248 ■ III: ROLE FUNCTIONS OF DOCTORAL ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE
advanced knowledge and skills. It is not clear what the outcome will be as DAPRNs
push for change in the practice setting to accommodate their advanced knowledge as
they attempt to find their way as DAPRNs. If the workplace environment does not
change, DAPRNs may feel frustrated in their role, as they are not permitted to expand
their scope concomitant with their new knowledge and skills. Based on the informants’
experiences, the struggle to be accepted for one’s contributions is not new in nursing’s
history and will require more change agents to advance the profession (Dunphy, Smith,
& Youngskin, 2009; Udlis & Mancuso, 2012).
The informants in the educator role felt accepted by colleagues, and felt a better
fit and more settled in their role in comparison to the 2011 study. The positive news is
that the informants saw themselves as more confident and respected in their role and
attributed this to their educational preparation. DNP graduates in the educator role are
well suited to integrate the classroom content and the practice context as called for in
the recent Carnegie Foundation study, Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation
(Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2009). DNP educators are in a unique position to
serve as faculty members, as they are able to integrate the knowledge they present in the
classroom with a clinical practice context. One hopes that the academy will value their
connection to practice, which is sorely needed and find a way to use and recognize their
clinical expertise (Benner et al., 2009; Udlis & Mancuso, 2015).
In this study, nurse executives continue to feel the most valued and accepted—
they expressed feeling more confident and respected in their respective roles. This may
be attributed to an evolving and changing environment that is more accepting of the
educational preparation and competencies of the DNP. High- performing organizations
closely scrutinize leadership capacity and embrace talent (Wells & Hejna, 2009). These
organizations look to doctoral level nurse executives to shape their institution through
their leadership and to address emergent and challenging issues for nursing practice
as well as create opportunities that shape and implement innovative changes in the
health care system (AACN, 2006; Upenieks, 2003). One must note that the doctoral-level
nurse executive is in a unique position in health care institutions; he or she is usually
one of a few nurse executives among a group of senior, non- nurse leaders. These nurse
executives also have the power to shape DNP practice and roles at their own institutions
(Nichols et al., 2014).
■ SUMMARY
In summarizing this chapter, the study informants spoke to the need for continuing
evolution of the three distinct roles of the DNP graduate: advanced practice, educa-
tor, and executive in the educational and practice environment and the need for role
clarity. Although there are core courses necessary for all DNP graduates, there is spe-
cialized knowledge required for each of the distinct roles. With the increase in DNP
programs across the nation, a critical mass of DNP graduates may have a sufficiently
strong voice in the education and practice settings to effect change with respect to role
function and expectations. We will see if this critical mass of graduates can achieve at
a national level for themselves; like the MSN- prepared advanced practice nurses were
able to accomplish to truly transform the landscape of nursing practice by creating a
new role highly valued by society. Ultimately, will the DNP- prepared nurse have simi-
lar success and achieve or surpass the AACN’s vision of the DNP degree (AACN, 2006,
2009). The authors assert that DNP graduates will need to differentiate their practice
from MSN graduates in order to substantiate their value to the profession, health care