DNP Role Development for Doctoral Advanced Nursing Practice, Second Edition

21: THE DNP CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION ■ 471

H. Michael Dreher, founding chair of the Doctoral Nursing Department at Drexel
University, which has had a Doctor of Nursing Practice program since 2005, stated sup-
port for the examination, reporting:

While there is a great deal of opposition to this DNP exam, I am for it. I do

not think it was prudent for the AACN to include the executive role in the

TABLE 21.1 Essentials of DNP Versus MSN Preparation for APRNs

DNP Preparation a MSN Preparation b

I. Theoretical Foundations for Practice— act

as leaders to use the conceptual scientific

foundation of nursing to translate knowledge

into clinical practice to benefit patients in all

practice environments

I. Theoretical Foundations of

Nursing Practice— critiques,

utilizes, and evaluates theory

within practice

II. Organizational and Systems Leadership for

Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking—

taking the lead in changing policy, organization,

and financing of health care to eliminate health

disparities, improve quality and safety, and

evaluate cost- effectiveness of care

II. Understanding policy,

organization, and financing of

health care

III. Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods

for Evidence- Based Practice— synthesizes

knowledge, translates research into practice,

disseminates knowledge, and integrates new

knowledge into practice

III. Initiate change and improve

nursing practice

IV. Information Systems/ Technology and Patient

Care Technology for the Improvement and

Transformation of Health Care

IV. Ethics— understand principles,

personal values, and beliefs to

frame nursing practice

V. Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health

Care— involves influencing policy design and

development, analysis of policy, and political

activism to decrease health care disparities,

improve quality of care, and influence health

care financing in all levels of government

V. Understanding how health care

policy is organized and delivered

VI. Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving

Patient and Population Health Outcomes—

facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration

VI. Professional role development

to operationalize theoretical

principles and norms of specialty

VII. Clinical Prevention and Population Health for

Improving the Nation’s Health— leaders in

integrating and institutionalizing evidence-

based prevention for individuals and

populations

VII. Human diversity and social issues

to deliver culturally sensitive care

to patients; health promotion and

disease prevention for specific

patient population

VIII. Advanced Nursing Practice— addresses complex

medical management across a variety of health

care settings; is able to manage more complex

illness, conducts individual and systemic

assessments, evaluates links between individual,

population, health care financing and policy

VIII. Advanced health/ physical

assessment, physiology,

pathophysiology, and

pharmacology

APRN, advanced practice registered nurses; DNP, Doctor of Nursing Practice; MSN, master of science in nursing.
a Adapted from American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006).
b Adapted from American Association of Colleges of Nursing (1996, 2011).