362 ■ III: ROLE FUNCTIONS OF DOCTORAL ADVANCED NURSING PRACTICE
The DNP needs to stand in her own integrity and awareness that she now has the
experience and skills to be an effective co- investigator. Kay and Shipman (2014) speak
on importance of confidence and the self- assurance needed to be a successful negotiator.
Their book on the latest in neuroscience on confidence states that visits with high- power
women across the globe could give Dr. Bowman a different perspective in her approach.
Additional research on gender and leader identify formation for senior women (Skinner,
2014) suggests that addressing gender imbalance in senior leadership, having women
role models, and defining an authentic leader voice all help mitigate the impact of male
norms. It is an act of inner courage and conviction that allows the DNP to be authentic in
any situation that requires the use of negotiation skills. Essential inner qualities include
increasing inner awareness, being a truth teller, and standing by your own integrity.
Mindell (2014) further describes low rank as being devalued, disrespected, and
excluded from influence, decision making, and other benefits that come from having
high rank. Because of this norm, nurses have historically been impacted in areas of
self- esteem and self- worth. A source of conflict can be the unconscious use of rank. For
example, a person in a higher position, confronted with “pulling rank” or dismissing
the concerns or needs of others, often becomes angry or uses denial as a defense mech-
anism. The DNP has two critical roles here: the first is to know and effectively use skills
and strategies for negotiation; the second is to use a systems approach in resolving
issues involving negotiation strategies. In the case example, Dr. Bowman was seen by
her colleagues as having neither the rank nor the privilege to warrant being the primary
investigator of the study. One successful outcome of her negotiation is acknowledging
the contributions of her colleagues, choosing to take the first step as a co- investigator
of the study, and demonstrating how research builds evidence- based practice and the
importance of implementing to improve patient outcomes.
■ THE ROLE OF THE DNP IN NEGOTIATION— THE TACTICAL VIEW
Dr. Land is a recent DNP graduate and he is negotiating for a promotion to
a chief nursing officer position in an academic medical center where he has
been a director of cardiovascular services for 10 years. He knows his compe-
tition and all have either an MSN in nursing administration or an MBA and
that they are from out of the state. He decides to leverage his DNP degree and
his understanding of the organization’s culture and goals, which will allow
him to hit the ground running. Since many on the search committee do not
understand what knowledge and skills a DNP degree can bring, he decides
to provide them with two brief articles outlining the MSN and DNP curricu-
lum differences. He also plans to use his organizational power by having one
of his recommendations come from the chairperson of surgery. He knows all
his years as a critical care nurse will help him think clearly under the stress of
the interview. His reputation as a person of integrity and his willingness to be
assertive in conflict situations, with a focus on problem resolution, will stand
well for him. What ideas and skills can we offer Dr. Land in negotiation?
This section focuses on the specific tactics and strategies used in negotiation, which
fit within the strategic thinking or systems framework where the DNP functions. The
literature describes the traits of successful negotiators and the strategies for a win-win
outcome (Hennig, 2008; Lewicki, Barry, & Saunders, 2015). Dr. Land is already applying
some of the crucial traits and elements for successful negotiation, and the following sec-
tion should prove helpful as he plans his next steps.