Practice Doctorate Resource Center

NONPF Subcommittee on Student Admission Criteria, Faculty Qualifications and Faculty Development

Marva Price, Chair

Subcommittee Members:  Marva Price, DrPH, RN, APRN-BC, FAAN, Duke University, Subcommittee Chair; Susan Flagler, DNSc, RNC, University of Washington; Judy Honig, EdD, DrNP, CPNP, Columbia University; Shelley Huffstutler, DSN, APRN-BC, FNP, GNP, University of Alabama; Sharon Lock, PhD, RN, ARNP, University of Kentucky; and Cheryl Stegbauer, PhD, FNP, APRN, BC, University of Tennessee.

 Charge to the Subcommittee:  To deliberate on the essential qualifications of students for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs and qualifications needed by faculty to teach in the DNP programs; and to discuss the related issue of faculty development during the transition period as master’s prepared faculty teaching in master’s NP programs enter DNP programs.

 Questions to begin the conversation with the subcommittee.

 A. DNP Student Admission Criteria: 

1. What essential qualities are we looking for in DNP students?
   1. A “yearning for learning”; curiosity, creativity; innovative
   2. Passion for their craft
   3. Vision: Able to see the “big picture”
   4. Compassion
   5. Articulate
   6. Interpersonal skills, networking abilities, evidence of collaboration
   7. Intellectual skills; critical thinking including critique, analysis, evaluation, synthesis and integration
   8. Persistence
   9. Success in the academic setting
   10. Success in the practice setting (could be focused on the individual or organization)
   11. Current nursing knowledge and skills; depth and breadth; use of technology
   12. Scholarship and professional productivity: Publications, presentations, involvement in research or quality improvement projects

    

2. How can applicants provide evidence of their qualifications? (Please note that there is another group chaired by Michelle Beauchesne, PhD, Chair of the Educational Standards Committee of NONPF that is working on portfolios.)
   1. Past academic performance: GPA?
   2. Critical thinking ability: Critical Thinking Inventory?
   3. Cultural sensitivity? 
   4. Career goals?
   5. Brief biography?
   6. References? From? Addressing what characteristics / aspects?
   7. Interview?

    

3. What abilities do we expect to be present already and what do we expect to develop as part of the DNP program?
   1. Ability to articulate and support a position
   2. Evidence based practice
   3. Translational research
   4. Organizational change skills
   5. Policy analysis and development

    

4. How do we recognize “potential” abilities of applicants as yet undeveloped?
5. How important is the applicant’s ability to state compatible career goals on application for admission?
6. Applicants bring different backgrounds, experiences and talents to the program, toward what mix are we striving?
7. Given that DNP graduates will be leaders, what evidence of professional leadership should be required? Are non-professional leadership experiences equivalent?
8. How do these qualifications change when admitting baccalaureate graduates who do not have a master’s degree? Are not nurse practitioners or clinical specialists? Do not have a current practice?

B. Faculty Qualification for Teaching in a DNP Program

    1. What essential qualities are we looking for in DNP faculty?

1. Passion for practice related teaching? 

2. Is there vision about the possibilities for nursing’s leadership in creating, shaping a health care system? Creativity? Innovation?
3. Is there commitment to ethnic diversity?
4. Is there compassion for improving care of vulnerable groups?
5. Is the faculty a master teacher? 
6. Is the faculty articulate and able to speak authoritatively about the profession and its future direction?
7. Is there evidence of interpersonal skills, networking abilities, collaboration (may be both intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration)?
8. Is there evidence of critical thinking including critique, analysis, evaluation, synthesis and integration in professional domains
9. Is there evidence of publications and scholarly presentations related to advanced practice?
10. Does the faculty demonstrate currency in nursing knowledge? use of technology to support care and for teaching?
11. How does the faculty maintain current nursing knowledge and skills; depth and breadth?
12. Scholarship and professional productivity: Publications, presentations, involvement in research or quality improvement projects

2. How can faculty provide evidence of their qualifications? (Please note that there is another group chaired by Michelle Beauchesne, PhD, Chair of the Educational Standards Committee of NONPF that is working on portfolios.)
   1. What are the faculty’s academic credentials?
   2. Is there evidence of practice at an advanced level? (could be focused on the individuals, populations or organization)
   3. Is the practice evidence based? How can this be demonstrated?
   4. Cultural sensitivity? How demonstrated?
   5. Career goals?
   6. Brief biography?
   7. References? From? Addressing what characteristics / aspects?
   8. Evidence based practice
   9. Has the faculty engaged in research that is practice related? Translational research? Quality improvement research?
   10. Is there evidence of organizational change skills?
   11. Has the faculty participated in policy analysis and development?
   12. Is the faculty active in professional organizations? Knowledgeable about current professional issues?
3. Faculty bring different backgrounds, experiences and talents to the program, toward what mix are we striving? (Not all faculty will be in practice. Some PhD faculty and non-nursing faculty may contribute their needed expertise.) 
4. What evidence of professional leadership should be required of faculty?

C. Faculty Development

1.      At least two types of faculty development can be envisioned. 

1. Faculty development for those with practice experience who need mentoring for teaching advanced practice.

            ( Learning teaching techniques may involve technology, clinical supervision at a distance, critical  

              thinking exercises, leading interdisciplinary discussions of ethics etc.)

            b.  Faculty development for those with teaching experience who need                                             

                 assistance addressing advanced practice students

2.      Admission of faculty as students in their academic program:

a.       Incentives and disincentives for the faculty

b.      Implications for the DNP program

1)      Advantages

2)      Disadvantages

National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
1522 K Street, NW, Ste. 702
Washington, DC 20005
tel: (202) 289-8044 ● fax: (202) 289-8046
nonpf@nonpf.org

President: Joanne Pohl, PhD, APRN, BC, FAAN