Enhancing Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice students' analytic skills

Abstract

Programs with several paths to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) face significant difficulties in preparing clinical scholars who can transform healthcare. While Post-Baccalaureate to DNP (BSN-DNP) programs are fulfilling the Institute of Medicine's mandate for seamless academic progression, several factors need to be considered for students' successful program completion. These factors include: (1) the students' stage of cognitive development for strategic thinking (metacognition); (2) students' tendency to underestimate the rigors of doctoral educational requirements; and (3) faculty challenges in helping students to acquire skills needed to complete the DNP project. The purpose of this paper is to describe learner-centered approaches to enhance analytic preparation of BSN-DNP students.