THE DNP-PREPARED NURSE'S ROLE

THE DNP-PREPARED NURSE'S ROLE

The role of a nurse with a practice doctorate is multifaceted and significantly different from that of a nurse with a research doctorate. As a DNP-prepared nurse, you may serve as a clinical nurse educator, a policy and legislation advocate, an organization leader, or an advanced practice nurse responsible for tracking, installing, and monitoring initiatives aimed at improving nursing and healthcare delivery.

Which role(s) are you most excited about? What do you hope to accomplish as a DNP-prepared nurse? Regardless of what the future holds for you, your Walden DNP program will help you develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enact these roles.

  Specialization in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse trained to provide a wide range of mental health services to patients and families in a variety of settings. PMHNPs diagnose, conduct therapy, and prescribe medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders, or substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, conduct psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, develop and manage treatment plans, and provide ongoing manage patient care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff. The PMHNP has a focus on making a psychiatric diagnosis, differentiates between medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and orders appropriate medications to treat various psychiatric disorders. A PMHNP can often practice autonomously, depending on state licensure laws.

BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 3

Post the following:

· A brief explanation of your personal motivations and goals in pursuing the DNP degree.

· A description of the expectations and role of a nurse with a practice doctorate and how they may differ from those of a nurse with a research doctorate.

· A description of how, as a DNP-prepared nurse, you hope to address an organization’s quality improvement needs by attending to a gap in practice or implementing a practice change. Include any previous experiences you have had in addressing a gap in practice or a practice change within an organization. 

Note: Your posts should be a substantial (500 words minimum), supported with scholarly evidence from your research and/or the Learning Resources, and properly cited using APA Style. Personal anecdotes are acceptable as part of a meaningful post but cannot stand alone as the entire post.