The Essentials of Doctoral Education
for Advanced Nursing Practice
October 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction
Background
Comparison Between Research-Focused and Practice-Focused
Doctoral Education
AACN Task Force on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing
Context of Graduate Education in Nursing
Relationships of Master’s, Practice Doctorate, and Research
Doctorate Programs
DNP Graduates and Academic Roles
The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing PracticeI.
Scientific Underpinnings for PracticeII.

Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality
Improvement and Systems Thinking

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III. Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods
for Evidence-Based Practice11

IV. Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology
for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care

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V.

Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care13

VI. Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patientand Population Health Outcomes

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VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving
the Nation’s Health

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VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice

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Incorporation of Specialty-Focused Competencies into DNP Curricula
Advanced Practice Nursing Focus
Aggregate/Systems/Organizational Focus

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ADVANCING HIGHER EDUCATION IN NURSING

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One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530 · Washington, DC 20036 · 202-463-6930 tel · 202-785-8320 fax · www.aacn.nche.edu

Curricular Elements and Structure
Program Length
Practice Experiences in the Curriculum
Final DNP Project

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DNP Programs in the Academic Environment: Indicators of Quality
in Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs
Faculty Characteristics
The Faculty and Practice
Practice Resources and Clinical Environment Resources
Academic Infrastructure

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Appendix A
Advanced Health/Physical Assessment
Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology
Advanced Pharmacology

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Appendix B
DNP Essentials Task Force25

References27

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Introduction
Background
Doctoral programs in nursing fall into two principal types: research-focused and practicefocused. Most research-focused programs grant the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD),
while a small percentage offers the Doctor of Nursing Science degree (DNS, DSN, or
DNSc). Designed to prepare nurse scientists and scholars, these programs focus heavily
on scientific content and research methodology; and all require an original research
project and the completion and defense of a dissertation or linked research papers.
Practice-focused doctoral programs are designed to prepare experts in specialized
advanced nursing practice. They focus heavily on practice that is innovative andevidence-based, reflecting the application of credible research findings. The two types ofdoctoral programs differ in their goals and the competencies of their graduates. They
represent complementary, alternative approaches to the highest level of educational
preparation in nursing.
The concept of a practice doctorate in nursing is not new. However, this course of study
has evolved considerably over the 20 years since the first practice-focused nursing
doctorate, the Doctor of Nursing (ND), was initiated as an entry-level degree. Because
research- and practice-focused programs are distinctly different, the current position of
the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2004) [detailed in the Position
Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing] is that: “The two types of doctorates,
research-focused and practice-focused, may coexist within the same education unit” andthat the practice-focused degree should be the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Recognizing the need for consistency in the degrees required for advanced nursing
practice, all existing ND programs have transitioned to the DNP.

Comparison Between Research-Focused and Practice-Focused Doctoral Education
Research- and practice-focused doctoral programs in nursing share rigorous anddemanding expectations: a scholarly approach to the discipline, and a commitment to theadvancement of the profession. Both are terminal degrees in the discipline, one inpractice and one in research. However, there are distinct differences between the twodegree programs. For example, practice-focused programs understandably place greater
emphasis on practice, and less emphasis on theory, meta-theory, research methodology,
and statistics than is apparent in research-focused programs. Whereas all researchfocused programs require an extensive research study that is reported in a dissertation or
through the development of linked research papers, practice-focused doctoral programs
generally include integrative practice experiences and an intense practice immersion
experience. Rather than a knowledge-generating research effort, the student in a practicefocused program generally carries out a practice application-oriented “final DNP
project,” which is an integral part of the integrative practice experience.

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AACN Task Force on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing
The AACN Task Force to Revise Quality Indicators for Doctoral Education found that
the Indicators of Quality in Research-Focused Doctoral Programs in Nursing areapplicable to doctoral programs leading to a PhD or a DNS degree (AACN, 2001b, p. 1).
Therefore, practice-focused doctoral programs will need to be examined separately fromresearch-focused programs. This finding coupled with the growing interest in practicedoctorates prompted the establishment of the AACN Task Force on the PracticeDoctorate in Nursing in 2002. This task force was convened to examine trends inpractice-focused doctoral education and make recommendations about the need for andnature of such programs in nursing. Task force members included representatives fromuniversities that already offered or were planning to offer the practice doctorate, fromuniversities that offered only the research doctorate in nursing, from a specialty
professional organization, and from nursing service administration. The task force wascharged to describe patterns in existing practice-focused doctoral programs; clarify the
purpose of the practice doctorate, particularly as differentiated from the researchdoctorate; identify preferred goals, titles, and tracks; and identify and makerecommendations about key issues. Over a two-year period, this task force adopted an
inclusive approach that included: 1) securing information from multiple sources about
existing programs, trends and potential benefits of a practice doctorate; 2) providing
multiple opportunities for open discussion of related issues at AACN and otherprofessional meetings; and 3) subjecting draft recommendations to discussion and input
from multiple stakeholder groups. The final position statement was approved by the
AACN Board of Directors in March 2004 and subsequently adopted by the membership.
The 2004 DNP position statement calls for a transformational change in the education
required for professional nurses who will practice at the most advanced level of nursing.
The recommendation that nurses practicing at the highest level should receive doctorallevel preparation emerged from multiple factors including the expansion of scientificknowledge required for safe nursing practice and growing concerns regarding the qualityof patient care delivery and outcomes. Practice demands associated with an increasingly
complex health care system created a mandate for reassessing the education for clinicalpractice for all health professionals, including nurses.
A significant component of the work by the task force that developed the 2004 position
statement was the development of a definition that described the scope of advanced
nursing practice. Advanced nursing practice is broadly defined by AACN (2004) as:
any form of nursing intervention that influences health care outcomes forindividuals or populations, including the direct care of individual patients,
management of care for individuals and populations, administration ofnursing and health care organizations, and the development andimplementation of health policy. (p. 2)

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Furthermore, the DNP position statement (AACN, 2004, p. 4) identifies the benefits ofpractice focused doctoral programs as:
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

development of needed advanced competencies for increasingly complex practice,faculty, and leadership roles;
enhanced knowledge to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes;enhanced leadership skills to strengthen practice and health care delivery;
better match of program requirements and credits and time with the credential
earned;provision of an advanced educational credential for those who require advanced
practice knowledge but do not need or want a strong research focus (e.g., practicefaculty);enhanced ability to attract individuals to nursing from non-nursing backgrounds;
andincreased supply of faculty for practice instruction.

As a result of the membership vote to adopt the recommendation that the nursing
profession establish the DNP as its highest practice degree, the AACN Board of
Directors, in January 2005, created the Task Force on the Essentials of Nursing
Education for the Doctorate of Nursing Practice and charged this task force with
development of the curricular expectations that will guide and shape DNP education.
The DNP Essentials Task Force is comprised of individuals representing multiple
constituencies in advanced nursing practice (see Appendix B). The task force conductedregional hearings from September 2005 to January 2006 to provide opportunities for
feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders. These hearings were designed using an
iterative process to develop this document. In total, 620 participants representing 231
educational institutions and a wide variety of professional organizations participated in
the regional meetings. Additionally, a national stakeholders’ conference was held in
October 2005 in which 65 leaders from 45 professional organizations participated.

Context of Graduate Education in Nursing
Graduate education in nursing occurs within the context of societal demands and needs aswell as the interprofessional work environment. The Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2003)
and the National Research Council of the National Academies (2005, p. 74) have called
for nursing education that prepares individuals for practice with interdisciplinary,
information systems, quality improvement, and patient safety expertise.
In hallmark reports, the IOM (1999, 2001, 2003) has focused attention on the state ofhealth care delivery, patient safety issues, health professions education, and leadership for
nursing practice. These reports highlight the human errors and financial burden causedby fragmentation and system failures in health care. In addition, the IOM calls fordramatic restructuring of all health professionals’ education. Among therecommendations resulting from these reports are that health care organizations and5groups promote health care that is safe, effective, client-centered, timely, efficient, andequitable; that health professionals should be educated to deliver patient-centered care as
members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality
improvement, and informatics; and, that the best prepared senior level nurses should be in
key leadership positions and participating in executive decisions.
Since AACN published The Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced PracticeNursing in 1996 and the first set of indicators for quality doctoral nursing education in
1986, several trends in health professional education and health care delivery haveemerged. Over the past two decades, graduate programs in nursing have expanded from
220 institutions offering 39 doctoral programs and 180 master’s programs in 1986 to 518
institutions offering 101 doctoral programs and 417 master’s programs in 2006.
Increasing numbers of these programs offer preparation for certification in advanced
practice specialty roles such as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists,and clinical nurse specialists. Specialization is also a trend in other health professional
education. During this same time period, the explosion in information, technology, andnew scientific evidence to guide practice has extended the length of educational programsin nursing and the other health professions. In response to these trends, several other
health professions such as pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, andaudiology have moved to the professional or practice doctorate for entry into theserespective professions.
Further, support for doctoral education for nursing practice was found in a review ofcurrent master’s level nursing programs (AACN, 2004, p. 4). This review indicated thatmany programs already have expanded significantly in response to the above concerns,
creating curricula that exceed the usual credit load and duration for a typical master’s
degree. The expansion of credit requirements in these programs beyond the norm for amaster’s degree raises additional concerns that professional nurse graduates are notreceiving the appropriate degree for a very complex and demanding academic experience.
Many of these programs, in reality, require a program of study closer to the curricular
expectations for other professional doctoral programs rather than for master’s level study.

Relationships of Master’s, Practice Doctorate, and Research Doctorate Programs
The master’s degree (MSN) historically has been the degree for specialized advanced
nursing practice. With development of DNP programs, this new degree will become thepreferred preparation for specialty nursing practice. As educational institutions transition
from the master’s to DNP degree for advanced practice specialty preparation, a variety of
program articulations and pathways are planned. One constant is true for all of thesemodels. The DNP is a graduate degree and is built upon the generalist foundationacquired through a baccalaureate or advanced generalist master’s in nursing. The
Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (AACN, 1998) summarizes the core knowledge
and competencies of the baccalaureate prepared nurse. Building on this foundation, the
DNP core competencies establish a base for advanced nursing practice in an area ofspecialization. Ultimately, the terminal degree options in nursing will fall into two

6primary education pathways: professional entry degree (baccalaureate or master’s) to
DNP degree or professional entry degree (baccalaureate or master’s) to PhD degree. As
in other disciplines with practice doctorates, some individuals may choose to combine a
DNP with a PhD.
Regardless of the entry point, DNP curricula are designed so that all students attain DNP
end-of-program competencies. Because different entry points exist, the curricula must be
individualized for candidates based on their prior education and experience. For
example, early in the transition period, many students entering DNP programs will have amaster’s degree that has been built on AACN’s Master’s Essentials. Graduates of suchprograms would already have attained many of the competencies defined in the DNP
Essentials. Therefore, their program will be designed to provide those DNP
competencies not previously attained. If a candidate is entering the program with a nonnursing baccalaureate degree, his/her program of study likely will be longer than acandidate entering the program with a baccalaureate or master’s in nursing. Whilespecialty advanced nursing education will be provided at the doctoral level in DNP
programs, new options for advanced generalist master’s education are being developed.

DNP Graduates and Academic Roles
Nursing as a practice profession requires both practice experts and nurse scientists to
expand the scientific basis for patient care. Doctoral education in nursing is designed toprepare nurses for the highest level of leadership in practice and scientific inquiry. The
DNP is a degree designed specifically to prepare individuals for specialized nursing
practice, and The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practicearticulates the competencies for all nurses practicing at this level.
In some instances, individuals who acquire the DNP will seek to fill roles as educators
and will use their considerable practice expertise to educate the next generation of nurses.
As in other disciplines (e.g., engineering, business, law), the major focus of theeducational program must be on the area of practice specialization within the discipline,
not the process of teaching. However, individuals who desire a role as an educator,
whether that role is operationalized in a practice environment or the academy, shouldhave additional preparation in the science of pedagogy to augment their ability totransmit the science of the profession they practice and teach. This additional preparation
may occur in formal course work during the DNP program.
Some teaching strategies and learning principles will be incorporated into the DNP
curriculum as it relates to patient education. However, the basic DNP curriculum does
not prepare the graduate for a faculty teaching role any more than the PhD curriculum
does. Graduates of either program planning a faculty career will need preparation inteaching methodologies, curriculum design and development, and program evaluation.
This preparation is in addition to that required for their area of specialized nursing
practice or research in the case of the PhD graduate.

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The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice
The following DNP Essentials outline the curricular elements and competencies thatmust be present in programs conferring the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The DNP
is a degree title, like the PhD or MSN, and does not designate in what specialty a
graduate is prepared. DNP graduates will be prepared for a variety of nursing practiceroles. The DNP Essentials delineated here address the foundational competencies that arecore to all advanced nursing practice roles. However, the depth and focus of the corecompetencies will vary based on the particular role for which the student is preparing.
For example, students preparing for organizational leadership or administrative roles will
have increased depth in organizational and systems’ leadership; those preparing forpolicy roles will have increased depth in health care policy; and those preparing for APN
roles (nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse
midwives) will have more specialized content in an area of advanced practice nursing.
Additionally, it is important to understand that the delineation of these competencies
should not be interpreted to mean that a separate course for each of the DNP Essentials
should be offered. Curricula will differ in emphases based on the particular specialties
for which students are being prepared.
The DNP curriculum is conceptualized as having two components:
1. DNP Essentials 1 through 8 are the foundational outcome competencies deemed
essential for all graduates of a DNP program regardless of specialty or functional
focus.
2. Specialty competencies/content prepare the DNP graduate for those practice anddidactic learning experiences for a particular specialty. Competencies, content,
and practica experiences needed for specific roles in specialty areas aredelineated by national specialty nursing organizations.
The DNP Essentials document outlines and defines the eight foundational Essentials andprovides some introductory comments on specialty competencies/content. The
specialized content, as defined by specialty organizations, complements the areas of corecontent defined by the DNP Essentials and constitutes the major component of DNP
programs. DNP curricula should include these two components as appropriate to thespecific advanced nursing practice specialist being prepared. Additionally, the faculty ofeach DNP program has the academic freedom to create innovative and integrated
curricula to meet the competencies outlined in the Essentials document.

Essential I: Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
The practice doctorate in nursing provides the terminal academic preparation for nursing
practice. The scientific underpinnings of this education reflect the complexity of practice8

at the doctoral level and the rich heritage that is the conceptual foundation of nursing.
The discipline of nursing is focused on:• The principles and laws that govern the life-process, well-being, and optimalfunction of human beings, sick or well;• The patterning of human behavior in interaction with the environment in normallife events and critical life situations;• The nursing actions or processes by which positive changes in health status areaffected; and• The wholeness or health of human beings recognizing that they are in continuousinteraction with their environments (Donaldson & Crowley, 1978; Fawcett, 2005;
Gortner, 1980).
DNP graduates possess a wide array of knowledge gleaned from the sciences and havethe ability to translate that knowledge quickly and effectively to benefit patients in thedaily demands of practice environments (Porter-O’Grady, 2003). Preparation to address
current and future practice issues requires a strong scientific foundation for practice. The
scientific foundation of nursing practice has expanded and includes a focus on both thenatural and social sciences. These sciences that provide a foundation for nursing practiceinclude human biology, genomics, the science of therapeutics, the psychosocial sciences,
as well as the science of complex organizational structures. In addition, philosophical,
ethical, and historical issues inherent in the development of science create a context for
the application of the natural and social sciences. Nursing science also has created asignificant body of knowledge to guide nursing practice and has expanded the scientificunderpinnings of the discipline. Nursing science frames the development of middle
range theories and concepts to guide nursing practice. Advances in the foundational andnursing sciences will occur continuously and nursing curricula must remain sensitive toemerging and new scientific findings to prepare the DNP for evolving practice realities.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Integrate nursing science with knowledge from ethics, the biophysical,
psychosocial, analytical, and organizational sciences as the basis for the highest
level of nursing practice.
2. Use science-based theories and concepts to:• determine the nature and significance of health and health care delivery
phenomena;• describe the actions and advanced strategies to enhance, alleviate, andameliorate health and health care delivery phenomena as appropriate; and• evaluate outcomes.
3. Develop and evaluate new practice approaches based on nursing theories andtheories from other disciplines.

9Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement andSystems Thinking
Organizational and systems leadership are critical for DNP graduates to improve patientand healthcare outcomes. Doctoral level knowledge and skills in these areas are
consistent with nursing and health care goals to eliminate health disparities and topromote patient safety and excellence in practice.
DNP graduates’ practice includes not only direct care but also a focus on the needs of apanel of patients, a target population, a set of populations, or a broad community. These
graduates are distinguished by their abilities to conceptualize new care delivery models
that are based in contemporary nursing science and that are feasible within current
organizational, political, cultural, and economic perspectives.
Graduates must be skilled in working within organizational and policy arenas and in theactual provision of patient care by themselves and/or others. For example, DNP
graduates must understand principles of practice management, including conceptual andpractical strategies for balancing productivity with quality of care. They must be able toassess the impact of practice policies and procedures on meeting the health needs of thepatient populations with whom they practice. DNP graduates must be proficient inquality improvement strategies and in creating and sustaining changes at theorganizational and policy levels. Improvements in practice are neither sustainable nor
measurable without corresponding changes in organizational arrangements,organizational and professional culture, and the financial structures to support practice.
DNP graduates have the ability to evaluate the cost effectiveness of care and use
principles of economics and finance to redesign effective and realistic care delivery
strategies. In addition, DNP graduates have the ability to organize care to address
emerging practice problems and the ethical dilemmas that emerge as new diagnostic andtherapeutic technologies evolve. Accordingly, DNP graduates are able to assess risk andcollaborate with others to manage risks ethically, based on professional standards.
Thus, advanced nursing practice includes an organizational and systems leadershipcomponent that emphasizes practice, ongoing improvement of health outcomes, andensuring patient safety. In each case, nurses should be prepared with sophisticatedexpertise in assessing organizations, identifying systems’ issues, and facilitatingorganization-wide changes in practice delivery. In addition, advanced nursing practicerequires political skills, systems thinking, and the business and financial acumen needed
for the analysis of practice quality and costs.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Develop and evaluate care delivery approaches that meet current and future needs ofpatient populations based on scientific findings in nursing and other clinical sciences,
as well as organizational, political, and economic sciences.
2. Ensure accountability for quality of health care and patient safety for populations withwhom they work.

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a. Use advanced communication skills/processes to lead quality improvement
and patient safety initiatives in health care systems.
b. Employ principles of business, finance, economics, and health policy todevelop and implement effective plans for practice-level and/or system-widepractice initiatives that will improve the quality of care delivery.
c. Develop and/or monitor budgets for practice initiatives.
d. Analyze the cost-effectiveness of practice initiatives accounting for risk andimprovement of health care outcomes.
e. Demonstrate sensitivity to diverse organizational cultures and populations,
including patients and providers.
3. Develop and/or evaluate effective strategies for managing the ethical dilemmas
inherent in patient care, the health care organization, and research.

Essential III: Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based
Practice
Scholarship and research are the hallmarks of doctoral education. Although basic
research has been viewed as the first and most essential form of scholarly activity, anenlarged perspective of scholarship has emerged through alternative paradigms thatinvolve more than discovery of new knowledge (Boyer, 1990). These paradigms
recognize that (1) the scholarship of discovery and integration “reflects the investigativeand synthesizing traditions of academic life” (Boyer, p. 21); (2) scholars give meaning toisolated facts and make connections across disciplines through the scholarship ofintegration; and (3) the scholar applies knowledge to solve a problem via the scholarshipof application (referred to as the scholarship of practice in nursing). This application
involves the translation of research into practice and the dissemination and integration of
new knowledge, which are key activities of DNP graduates. The scholarship of
application expands the realm of knowledge beyond mere discovery and directs it toward
humane ends. Nursing practice epitomizes the scholarship of application through its
position where the sciences, human caring, and human needs meet and newunderstandings emerge.
Nurses have long recognized that scholarly nursing practice is characterized by thediscovery of new phenomena and the application of new discoveries in increasingly
complex practice situations. The integration of knowledge from diverse sources andacross disciplines, and the application of knowledge to solve practice problems andimprove health outcomes are only two of the many ways new phenomena and knowledge
are generated other than through research (AACN, 1999; Diers, 1995; Palmer, 1986;
Sigma Theta Tau International, 1999). Research-focused doctoral programs in nursing
are designed to prepare graduates with the research skills necessary for discovering new
knowledge in the discipline. In contrast, DNP graduates engage in advanced nursing
practice and provide leadership for evidence-based practice. This requires competence inknowledge application activities: the translation of research in practice, the evaluation ofpractice, improvement of the reliability of health care practice and outcomes, andparticipation in collaborative research (DePalma & McGuire, 2005). Therefore, DNP

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programs focus on the translation of new science, its application and evaluation. In
addition, DNP graduates generate evidence through their practice to guide improvements
in practice and outcomes of care.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Use analytic methods to critically appraise existing literature and other evidence
to determine and implement the best evidence for practice.
2. Design and implement processes to evaluate outcomes of practice, practicepatterns, and systems of care within a practice setting, health care organization, orcommunity against national benchmarks to determine variances in practice
outcomes and population trends.
3. Design, direct, and evaluate quality improvement methodologies to promote safe,
timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care.
4. Apply relevant findings to develop practice guidelines and improve practice andthe practice environment.
5. Use information technology and research methods appropriately to:• collect appropriate and accurate data to generate evidence for nursing
practice• inform and guide the design of databases that generate meaningful
evidence for nursing practice• analyze data from practice• design evidence-based interventions• predict and analyze outcomes• examine patterns of behavior and outcomes• identify gaps in evidence for practice
6. Function as a practice specialist/consultant in collaborative knowledge-generating
research.
7. Disseminate findings from evidence-based practice and research to improvehealthcare outcomes

Essential IV: Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the
Improvement and Transformation of Health CareDNP graduates are distinguished by their abilities to use information systems/technology
to support and improve patient care and healthcare systems, and provide leadershipwithin healthcare systems and/or academic settings. Knowledge and skills related to
information systems/technology and patient care technology prepare the DNP graduate toapply new knowledge, manage individual and aggregate level information, and assess theefficacy of patient care technology appropriate to a specialized area of practice. DNP
graduates also design, select, and use information systems/technology to evaluate
programs of care, outcomes of care, and care systems. Information systems/technology
provide a mechanism to apply budget and productivity tools, practice information
systems and decision supports, and web-based learning or intervention tools to supportand improve patient care.

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DNP graduates must also be proficient in the use of information systems/technology
resources to implement quality improvement initiatives and support practice andadministrative decision-making. Graduates must demonstrate knowledge of standards andprinciples for selecting and evaluating information systems and patient care technology,
and related ethical, regulatory, and legal issues.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Design, select, use, and evaluate programs that evaluate and monitor outcomesof care, care systems, and quality improvement including consumer use ofhealth care information systems.
2. Analyze and communicate critical elements necessary to the selection, use
and evaluation of health care information systems and patient care technology.
3. Demonstrate the conceptual ability and technical skills to develop and executean evaluation plan involving data extraction from practice information
systems and databases.
4. Provide leadership in the evaluation and resolution of ethical and legal issues
within healthcare systems relating to the use of information, information
technology, communication networks, and patient care technology.
5. Evaluate consumer health information sources for accuracy, timeliness, andappropriateness.

Essential V: Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
Health care policy--whether it is created through governmental actions, institutional
decision making, or organizational standards--creates a framework that can facilitate or
impede the delivery of health care services or the ability of the provider to engage inpractice to address health care needs. Thus, engagement in the process of policy
development is central to creating a health care system that meets the needs of its
constituents. Political activism and a commitment to policy development are central
elements of professional nursing practice, and the DNP graduate has the ability to assume
a broad leadership role on behalf of the public as well as the nursing profession(Ehrenreich, 2002). Health policy influences multiple care delivery issues, including
health disparities, cultural sensitivity, ethics, the internationalization of health care
concerns, access to care, quality of care, health care financing, and issues of equity andsocial justice in the delivery of health care.
DNP graduates are prepared to design, influence, and implement health care policies thatframe health care financing, practice regulation, access, safety, quality, and efficacy(IOM, 2001). Moreover, the DNP graduate is able to design, implement and advocate forhealth care policy that addresses issues of social justice and equity in health care. The
powerful practice experiences of the DNP graduate can become potent influencers inpolicy formation. Additionally, the DNP graduate integrates these practice experienceswith two additional skill sets: the ability to analyze the policy process and the ability toengage in politically competent action (O’Grady, 2004).

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The DNP graduate has the capacity to engage proactively in the development andimplementation of health policy at all levels, including institutional, local, state, regional,
federal, and international levels. DNP graduates as leaders in the practice arena provide a
critical interface between practice, research, and policy. Preparing graduates with theessential competencies to assume a leadership role in the development of health policy
requires that students have opportunities to contrast the major contextual factors andpolicy triggers that influence health policy-making at the various levels.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Critically analyze health policy proposals, health policies, and related issues fromthe perspective of consumers, nursing, other health professions, and otherstakeholders in policy and public forums.
2. Demonstrate leadership in the development and implementation of institutional,
local, state, federal, and/or international health policy.
3. Influence policy makers through active participation on committees, boards, ortask forces at the institutional, local, state, regional, national, and/or international
levels to improve health care delivery and outcomes.
4. Educate others, including policy makers at all levels, regarding nursing, healthpolicy, and patient care outcomes.
5. Advocate for the nursing profession within the policy and healthcarecommunities.
6. Develop, evaluate, and provide leadership for health care policy that shapes healthcare financing, regulation, and delivery.
7. Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies within all healthcare
arenas.

Essential VI: Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population
Health Outcomes1
Today’s complex, multi-tiered health care environment depends on the contributions ofhighly skilled and knowledgeable individuals from multiple professions. In order toaccomplish the IOM mandate for safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patientcentered care in a complex environment, healthcare professionals must function as highlycollaborative teams (AACN, 2004; IOM, 2003; O’Neil, 1998). DNP members of theseteams have advanced preparation in the interprofessional dimension of health care thatenable them to facilitate collaborative team functioning and overcome impediments tointerprofessional practice. Because effective interprofessional teams function in a highlycollaborative fashion and are fluid depending upon the patients’ needs, leadership of highperformance teams changes. Therefore, DNP graduates have preparation in methods ofeffective team leadership and are prepared to play a central role in establishinginterprofessional teams, participating in the work of the team, and assuming leadership of
the team when appropriate.

1

The use of the term “collaboration” is not meant to imply any legal or regulatory requirements or
implications.

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The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Employ effective communication and collaborative skills in the development andimplementation of practice models, peer review, practice guidelines, healthpolicy, standards of care, and/or other scholarly products.
2. Lead interprofessional teams in the analysis of complex practice andorganizational issues.
3. Employ consultative and leadership skills with intraprofessional andinterprofessional teams to create change in health care and complex healthcaredelivery systems.

Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s
HealthClinical prevention is defined as health promotion and risk reduction/illness prevention
for individuals and families. Population health is defined to include aggregate,community, environmental/occupational, and cultural/socioeconomic dimensions ofhealth. Aggregates are groups of individuals defined by a shared characteristic such as
gender, diagnosis, or age. These framing definitions are endorsed by representatives ofmultiple disciplines including nursing (Allan et al., 2004).
The implementation of clinical prevention and population health activities is central toachieving the national goal of improving the health status of the population of the UnitedStates. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors account for over 50 percent of preventable deaths in
the U.S., yet prevention interventions are underutilized in health care settings. In aneffort to address this national goal, Healthy People 2010 supported the transformation ofclinical education by creating an objective to increase the proportion of schools of
medicine, nursing, and other health professionals that have a basic curriculum that
includes the core competencies in health promotion and disease prevention (Allan et al.,
2004; USHHS, 2000). DNP graduates engage in leadership to integrate andinstitutionalize evidence-based clinical prevention and population health services forindividuals, aggregates, and populations.
Consistent with these national calls for action and with the longstanding focus on healthpromotion and disease prevention in nursing curricula and roles, the DNP graduate has afoundation in clinical prevention and population health. This foundation will enable
DNP graduates to analyze epidemiological, biostatistical, occupational, andenvironmental data in the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinicalprevention and population health. Current concepts of public health, health promotion,evidence-based recommendations, determinants of health, environmental/occupational
health, and cultural diversity and sensitivity guide the practice of DNP graduates. In
addition emerging knowledge regarding infectious diseases, emergency/disaster
preparedness, and intervention frame DNP graduates’ knowledge of clinical prevention
and population health.

15

The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Analyze epidemiological, biostatistical, environmental, and other appropriatescientific data related to individual, aggregate, and population health.
2. Synthesize concepts, including psychosocial dimensions and cultural diversity,
related to clinical prevention and population health in developing, implementing,and evaluating interventions to address health promotion/disease prevention
efforts, improve health status/access patterns, and/or address gaps in care ofindividuals, aggregates, or populations.
3. Evaluate care delivery models and/or strategies using concepts related tocommunity, environmental and occupational health, and cultural andsocioeconomic dimensions of health.

Essential VIII: Advanced Nursing Practice
The increased knowledge and sophistication of healthcare has resulted in the growth of
specialization in nursing in order to ensure competence in these highly complex areas ofpractice. The reality of the growth of specialization in nursing practice is that noindividual can master all advanced roles and the requisite knowledge for enacting theseroles. DNP programs provide preparation within distinct specialties that require expertise,advanced knowledge, and mastery in one area of nursing practice. A DNP graduate isprepared to practice in an area of specialization within the larger domain of nursing.
Indeed, this distinctive specialization is a hallmark of the DNP.
Essential VIII specifies the foundational practice competencies that cut across specialties
and are seen as requisite for DNP practice. All DNP graduates are expected todemonstrate refined assessment skills and base practice on the application of biophysical,
psychosocial, behavioral, sociopolitical, cultural, economic, and nursing science asappropriate in their area of specialization.
DNP programs provide learning experiences that are based in a variety of patient caresettings, such as hospitals, long-term care settings, home health, and/or community
settings. These learning experiences should be integrated throughout the DNP programof study, to provide additional practice experiences beyond those acquired in abaccalaureate nursing program. These experiential opportunities should be sufficient to
inform practice decisions and understand the patient care consequences of decisions.
Because a variety of differentiated roles and positions may be held by the DNP graduate,role preparation for specialty nursing practice, including legal and regulatory issues, ispart of every DNP program’s curricula.
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:
1. Conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment of health and illness
parameters in complex situations, incorporating diverse and culturally sensitive
approaches.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate therapeutic interventions based on nursing
science and other sciences.

16

3. Develop and sustain therapeutic relationships and partnerships with patients(individual, family or group) and other professionals to facilitate optimal careand patient outcomes.
4. Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, andaccountability in designing, delivering, and evaluating evidence-based care to
improve patient outcomes.
5. Guide, mentor, and support other nurses to achieve excellence in nursing
practice.
6. Educate and guide individuals and groups through complex health andsituational transitions.
7. Use conceptual and analytical skills in evaluating the links among practice,organizational, population, fiscal, and policy issues.

Incorporation of Specialty-Focused Competencies into DNP Curricula
DNP education is by definition specialized, and DNP graduates assume a variety ofdiffering roles upon graduation. Consequently, a major component of DNP curricula
focuses on providing the requisite specialty knowledge for graduates to enact particularroles in the larger healthcare system. While all graduates demonstrate the competenciesdelineated in DNP Essentials 1 through 8, further DNP preparation falls into two generalcategories: roles that specialize as an advanced practice nurse (APN) with a focus oncare of individuals, and roles that specialize in practice at an aggregate, systems, ororganizational level. This distinction is important as APNs face different licensure,
regulatory, credentialing, liability, and reimbursement issues than those who practice atan aggregate, systems, or organizational level. As a result, the specialty content preparing
DNP graduates for various practices will differ substantially.
It is noteworthy that specialties evolve over time, and new specialties may emerge. It isfurther recognized that APN and aggregate/systems/organizational foci are not rigid
demarcations. For example, the specialty of community health may have DNP graduates
who practice in APN roles providing direct care to individuals in communities; or,community health DNP graduates may focus solely on programmatic development withroles fitting more clearly into the aggregate focus.
The specialized competencies, defined by the specialty organizations, are a required andmajor component of the DNP curriculum. Specialty organizations develop competency
expectations that build upon and complement DNP Essentials 1 though 8. All DNP
graduates, prepared as APNs, must be prepared to sit for national specialty APN
certification. However, all advanced nursing practice graduates of a DNP program
should be prepared and eligible for national, advanced specialty certification, whenavailable.

17Advanced Practice Nursing Focus
The DNP graduate prepared for an APN role must demonstrate practice expertise,
specialized knowledge, and expanded responsibility and accountability in the care andmanagement of individuals and families. By virtue of this direct care focus, APNs
develop additional competencies in direct practice and in the guidance and coaching ofindividuals and families through developmental, health-illness, and situational transitions(Spross, 2005). The direct practice of APNs is characterized by the use of a holistic
perspective; the formation of therapeutic partnerships to facilitate informed decisionmaking, positive lifestyle change, and appropriate self-care; advanced practice thinking,judgment, and skillful performance; and use of diverse, evidence-based interventions inhealth and illness management (Brown, 2005).
APNs assess, manage, and evaluate patients at the most independent level of clinicalnursing practice. They are expected to use advanced, highly refined assessment skills
and employ a thorough understanding of pathophysiology and pharmacotherapeutics inmaking diagnostic and practice management decisions. To ensure sufficient depth andfocus, it is mandatory that a separate course be required for each of these threecontent areas: advanced health/physical assessment, advanced physiology/
pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacology (see Appendix A). In addition to
direct care, DNP graduates emphasizing care of individuals should be able to use theirunderstanding of the practice context to document practice trends, identify potential
systemic changes, and make improvements in the care of their particular patient
populations in the systems within which they practice.

Aggregate/Systems/Organizational Focus
DNP graduates in administrative, healthcare policy, informatics, and population-based
specialties focus their practice on aggregates: populations, systems (including
information systems), organizations, and state or national policies. These specialties
generally do not have direct patient care responsibilities. However, DNP graduatespracticing at the aggregate/systems/organization level are still called upon to define
actual and emerging problems and design aggregate level health interventions. These
activities require that DNP graduates be competent in advanced organizational, systems,
or community assessment techniques, in combination with expert level understanding of
nursing and related biological and behavioral sciences. The DNP graduate preparing foradvanced specialty practice at the population/organizational/policy level demonstrates
competencies in conducting comprehensive organizational, systems, and/or community
assessments to identify aggregate health or system needs; working with diverse
stakeholders for inter- or intra-organizational achievement of health-relatedorganizational or public policy goals; and, designing patient-centered care delivery
systems or policy level delivery models.

18

Curricular Elements and Structure
Program Length
Institutional, state, and various accrediting bodies often have policies that dictate
minimum or maximum length and/or credit hours that accompany the awarding ofspecific academic degrees. Recognizing these constraints, it is recommended that
programs, designed for individuals who have already acquired the competencies in The
Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN, 1998),
be three calendar years, or 36 months of full-time study including summers or four years
on a traditional academic calendar.
Post-master’s programs should be designed based on the DNP candidate’s prioreducation, experience, and choice of specialization. Even though competencies for the
DNP build and expand upon those attained through master’s study, post-master’s andpost-baccalaureate students must achieve the same end-of-program competencies.
Therefore, it is anticipated that a minimum of 12 months of full-time, post-master’s study
will be necessary to acquire the additional doctoral level competencies. The task force
recommends that accrediting bodies should ensure that post-master’s DNP programs havemechanisms in place to validate that students acquire all DNP end-of-program
competencies. DNP programs, particularly post-master’s options, should be efficient andmanageable with regard to the number of credit hours required, and avoid thedevelopment of unnecessarily long, duplicative, and/or protracted programs of study.

Practice Experiences in the Curriculum
DNP programs provide rich and varied opportunities for practice experiences aimed at
helping graduates achieve the essential and specialty competencies upon completion of
the program. In order to achieve the DNP competencies, programs should provide aminimum of 1,000 hours of practice post-baccalaureate as part of a supervised academic
program. Practice experiences should be designed to help students achieve specificlearning objectives related to the DNP Essentials and specialty competencies. Theseexperiences should be designed to provide systematic opportunities for feedback andreflection. Experiences include in-depth work with experts from nursing as well as otherdisciplines and provide opportunities for meaningful student engagement within practiceenvironments. Given the intense practice focus of DNP programs, practice experiences
are designed to help students build and assimilate knowledge for advanced specialty
practice at a high level of complexity. Therefore, end-of-program practice immersion
experiences should be required to provide an opportunity for further synthesis andexpansion of the learning developed to that point. These experiences also provide thecontext within which the final DNP product is completed.
Practice immersion experiences afford the opportunity to integrate and synthesize theessentials and specialty requirements necessary to demonstrate competency in an area of19

specialized nursing practice. Proficiency may be acquired through a variety of methods,
such as, attaining case requirements, patient or practice contact hours, completing
specified procedures, demonstrating experiential competencies, or a combination of theseelements. Many specialty groups already extensively define various minimal experiences
and requirements.
Final DNP Project
Doctoral education, whether practice or research, is distinguished by the completion of a
specific project that demonstrates synthesis of the student’s work and lays thegroundwork for future scholarship. For practice doctorates, requiring a dissertation orother original research is contrary to the intent of the DNP. The DNP primarily involves
mastery of an advanced specialty within nursing practice. Therefore, other methods must
be used to distinguish the achievement of that mastery. Unlike a dissertation, the work
may take a number of forms. One example of the final DNP product might be a practice
portfolio that includes the impact or outcomes due to practice and documents the finalpractice synthesis and scholarship. Another example of a final DNP product is a practicechange initiative. This may be represented by a pilot study, a program evaluation, a
quality improvement project, an evaluation of a new practice model, a consulting project,or an integrated critical literature review. Additional examples of a DNP final productcould include manuscripts submitted for publication, systematic review, researchutilization project, practice topic dissemination, substantive involvement in a larger
endeavor, or other practice project. The theme that links these forms of scholarly
experiences is the use of evidence to improve either practice or patient outcomes.
The final DNP project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that isderived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by anacademic committee. The final DNP product documents outcomes of the student’s
educational experiences, provides a measurable medium for evaluating the immersion
experience, and summarizes the student’s growth in knowledge and expertise. The final
DNP product should be defined by the academic unit and utilize a form that best
incorporates the requirements of the specialty and the institution that is awarding thedegree. Whatever form the final DNP product takes, it will serve as a foundation for
future scholarly practice.

DNP Programs in the Academic Environment:
Indicators of Quality in Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs

Practice-focused doctorates are designed to prepare experts in nursing practice. The
academic environments in which these programs operate must provide substantial accessto nursing practice expertise and opportunities for students to work with and learn from avariety of practice experts including advanced clinicians, nurse executives, informaticists,or health policy makers. Thus, schools offering the DNP should have faculty members,
practice resources, and an academic infrastructure that support a high quality educational
program and provide students with the opportunities to develop expertise in nursing
practice. Similar to the need for PhD students to have access to strong research
20environments, DNP students must have access to strong practice environments, including
faculty members who practice, environments characterized by continuous improvement,
and a culture of inquiry and practice scholarship.

Faculty Characteristics
Faculty members teaching in DNP programs should represent diverse backgrounds andintellectual perspectives in the specialty areas for which their graduates are being
prepared. Faculty expertise needed in these programs is broad and includes a mix of
doctorally prepared research-focused and practice-focused faculty whose expertise will
support the educational program required for the DNP. In addition to faculty members
who are nurses, faculty members in a DNP program may be from other disciplines.
Initially, during the transition, some master’s-prepared faculty members may teachcontent and provide practice supervision, particularly in early phases of postbaccalaureate DNP curriculum. Once a larger pool of DNP graduates becomes available,
the faculty mix can be expected to shift toward predominately doctorally-prepared faculty
members.

The Faculty and PracticeSchools offering DNP programs should have a faculty cohort that is actively engaged inpractice as an integral part of their faculty role. Active practice programs provide thesame type of applied learning environment for DNP students as active research programs
provide for PhD students. Faculty should develop and implement programs ofscholarship that represent knowledge development from original research for somefaculty and application of research in practice for others. Faculty, through their practice,provides a learning environment that exemplifies rapid translation of new knowledge into
practice and evaluation of practice-based models of care.
Indicators of productive programs of practice scholarship include extramural grants insupport of practice innovations; peer reviewed publications and presentations; practiceoriented grant review activities; editorial review activities; state, regional, national, andinternational professional activities related to one’s practice area; policy involvement;
and development and dissemination of practice improvement products such as reports,
guidelines, protocols, and toolkits.

Practice Resources and Clinical Environment Resources
Schools with DNP programs should develop, expand, sustain, and provide an
infrastructure for extensive collaborative relationships with practice systems or sites andprovide practice leadership in nursing and other fields. It is crucial for schools offering
the DNP to provide or have access to practice environments that exemplify or aspire to21

the best in professional nursing practice, practice scholarship in nursing education, andprovide opportunities for interprofessional collaboration (AACN, 2001a). Strong andexplicit relationships need to exist with practice sites that support the practice andscholarship needs of DNP students including access to relevant patient data and access topatient populations (e.g., direct access to individuals, families, groups, and communities)(AACN, 1999). Practice affiliations should be designed to benefit jointly the school andthe practice sites. Faculty practice plans should also be in place that encourage andsupport faculty practice and scholarship as part of the faculty role.

Academic Infrastructure
The academic infrastructure is critical to the success of all DNP programs. Sufficientfinancial, personnel, space, equipment, and other resources should be available toaccomplish attainment of DNP program goals and to promote practice and scholarship.
Administrative as well as infrastructure support should reflect the unique needs of apractice-focused doctoral program. For example, this support would be evident in theinformation technology, library holdings, clinical laboratories and equipment, and space
for academic and practice initiatives that are available for student learning experiences.
Academic environments must include a commitment to the practice mission. This
commitment will be manifest through processes and structures that reflect a reconceptualization of the faculty role whereby teaching, practice, and practice-focusedscholarship are integrated. This commitment is most apparent in systems that areconsistent with Boyer’s recommendations for broader conceptualization of scholarshipand institutional reward systems for faculty scholarship (Boyer, 1990). Whether or not
tenure is available for faculty with programs of scholarly practice, appropriate reward
systems should be in place that endorse and validate the importance of practice-based
faculty contributions. Formal faculty practice plans and faculty practice committees help
institutionalize scholarly practice as a component of the faculty role and provide support
for enhancing practice engagement. Faculty practice should be an essential andintegrated component of the faculty role.

22Appendix A
I. Advanced Health/Physical Assessment
Advanced health/physical assessment includes the comprehensive history, physical, andpsychological assessment of signs and symptoms, pathophysiologic changes, andpsychosocial variations of the patient (individual, family, or community). If the patient is anindividual, the assessment should occur within the context of the family and community andshould incorporate cultural and developmental variations and needs of the patient. The
purpose of this comprehensive assessment is to develop a thorough understanding of thepatient in order to determine appropriate and effective health care including health promotion
strategies.
There is a core of general assessment content that every advanced practice nurse must have.
Specifics and additional assessment related to various specialties (e.g., women’s health,mental health, anesthesiology, pediatrics) should be further addressed and refined in thatspecialty’s course content within each program. Health/physical assessment must also be
used as a base and be reinforced in all clinical experiences and practicum courses.
Individuals entering an advanced practice nursing program are expected to possess effective
communication and patient teaching skills. Although these are basic to all professional
nursing practice, preparation in the advanced practice nursing role must include continued
refinement and strengthening of increasingly sophisticated communication and observational
skills. Health/physical assessment content must rely heavily on the development of sensitiveand skilled interviewing.
Course work should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills to:
1. demonstrate sound critical thinking and clinical decision making;2. develop a comprehensive database, including complete functional assessment,
health history, physical examination, and appropriate diagnostic testing;
3. perform a risk assessment of the patient including the assessment of lifestyle andother risk factors;
4. identify signs and symptoms of common emotional illnesses;
5. perform basic laboratory tests and interpret other laboratory and diagnostic data;
6. relate assessment findings to underlying pathology or physiologic changes;
7. establish a differential diagnosis based on the assessment data; and8. develop an effective and appropriate plan of care for the patient that takes into
consideration life circumstance and cultural, ethnic, and developmental
variations.
II. Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology
The advanced practice nurse should possess a well-grounded understanding of normal
physiologic and pathologic mechanisms of disease that serves as one primary component of
the foundation for clinical assessment, decision making, and management. The graduate
should be able to relate this knowledge “to interpreting changes in normal function that resultin symptoms indicative of illness” and in assessing an individual’s response to pharmacologic

23

management of illnesses (NONPF, 1995, p. 152). Every student in an advanced practicenursing program should be taught a basic physiology/pathophysiology course. Additional
physiology and pathophysiology content relevant to the specialty area may be taught in thespecialty courses. In addition to the core course, content should be integrated throughout allclinical and practicum courses and experiences. The course work should provide thegraduate with the knowledge and skills to:
1. compare and contrast physiologic changes over the life span;
2. analyze the relationship between normal physiology and pathological phenomena
produced by altered states across the life span;
3. synthesize and apply current research-based knowledge regarding pathologicalchanges in selected disease states;
4. describe the developmental physiology, normal etiology, pathogenesis, andclinical manifestations of commonly found/seen altered health states; and5. analyze physiologic responses to illness and treatment modalities.
III. Advanced Pharmacology
Every APN graduate should have a well-grounded understanding of basic pharmacologic
principles, which includes the cellular response level. This area of core content should
include both pharmacotherapeutics and pharmacokinetics of broad categories ofpharmacologic agents. Although taught in a separate or dedicated course, pharmacology
content should also be integrated into the content of Advanced Health/Physical Assessment
and Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology courses. Additional application of thiscontent should also be presented within the specialty course content and clinical experiencesof the program in order to prepare the APN to practice within a specialty scope of practice.
As described above, the purpose of this content is to provide the graduate with the knowledge
and skills to assess, diagnose, and manage (including the prescription of pharmacologic
agents) a patient’s common health problems in a safe, high quality, cost-effective manner.
The course work should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills to:
1. comprehend the pharmacotherapeutics of broad categories of drugs;
2. analyze the relationship between pharmacologic agents andphysiologic/pathologic responses;
3. understand the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of broad categories ofdrugs;
4. understand the motivations of patients in seeking prescriptions and thewillingness to adhere to prescribed regimens; and5. safely and appropriately select pharmacologic agents for the management ofpatient health problems based on patient variations, the problem being managed,
and cost effectiveness.

24

Appendix B
DNP Essentials Task ForceDonna Hathaway, PhD, Chair
Dean, College of Nursing
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Janet Allan, PhD
Dean, School of Nursing
University of Maryland
Ann Hamric, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
University of Virginia
Judy Honig, EdD
Associate Dean, School of Nursing
Columbia University
Carol Howe, DNSc
Professor, School of Nursing
Oregon Health and Science University
Maureen Keefe, PhD
Dean, College of Nursing
University of Utah
Betty Lenz, PhD
Dean, College of Nursing
The Ohio State University(Sr.) Mary Margaret Mooney, DNSc
Chair, Department of Nursing
North Dakota State University – Fargo
Julie Sebastian, PhD
Assistant Dean, College of Nursing
University of Kentucky
Heidi Taylor, PhD
Head, Division of Nursing
West Texas A&M University

25

Edward S. Thompson, PhD
Director, Anesthesia Nursing Program
University of Iowa
Polly Bednash, PhD (Staff Liaison)
Executive Director
AACN
Joan Stanley, PhD (Staff Liaison)
Senior Director, Education Policy
AACN
Kathy McGuinn, MSN (Staff Liaison)
Director, Special Projects
AACN

26

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