Week 1: Introduction to Implementation, Evaluation, and Dissemination
As you near the completion of your DNP program, it is wise to consider the positive impact that one dedicated individual can have on the lives of many—a notion that is markedly evident in the field of health care. Iconic figures such as Lillian Wald, the first public health nurse in America, are prime examples of how nurse leaders in particular can improve the health and well-being of vast numbers of people. Wald’s legacy of improving the lives of immigrant women and children living in poverty through education, for instance, exemplifies the results attainable through leadership, effective communication, and dissemination of research findings.
Your Practicum Experience provide an excellent opportunity for you to make a unique contribution as a nurse and a leader. In this course, you will examine issues related to implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of an evidence-based project.
This week introduces key components of the course that will require extensive attention in the upcoming weeks. During your practicum experience, you will collaborate with key stakeholders to facilitate your continued professional growth and development as a scholar-practitioner. Looking toward the future, you will create a Post-Graduation Plan that outlines your goals and strategies for moving forward following completion of the DNP program.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this week, you will be able to:
Analyze the influence of practicum experiences on professional growth
Develop practicum objectives aligned to the AACN Essentials, professional standards, and specialty guidelines
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Oermann, M. H., & Hays, J. C. (2019). Writing for publication in nursing (4th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Chapter 1, “Getting Started”
This chapter introduces the steps an author can follow in planning, writing, and publishing manuscripts in nursing. The chapter predominantly focuses on early writing decisions.
Chapter 2, “Selecting a Journal”
Chapter 2 focuses on how to evaluate and select journals. The chapter also provides guidelines for writing a query letter to gauge the interest of journal editors.
Chapter 4, “Reviewing the Literature”
In this chapter, the authors make suggestions for conducting and writing a literature review for a manuscript.
Keep in mind that, as noted in Chapter 4, the Literature Review section of an article for publication must be tailored for that format; it is not the same as for an academic paper.
Document: Practicum Journal (Word document)
Note: You will use this document to complete your Assignments throughout this course.
Required Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012b). The DNP Project. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
Dr. Kristen Mauk shares her experiences and insights on developing and completing her DNP Project.
Accessible player
Optional Resources
Note: You may find it helpful to refer to previous course texts and other resources as you proceed through this course.
Oermann, M. H., & Hays, J. C. (2016). Writing for publication in nursing (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Chapter 3, “Authorship and Preparing to Write”
For developing Practicum objectives:
Osters, S., & Tiu, F. S. (n. d.). Writing measurable learning outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.gavilan.edu/research/spd/Writing-Measurable-Learning-Outcomes.pdf
Homework help – Discussion: Using the Practicum Experience for Professional Growth
Your practicum experiences in NURS 8410, NURS 8400, and NURS 8500 have provided opportunities to gain knowledge, perspective, and skills that bolster your specialty area practice. They have laid a foundation for reflecting on your own strengths and challenges as a scholar-practitioner and a nurse leader in a dynamic workplace. Indeed, significant self-analysis is a core aspect of this course, and you will be asked to integrate this type of reflection into your work on several assignments in the upcoming weeks.
This Homework help – Discussion serves as a springboard for the Practicum assignment you are to develop this week. As you plan your practicum experience for this course, consider how you can effectively communicate with key stakeholders in your practicum setting regarding the implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of an evidence-based project.
To prepare:
View and consider the “To prepare” section of the Week 1 Assignment area.
Reflect on your practicum experiences in NURS 8410, NURS 8400, and NURS 8500.
Assess the professional growth (including development of leadership and communication skills) you have achieved through previous practicum experiences in the DNP program. Also, think about the topics presented in courses you completed earlier in the program. Are there content areas or skills that you would like to—or may need to—address to facilitate your continued development as a scholar-practitioner and a nurse leader?
Think about competencies that support the successful implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of an evidence-based project, and assess your strengths and areas for growth with regard to these competencies.
Begin to develop your plan for the practicum, including two or three learning objectives.
Week 1 Homework help – Discussion
Assignment: Practicum Experience
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
The practicum experience provides a significant hands-on opportunity to cultivate your professional growth and development. This course includes a 216-hour practicum as part of the 1,000 clinical hours that are required for the DNP credential.
During your practicum experience for this course, you will cultivate effective interactions to promote the implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of an evidence-based project. In addition, you should pay close attention to the role of leadership in such endeavors and reflect on your own development of leadership competencies, including skillful communication. As you do this, also think about how you may meaningfully contribute to the organization during your remaining time in the setting.
This week you prepare for the practicum experience by developing a plan, including learning objectives and activities. (This is addressed in this week’s Homework help – Discussion as well.)
To prepare:
Think about learning objectives that will guide your practicum hours, as well as the activities you will undertake to achieve those objectives. Draft two or three learning objectives that are related to the AACN Essentials, your practice area specialty competencies, and the focus of this course.
Refer to the Practicum Time Log and Journal document found in this week’s Learning Resources.
Develop a timeline for your practicum experience.
You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience. You can access your time log from the Welcome page in your Meditrek account. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term. Time logs are reviewed by your instructors in weeks 3, 7 and 11.
To complete:
Write a 1- to 2-page paper (hire research essay pro writers) that includes the following:
Two or three learning objectives for your practicum hours that are aligned to the AACN Essentials, your specialty area competencies, and the focus of this course (i.e., implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of an evidence-based project)
Key leadership and other activities you will undertake to fulfill your identified learning objectives
A proposed timeline for accomplishing your practicum hours
By Day 7 of Week 1
Submit this Assignment.
Reminder: Begin to keep track of your practicum hours using the provided time log. Submit your time log and a journal entry during Week 3. See the Practicum Guidelines document found in this week’s Learning Resources for a complete description of the practicum.
Reference: Emerson, R. W. (1860). The conduct of life. Boston, MA: Ticknor and Fields. Retrieved from http://www.emersoncentral.com/illusions.htm
—Evidence based practice in the nursing profession was introduced aiming to improve clinical practice through, the use of evidence in making sound decisions. This is by focusing on individual practices rather than the whole systemic process and their impacts in improving quality of service offered to patients (Sharon Dudley-Brown, 2011)
As the lead nurse working in an environment where paper charting is still used in patient data recording, I have noted how cumbersome it is to retrieve and store data which results to inefficiency in the nursing process. I believe changing to a more digital approach could better service rendering by nurses, in turn impacting patient outcomes and guaranteeing their satisfaction in the nursing process. My proposed change is based on need for an efficient, cost effective and safer system that will rid the nursing process of medical error (Sharon Dudley-Brown, 2011, p. xx)
A paper chart system is tedious, costly and time consuming which impacts negatively on patient outcomes. The use of the electronic hospital record will be convenient for both patients and other hospital personnel involved. It will aid in fast access of patient records and easy backing up of records guaranteeing safety of patient records in case of a catastrophic event. The automation doesn’t have to interfere with the business process and could be still be applied by the current staff after they’re trained on new software. (“Our electronic filing systems improve healthcare processes,” 2019).
All groups impacted by the change should be involved in its implementation. An analysis conducted on survey data from nurses, hospitals, and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems showed how levels of engagement of hospital staff reflect on patient outcomes. The nurses who were highly engaged were less likely to report unfavorable job outcomes, give poor ratings of safety and quality and were highly involved in policy making in the hospitals (Kutney-Lee et al., 2016). Working with stakeholders from patients, program funders to the community is likely to increase chances of its success as it will not only be a receptive to their needs hence credible to all parties(Martha McGuire, C.E, 2016).
Many healthcare institutions have since discarded their outdated ways by switching from paper to electronic patient records. “Electronic Medical Records- EMR” tech has been a core aspect of every medical profession.
According to this study, in 2017, nearly 87% of doctors used an EMR, and that would only rise. EMR affects how clinicians record and store evidence and lead to increased medical diagnosis and management. EHR’s willingness to exchange knowledge with any other businesses entity is its outstanding distinction(Heier, Transitioning From Paper To Electronic Medical Records w/ EMR Software).
(Source:Archer Blog)
EHR extends from the capacity to exchange knowledge with other practitioners to make it easier to view patients’ records and further valuable details anywhere and every time. For instance, let’s assume that a patient has been in the current clinic for years and that now he has to amend for whatever purpose. Instead, a medical practitioner should use information from all physicians participating with the previous care than just beginning from scratch.
(Source: select-hub)
The time and money that are saved by your practice is an enticing by-product of EMR. Internet service can conveniently and efficiently view a patient’s records rather than digging through endless paper archives to locate a particular medical record.
Most practices have full rooms for keeping patient records and documentation for years. EMR will offer more excellent protection with classified and vital information, in addition to saving time and resources. Some users should be equipped with various degrees of patient record accessibility to ensure safe, sensitive documents.
You are also not losing sensitive information to disruption or external harm by storing documents on a cloud-based server and not a physical storage site. EMR delivers incentives not only for your work but also for your clients. A more precise diagnosis and care can be provided to ensure patient safety by reducing hand-written medical notes’ mistakes(Review Chapter 11, “Information Technology: A Foundation and Enabler for Translation”).
Procedures that allow individuals to become more involved through patient portals require technologies as patients are the new generation.
Besides, EMR software makes individual documentation between hospitals, pharmacies, and laboratories fast and straightforward to pass. This seamless engagement allows you to smoothly experience your customers and offer all the necessary details for your practice. Instead of searching at paper archives, users can quickly browse through a patient’s health profile to locate such information.
Not all EMR software systems are alike, so it is essential to know your needs and what you plan to do before making your decision. The first steps for a seamless transition are having a roadmap in place and understanding your short and long-term targets(Braithwaite et.al,2013).
To ensure a smooth transition, it’s vital to have personnel from each division in your practice. Different team members may provide feedback to ensure that during the conversion period, nothing is missed. During the transition, it is clever to have everybody in training along with on the same page.
It is a smart idea to take the practitioners’ practical ease into account. Certain EMRs can be too advanced to use efficiently, based on the users’ profession and age. If you have no desire to use a collection of functions, do not pay for it (Hoyle & Johnson, 2015).
If the priorities of your profession change, you need to do the same with your EMR. Many software applications can be tailored to the evolving specifications and can evolve with the practice. The longer you keep n use of an EMR, the greater your understanding and skill
References
Kutney-Lee, A., Germack, H., Hatfield, L., Kelly, S., Maguire, P., Dierkes, A., Del Guidice, M., & Aiken, L. H. (2016). Nurse engagement in shared governance and patient and nurse outcomes. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 46(11), 605-612. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5117656/
Our electronic filing systems improve healthcare processes. (2019, April 4). AccuImage, LLC. https://accuimagellc.com/healthcare/
Martha McGuire, C.E. (2016). Program design & development resources. https://www.unitedwaygt.org/document.doc.
Sharon Dudley-Brown. (2011). Translation of Evidence Into Nursing and Health Care Practice. Springer Publishing Company.
Braithwaite, J., Westbrook, M., Nugus, P., Greenfield, D., Travaglia, J., Runciman, W., & … Westbrook, J. (2013). Continuing differences between health professions’ attitudes: the saga of accomplishing systems-wide interprofessionalism. International Journal For Quality In Health Care, 25(1), 8-15. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzs071
Hoyle, C., & Johnson, G. (2015). Building skills in organizational and systems change. Nurse Practitioner, 40(4), 15-23. doi:10.1097/01.NPR.0000461948.38539. fc
Jeungok, C., & Zucker, D. M. (2013). Self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies for doctor of nursing practice students. Journal Of Professional Nursing, 29(6), 381-387. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.05.014
Heier, E. (n.d.). Transitioning From Paper To Electronic Medical Records w/ EMR Software. Retrieved from https://www.selecthub.com/medical-software/emr/transition-paper-to-emr/
