“For my project I’m going to do …” NOOOOOO!!! You need to say, “For my DNP Project, I see a problem with ....” That’s your first step.
Welcome to the DNP Project Podcast where we share tips, inspiration, and more! Every time I hear a DNP student tell me their idea for their project, they will almost always say, “I was planning to do…” and then whatever it is. WRONG ANSWER. The DNP Project is about identifying problems, finding evidence-based solutions, implementing and evaluating those solutions, then sharing with with others the findings. So, when someone asks, try to reframe and say:
But, bottomline here, you need to identify the problem first.
Problems, gaps, and opportunities are everywhere in healthcare. The key is finding one that is relevant to your future career as a nurse. It has to also be a problem the partnering organization values. Most importantly you have to take a bite of the problem that you can chew. In other words, it has to be a problem that can reasonably be impacted within the timeframe of a DNP Project. Certainly, you can plan to sustain and expand, but let’s be real - you have to graduate too!
Other thoughts:
You will need partners - student, faculty, organizational, ect.
In the DNP Project Workbook: A Step by Step Process for Success, we guide you through some exercises to help you find your “favorite problems” and narrow them down. The workbook is filled with content, short and simple lessons, that will help you push your DNP Project forward. Check it out on the Springer website at: https://www.springerpub.com/the-dnp-project-workbook-9780826174321.html
In the first few episodes, we have tried to give you some fundamental information to get you started. In future episodes we will give more tips, inspire you by interviewing others and hearing their stories, hosting experts, and covering emerging ideas beyond the DNP Project. Stay tuned for more !!!
*** Always follow the guidelines from YOUR DNP Program