How Doctors of Nursing Practice Can Influence the Quality of Healthcare

Today, doctors of nursing practice (DNPs) serve as nurse educators, researchers, and administrators as well as serving in vital healthcare leadership roles in their local communities, states and even nationwide. Consequently, DNPs are well situated to influence the quality of healthcare that improve clinical outcomes in a number of ways. The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant literature to provide a discussion concerning the various ways in which nursing leaders can influence healthcare cost, policy, and delivery of care. In addition, a discussion concerning the responsibility of DNP-prepared leaders to educate patient care team members on the financial implications of patient care decisions together with salient examples of effective teaching methods for a clinical setting. Finally, a summary of the research and key findings concerning the ways DNPs can influence the quality of healthcare are presented in the papers conclusion.

How Nursing Leaders Can Influence Healthcare Cost, Policy and Delivery of Care

Even though it may not be specifically reflected in their job descriptions or DNPs may not conceptualize their role in these terms, DNPs have a fundamental responsibility to contribute to improvements in the healthcare system in leadership roles pursuant to the set of competencies and standards developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Indeed, regardless of their area of specialization, DNPs can influence healthcare, policy and the delivery of care in a number of ways. For instance, DNPs can help reduce healthcare costs by promoting patient-centered, evidence-based strategies and interventions that focus on prevention as well as the elimination of medications or treatments that are unnecessary (Androus, 2023). Likewise, DNPs can influence the cost of healthcare by promoting interventions that reduce costly medical and medication errors (OToole, 2019).

With respect to healthcare policies, the...

For example, most DNPs typically receive training concerning optimal methods for collecting, analyzing and interpreting healthcare-related data including clinical outcomes and associated costs (Sherrod, 2016). The findings that emerge from these types of analyses can generate new insights into constraints to quality patient care that might not be possible otherwise. In addition, DNPs can analyze healthcare processes to identify inefficient or even counterproductive practices in the delivery of care (Rumsey, 2019).

While every healthcare organizations circumstances are unique in some fashion, DNPs can use their analytical skills to identify constraints and develop strategies to improve clinical outcomes (Rumsey, 2019). In fact, many of the same...

…approach can include recorded training sessions organized by topic or theme as well as various online modules, videos, and other digital resources to provide timely instruction in a wide range of clinical skills.

In addition, DNPs can leverage their experience, training and expertise in their specialty area to help others learn about the most recent advances in delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care. For this purpose, DNPs can use hypothetical scenarios that involve commonly encountered clinical challenges or other situations that require efficacious nursing interventions. In fact, these types of teaching strategies are currently being applied using the popular escape room format that requires participants to determine the problem and formulate appropriate treatment strategies. This approach has demonstrated effectiveness in helping participants collaborate in interdisciplinary settings (Borck et al., 2022).

Conclusion

Taken together, it is clear that DNPs can have a profound influence on reducing healthcare costs and developing timely and informed policies that improve the delivery of care. The research was consistent in showing that through collaboration with other healthcare practitioners, DNPs can help educate patient care team members concerning the financial implications of their patient care decisions. In addition, DNPs can also help ensure that healthcare services remain patient-centered and evidence-based. As noted above, though, while these types of activities may not be reflected in DNPs job descriptions, the set of competencies and standards…