Name
Chamberlain University
NR-703: Applied Organizational & Leadership Concepts
Prof. Name
Datea
What professional DNP leadership capacity is needed for advanced nursing practice to meet current and future needs?
Advanced nursing practice today requires leadership capacities that are flexible, innovative, and responsive to the rapidly evolving healthcare environment. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) leaders are not only expected to manage clinical care but also to address organizational, technological, and policy-level demands. To meet these challenges, DNP-prepared nurses must cultivate leadership abilities that focus on strategic decision-making, systems-level thinking, policy advocacy, and healthcare equity (Trautman et al., 2023).
Equally important is the integration of health informatics and data-driven decision support tools, which allow leaders to implement evidence-based care that improves quality and safety. DNP leaders must also be adept at navigating telehealth platforms, electronic health records (EHRs), and artificial intelligence-driven innovations, ensuring that care delivery remains patient-centered, efficient, and equitable.
Looking forward, future leadership competencies will include addressing health disparities, expanding population health strategies, and spearheading policy reforms to improve accessibility, affordability, and quality of care (AACN, 2021). These evolving capacities will prepare DNP leaders to guide interdisciplinary teams in transforming healthcare delivery for diverse populations.
What is the role of needs assessment for change in advanced nursing practice?
A needs assessment is a cornerstone of advanced nursing leadership because it identifies gaps in healthcare delivery, workforce development, and organizational performance. By systematically gathering and analyzing data, needs assessments help DNP leaders create evidence-driven strategies that align with both institutional goals and patient outcomes (DeNisco, 2023).
For example, needs assessments guide resource allocation, training programs, and process improvements that directly impact care quality. They also ensure that change initiatives are sustainable by engaging stakeholders, prioritizing interventions, and setting measurable outcomes. When used effectively, needs assessments minimize resistance to change and promote organizational readiness by fostering transparency and inclusivity (Roussel et al., 2022).
Thus, needs assessments serve as the foundation for implementing strategic changes in advanced nursing practice, ensuring that transformations are both clinically relevant and organizationally feasible.
What is the current evidence and what are the gaps in evidence for addressing the identified practice problem?
The following table provides a summary of existing evidence and gaps related to advancing DNP leadership and practice.
| Citation | Evidence Summary | Identified Gaps |
|---|---|---|
| Trautman et al. (2023) | Highlights leadership competencies in advocacy, health equity, and policy development. | Limited empirical studies showing direct impact of DNP leadership on measurable patient outcomes. |
| AACN (2021) | Defines essential competencies such as systems thinking, quality improvement, and informatics. | Evidence largely remains theoretical; fewer longitudinal studies on long-term outcomes. |
| DeNisco (2023) | Emphasizes needs assessments as a tool for guiding interventions in advanced practice. | Lack of standardized frameworks for needs assessments across complex healthcare settings. |
| Roussel et al. (2022) | Demonstrates how organizational assessments reduce resistance and enhance sustainability. | More research needed on best practices for stakeholder engagement in diverse healthcare systems. |
Overall, the evidence confirms the importance of leadership and assessment tools in guiding practice changes, but there remains a gap in demonstrating their long-term effects on health equity, patient safety, and cost-effectiveness.
How is evidence used to support change in advanced nursing practice?
Evidence serves as the foundation for initiating, sustaining, and evaluating change in advanced nursing practice. DNP leaders utilize evidence-based frameworks to design and refine interventions that improve patient outcomes, ensure safety, and enhance organizational performance. Sources such as peer-reviewed research, clinical guidelines, and quality benchmarks are crucial in guiding these decisions (Dang & Dearholt, 2022).
For example, when implementing a new clinical workflow, leaders rely on existing studies to forecast potential benefits and risks. Evidence provides a rationale for change, helps secure stakeholder buy-in, and offers metrics to assess effectiveness. This systematic application ensures that organizational transformations are not only credible but also sustainable over time.
Who are the stakeholders and what are their roles in advanced nursing practice change?
Stakeholder engagement is essential to the success of practice transformation in healthcare. DNP leaders must foster collaboration across multiple groups, each of which brings unique perspectives and contributions:
Patients and Families: Offer insights into experiences of care, ensuring that practice changes remain patient-centered.
Nurses and Interprofessional Teams: Provide frontline perspectives on workflow feasibility and implementation challenges.
Administrators: Oversee financial resources, approve organizational changes, and evaluate return on investment.
Policymakers: Shape regulations, funding models, and policies that support or hinder practice changes.
Community Organizations: Enhance outreach and partnerships to improve population health initiatives.
Engaging these stakeholders ensures inclusivity, strengthens collaboration, and aligns practice changes with diverse perspectives and community needs (White et al., 2021).
Advanced nursing practice requires a leadership capacity that combines evidence-based decision-making, strategic systems thinking, and stakeholder collaboration. Needs assessments remain critical in identifying gaps, while evidence ensures credibility in implementing organizational change. Current literature highlights the importance of DNP leadership competencies, but there is still a lack of robust empirical studies demonstrating their direct and long-term impact on patient and organizational outcomes.
By leveraging evidence-based frameworks, engaging stakeholders, and addressing system-level challenges, DNP-prepared nurses are well-positioned to lead meaningful healthcare transformation that advances equity, quality, and sustainability.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. AACN. https://www.aacnnursing.org/Essentials
Dang, D., & Dearholt, S. L. (2022). Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice: Model and guidelines (4th ed.). Sigma Theta Tau International.
DeNisco, S. M. (2023). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Roussel, L., Thomas, P. L., & Harris, J. L. (2022). Management and leadership for nurse administrators (8th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Trautman, D. E., Veenema, T. G., & O’Sullivan, A. L. (2023). DNP leadership in complex healthcare systems: Preparing for the future. Journal of Professional Nursing, 45(2), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.11.003
White, K. M., Dudley-Brown, S., & Terhaar, M. F. (2021). Translation of evidence into nursing and health care (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing.
