Welcome
Welcome DNP students. This page provides links to library services and resources to support you throughout the duration of your DNP program.
Use the following links to navigate to the appropriate page sections.
DNP Project
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), all DNP projects should:
- Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care.
- Have systems (micro-, meso-, or macro- level) or population/aggregate focus.
- Demonstrate implementation in the appropriate arena or area of practice.
- Include a plan for sustainability (e.g. financial, systems or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions).
- Include an evaluation of processes and/or outcomes (formative or summative). DNP Projects should be designed so that processes and/or outcomes will be evaluated to guide practice and policy. Clinical significance is as important in guiding practice as statistical significance is in evaluating research.
- Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship
Learn more about the DNP project scope, responsibilities, settings, and dissemination on the AACN's DNP Tool Kit site.
Implementation Science
Implementation Science: The study of integrating research findings into healthcare practice and policy by understanding facilitators and barriers to the uptake of evidence
Resources:
Implementation Outcomes Repository. This repository includes quantitative implementation outcome instruments that have been developed and validated for use in physical healthcare settings. The instruments were identified in a systematic review of the literature. The repository includes instruments that measure factors thought to influence implementation (e.g. the acceptability and feasibility of an intervention) and instruments that measure the effectiveness of implementation efforts (e.g. adoption, penetration).
Manuals:
Porritt K, McArthur A, Lockwood C, Munn Z (Editors). JBI Handbook for Evidence Implementation. JBI, 2020. Available from: https://implementationmanual.jbi.global
Readings on implementation science in nursing:
Boehm, L. M., Stolldorf, D. P., & Jeffery, A. D. (2020). Implementation Science Training and Resources for Nurses and Nurse Scientists. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12510
Curtis, K., Fry, M., Shaban, R. Z., & Considine, J. (2017). Translating research findings to clinical nursing practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 26(5-6), 862–872. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13586
Kristensen, N., Nymann, C., & Konradsen, H. (2016). Implementing research results in clinical practice- the experiences of healthcare professionals. BMC Health Services Research, 16(1), 48–48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1292-y
Van Achterberg, T., Schoonhoven, L., & Grol, R. (2008). Nursing Implementation Science: How Evidence-Based Nursing Requires Evidence-Based Implementation. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 40(4), 302–310. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2008.00243.x
Systems Thinking
"Systems thinking is an approach to understanding and improving complex issues and situations. It attempts to deal with these as wholes rather than through the reductionism of conventional science. Reductionism understands complex issues by examining smaller and smaller parts. Systems thinking sees the whole as different from the sum of its parts, because of the interactions between the parts. The issue for systems thinkers then becomes one of defining a relevant whole."
Coghlan, D., & Brydon-Miller, M. (2014). The SAGE encyclopedia of action research (Vols. 1-2). London, : SAGE Publications Ltd.
Readings
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Systems Thinking and Practice for Action ResearchIn Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. The SAGE handbook of action research (pp. 139-158). : SAGE Publications Ltd
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Systems ThinkingIn Coghlan, D., & Brydon-Miller, M. (2014). The SAGE encyclopedia of action research (Vols. 1-2). London, : SAGE Publications Ltd
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How Change Happens: the Implications of Complexity and Systems Thinking for Action ResearchIn Burns, D. (2015). How change happens: the implications of complexity and systems thinking for action research. In Bradbury, H. The SAGE Handbook of action Research (pp. 434-445). 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications Ltd
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A Concept Analysis of Systems ThinkingStalter, A. M., et al. (2017). A Concept Analysis of Systems Thinking. Nursing Forum (Hillsdale), 52(4), 323–330. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12196
Delphi & Other Consensus Methods
Formal consensus methods, such as the Delphi method or Delphi technique, are frequently used in health research. The purpose of such consensus methods is to collate and disseminate knowledge, experience, and expertise. There can be significant variation in the level of detail and transparency in the reporting of research using Delphi and other consensus methods. Adhering to appropriate, well-constructed reporting guidelines will enhance the quality of your own project.
For these reasons, a reporting guideline for consensus methods in biomedical research have been developed. ACCORD (ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document) was published in January 2024 for this purpose.
- Gattrell, W. T., Logullo, P., van Zuuren, E. J., Price, A., Hughes, E. L., Blazey, P., Winchester, C. C., Tovey, D., Goldman, K., Hungin, A. P., & Harrison, N. (2024). ACCORD (ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document): A reporting guideline for consensus methods in biomedicine developed via a modified Delphi. PLoS medicine, 21(1), e1004326. https://doi-org.ezproxy.neu.edu/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004326
Books on Delphi Method
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The Delphi Technique in Nursing and Health Research
by
The Delphi Technique in Nursing and Health Research is a practical guide to using the Delphi methodology for students and researchers in nursing and health. It adopts a logical step-by-step approach, introducing the researcher to the Delphi, outlining its development, analysing key characteristics and parameters for its successful use and exploring its applications in nursing and health. The book addresses issues of methodology, design, framing the research question, sampling, instrumentation, methodological rigour, reliability and validity, and methods of data analysis. The Delphi Technique in Nursing and Health Research enables the reader to be aware of the limitations of the technique and possible solutions, to design a Delphi questionnaire for each of the different rounds of a study, to consider different approaches to the technique in relation to a study, to analyse the data from each round of a Delphi study, and to understand the importance of feedback between rounds. Key Features A practical guide to facilitate use of the Delphi technique Provides the reader with the necessary information to participate in and conduct Delphi studies Examines different types of Delphi, including the e-Delphi, and modifications made to the technique Includes examples of real empirical investigations, brief case scenarios and key learning points for each chapter Explores the role of the Delphi researcher Explores ethical issues and issues of anonymity, use of experts and controlled feedback
ISBN: 9781444392029Publication Date: 2010-12-03
Recommended Databases
Below are important databases for nursing research. For additional databases, see the A-Z Database List.
Searching for evidence
Searching for evidence is an integral step of evidence-based practice. See the page PICO + Evidence-Based Practice for tips and more information.
APA 7th Edition
Resources which provide overviews:
Style and Grammar Guidelines (APA Style)
Reference Examples (APA Style)
APA Overview (Purdue OWL)
Academic Writer Tutorial: Basics of Seventh Edition APA Style (APA)
Frequently asked about:
Tables and figures (APA Style)
Title page setup (APA Style)
Data set references (APA Style)
Citation Management
You may wonder: are there tools to help with citation and references?
Free options: Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote.
A EndNote Licensed product is available for use by current NU faculty, staff, and students. These tools can help you collect and manage your references, and auto-format citations and bibliographies in your papers.
Key Texts
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Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Thrid Edition
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Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice: Model and Guidelines has proven to be one of the most foundational books on EBP in nursing. This fully revised third edition builds on the strength of the first two editions with updated content based on more than a decade of the model's use and refinement in real-life settings. Authors Deborah Dang and Sandra L. Dearholt also incorporated feedback from nurses around the world. Key features of the Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP model include:* NEW: Tips for using the newly updated Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP model and guidelines* NEW: Tips on seeking funding for the advancement of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork* NEW: Tools to guide the EBP process, such as Stakeholder Analysis, Action Planning, and Dissemination* Explanation of the Practice question, Evidence, and Translation (PET) approach to EBP projects* Overview of the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) approach to EBP question development* Creation of a supportive infrastructure for building an EBP nursing environment* Exemplars detailing real-world EBP experiencesCNOs, nurse managers, bedside nurses, and students alike have successfully transformed their practices and improved patient care using Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice: Model and Guidelines
ISBN: 9781940446981Publication Date: 2017-01-01 -
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The doctor of nursing practice project : a framework for success
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ISBN: 9781284156966Publication Date: 2020 -
Proposal Writing for Clinical Nursing and DNP Projects
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This practical, concise, and accessible guide for graduate students and advanced clinicians delivers step-by-step guidelines for integrating research and best evidence to produce concise, well-written project proposals. Health care professionals in advanced practice are increasingly being asked to be able to deliver clinical project proposals using best evidence for advancing quality patient care. With the same "must know" clinical scholarship tools of the first edition, this revision provides practical guidelines of common project models for developing and writing a tight proposal from start to finish while leaving room for the unique nature of most clinical project topics. The second edition includes a completely new chapter on quality improvement concepts, new project proposal abstracts, and new information specific to the DNP project from the AACN. Using the same three-part organization to walk through the intricacies of planning, writing, and completing scholarly project proposals, this new edition also adds new key features to keep readers engaged with the text and their own ongoing or forthcoming proposal. Chapters have been updated to include websites for additional learning, as well as advice from DNP students who have themselves successfully completed project proposals. Reflective questions, tips for completing proposals, exemplars, and reader activities throughout the book facilitate readers' greater understanding of projects and subsequent proposals.
ISBN: 9780826144430Publication Date: 2017-07-01
Quality Improvement Texts
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Intervention Research and Evidence-Based Quality Improvement
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First Edition received 2012 First Place AJN Book of the Year Award in Nursing Research "This is a resource for success and should be a part of any researcher's library." --Doody's Medical Reviews (Praise for the First Edition) Written for researchers, clinicians and doctoral students, the newly revised edition of this comprehensive reference continues to deliver the essentials of intervention research with added content on evidence-based quality improvement, a must for improving healthcare quality, safety and population health outcomes. Although typically it takes years for research-based interventions to make their way to real world clinical settings, this "prolonged time for translation" frustrates researchers and their interprofessional teams. This second edition now delves even deeper into key strategies for rapidly moving research-based interventions into real world settings in the form of evidence-based quality improvement as well as the challenges of working in an increasingly diverse professional research environment.
ISBN: 9780826155535Publication Date: 2018-07-01 -
Intervention Effectiveness Research
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This volume provides a model and road map to answer clinical questions related to intervention effectiveness research, quality improvement, and program evaluations. It offers clear and simple guidance for all phases of a clinical inquiry projects from planning through dissemination and communication of results and findings. The book emphasizes the value and importance of leveraging existing data to advance research, practice, and quality improvement efforts. Intervention and Effectiveness Research is a practical guide for organizing and navigating the intersections of research and practice. Structure, process and outcome worksheets for every step are provided together with examples from diverse settings and populations to lead readers through the process of implementing their own projects. The author guides readers through the process of designing, implementing, and evaluating project s. This book is intended for teachers of DNP and PhD programs in nursing and other disciplines, their students, and healthcare leaders who need to leverage data to demonstrate care quality and outcomes.
ISBN: 9783319612461Publication Date: 2017
