This paper presents a structured timeline for the professional and personal development of a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student transitioning into a full-fledged nurse practitioner (NP) role. The author, currently working in an underserved clinic in Southern California and specializing in Mental Health and Psychology, maps out key milestones from graduation through 2022, including national certification, state licensure, continuing education, mission trips, and a planned second doctorate focused on Family Nurse Practitioner practice. The paper also articulates a personal vision of providing primary care to families, women, and children in underserved communities.
The Nurse Practitioner (NP) role is one of the specialties in advanced practice nursing and has experienced increasing demand due to nursing shortages (Hamric, Tracy & Hanson, 2013). The growth of the NP role in modern advanced practice nursing is also attributable to the rising demand for primary care services. Given this increased demand, the nursing education field increasingly encourages more individuals to enroll in nurse practitioner programs. However, for an individual to become an accomplished nurse practitioner, he or she must navigate a complex process before becoming a full-fledged practicing NP (Luckey, 2018). Therefore, the individual needs a clear timeline for professional and personal growth as he or she enters the world of advanced practice nursing. This paper presents a timeline for professional and personal growth as a nurse practitioner in today's healthcare field.
I am a Nurse Practitioner currently working in an underserved clinic in Southern California and a DNP student specializing in Mental Health and Psychology, with an expected program completion date of August 2019. I understand that my transition through the DNP program will be relatively complex given the many steps involved in becoming a full-fledged practicing NP. Nevertheless, I intend to navigate this transition smoothly through a clearly established timeline of activities before and after graduation. Currently in the final stages of my doctorate-prepared advanced practice registered nurse program, the timeline below focuses on the last few months of my education and my subsequent transition into the new specialty.
The following table summarizes key milestones across each year from 2018 through 2022:
Table 1 — Timeline for Professional and Personal Growth
2018: Commence working on thesis for the DNP Program degree (April); renew BCLS, ACLS, and PALS (May); present a project for DNP Program graduation (June); annual physical exam (March); 5-day annual professional conference (November).
2019: File for national certification and state licensure exam (February); annual physical exam (March); renew BCLS, ACLS, and PALS (May); graduate from the university with a DNP degree (August); family vacation to Hawaii (September); complete national certification and state licensure exam (October); 5-day annual professional conference (November); transition to nursing practice (December).
2020: Start working as a Nurse Practitioner (January); obtain national certification and state licensure as an NP in mental health and psychology (January); attain specialty credentials for practicing as an NP (February); annual physical exam (March); renew BCLS, ACLS, and PALS (May); start consulting practice in the nurse practitioner role (June); mission trip (healthcare mission) to Africa (July); obtain credentials as an advanced practice registered nurse (August); pursue further specialization as a Family Nurse Practitioner (August); participate in continuing education programs (August); invest in real estate (October); 5-day annual professional conference (November).
2021: Renew and maintain national certification and state licensure as an NP (January); plan for next promotion (February); annual physical exam (March); renew BCLS, ACLS, and PALS (May); mission trip (healthcare mission) to South America (July); family vacation (September); 5-day annual professional conference (November).
2022: Renew and maintain national certification and state licensure as an NP (January); plan for next promotion (February); annual physical exam (March); renew BCLS, ACLS, and PALS (May); mission trip (healthcare mission) to Africa (July); 5-day annual professional conference (November).
As shown in the timeline above, my first step after graduating with a DNP degree in August 2019 is to take a family vacation to Hawaii. This vacation will allow me to reflect on my career, re-examine my professional and personal growth plan, and prepare for the next steps ahead. My transition from school into nursing practice will entail continuing to work as a Nurse Practitioner at the underserved clinic in Southern California. Working in this setting will enable me to enhance my clinical skills by applying concepts learned in the classroom to real-world practice. I expect this transition to be relatively smooth, as I have already been working in this environment for some time.
In my journey toward becoming a full-fledged practicing NP, I plan to engage in continuing education immediately after graduation. A critical early step will be completing a national certification and state licensure exam through a recognized certification board, as this is essential for the professional development of a nurse practitioner (Buppert, 2014). Based on existing state and federal regulations, nurse practitioners must obtain licensure from the relevant agencies in accordance with the specific rules of their state. I will therefore complete my national certification and state licensure exam and obtain the relevant credentials for NP practice by February 2020. I also intend to obtain credentials as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) within six months of receiving national certification — that is, by August 2020.
"NP consulting role, mission trips, and career promotion plans"
"Family NP specialization and serving underserved communities"
"Cited sources supporting the paper's claims"
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