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Role Of DNP Nurses In Levels Of Care Essay

Introduction: Emergence of the DNP Degree

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), in 2004, pinpointed a necessity for nurses possessing advanced educational qualifications to offer superior clinical care, assume leadership roles, and address the acute faculty shortage in the nursing education sphere. Although a handful of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs existed before the AACNs pivotal document (with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center initiating one in 1999 as an illustration), this critical paper accentuated the imperative for escalating the educational attainment of advanced practice nurses from Masters to the doctoral echelon. Consequently, a surge in the establishment and conferral of the DNP degree - the ultimate clinical qualification for nursing practitioners - was observed. Starting from a modest 20 programs in 2006, the count escalated to 303 by 2017, per AACNs 2018 data. Furthermore, the period post-2010 witnessed the enrolment in DNP initiatives soaring from 7,034 to 18,352 students, marking a substantial 161% augmentation, with the enrolment figures for 2016 being estimated at around 29,000 (AACN, 2018). The DNP is acknowledged as a clinical doctoral credential analogous to those in various other disciplines, including pharmacy, audiology, speech, and physical therapy, where the doctorate is recognized as the ultimate practice degree. For aspiring nurses, the journey to securing a DNP is versatile, presenting options like post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to DNP or post-Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to DNP routes (Edwards et al., 2018).

Healthcare Care Strata

Primary Care forms the foundational healthcare layer within a community, providing direct access for its members. This level is staffed by general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses, and community health specialists like dentists, podiatrists, and optometrists. Accident and emergency (A&E) Departments also contribute to this layer by extending specific primary care elements.

GPs, stationed in surgeries alongside other professionals, play a pivotal role in overseeing community health. They deliver health services to nurses, healthcare assistants, and health visitors collaboratively. Every community member, including children through their parents, can enroll in a GP surgery for holistic health services.

In this essential framework, health visitors actively engage in health education and promotion, providing crucial support to individuals and families. Specialized health visitors offer their expertise to families with members suffering from unique conditions or disabilities (Beeber et al., 2019).

Every school is affiliated with a designated nurse responsible for health education and promotion among students...

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…like health economics, health insurance, administration, and information technology (Edwards et al., 2018).

Furthermore, individuals with DNP qualifications have begun to leave their mark in health economics, health insurance, administrative roles, and information technology within the healthcare domain. For instance, many DNP holders are now seen in administrative capacities within the health insurance sector, having a say in healthcare financing matters. They are adept at employing Electronic Health Records (EHRs) for data compilation and extraction, which aids in refining patient care processes, positively influencing patient outcomes, and facilitating the enhancement of EHR systems. The potential impact of DNP professionals on the healthcare sector is immense, with many more areas awaiting their valuable contribution and influence (Edwards et al., 2018).

Lastly, the widespread influence of DNP-educated nurses is documented through scholarly articles featured in numerous journals. An analysis of peer-reviewed DNP publications between 2005 and 2012 revealed that 80% of the articles focused on practice, while the rest (20%) were devoted to research, policy, education, and theoretical frameworks. Within the practice-centric articles, there was a distribution among topics related to clinical practice from provider and patient viewpoints, interventions in health systems, clinical strategies, and evaluation of practice guidelines (Edwards…

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References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2018). http://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/DNP-Fact-Sheet.

Beeber, A.S., Palmer, C., Waldrop, J., Lynn, M.R., & Jones, C.B. (2019, July/August). The role of Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurses in practice settings. Nurs Outlook, 67(4), 354364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2019.02.006.

Carter, M. A., & Jones, M. (2017). Nationwide Doctor of Nursing Practice/Advanced Practice registered nurse survey on roles, functions, and competencies. Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice, 10(2), 108–112.

Edwards, N., Coddington, J., Erler, C., Kirkpatrick, J. 2018. The Impact of the Role of Doctor of Nursing Practice Nurses on Healthcare and Leadership. Medical Research Archives Vol 6 issue 4. April issue 4Institute of Medicine. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine.

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