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impact healthcare transformation unless their educational preparation provides them with
opportunities to learn and employ scholarship, leadership, and teamwork skills to advance
practice. A scholarly work that aims to improve clinical practice, therefore, is required of
students completing a practice doctorate in nursing. Collaboration with practice partners
whenever possible will maximize the impact of the student experience.
The scholarly work may take on various final forms depending on the academic institution’s
requirements and the student’s area (specialty or role) of study/practice. Key elements of
the scholarly work include problem identification; a search, analysis, and synthesis of the
literature and evidence; translating evidence to construct a strategy or method to address a
problem; designing a plan for implementation and actual implementation when possible, and
an evaluation of the outcomes, process, and/or experience. Faculty may identify additional
elements deemed necessary to meet the expected outcomes of the curriculum. Programs are
encouraged to support innovation in the design and dissemination of the final project without
reducing the substantive nature of the work. A literature review that lacks applicability to
affect a practice improvement or the other elements identified above would not constitute a
scholarly work that aligns with this Essentials model. Similarly, a portfolio may be used as a tool
to enhance the development and presentation of a project but may not be the sole deliverable
product of the student’s scholarly work.
The scholarly work should not be a separate disaggregated part of the plan of study. Instead,
faculty should consider how the development of the scholarly work is integrated throughout
the curriculum, allowing for dissemination of the results prior to program completion. The
intent is that this scholarly work reflects the longitudinal attainment of advanced level subcompetencies, going across the curriculum and allowing for the evolution of ideas. There also
is a need to ensure an understanding by the student of the connection between the scholarly
work and application to future practice. This will promote integration of advanced nursing
education competencies into future practice.
Dissemination methods for the scholarly work are determined by the student in consultation
with the faculty and may include a variety of methods. Dissemination may include a final written
product that is presented to a defined group of stakeholders, such as members of the practice
and/or university community or participants at a local, state, or national professional meeting.
Other possible examples of dissemination include poster presentations, a manuscript under
review and/or submission for publication, an educational presentation, or a podcast.
Faculty with appropriate specialty and academic credentials are involved in the planning,
formation, and evaluation of the student’s scholarly work. In some instances, additional
experts/mentors/ partners/facilitators can be formal or informal collaborators and provide
intermittent or limited support throughout the project phases as needed. Evaluation of the
student’s scholarly work may include a combination of methods, including faculty, expert,
and/or peer evaluation. Programs tailor scholarly work evaluation and approval processes per
institution’s, the program’s, and/or appropriate committee’s requirements. Evaluation of the
final DNP project is the responsibility of the faculty.

THE ESSENTIALS: CORE COMPETENCIES FOR PROFESSIONAL NURSING EDUCATION 25