120 ■ I: HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR ROLE DELINEATION
Our View : The MSN graduate should provide comprehensive, culturally diverse,
and competent care to patients in their scope of practice. The practitioner should
investigate all resources to ensure quality care for their population.
In Addition : The DNP graduate should utilize problem- solving skills to generate
new knowledge that affects patients within and outside their population. The
DNP utilizes clinical experience, advanced analytic skills, and leadership abilities
to target health care GLOBAL health care issues.VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice
The DNP program prepares the graduate to:- Conduct a comprehensive and systematic assessment of health and illness
parameters in situations, incorporating diverse and culturally sensitive ap-
proaches - Design, implement, and evaluate therapeutic interventions based on nursing
science and other sciences - Develop and sustain therapeutic relationships and partnerships with patients
(individual, family, or group) and other professionals to facilitate optimal care
and patient outcomes - Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical judgment, systems thinking, and ac-
countability in designing, delivering, and evaluating evidence- based care to
improve patient outcomes - Guide, mentor, and support other nurses to achieve excellence in nursing
practice - Educate and guide individuals and groups through complex health and situ-
ational transitions - Use conceptual and analytical skills in evaluating the links among practice, or-
ganizational, population, fiscal, and policy issues
Our View: The MSN graduate should practice in a collaborative environment.
However : The DNP graduate should “create” the environment he or she practices
in utilizing principles of autonomy and independence, while fostering an inter-
professional climate. While some believe this is just a new degree with the same role, we
disagree. We encourage more explicit development of doctoral advanced practice nursing
competencies.
EXHIBIT 4.1 AACN’s The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing
Practice, With Commentary I (continued)
AACN, American Association of Colleges of Nursing; DNP, Doctor of Nursing Practice; MSN, master of
science in nursing.
Adapted from 2006 AACN The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice.
Conversely, the DNP degree is not prescriptive to the clinical specialty areas like
master’s education. The DNP degree builds on the MSN level of education, and the
student learns to branch out of standard roles in order to assume greater responsibility
and accountability for his or her patients, ensuring care continuity that will infiltrate