care technology for the improvement and transformation of healthcare
• Healthcare policy for advocacy in healthcare
• Interprofessional collaboration for improving patient and population health outcomes
• Clinical prevention and population health for improving the nation’s health
• Advanced nursing practice

DNP Tool Kit

The DNP Tool Kit, which continues to evolve, provides schools with the resources for formatting a DNP program. It combines information from the DNP Essentials and recommendations from the AACN DNP white paper to provide templates, exemplars, frequently asked questions, and other resources.

Projects can focus on QI, executive outcomes management, or an EBP change initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare. (See DNP project examples.)

Project examples

The following are examples of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) projects completed by the authors when they were DNP students.  

Quality improvement projects

• After evaluating evidence-based practices for type 2 diabetic foot management, the student developed a new standardized protocol for staff education and patient care practices for foot care assessment and management.
• The student reinforced nursing education as a means to overcoming adherence barriers to an evidence-based sedation protocol for improved ICU outcomes.

Evidence-based practice projects

• The DNP student used an evidence-based survey tool to measure student anxiety when caring for dying patients. Based on the results, an education module was developed to help students manage their stress.
• To decrease nonurgent use of the emergency department and increase fever knowledge, the student created an educational program for caregivers of pediatric patients.

Guideline development and improvement project

• After a systematic evidence search, the student developed a neonatal abstinence syndrome treatment guideline to standardize care and reduce treatment duration, symptom severity, length of hospitalization, and costs.

While working on their projects, students learn to build strong, collaborative partnerships with stakeholders and mentors.

DNP programs throughout the United States require students to conduct various types of projects, which contributes to ongoing confusion about DNP preparation and role. However, all projects should reflect the DNP Essentials in a single, cumulative work that evolves as the student progresses through the program. In addition, this scholarly synthesis should serve as a platform for future scholarship after graduation.

According to the AACN DNP Tool Kit, all projects should:

• focus on a change that impacts the outcome of healthcare through direct or indirect care
• have a systems (micro-, meso-, or macro-level) or population/aggregate focus
• demonstrate implementation in the appropriate practice area
• include a plan for sustainability (it should take into account financial, systems, or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions)
• include an evaluation of processes and outcomes (formative or summative).

Frequently, a project is the outcome of a student’s identified need for improvement in clinical practice or patient outcomes guided by the spirit of inquiry. The project results are a compendium of graduate education immersed in nursing leadership, education, health policy, or clinical practice.

Dissemination

All DNP projects should emphasize positive change that advances quality outcomes, attention to systems thinking, strategies for sustainability with an appraisal of processes and outcomes, and a structure for future practice. The expectation is that DNP-prepared nurses will contribute to the body of knowledge in nursing practice by sharing their work with others so that they can apply it to their practice roles. Platforms for dissemination include social media, peer-reviewed journals, presentations, professional conferences, brochures, posters, policy briefs, organizational team meetings, media interviews, academia, and press releases. Many programs require students to summarize their projects for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The final requirement of the DNP project is a student’s presentation before their institution’s doctoral panel. In this venue, students deliver elemental details about their project’s processes and impact, including purpose, evidence synthesis, project design, data analysis, frameworks, and dissemination.

Be a trailblazer

DNP students’ final projects reflect the culmination of their educational journey and prepare them to share their work with others to benefit patients, the healthcare system, and the nursing profession. The result is a body of information that bridges the gap between research theory and clinical practice. As trailblazers, DNP-prepared nurses can empower other professionals to improve patient outcomes and achieve benchmarks for practice change supported by collaborative endeavors.

The following authors are DNP graduates from the University of Texas at Tyler in Tyler: Barbara Chapman is a family NP with the INTUNE Mobile Unit and assistant clinical professor in the school of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler. Chiquesha Davis is department head of post-licensure programs, graduate programs, and assistant professor at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Sonya Grigsby is a critical care NP at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, adjunct nursing faculty at University of Texas at Tyler, and locum NP at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois. Cyndi B. Kelley is a nurse manager in the special care nursery and chair of the doctoral collaboration council at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and adjunct faculty in the ADN-to-BSN program at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Rebecca Shipley is a family NP at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System. Christian Garrett is a DNP student at the University of Texas at Tyler, a family NP at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital, and an adjunct professor in the school of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler.

Alexander S. Scholarship in clinical practice: An update on recommendations for doctor of nursing practice programs. Clin Nurse Spec. 2016;30(1):58-61. doi:10.1097/NUR.0000000000000177

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) tool kit. aacnnursing.org/DNP/Tool-Kit

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations. August 2015. aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/DNP/DNP-Implementation.pdf

Anderson BA, Knestrick JM, Barroso R. DNP Capstone Projects: Exemplars of Excellence in Practice. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2014.

Bednash G, Breslin ET, Kirschling JM, Rosseter RJ. PhD or DNP: Planning for doctoral nursing education. Nurs Sci Q. 2014;27(4):296-301. doi:10.1177/0894318414546415

Broome ME, Riner ME, Allam ES. Scholarly publication practices of doctor of nursing practice-prepared nurses. J Nurs Educ. 2013;52(8):429-34. doi:10.3928/01484834-20130718-02

Brown MA, Crabtree K. The development of practice scholarship in DNP programs: A paradigm shift. J Prof Nurs. 2013;29(6):330-7. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2013.08.003

Dols JD, Hernández C, Miles H. The DNP project: Quandaries for nursing scholars. Nurs Outlook. 2017;65(1):84-93. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2016.07.009

Dreher HM, Glasgow MES. DNP Role Development for Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2017.

Grigsby S, Chapman B, Kelley CB, et al. DNP and PhD: Complementary roles. Am Nurse Today. 2018;13(7):8-13.

Holly C. Scholarly Inquiry and the DNP Capstone. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company; 2014.

Moran KJ, Burson R, Conrad D. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project: A Framework for Success. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2019.

Murphy MP, Staffileno BA, Carlson E. Collaboration among DNP- and PhD-prepared nurses: Opportunity to drive positive change. J Prof Nurs. 2015;31(5):388-94. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2015.03.001

Pandi-Perumal SR, Akhter S, Zizi F, et al. Project stakeholder management in the clinical research environment: How to do it right. Front Psychiatry. 2015;6(71). doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00071

Shipley R, Chapman B, Davis C, et al. (2019). DNPs: Healthcare change agents. Am Nurse Today. 2019;14(7):16-8.

White KA, Hitzler ET, Anderson KM, et al. Essential knowledge, skills, & attitudes of mentors and mentees for successful DNP scholarly projects. Nurse Educ Today. 2018;71:107-10. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2018.09.015

Zaccagnini ME, White KW. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials. 3rd ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2017.

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Capstone Projects for Nursing Programs

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Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Capstone courses function as a bridge between the end of school and the beginning of a career, allowing nursing students to put what they’ve learned into practice. As the name suggests, students complete capstones toward the end of their nursing training. Not every nursing program requires a capstone, but those that do generally culminate in a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree.

Each nursing program sets their own requirements. While capstone formats differ between programs, they typically consist of an evidence-based practice formal paper or presentation. Students might complete their capstone projects as team leaders, and BSN candidates may present their papers to a faculty panel. Projects could include case studies, program evaluations, and policy analyses.

The focus on evidence-based practice allows students to apply research and experiential evidence toward solving a healthcare problem. For example, candidates may develop intervention strategies that promote health, improve outcomes, enhance quality of life, and foster safe practices for patients.

Capstone goals center on the application of knowledge gained during nursing training programs, including topics related to leadership , management, research, theories, and evidence-based practice, along with the strategies needed to transition from students to baccalaureate-level nurses.

Choosing Your Nursing Capstone Topic

When selecting a capstone topic, students should evaluate their interests, strengths, and weaknesses, along with their chosen nursing specialty area. Luther College recommends that students with lower GPAs and weaker nursing skills consider a basic medical-surgical topic. Those with strong clinical skills and high GPAs might choose emergency or intensive care medicine, although some students might prefer outpatient topics, such as clinical services, long-term care, or public health. However, this is simply an example of one school’s approach, and readers should keep in mind that each school sets its own policies and recommendations.

Asking for guidance from faculty, supervisors, preceptors, and fellow students also helps narrow down capstone topics. Advisors can also provide assistance in choosing an appropriate capstone site, helping with questions of geographical location, facility size, patient population, and care delivery model.

Students develop and learn the skills needed to complete their capstones throughout their training. These include organization and time management, knowledge of evidence-based practice, writing, and critical thinking. They also learn to conduct literature searches, identify research designs, and evaluate evidence.

Completing Your Nursing Capstone

Capstone formats and completion times widely vary between programs. Students at Luther College and Purdue University Northwest complete their capstones in 4-5 weeks, while Ferris State University specifies a timeframe of 30 hours of online classes and 90 hours of applied project work. Case Western Reserve University’s capstone spans 10 weeks.

Regardless of the program, most students follow a PICO format for project proposal questions of inquiry: population, intervention, comparison or condition, and outcome.

Some universities allow capstone projects to be completed in teams, in which students develop and implement the project. Capstone components may include defining the project and the team leader’s role, selecting team members, and formulating the project plan.

In addition to the skills previously referenced, such as knowledge of evidence-based care, critical thinking, and effective writing, capstone courses hone leadership and management abilities These include mastering therapeutic communication, applying leadership and management concepts, and developing collaborative relationships and working on multidisciplinary teams.

Presenting Your Nursing Capstone

The capstone process culminates in a paper or presentation that measures students’ skills in communication, information dissemination, and application of evidence-based practice skills. Members of the public may attend.

Utilizing the poster format, students commonly use three panels to illustrate: (1) the background, problem, and purpose; (2) methodology; and (3) 2-3 key findings and implications. Students who present using PowerPoint on a laptop or other device should pay attention to time limits, planning for one slide per minute, and verify that equipment and internet connectivity are available.

Visuals like graphs, figures, and bullet points are more effective than large blocks of text . Students should practice presenting in front of others to ensure that they thoroughly know their content and can answer questions. Backing up a copy of a PowerPoint presentation and printing out copies or transparencies guards against last-minute glitches.

How is a Nursing Capstone Graded?

Capstone grading methods differ between programs, with some issuing letter grades and others using a pass/no pass system. Grades typically hinge on a percentage basis of the project’s written sections, the final proposal, and the presentation. Faculty evaluate how students execute the capstone course objectives, which may include the following:

Students’ presentation skill evaluation criteria include exhibiting thorough preparation and knowledge of the subject matter, clear and concise communication, adherence to any time limits, ability to answer questions and cite references, and persuasiveness.

What is the Difference Between a Nursing Capstone and a Thesis?

Students complete capstones individually or in groups, while thesis projects must be done alone. Capstone project time lengths span between four and 12 weeks, while graduate students work on their thesis projects throughout their 2- to 3-year programs. Graduate thesis courses generally take place over 1-2 semesters to keep students on track.

Finally, capstone topics evaluate current issues and theories; thesis students incorporate existing case studies and literature while exploring and arguing for their own original research. Some schools require students to publish their thesis papers in a healthcare journal.

Reviewed By:

Theresa Granger

Theresa Granger, Ph.D., MN, NP-C With over two decades of teaching and clinical practice as a family nurse practitioner, Dr. Granger is an expert in nursing education and clinical practice at all levels of education (associate, baccalaureate, and graduate). She has published and lectured extensively on nursing education and clinical practice-related content. Her expertise ranges from student advising and mentoring to curricular and content design (both on ground and online) to teaching and formal course delivery. Dr. Granger is one of the founding faculty members of the University of Southern California’s first ever fully online graduate family nurse practitioner program .

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Home > Nursing > DNP Projects

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Submissions from 2024 2024.

Using Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve the Completion Rates of Advance Care Directives , Fariba Sohrabi

Submissions from 2023 2023

Enhancing Transgender Informed Healthcare for Nursing Students: An Educational Intervention , Olivia Bass

Mindfulness Training in a Pediatric Practice with Adolescents and Young Adults , Rebecca Brady

Outcomes of Directly Observed Therapy in People Living with HIV Who Experience Homelessness and Substance Use Disorder , Mara C. Clawson

Screening for Opioid Use Disorder in Emergency Department Observation Unit Patients , Kendra M. Cull (Lehman)

Improving Culturally Competent LGBTQ+ Care Among Primary Care Providers , Christopher Diaz

A Toolkit to Adequately Screen Pregnant Women for Depression and thus Increase Screening in an Outpatient Obstetrical Clinic , Katherine Doherty

Shared Decision Making for Primary Care Patients with Medical Complexities , Cori B. Fappiano

Educating Novice Nurses and Nurse Practitioners about Military Sexual Trauma Screening , Alyssa D. Freeman

Obesity is a Chronic Disease! A Nurse Practitioner’s Look at Raising Awareness and Addressing Self-Efficacy in Obesity Self- Management in Rural New Brunswick , Stephanie L. Henry

Improving Referral of Frail Orthopedic Patients to Gerofit Exercise Prehabilitation Program for Functional Capacity Optimization During the Preoperative Period , Lucky Igbokwe

Educating Health Care Providers on the Benefits of Trauma-Informed Care and Sensory Modulation Techniques for Adolescents on an Inpatient Unit , Sophia Khalifa

Promoting Verbal De-escalation in Psychiatric Patient Encounters , Tara Moseni

Education to Reduce Use of Mechanical Restraints in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital , Daniel K. Njuguna

Impact of Health Education Campaign on Sexually Transmitted Infection Rates among Naval Service Members on an Operational Platform , Ronald Salazar Rollon

Implementation of an Acne Management SmartSet to Guide Primary Care Providers’ Management of Acne Patients , Emily Thomas

Adolescent Pregnancy and History of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES): Evaluating an Educational Program for Health Care Providers , Mildrine Tulysse

Submissions from 2022 2022

Addressing Implicit Bias to Improve the Engagement and Retention Rate of the Under-Represented Minorities in Substance Use Treatment. , Adekemi Victoria Adeleye

Fall Prevention Program for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities , marie ambroise

Improving Medication Adherence in the Older Adult Population Through the Utilization of Home Delivery and Single Dose Packaging Programs , Julia Anderson

Using The RE-AIM Framework to Evaluate the Programmatic Management of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Maine , Jovin M. Bayingana

Improving Dementia Caregiver Competency in Nursing Home , Disha Bhattacharya

Improving Cultural Competency among RN Case Managers Serving Hispanic Adult Patients in Western Massachusetts , Victor O. Boadu

Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Racing/Ethnic Minority Women for the First Six Months , Linda A. Boateng

Getting Smart with Care Transitions Communication: Utilization of an Electronic Medical Record Smart Text Template During Discharge in Adult Hematology-Oncology Patients , Cindy L. Cao

Improving LGBTQ Provider Competency in the Emergency Department: Guided by Leininger’s Theory of Transcultural Nursing , Kandyce Casey

Reducing Weight Bias Among Nursing Students , Jeffrey P. Curran

Deprescribing Medications at the End of Life at a Community Hospice Setting , Shannon Dickson

Enhancing Preventative Health Care for Latino Migrant Dairy Farm Workers in Addison County, Vermont , Elizabeth A. Douglas

Improving Postpartum Screening Rates in Patients Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in Pregnancy , Meaghan Doyle-Malone

Patient Centered Self-Management Support and Adequate Provider Follow up for Patients of Color Living with Diabetes: Next Steps , Enoidem Ekiko

Sleep Screening in Adults, Ages Eighteen to Sixty-Five, in Primary Care Settings , Liliana Pinto Gilberto

Evaluating the Implementation of a Wellness Initiative in an Independent Living Community , Pamela L. Hannon

Acute Care Nursing Education to Enhance Aggression Management Skills , marybeth hayes

Implementing Intimate Partner Violence Screening in the Primary Care Setting , Deirdre F. Howard

Improving Pain Management of Cognitively Intact Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facilities , Lorraine Howlett

Improving Telehealth Knowledge and Comfort in an Older Adult Population , Carolyn J. Jones

Utilizing a Toolkit with Individualized Food Label Education for Healthy Food Choices to Reduce the Burden of Chronic Disease Among Black Americans , Johanna M. Kasidi

Postpartum Hemorrhage: Improving Patient Outcomes With Improved Communication and Post-Drill Debriefing , Sheila L. LaFortune

Improvement of Overweight and Obesity Screening and Intervention in Primary Care , Catherine Lehtinen

Building Resilience in Undergraduate Nursing Students: Evaluation of Changing Minds, Changing Lives , Rebecca Liljestrand

Transition Readiness Tools to Improve Health Care Transitions among Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease , Meagan Moffett

Development of a Standardized Transfer Acceptance Bundle to Improve Team Collaboration during the Transfer from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit to the Surgical Unit , Pamela Morrison

Standardizing Behavioral Health Triage: Using the HEADS-ED Tool , Sarah K. Peifer

Changing Minds, Changing Lives: Increasing Resilience in Undergraduate Nursing Students Through the Implementation of a Resilience Educational Intervention Program , Jennifer Rivera-Perez

Use of Public Health Detailing to Improve Provider Practice in the Clinical Management of Syphilis , Tessa A. Robinson

Diabetes Footcare in a Rural Community: Footcare Education and Outreach , Dyanne Rodriguez

Substance Use Disorder: Primary Care Screening , Shari P. Shaltout

Improving the Accuracy and Timeliness of Referral Triage for Patients with Lower Back Pain Referred to an Academic Medical Center’s Spine Center , Benjamin S. Simms

Reducing the Risk of Fentanyl Related Overdose in Medication Assisted Treatment Programs Based on Principles of Motivational Interviewing , Anna B. Snow and Chelsea Betsold

Perceptions of the Flu Vaccine in the Setting of COVID-19 , Lauren A. Vogel-Hanley

Initiating Standardized and Structured Handoff for Nurses in the Outpatient Setting , Keri Wagner

Submissions from 2021 2021

Chronic Care and Arthritis: A Wrap Around Approach , Kayla Aliengena

Evidence-Based Strategies for the Prevention of Workplace Violence Against Health Care Workers: Creating an Educational Toolkit , Chibuzor Anyanwu

eLearning Module for Nursing Students to Improve Delirium Identification, Prevention, and Management , Shannon Baker

Robot Pets in Dementia Care: An Educational Intervention , Laura Bradford

Implementing an Interactive Educational Intervention to Increase Knowledge on Phosphorus Diet and Binder Adherence in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis , Rene Chagnon

An Educational Toolkit for Providers on a Plant-Based Diet and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention , Alexandra Collette

The Importance of Understanding Military Culture in Delivering Mental Health Care to Veterans: An Educational Intervention and Toolkit to Inform and Assist Civilian Providers , Ashlee M. Costa

Enabling Patients in Opioid Detox to Pursue Long-Term Recovery , Duny Damas

Prevention and Management of Hypertension among African-Americans Adult in a Church Based Education Program , Victoria C. Dick

Alcohol Screening in a Pain Clinic to Reduce the Risk of Overdose and Improve Patient Care and Compliance with Prescription Opioids , Alicia Ellis

A Quality Improvement Project for opioid Use Disorder at a Psychiatric Hospital in Western Massachusetts , Pauline T. Eteng

Improving the Frequency and Efficacy of Advance Care Planning in Primary Care , Katherine Farrell

Increasing the Knowledge and Awareness of the Human Papillomavirus in Young Women in the Primary Care Setting , Brittany Fevrier

Nurses’ Knowledge and Perception of Resident Mobility in Long-Term Care Facilities , Mary P. Forster

Educating Nurse Practitioners on ACEs and the HOPE Model to Improve Awareness and Acceptability of Trauma-Informed Care , Emily T. Gardner

Implementation of an Evidence-Based Screening Tool for Children for Detection of Developmental, Behavioral and Family Issues , Lyndsay Goss

Noteaid: A Comprehension Tool to Improve Patient Understanding , Harriette F. Green

Improving Diabetes in the Latino Population: A Culturally Sensitive Approach , Veronica M. Green

Increasing Enrollment of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Eligible Patients in the Outpatient Setting: A Toolkit , Staci M. Grothues

Supporting a Team-Based Approach to Diabetes Management in Primary Care , Michelle Howard

Telehealth Coaching to Improve Exercise Self-Efficacy in Diabetics , Oby C. Ikoro

Parenting Group for Externalizing Youth with Side Benefits for Parents , Diane Johnson

Pediatric to Adult Health Care Transition: A Quality Improvement Project for Primary Care , Nicole B. Jones

Development of a Pediatric Depression Healthcare Toolkit , Maria Theresa Kennedy

Massage Therapy for Anxiety and Depression , R. Maryam Lempke

Patient and Family Engagement and Empowerment through Prenatal Education , Nicole Lewis

Assessing Primary Care Providers’ Knowledge of Depression Screening using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 , Jeremy Lincoln

Trauma-Informed Primary Care Education in a Military Heath Care Clinic , Emily J. Lugdon and karen kalmakis

A Toolkit to Assist Child and Adolescent Providers in Assessing Problematic Internet Use and Cyberbullying in an Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic , Collin J. McGrath

A Quality Improvement Project to Assess the Value of Pharmacogenomic Testing in Adults Diagnosed with Major Depression , ILEANA MIRANDA VELAZQUEZ

Increasing Knowledge and Awareness of Expedited Partner Therapy among Providers , Angeline K. Motari Mokaya

A Community-Based Education on Cardiovascular Diseases among Vietnamese Buddhist Nuns , Uyen N. Nguyen

Community Education to Encourage Adherence Among African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes , Theresa B. Nkrumah

Reducing Stigma in the Care of Patients with Substance Use Disorder , Michelle Obenauer

Psychoeducation Intervention for Stress Management in Adolescents , Gold E. Okoeka

Evaluating the Impact of an Educational Program on the Healthcare Providers Knowledge on Depression and Screening Among Adolescents and Young Adults , Albert Peprah

Decreasing Same-Day Preoperative Delays and Cancellations: A Quality Improvement Project , William Perry III

Identification of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) in Primary Care , Danielle L. Riggi

Fostering Resilience in the School-Aged Child , Patricia D. Schneider

Enhancing Therapeutic Alliances in Neonatal Care: Parents With Substance Use Disorders , Shannon A. Starkey

Effect of Increasing Nursing Knowledge and Integration of EEG Technology on Monitoring, Detection, and Management of Seizures in Critical Care , Elizabeth L. Stock

Educating Primary Care Providers in Dual Diagnosis Disorders of Mental Health and Substance Use , Sarah Stout

Improving Diabetes Self-Management with an Online Education and Group Coaching Program , Megan B. Tantillo

Implementing Second Person Reporting in Nurse Practitioner Curricula: A Practical Approach to Person-Centered Care , Collette Tattman-Melo

An Educational Approach for Improving Prediabetes Awareness and Management among Asian Americans , Sheeba S. Thattil

An Educational Intervention for New Graduate Nurses to Improve Care for the Hospitalized Patient with Diabetes , Elizabeth Tinios

Mind Your Mama! Addressing Implicit Bias, Racism, Antiracism, and Reproductive Justice with Healthcare Providers to Improve Maternal Outcomes , Caroline Toby

Assessing Psychiatric Clinician Knowledge and Willingness to Utilize Pharmacogenomics , GianCarlo Zolfonoon

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DNP project guide: Designing your DNP project

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• A Nurse's Step-By-Step Guide to Writing Your Dissertation or Capstone by Karen Roush Call Number: Available online Publication Date: 2015
• DNP capstone projects : exemplars of excellence in practice by Barbara A Anderson; Joyce M Knestrick; Rebeca Barroso Call Number: Available online Publication Date: 2015
• Inquiry and leadership : a resource for the DNP project by Kathleen Reavy Call Number: Available online Publication Date: 2016
• Proposal Writing for Nursing Capstones and Clinical Projects (2nd edition) by Wanda Dr PhD RN Bonnel; Katharine Dr PhD RN Smith Call Number: Available online Publication Date: 2017
• The doctor of nursing practice scholarly project : a framework for success by Katherine J Moran; Rosanne Burson; Dianne Conrad Call Number: RT75 .D57 2014 Publication Date: 2014
• The doctor of nursing practice scholarly project : a framework for success (2nd edition) by Katherine J Moran; Rosanne Burson; Dianne Conrad Call Number: On order for SU Libraries Publication Date: 2017

What Is a DNP Capstone Project?

The DNP capstone project (most often referred to as a DNP final project) takes place near the end of your DNP program. It  is your opportunity to take your newly acquired competencies achieved through DNP coursework and clinical experiences and design a project that is focused on positively impacting healthcare outcomes, either through direct clinical nursing care or indirectly from the systems side of nursing. As a culminating project, the goal  is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of  newly acquired skills and knowledge. A successful DNP capstone project reflects the scope of the student’s doctoral level work and focuses on a meaningful change to healthcare outcomes.

Note: The term “DNP capstone project” has given way to the term “DNP final project” in recent years due to the AACN’s 2015 call for nursing schools to use a term that distinguishes the DNP project from other graduate-level projects.

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Your final DNP project is an investigation of an area of nursing practice, the healthcare delivery system, or a healthcare policy issue that aligns with the scope of your doctoral work. It’s your time to translate health research into practice, preparing you to make the transition to the role of active practitioner in the delivery of informed, quality healthcare.

Your final DNP project will be unique to you, although all DNP projects should:

• Feature a systems or population/aggregate focus
• Demonstrate how it can be implemented into your area of practice
• Include a realistic plan for sustainability
• Include an evaluation of the project’s results
• Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship

How Do I Choose a Capstone Project?

Your final DNP project will align with your DNP’s focus and clinical experiences and be something meaningful to you. What your DNP looks like will ultimately depend on what’s important to you, although your DNP project coordinator, faculty advisor, or DNP program committee will need to give you the green light to proceed with your project idea.

What Are Some DNP Capstone Ideas?

DNP projects are most often focused on quality improvement initiatives, practice change programs, program evaluations, or the translation of evidence into practice.

For example, if your DNP capstone project is practice-focused, it may involve implementing or evaluating a new practice model, a program of care, or a quality improvement project. If it’s focused on health policy, it may involve analyzing, developing, or implementing policy or legislative change. Or if it’s focused on health systems, it may involve using new technology to enhance or evaluate care or analyzing financial models to improve cost-effectiveness in care models.

Examples include:

• Pilot study
• Change initiative
• Consultation model
• Policy initiative
• Quality improvement initiative
• Design and evaluation of a new model of care

What Will the DNP Capstone Involve?

Your DNP capstone will culminate in a final report that includes a scholarly paper that’s suitable for publication. This scholarly paper will include a description of the project, an evidence-based review of the literature, your findings, the evaluation of your findings, and outcomes, and suggestions for its dissemination to the larger nursing community. Dissemination examples may include presenting at a local, regional, sate, or national conference, publishing in a peer-reviewed journal, developing a webinar presentation, presenting to the general public, developing a digital poster, etc.

Once your DNP capstone is complete and your DNP mentor/project chair confirms that your scholarly paper is ready for committee review, you can move onto the final portion of the project, which is a final presentation and defense.

How Will My DNP Capstone Be Evaluated?

Your DNP capstone project will be evaluated via a review process that includes one or more of the following: peer review, academic review, and/or stakeholder review. In general, this review process includes a final oral presentation and project defense that you’ll complete in front of the DNP project committee.

Approval of the final defense of your DNP final project from the DNP project committee acts as documentation that you have passed. This is usually accomplished by vote among the DNP project committee members. If you don’t pass, you’ll have the opportunity to correct any deficiencies and present your project once again to the DNP project committee. Most programs only allow students two opportunities to pass the final DNP project.

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Predictors of the First-year Nursing Student at Risk of Early Departure

Nursing Informatics Certification and Competencies: A Report on the Current State and Recommendations for the Future

Building the Evidence - Use of the Electronic Health Record in the Measurement of Nurse Practitioner Performance

Development and evaluation of a surveillance instrument for monitoring and cataloging staff injuries in a state mental hospital

B-type Natriuretic Peptide Levels as Predictors of Significant Rejection in the Heart Transplant Population: A Practice Guideline Based on Evidence

Advanced Directives in Nursing Homes

Use and assessment of a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner on a Pancreatic Cancer Web Site

Factors Which Influence Job Satisfaction in Nursing Assistants in Nursing Homes

Impact of Nutrition Screening of Venous Leg Ulcer Patients on an Outpatient Wound Center

A Program to Increase Bariatric Surgery Referrals Through Clinical Practice Guidelines

Lung Cancer Provider Education and Referral Criteria for Palliative Care

Vitamin D Supplementation and Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Creation of an Evidence-Based Program Evaluation Design for Preceptor Programs

Utility of a Nutrition Education Web Site to Supplement Prenatal Care

Implementation of an education program to improve Smith Island, Maryland residents' knowledge and attributes of healthier eating practices and benefits of physical activity

Improving Provider Compliance in the Use of an Asthma Action Plan for Patients with Asthma in an Outpatient Setting

Exploring Parental Perceptions Regarding Surgical Pain Management Practices in a University Pediatric Inpatient Setting

Improved Patient Safety Using Health Information Technology to Coordinate Medication Reconciliation between Patients and Providers

Development of a Bariatric patient Readiness Assessment Tool (BRAT) for the Emergency Department.

Palliative Care Consultation in Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant

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Home > School of Nursing and Health Science > Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Dnp final manuscripts from 2023 2023.

The Impact of the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) Tool with Diet and Physical Education on Obesity Awareness and Body Mass Index (BMI) of Overweight Patients , Sheena Amos

Measuring The Effectiveness of Antidepressant Treatment By Implementing Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) , Azeem Anjum

Increasing Utilization of IVC POCUS for Patients with Sepsis , Alexis Arreola

Improving Care for Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome in the Military Health System , Katherine B. Arrogante

Better Sleep, Brighter Mornings: A Sleep Hygiene Protocol for Older Adults as a Quality-of-Life Enhancement , Melissa Baltazar

Evaluation of Depression Screening Frequency in the Geriatric Population: A Pilot Project , Neha Bhagat

Implementation of an Evidenced Based Peripheral Artery Disease Screening Protocol in an Outpatient Internal Medicine Clinic , Sarah Lee Bolanos

Implementation of the American Diabetes Association Pharmacological Approach for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Cardiovascular Disease , Jose Cedillo

Mental Health Wellness in the Latino Population: Improving PHQ-9 scores in Depressed Patients with Comorbid Type II Diabetes , Amanda Cuellar

Decreasing Weight Bias Among APRNs, APRN Students, and RN Nursing Students Through Educational Seminars , Apryl Cutler

Implementation of Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment: Alcohol Revised (CIWA-Ar) Education Program in a Crisis Stabilization Unit , Amanda Dehart

Advocating for Nurse Practitioner Independent Practice , Tamara Troyer Denlinger

Talking with Horses: Equine Assisted Activities to Promote Social Engagement in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder , Amy Ezhaya

Improving Nursing Student Retention: Early Identification of Determinants Causing Attrition in Nursing Academic Programs , Tennille Gifford

Are You in Control of Your Diabetes? Providing 1:1 Diabetic Self-Management Education to Adults With Type II Diabetes Mellitus in an Outpatient Clinic in an Underserved Community , Joe Gonzales

Feasibility of Family Focused Obesity Screening in Primary Care , Adrianne Griffiths

3D-Wound Imaging: Precise, Consistent, and Efficient , Aubrey Halili

Be Kind to Your Mind: The Use of Mobile Based Applications to Reduce Stress and Improve Health Outcomes , Akira Hanson Finn

Implementation of the Diet Readiness Test to Assess Self-Efficacy and Education Effectiveness in Overweight Women , Tatjana Ilich

Implementation of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-Item Screening Tool for Adult Patients in an Underserved Outpatient Cardiology Clinic , Leila Joint

Managing Menopausal Symptoms Through Exercise and Dietary Changes , Ae rah Kang

Implementation of a Follow-Up Procedure for Patients Treated with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at a Primary Care Clinic , Brooke Marino

Improving nurse call by evaluating a new technology , Ariel Norton

Reducing Polypharmacy amongst home based older adults using patient centered education , Evelyn Oluoha

Assessing Genomic Literacy in Advanced Practice Nursing Students Before and After an Intervention , Guiselle Palomera

Nurse-Led Post Stroke Depression Screening (PSD) for Patients with Acute Stroke Using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) , Stefan Panov

Utilization of Telemedicine for Follow Up Appointments in Radiation Oncology , Priya Patel

Educating and Improving Collegiate Athlete Sunscreen Use , Julia Pederson

Implementation of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale at an Outpatient Mental Health Practice to Increase Provider Confidence in Identifying Suicide Risk , Lauren Reed

Church-Based Hypertension Education: An Alternative Solution to Hypertension Management in the African American Community , Nicole Tofi Rice

Exercise As a Prescription for Patients with Depressive Disorders: A Quality Improvement Project , Sydney Roscoe and Rachelle Pace

Implementing Outpatient Screening of Adult Patients at High Risk for Peripheral Artery Disease , Coral Roseberry

Improve Hypertensive Patients’ Compliance Postgraduation from the Virtual Care Team Program , Marcie Santillan

A COMPARISON OF SUPRATHEL BURN DRESSING VS STANDARD CARE ON LENGTH OF HOSPITALIZATION, PAIN SCORES, OPIOID USE, TREATMENTS, AND OUTCOMES. , Rakiema T. Sellars-Pompey and Anthonia Okoh

A Prescription for Exercise in Adolescents: A Pilot Project , Alexa Sikalis

Improving Access to Colorectal Cancer Screening in Latino Communities in California: Eliminating Transition to Practice Hours for Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority , June Spilburg

The Future of Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients: A Clinical Perspective with Recommendations , Laura Taylor

Improving Patient Self-Efficacy, Readiness, and Completion of Advance Care Planning Documents Using PREPARE Documents and Advance Care Planning Group Referral , Marie Vassiliadis

Implementation of a Shared-Decision Making (SDM) Approach in a Community Based Outpatient Mental Health Clinic , Alexa Vuylsteke

Fostering Resilience in Children of United States Navy SEALs Using a Social Media Platform , Riley Walker

A Pilot Project for Tuberculosis Education in College Students , Sarah Williams

DNP Final Manuscripts from 2022 2022

Improved Monitoring of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Low-Income Adolescents through Evidenced Based Provider Education , Sunday Adeyeye

Increasing Mental Health Literacy in the Black Church , Jonathan Allotey

Implementing Adverse Childhood Experience Screening in an Intensive Outpatient Mental Health Program , Bryan Amaro

Impact of Telephonic Follow Up in Patients Initiating Antineoplastic Treatment in the Ambulatory Setting , Lauren Belkin

Forestalling: Decreasing Super-Utilizers in the Emergency Department Using Case Management Strategies , Kelly Chambers, Megan Gilmartin, and Martha Narasimhan-Narayanan

eConsent Forms on Ancillary Applications with Electronic Medical Record Integration – Reducing Consent Error , Lilian Chan

Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Among Hispanic Families: A Policy Perspective , Allison Chico, Iris Vazquez, Claudia Aguayo, and Jose Andres Rozo

Improving Completion Rate of Identifying Seniors At Risk (ISAR) Screening Tool in Emergency Department (ED) Setting , Ashley Clark

Improving Same Day Surgery Patient Outcomes Through a Nurse Practitioner Led Telephone Follow-up Call , Jessica Cooke and Kamila Zasowska

Does Comfort Care Make You Uncomfortable? Use of the CARES Tool for End-of-Life Symptom Assessment and Management , Christina Covington

Effects of Telephone Follow-up on Medication Adherence and Rapid Readmission Among Discharged Adults With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSDs) , Romilynn Danko and Madalyn Cosensci

Implementation of the blunt tip cannula for dermal fillers to decrease adverse events intra and post treatment , Natalie Drone

Fall Risk Assessment and Intervention to Reduce Fall-Related Injuries and Hospitalization in Older Adults , Pittawat Emerson

Improving Discharge Outcomes: Telephone Follow Up for Heart Failure Patients , Ashley Fanjoy

Enriching the Perioperative Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program for Patients Undergoing Whipple Procedure for Pancreatic Cancer , Natalie E. Fisher

Decreasing Falls on a Locked Inpatient Psychiatric Unit , Terri Fitzpatrick

Identifying Elderly Patients at High Risk for Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction: A Clinical Perspective , Kelly Glas

Effects of Diabetes Self-Management Education in the Primary Care Setting on Self-Efficacy and Glycosylated Hemoglobin Levels Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus , Colleen Harris

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Forms in a Primary Care Setting , Elena Johns

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Education on the Misuse of Corticosteroids and Antibiotics for Treatment of Acute Pharyngitis , Samantha Kaikai

Screening for childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder using the City Birth Trauma Scale: A pilot project , Meredith Kazato

Improving Vaccination Rates Through Community Partnership , Marissa Marquez

Prediabetes education to prevent the progression to type 2 diabetes , Peggy Mata

The Power of Proactive Referrals: An Evidence-Based Practice Project to Improve Smoking Cessation Rates at a Community Health Clinic , Kristin McMahon

Screening for Suicide Risk in the Outpatient Electroconvulsive Therapy Population , Cerah Nagata

LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION INTERVENTIONS ON HEMOGLOBIN A1c LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE II DIABETES MELLITUS IN AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY: A PILOT PROJECT , Anniesatu Newland

Implementation of Nola Pender’s “Clinical Assessment for Health Promotion Plan” to Increase Patient Self-Efficacy, Weight Loss and Health Promoting Behaviors Such as Improving Nutrition and Increased Physical Activity in Obese Women in a Weight Loss Clinic , Christine Ngwazini

Implementation of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening Tool to Screen Mothers for Postpartum Depression in the Pediatric Setting , Vera Nikolaychuk

Treatment Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Women of an Underserved Community , Bukola Olusanya

Implementation of Surgical Education Video to Burn Patients Before the Informed Consent Process , Brian Piatkowski

Development of a Nurse Practitioner Driven Program for Cardiology Providers to Increase Knowledge and Awareness of Neurodevelopmental Assessment Needs in Children with Congenital Heart Defects , Michele Readman

Smiling Mind: A Mobile Based Application to Reduce Stress , Agnes Rodrigues

The Use of Telehealth to Improve Patient Outcomes Among Prediabetes and Diabetic Patients in a Rural Women's Health Clinic: An Evidence-Based Practice Project , Alejandra Villegas

National Early Warning Score (NEWS) for COVID-19 infected Patients: A Clinical Guidance Tool , Robert Villegas

Screening People Experiencing Homelessness for Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) , Priya Vishwanath

DNP Final Manuscripts from 2021 2021

Identifying Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in a Federally Qualified Health Center using the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener , Melody Albarran-Slovin, BSN, RN

Telehealth Breastfeeding: Best Practice Guideline , Laura Amabile

Obesity Prevention Toolkit to Combat Weight Gain Related to Sedentary Behavior and Dietary Habits in College Students: An Evidence-Based Project , Maria Amos and Martha Fuller

Motivational Interviewing and Frequent Follow-up in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting to Improve Diet and Activity in Adolescents , Celeste Armenta and Kathy James

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy with Motivational Interviewing: A Pilot Study , Olivia Ball

A Guide to Vaccine Policy Change at a National Level , Janelle Bird

Sunscreen Use and Screening in College Athletes: An Evidence-Based Pilot Project , Nicole Brustkern BSN, RN, CPN and Sharon Boothe-Kepple PhD, MSN, FNP-C, PHN (Chickasaw)

Implementing EBP Guidelines to Optimize Human Donor Milk Usage in the Hospital Setting , Kimberly Carriker

Bridging the Gap: Utilization of Telehealth for Heart Failure Patients to Reduce Hospital Readmissions: Best Practice and Recommendations , Shalaine Corbilla

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring: A Patient Empowerment Project , Alison Cusmano

Preoperative Fasting Policy Updated for Healthy Patients , Janet Dewees

Improving Identification of Seniors at Risk Tool Adherence to Identify Emergency Department Readmissions in Older Adults , Joy Gao

Impact of Psychotropic Medications on Electrical Cardiac Conduction in the Emergency Department: A Best Practice Review , Juliann Hatt

Managing Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis in the Allergy Clinic: Use of an Eczema Action Plan to Improve Caregiver Understanding and Self-Efficacy, A Pilot Study , Danielle Hubacek

Achieving Advance Care Planning in Diverse Populations via Teleconferencing with Skilled Nursing Facility Residents , Tania Huezo

Utilizing Post Graduate Residency Program in New Graduate Nurse Practitioners to Improve Clinical Outcomes , LaShaunda Jethro

Establishment of Best Practice Skills for Advanced Practice Nurses , Leslie Kendrick; Tara Hughes; and Joseph Burkard DNSc, CRNA

Identifying Opportunities for Implementing Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Newly Diagnosed or Worsening Hypertension at a Family Health Clinic , Catherine Liikala

Balancing Provider Stress and Resilience in the Time of COVID , Zachary Love

Health Disparities Associated with Pre-existing Cardiovascular Disease and Telemedicine Interventions during COVID-19 Pandemic: Best Practice Review with Recommendations , Barbara Mae Madriaga

Substance Use Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) in Pregnant Women Living with HIV , Whitney Markowitz

Identifying Gaps in Follow-up Care Among Adults in an Occupational Health Setting: A Retrospective EBP Pilot , Ginny Meyerhuber, MSN, RN

Implementation of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Prediabetes Risk Test in the Medical Weight Loss Setting , Gabriela Miller, RN, BSN

Sun Protection Behaviors in Patients with Actinic Keratosis , Madison Molotky

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DOCTORAL PROJECT REPOSITORY

Doctoral Project Repository: An Archive Of Curated Documents

Share your talents and support improved outcomes.

The Doctoral Project Repository is an archive of curated documents. This archive is not peer-reviewed and does not replace or presume any publication effort. Each listing is owned by the individual that uploads the completed academic scholarly practice project. This service allows you to share your ideas and work product into the scholarly community and also the consumer community.

There is a one-time $30 charge to post your scholarly project to this archive of curated documents. This nominal fee helps to defray the cost of building and maintaining this archive. Once uploaded and posted, the owner of the documents may share the URL web page address with any individual or organization desired. Each listing helps to educate patients, employers, organizations, and other stakeholders about DNP capabilities and competencies. Your posted scholarly practice doctoral project will:

• Support a collaborative engagement with practice partners and employers,
• Showcase DNP prepared professional’s impact on improving outcomes,
• Disseminate DNP generated content for all interested in the theme, environment, and process of impacting the complex processes of health care delivery,
• Build a foundation for sustainable change, future practice, and the research of practice scholarship, and,
• Support the growth and development of DNP students in the process of developing their project.

Please note:

• The listing does not replace or preclude a publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal,
• The generated URL/web page is owned by the individual that uploads the project and does not preclude any other uploads to alternative sites or services
• The author of the uploaded completed project retains all copyright to the work product. Project posting is for graduates. You may upload as a student but completion of the degree is needed for final posting of your work. Thank you for your understanding.

Do you have concerns about posting your work to a repository and future efforts to publish? Please know that a pre-print archive of documents is not considered a publication.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. publishing company shares it’s self-archiving policy here.

Elsevier publishing company offers clarification of their policy on this web page.

Springer Publishing Company’s self-archiving policy can be found here .

The National Institutes of Health and PUBMED address open access and self-archiving policies in this article .

Oxford Academic Journals shares their self-archiving policy on this web page .

Please share your talents and experiences by uploading an abstract and the full document reflecting your work. As an archive of curated documents, this repository is a vehicle to store and display your doctoral project.

The mission of Doctors of Nursing Practice, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization, is to improve healthcare outcomes by promoting and enhancing the doctorally prepared nursing professional. Join this effort and share your expertise to support this mission.

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DNP Capstone

Academic editing, coaching & data analysis.

Make Your Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Exemplary!

Unique support for dnp candidates .

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Capstone Projects have the express purpose of translating evidence into practice. The DNP Capstone is an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of advanced clinical skills while integrating a range of planning, research, written, and analysis skills. A Critical Appraisal (DNP-PCAT) of 65 randomly selected DNP Capstone Projects received 56 percent of the possible maximum score due to weak writing and invalid data analysis ( Roush & Tesoro, 2018) . Since 2010, we have helped hundreds of DNP candidates from over 70 different DNP programs get their project approved with laudable results.    

S ource: K., & Tesoro, M. (2018). An examination of the rigor and value of final scholarly projects completed by DNP nursing students. Journal of professional nursing : official journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 34(6), 437–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2018.03.003       

In simple terms, ghost writers write for someone else, while editors 'fix' someone else's writing.

Un like many (illegal) services, we do NOT ghostwrite or violate academic integrity. 

We provide academic editing and data analysis se rvices to help make YOUR project EX EMPLARY!

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The Doctor of nursing practice project [digital] : a framework for success

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• Machine generated contents note: Section I The Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Chapter 1 Setting the Stage for the doctor of Nursing Practice Project Chapter 2 Defining the Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Trends Chapter 3 Scholarship in Practice Chapter 4 Health Care Policy and Advocacy Section II The DNP Project Chapter 5 The Phenomenon of Interest Chapter 6 Developing the DNP Project Chapter 7 Aligning Design, Method, and Evaluation with the Clinical Question Chapter 8 Interprofessional and Intraprofessional Collaboration in the DNP Project Chapter 9 The DNP Project Team Chapter 10 Creating and Developing the Project Plan Chapter 11 Driving the Practicum to Impact the DNP Project Chapter 12 The Proposal Chapter 13 The DNP Project Toolbox Chapter 14 Project Implementation Section III Doctor of Nursing Practice Outcomes Chapter 15 Disseminating the Results Chapter 16 The Rest of the Story
• Evaluating the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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The Doctor of Nursing Practice capstone project: consensus or confusion?

Affiliation.

• 1 School of Nursing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA. [email protected]
• PMID: 23909563
• DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20130722-01

Considerable diversity exists among Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs regarding capstone projects, which reflect the knowledge gained and the competency achieved during the immersion experience. This article describes a conversation of the DNP capstone project among participants of the Committee on Institutional Collaboration DNP Invitational Conference. The focus of the dialogue was to discuss the intent and breadth of the DNP capstone project and how it demonstrates competencies, to consider in what way it differs from the PhD dissertation, and to identify the similarities and differences among multiple forms of the project in terms of scope and expected deliverables, as well as to examine other related issues. The participants addressed eight salient questions in an effort to clarify the value, form, and key elements of the final project. Responses to these questions are presented, and the agenda for a national dialogue regarding the capstone project is considered.

Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

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Celebrating Our CNLs: Amanda Welter '16N

  By Gianluca D'Elia   Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Every March, CNL Day celebrates the unique contributions of Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs) in health care systems. From the bedside to board rooms, more than 8,000 CNLs are improving the quality of patient care and put evidence-based practice into action in health care systems across the U.S. 

Pediatric ICU nurse  Amanda Welter '16N , looks forward to expanding that number as she prepares to finish her CNL degree in May and continue her doctoral studies here.

The University of Rochester is home to one of the nation's first CNL master's programs and the only one in Upstate New York.

Welter was drawn to the program's focus on quality, safety and process improvement — all areas that Welter felt passionate about in her roles as a bedside nurse, assistant nurse manager, and most recently, co-lead of the safety nursing team at Golisano Children's Hospital.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career?

I am originally from Buffalo and landed in Rochester to attend RIT for my first bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences. After working for their Orientation program and in the bar and restaurant industry, I took time off to travel in Europe and Asia and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. I was lucky enough to be accepted into the School of Nursing’s Accelerated Bachelor's program and started my first nursing job in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU after I graduated. I have been a nurse on this unit for almost eight years and have held a variety of roles, the most recent being the co-lead of the Golisano Children's Hospital Safety Nurses!

I will graduate from the CNL program this May, and then I’m heading directly into the School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program !

How would you describe the value of CNLs in health care?

Instead of answering this question by talking about what can CNLs do, I think the better response is: "What can't they do?" CNLs provide clinical leadership, promote a culture of safety; work towards care delivery that is safe, evidence-based and equitable; and promote optimal quality outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.

CNLs are able to create links in so many fragmented chains to help advocate for patients and act as care delivery experts within the health care system.

CNLs add value to health care in every arena imaginable as they are poised and prepared to solve contemporary health care problems. The CNLs I have come across are creative thinkers and expert problem solvers and have put those brains to work from the bedside to the board room!

What led you to choose the CNL master's program?

I have had some amazing mentors throughout my career, and have seen many of the nurses I admire and respect most complete this CNL program. I also had prior experience with University of Rochester and had always felt so supported and challenged by the School of Nursing faculty and staff. My personal interests and career goals also align closely with the CNL program, as I have always had a strong focus on quality, safety and evidence-based practice. Additionally, the amazing University employee tuition benefits made it an easy financial choice!

What are some of your biggest takeaways from the CNL program?

This program and its instructors really want you to succeed. I have been continually astounded at the ways they support their students and meet us where we are at.

As an example, I actually had a baby during the program and never once fell behind. I was also working full-time as an Assistant Nurse manager and with a toddler at home! The CNL program is also incredibly well-designed to get you practice and experience across the health care delivery system and has made it easy to network and connect with CNLs across the campus. The combination of classes and clinical hours is wonderfully designed to introduce and then acclimate you to the CNL role!

Can you describe your capstone project and how it has made an impact?

My capstone project is developing a central line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rounding tool for an inpatient pediatric general care unit. CLABSIs lead to a wide variety of adverse outcomes, including increased mortality and morbidity, longer length of stay in the hospital, and greater health care costs. My project utilized input from a wide variety of unit stakeholders to create this tool that is being used to round weekly on all patients with central lines. During rounding, the interdisciplinary team then identifies threats to the CLABSI prevention bundle, provides real-time education and feedback, addresses concerns to central lines, and promotes best practice.

Who has made an impact on you throughout your time at the School of Nursing?

Throughout my time at the School of Nursing, I cannot speak highly enough of the instructors who share their expertise and passion every semester, especially Linda Migliore , Kate Valcin , Melissa Evans, and Shelly Baker.

I have also had some absolutely amazing preceptors who took time out of their busy schedules to help bridge that gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice — notably, Rebecca Kanaley , Stephanie Havens and Dr. Michael Mendoza .

Lastly, I have been impressed and entertained by my cohort of classmates and it has been a wonderful learning experience getting to know professionals from so many different clinical areas and backgrounds!

Do you have any tips or advice for nurses considering the CNL program?

Make sure going into this program that you have a solid support system at work and at home. Having people to ask questions to, bounce ideas off of and de-stress with is the key to balancing work, life, and school. I have been so lucky in that regard to have my husband — fellow School of Nursing graduate Thomas Welter '18N — in my corner to cheer me on. Also, there's never a perfect time to go back to school, so if you've been thinking about applying, there's no better time than the present!

Learn more about UR Nursing's CNL program.

Categories: Nursing Leadership , Alumni

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