Beyond the Patient: Contributions of the DNP to Quality Improvement in Healthcare Settings (1.0h)

This educational offering provides 1.0 CEU and was presented in the Clinical track. The course includes PowerPoint (in PDF) and an MP4 video file from the presentation originally shared at the 14th National Doctors of Nursing Practice Conference at the Swissotel in Chicago, August 2021.

Carmen Kynard, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, NP-C, PMHRN-BC, CPHRM, MBA, MEd
Dr. Carmen Kynard has been employed at the Department of Veterans Affairs Kansas City VA Medical Center (KCVAMC) since late 2019. She is the Chief Quality Officer and has responsibility for Quality, Peer Review, Infection Control, Utilization Management, and Risk Management for all inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services. Immediately prior to coming to the KCVAMC, for 4.7 years, Carmen was the Vice President of Nursing Services, Regulatory Affairs, and Performance Improvement for a 10-hospital, multi-State, behavioral health company situated in Memphis, TN. Carmen served as a Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Performance Improvement for a local medical surgical facility and an acute level behavioral health care hospital for 17 years. For a number of years, Carmen administered Quality/ Risk /Infection Control/ Utilization Review/and Performance Improvement functions for three medical surgical facilities in the SF Bay area. She is certified as a Hospital Risk Manager (CPHRM) and as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (PMHRN-BC). She was an examiner for Malcolm Baldrige and helped drive organizational performance excellence by reviewing and providing feedback to hospitals. When not working, Carmen enjoys performing medical/mission work. Pursuant to this interest, Carmen returned to school to become a Family Nurse Practitioner and has worked in clinic settings in the KC area. In 2015, Carmen was selected as one of the three US recipients for receipt of the Florence Nightingale Medal that is awarded by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland for courage and devotion to victims of armed conflict or natural disaster and exemplary service or pioneering spirit in areas of public health or nursing education.

Purpose

This session will explore how the DNP’s academic preparation makes them a well-qualified potential participant for a host of different quality improvement activities within health care delivery settings.