DNP Program Outcomes and Impact on Practice

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DNP Program Outcomes and Impact on Practice

• Elizabeth F. Fuselier, DNP,RN,APRN, BC
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center,
  Memphis, TN

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Professional Evolution

• National Accounts Representative in Workers
  Compensation 1988-1991
• FNP Practicing in Rural Occupational Medicine
  in MS and TN 1996-1998
• Lead Nurse Practitioner, Ochsner Clinic
  Foundation(OCF), New Orleans, LA 1998-2005
• Clinical Practice, Department of Internal
  Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at
  OCF 1998-2205

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Responsibilities as Lead NP

• Developed a practice model of NP utilization
  throughout OCF
• Created NP practice opportunities in all
  departments except plastics and dermatology
• Liaison for NPs to hospital and clinic
  administration

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Responsibilities cont.(1)

• Created and implemented credentialing, hiring,
  and orientation policies
• Developed evaluation and competency policies and
  tools
• Liaison to state, national, governmental and
  professional organizations
• Served on medical residency guidelines committee

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Responsibilities Cont. (2)

• Advocated for and increased NP compensation,
  scope of practice, and educational opportunities
  within OCF and statewide.
• Managed over 40 NPs, increased overall staffing
  to 120 APRNs
• Worked with Lead Physician Assistant, CRNA, and
  NNP to continue advancement of practice at OCF

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Transformation of Practice

• OCF became accredited as a MAGNET hospital in
  2003
• Evolution from problem based healthcare to
  evidenced based patient and outcome focus model
• Clear mandates for increased nursing research,
  and clinician skill set to assess, incorporate
  and evaluate evidenced based clinical practice

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Transformation Cont. (2)

• Medical Residency restrictions developed and
  enforced
• Became clear that a transformation for NP
  practice was needed and opportunity was there
• In effort to lead, I had to lead by example
• Needed to become a clinical expert beyond the
  masters level

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Transformation of Personal Practice Model

• MSN skill set was in place, but a void in broader
  repertoire of critical thinking and evaluation
  skills existed
• Decision to seek a doctoral level education was
  made
• Evaluation of available doctoral programs was made

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Making the Right Choice

• Chose University of Tennessee
• Practice focused Doctorate
• Distance learning program online
• 14 Ratio
• 970 clinical hours
• DNP offered a cross sectional didactic,
  clinical, and administrative toolbox for
  advancement to a higher level of clinical
  scholarship and practice
• DNP offered a practical model

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The Right Choice (cont)2

• Program offered structured clinical experience at
  a higher level than the MSN to develop broader
  evidenced based scope of practice
• Provided the working language of bench and
  clinical research
• Fostered the development of a broader array of
  analytical, theoretical, philosophical and
  evaluative processes

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The Right Choice (3)

• The DNP provides the principles and lived
  experiences to become a nurse leader in
  clinical,academic, administrative, community and
  policy making arenas
• The DNP provides the didactics for one to become
  a change agent to transform advanced nursing
  practice

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Lessons From the Front

• Faculty provided critical networking resources to
  allow for superior clinical electives and
  residencies
• Facilitated access to broad opportunities and
  exposure to exemplary nursing leaders across the
  healthcare spectrum

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Impact on Current Practice

• Appointed the first full time DNP faculty
  position at the University of Texas Health
  Science Center-Houston, November 2005
• Assistant Professor in the Department of Acute
  and Continuing Care

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Appointment Cont(2)

• Appointed Executive Clinical Director of
  University of Texas Health Services
• Will participate in committee to develop
  innovative DNP and APRN practice opportunities

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Leadership Is both something you are and
something you do Fred smith