Reply To: Ideas of DNP Projects

[Elizabeth Lopez]

Hello Njideka,
This is a great topic to discuss early on as we start of our programs so that we can start thinking about topics we could focus on. I think it’s important before we select a topic for our project that we have a clear understanding of what purpose there is to a DNP project. I’m early on in my program but my understanding of a DNP project is that its purpose is to attempt to improve outcomes in healthcare. This is done by addressing issues within health care and I would assume our project should be directed towards the specialty we are focusing on. By developing a DNP project, we will also gain skills that we will later utilize in our future practice. I personally hope to develop a project that consist of implementing interventions that can be effective in preventing a mental health crisis in our patients. I would preferably focus on the adult population and the setting would be in an acute care in patient facility. Another issue in mental health is to focus on improving staff education and competency when working with our mental health population and for this issue I would think of working with the adult population in an emergency room setting. There are many details that would have to be gathered to make an outline to approach these issues in a DNP project. But these are just some ideas I believe would be useful to look at if the area of focus is mental health.