521chapter TWENTY-THREE
Refl ective Response 1
Anne Marie Hranchook
Nurses who have earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree are not only expert
clinicians capable of assuming faculty roles, but are also uniquely prepared to fulfill
administrative positions and lead academic programs in their respective schools and
universities. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of
Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006a), particularly Essential
II (Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking) is
especially pertinent for the leader in an academic setting. This Essential assures that the
DNP graduate has requisite knowledge in essential skills, such as advanced communi-
cation, leading quality improvement initiatives, business, finance, economic, and health
policy principles. In addition, the DNP curriculum prepares graduates with administra-
tive and leadership skills that are critical, such as understanding organizational culture,
analysis of initiatives, and budgetary development.
The AACN takes the position in addition to leadership roles in a variety of settings,
DNP graduates are eligible to teach at the collegiate level because they have a terminal
degree in the discipline of nursing (AACN, 2015). Despite the AACN’s endorsement,
faculty possessing a practice degree may be surprised to find that there are barriers to
advancing a career in academia (Roberts & Glod, 2013). Frequently, DNP-prepared fac-
ulty are advanced practice nurses who have been appointed to clinical track positions
and they may not have the option to be tenured or in a tenure-track position. It is not
uncommon that requirements for advancement into a chair or dean position in many
colleges and universities includes a PhD and earned rank of professor. Faculty with
a DNP degree may not be eligible for promotion and tenure and thus are never able
to achieve the rank of professor. The primary focus of clinical track faculty is teach-
ing, which includes clinical instruction, lecture, clinical practice, and participation in
instructional committees. Although expert faculty clinicians are essential for guiding
the clinical learning of undergraduate and graduate students, clinical expertise often
remains unrewarded in the traditional academic evaluation required for promotion and
advancement in academia (Paskiewicz, 2003).
To understand this better, one needs to know that academic progression builds
on the basic tenets of what is commonly referred to as the standard triad: excellence in
teaching, service, and scholarship. Whether primarily committed to program adminis-
tration, research, or practice, teaching is a core responsibility for all faculty. Service is
frequently classified in three areas: service to the university, to the profession, and to