6 ■ I: HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR ROLE DELINEATIONhistorical orientation of professional roles in nursing as the discipline slowly emerged
from simply “work” to a “field” and then ultimately to a “discipline.” Role theory and
a perspective on the meaning of nursing roles, from professional to advanced, to doc-
toral advanced practice, are offered. The concluding chapters in this section trace the
historical evolution of advanced practice nursing roles (including nurse practitioner
[NP], nurse- midwife, nurse anesthetist, and clinical nurse specialist), and ends with an
opening discussion by two DNP graduates, who discuss how their doctoral advanced
practice roles differ from their previous master’s roles.
The second section is titled “Primary and Secondary Contemporary Roles for
Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice.” Here the contributing authors first discuss the two
primary roles of the DNP degree that the AACN has endorsed— practitioner and clinical
executive. It would, however, be neglectful not to address the roles that other DNP gradu-
ates have assumed, and so the secondary roles of the educator, the DNP graduate’s role in
quality improvement and safety, and the important discussion on the roles of DNP gradu-
ates as clinical scholars to the profession are explored. One of the assumptions of this
text is that there is a domain of practice beyond the master of science in nursing (MSN)
degree and that with the doctoral credential the graduate is empowered and obliged to be
a greater steward to the discipline. Part of this enhanced stewardship is a commitment to
both the conduct and dissemination of clinical scholarship in its multiple forms.
The final section is titled “Operationalizing Role Functions of Doctoral Advanced
Nursing Practice.” This critical section of the text addresses the multifaceted aspects of
the role of doctoral APRNs (DAPRNs) and doctoral advanced practice nurses (DAPNs)
as they claim their new roles and enact them in the workplace. Smith Glasgow, Zoucha,
and Johnson replicate the study, “Role Strain in the Doctorally Prepared Advanced
Practice Nurse: The Experience of Doctor of Nursing Practice Graduates in their Current
Professional Positions,” published in the first edition of this book in 2010. It is this kind
of empirical data that the discipline will need in increasing volume to best understand
the competencies and outcomes of this critical mass of nurses who possess a practice
doctorate. Career development is particularly important for DNPs, and because there
are few role models (but certainly more than 5 years ago), the first graduate cohorts are
now becoming the mentors of today and the future. Chapter 12 discusses the emerging
roles of DNPs in academic partnerships. DNP graduates are educated to assume higher
levels of leadership with enhanced skills, and therefore with doctoral preparation much
more is expected from them. Chapter 14 specifically addresses how technology skills
and competencies are critical for leadership preparation for the DNP- educated gradu-
ates in all types of roles. Chapters 13 and 15 outline the benefits of coaching for DNP
students and the art of negotiation, two important aspects of any diverse DNP role.
Chapter 16 explores the roles of mentors and the mentee in both the educational and
trajectory professional career of the DNP graduate’s professional career.
Chapter 17 examines the necessity for more interprofessional collaboration
between DNPs and their peer health profession colleagues. Having a critical mass of
new nurse clinicians with doctoral preparation may be new for some disciplines who
will be working with and alongside these new graduates. Chapter 18 calls attention
to what is expected of this new graduate— a higher level of involvement in health
policy, especially at the activist grass roots of health advocacy. Chapters 21 and
23 address two controversial issues with the nursing practice doctorate— the still
very controversial DNP examination and what challenges does the DNP- educated
department chair face? As the AACN and CCNE do not recognize the DNP degree
for the advanced role of the nursing educator, there are often institutional issues the
DNP- educated department chair will likely face. This text is thought to be the first
to discuss the issue of DNP-educated department or program chairs. Finally, thisDreher_71733_PTR_01_int_p1-8.indd 6Dreher_71733_PTR_01_int_p1-8.indd 6 12/7/2016 6:04:22 PM12/7/2016 6:04:22 PM