Introduction
Nurses all over the world play vital roles within and outside healthcare facilities. The practice of nursing is known to be the most diverse as it is a profession that addresses needs like; clinical, public policy, leadership and public health care. Nurses caring for the patients’ wellbeing and ensure their health is not at stake. In collaboration with patients, they assist them to take responsibilities for their health by taking care of them, treating them and educating them on preventive measures to curb future occurrences. With the diverse mix of responsibilities and roles, many people including healthcare providers are sometimes confused on the exact roles that a Doctor of Nursing Practice plays in the profession along with the healthcare team. The new docket of nursing focuses on practice competencies rather than just academic research; this prepares learners to address critical skills required to translate evidence-based care to practice, measure the general outcome of patients or communities and improve health systems of care. In addition to the typical clinical responsibilities, DNP has a variety of roles including; leadership and administrative roles, informatics, policy making and system change; this is meant to better the nursing practice in the field.
The role of DNP in nursing theory focuses on the education part of the field. Nursing is mainly a practical profession interacting directly with patients on a day to day basis. With DNP, less of practical work is involved. The majority of the tasks involved are theoretical. Challenges nurses face while in practice are addressed by DNP as such healthcare providers have a wider scope of understanding beyond practical skills (Bryant‐Lukosius, DiCenso, Browne & Pinelli, 2004). The nurses cannot perform without having a theoretical framework, however; their primary focus is on practical skills.
With the unique presentation of different patients’ problems regularly, there is a need to do continuous research so as to be in a position to manage every new challenge in the practice; A lot of investigation by the DNP on issues about the Nursing profession. Many nurses can handle practical problems but require a theoretical framework to make this possible; getting an explanation for what to do can sometimes be challenging. Having a background structure on the explanation behind every act is crucial; this allows one to find alternative measures when a given method does not work in a particular situation (Edwards, Chapman & Davis, 2002). When nurses are in training, they are provided for with a layout to handle given situations in the practice; it is unfortunate however that sometimes challenges arise requiring the input of the healthcare. Under such circumstances, some nurses tend to panic not knowing what to do; it is at this point that knowledge from research is essential.
DNP practice scholarship is when the principles of learning about nursing are combined with DNP Essentials to generate a graduate who is prepared to improve the outcome of health and care. The integration of these skills combined result to quality improvement of processes, translating evidence into practice among many other ways. The aspect of scholarship is what provides knowledge development within a discipline. DNP effectiveness is by its contribution to intended improved outcomes rather than its contribution to general knowledge in the given field; therefore, DNP focuses on the translation of new science, its applicability, and final evaluation (Cotton, 1997). Results have to be attained as the knowledge is needed to better the lives of patients and the profession as a whole.
The DNP as a scholar role entails blending academic theory in collaboration to firsthand knowledge to enrich learning experiences by learners and broaden their perspective on issues that are latest so as to offer best practices in the field of Nursing. A DNP holder has diverse opportunities to access information and knowledge regarding different aspects of the Nursing profession. At this level of Doctorate in Nursing, the learners are exposed to a wide range of roles making it advantageous to them to handle diverse issues (Lorensen, Jones & Hamilton, 1998). Many of these holders are responsible for training nurses doing their degrees or diplomas to synthesize knowledge during training and expand their thinking to accommodate different ideas within and outside the practice.
According to National League for Nurses Recommendation, there has been the need to advance the quality of services offered to patients by healthcare practitioners. Nurses are encouraged to follow their code of conduct by their practice without compromising any of them. Compromising has been the greatest challenge leading to the decline of standards in the Nursing arena. Dealing with different cultural diversity also calls for adjustments in handling patients. New nurses in the market are encouraged to be culturally sensitive while dealing with patients. Culture defines people way of life; ignoring this fact can be disastrous to people (Woods, 1997). Interacting and dealing with patients without understanding their worldview can be dangerous. A combination of all aspects should be in play while treating and taking care of patients.
Conclusion
Nurses are important people in our society. They are crucial in the roles they play to assist patients. Their main tasks are mainly practical; however, the introduction of DNP has diversified the roles about nursing. The mandate of Nurses is to offer quality healthcare services to clients. The advancement of this role by DNP practitioners provide more than the typical tasks by nurses ranging from leadership roles to advanced research on upcoming issues and bettering the general wellbeing of the Nursing fraternity through improved health care systems; this paves the way for better quality services.
- Bryant‐Lukosius, D., DiCenso, A., Browne, G., & Pinelli, J. (2004). Advanced practice nursing roles: development, implementation and evaluation. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 48(5), 519-529.
- Cotton, A. H. (1997). Power, knowledge, and the discourse of specialization in nursing. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 11(1), 25-29.
- Edwards, H., Chapman, H., & Davis, L. M. (2002). Utilization of research evidence by nurses. Nursing & health sciences, 4(3), 89-95.
- Lorensen, M., Jones, D. E., & Hamilton, G. A. (1998). Advanced practice nursing in the Nordic countries. Journal of clinical nursing, 7(3), 257-264.
- Woods, L. P. (1997). Conceptualizing advanced nursing practice: curriculum issues to consider in the educational preparation of advanced practice nurses in the UK. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25(4), 820-828.
