Rooted in a competency-based education approach, the DNP Scholarly Project/Product reflects the ongoing application of knowledge and competencies gained throughout the program to improve health outcomes and transform healthcare practice, systems, and policy. This scholarly work is practice-focused and grounded in evidence translation, improvement science, innovation, policy, and systems thinking to address real-world healthcare challenges. These are hallmarks of a Hopkins Nursing DNP graduate.
Through the integrated didactic and practicum courses, the DNP curriculum supports the development and demonstration of key elements of scholarly work as outlined in the Essentials (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2021). Students actively identify and define problems; search, appraise, and synthesize the literature and available evidence; translate findings into strategic approaches; design plans for change; participate in implementation when possible; and evaluate outcomes, processes, and experiences to inform improvement (AACN, 2021). Students learn to identify and define practice problems through modeled cases and structured learning experiences in didactic courses, with the practicum courses supporting continued application and refinement of these competencies in real-world settings.
As part of their scholarly development, students are expected to apply knowledge from didactic coursework to practicum-based experiences. This may include observational opportunities, reflective learning activities, or collaboration with practice partners, including clinical, organizational, and community leaders, to explore healthcare priorities aligned with clinical or population health needs. These efforts support the development of advanced competencies in leadership, evidence-based practice, and interprofessional collaboration.
Throughout the DNP Project experience, students will:
- Identify and prioritize clinical or systems-level problems informed by contextual needs and evidence gaps.
- Critically appraise, synthesize, and translate evidence to inform strategies for practice improvement.
- Collaborate with practice partners to inform the implementation of innovative, evidence-based change initiatives, with attention to health equity.
- Engage in the evaluation of outcomes using data analytics and translate findings into meaningful insights.
- Disseminate scholarly work to influence clinical practice, policy, and systems-level transformation.
This scholarly work is essential to the practice doctorate in nursing and is designed to improve clinical practice and healthcare systems, consistent with nationally recognized nursing standards (AACN, 2021). The DNP Project/Product scholarly deliverables establish each graduate as a Hopkins Nursing clinical scholar.
Consistent with the mission of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing to improve health locally and globally, the DNP Project experience prepares students to lead practice-based improvements that advance health equity and quality care. DNP graduates remain in practice, leading cross-professional teams to advance informed, high-quality healthcare.