Managing DNP projects in student/faculty groups to facilitate learning with large cohorts

Abstract

Despite the initial intent of the 2004 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) position statement to move all advanced nursing practice education to the doctoral level, many schools remain at the master's degree level. Many schools successfully transitioned their programs but struggled with adequate resources for the growing number of students and the faculty, staff, and preceptor workload associated with the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project courses. The AACN 2015 taskforce made many recommendations related to quality of DNP projects, but there is little in the literature on best operational practices. The goal of this paper is to describe how one school modified the DNP project courses from a traditional chair and committee driven format to a class driven format with multiple smaller sections to successfully manage large numbers of DNP students across nine specialties. Specifically, a new model with its successes and challenges is described as well as details regarding finances, course coordination, project advisors, project team, annual offerings and grouping of students.