Foundations of Doctoral Study at Walden

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Week 2: Foundations of Doctoral Study at Walden

Thinking back to when you were considering pursuing a doctoral degree, what made you decide to pursue the DNP at Walden? How does Walden University’s vision, mission, and social change outcomes relate to why you want to pursue a DNP degree?

Walden University’s vision, mission, and social change outcomes will be an ever-present theme and framework throughout your program of study. In fact, the social change mission at the heart of Walden University is intricately aligned with and greatly supports the mission of nursing practice. It may come as no surprise that the work nurses perform daily reflects an alignment toward fostering positive social change.

As a future DNP-prepared nurse, you will likely contribute to the transformation of nursing practice through advocacy, implementing quality improvement, and enhancing the delivery of advanced nursing practice. Do these potential roles and functions of a DNP-prepared nurse represent your motivation for pursuing the DNP degree?

This week, you will complete an Assignment in which you will consider your academic and professional goals in relation to Walden University’s vision, mission, and social change outcomes. You also begin to propose plans for implementing social change into your program of study and professional practice.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Analyze academic and professional goals in relation to Walden University’s vision, mission, and social change outcomes

Analyze plans for incorporating social change into program of study and professional practice

Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)

Required Media (click to expand/reduce)

Assignment: AACN Competencies and the Walden Mission, Vision, and Outcomes

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) set forth a set of standards, the DNP Essentials, that define the foundational competencies that should be acquired and focused throughout a DNP degree program’s curriculum. Additionally, the DNP Essentials represent those competencies and areas that will inform your areas of practice as a DNP-prepared nurse. Take special note that in addition to your personal and academic motivations for pursuing a DNP degree, you will be required to demonstrate and enact these essentials in your daily practice.

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For this Assignment, review the AACN DNP Essentials document and reflect on the competencies presented. Reflect on your personal and academic goals and consider how those goals align with both Walden University’s mission and vision and with the AACN DNP Essentials.

To prepare:

Review The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) in this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the competencies presented.

Review Walden University’s mission, vision, and university outcomes.

Reflect on your professional and academic goals. Consider how Walden’s mission and vision as well as the AACN’s perspective may fit with your goals. How might you incorporate a commitment to social change into your academic and professional plans?

The Assignment: (2–3 pages)

Explain how your academic and professional goals align with Walden’s vision, mission, social change message, and university outcomes and the AACN DNP Essentials. Be specific.

Explain how you plan to incorporate social change throughout your program of study and in professional practice. Be sure to include how social change may contribute to your practicum/field experience and your role in professional practice.

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.