Week 6: The Doctorally Prepared Nurse: Ethical Issues and Advocacy for Social Change
Throughout this course, you have considered and reflected on how the DNP-prepared nurse advocates for positive social change, whether that stems from direct patient-level care or more broadly to that of community-level or population-based actions to promote nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
As a DNP-prepared nurse, you will also function as a nurse leader in identifying and serving as a champion of those nursing practice and healthcare-related issues that merit transformation. In what ways will your advocacy and leadership impact the patients, communities, and populations you serve?
This week, you will examine ethical issues relevant to the role of the DNP-prepared nurse. You will explore ethical issues you may likely encounter in nursing practice and reflect on potential strategies to mitigate ethical violations in practice. You also consider how the role of the DNP-prepared nurse is to promote advocacy for social change. In your Blog Assignment, you and your colleagues will have the opportunity to share your perspectives and examine your role for positive leadership and you continue your program of study.
As a DNP-prepared nurse, my advocacy and leadership will have a significant impact on the patients, communities, and populations I serve in several ways:
**Improved Patient Outcomes:** By advocating for evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives, I can contribute to improved patient outcomes. As a leader, I will champion best practices in healthcare delivery, ensuring that patients receive safe, effective, and patient-centered care. Through initiatives such as clinical pathway development, patient education programs, and interdisciplinary collaboration, I can facilitate positive health outcomes for individuals under my care.
**Enhanced Community Health:** As a nurse leader, I will identify and address healthcare-related issues affecting communities, advocating for policies and interventions that promote health equity and address social determinants of health. By collaborating with community stakeholders, including local organizations, public health agencies, and policymakers, I can lead initiatives to improve access to care, reduce health disparities, and foster healthier communities.
**Population-Level Impact:** In my role as a DNP-prepared nurse leader, I will engage in population health management strategies aimed at addressing the broader health needs of populations. This may involve implementing preventive health programs, conducting community needs assessments, and advocating for policies that support population health goals. By taking a proactive approach to health promotion and disease prevention, I can contribute to better health outcomes for entire populations.
**Advocacy for Nursing Profession:** As a leader in nursing practice, I will advocate for the profession by promoting the advancement of nursing education, practice, and research. I will strive to create supportive environments for nursing professionals to thrive, advocating for fair compensation, professional development opportunities, and safe working conditions. By elevating the status of nursing and fostering a culture of excellence, I can attract and retain talented individuals to the profession, ultimately benefiting patients and communities.
In conclusion, my advocacy and leadership as a DNP-prepared nurse will play a pivotal role in shaping the delivery of healthcare and promoting positive social change. By advocating for patients, communities, and the nursing profession, I can contribute to better health outcomes, reduce health inequities, and foster a culture of excellence in nursing practice and healthcare delivery. Through collaboration, innovation, and ethical leadership, I will strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those I serve.
Learning Objectives
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**Response to Colleague 1:**
I appreciate your insightful reflection on the ethical responsibilities and advocacy roles of DNP-prepared nurses. Your emphasis on the importance of navigating complex ethical dilemmas and advocating for social change resonates with the multifaceted nature of the DNP role. One alternative approach for enacting positive social change as a DNP-prepared nurse could be to focus on community-based participatory research (CBPR). CBPR involves collaboration between researchers and community members to address issues of mutual concern and promote social change. By engaging directly with communities, DNPs can identify pressing health needs, co-develop interventions, and empower community members to take ownership of their health outcomes. This approach fosters trust, equity, and sustainability, leading to more impactful and culturally responsive interventions.
**Response to Colleague 2:**
Your perspective on the ethical dimensions of the DNP role and the importance of advocating for social change is insightful. Building upon your reflections, another approach for enacting positive social change as a DNP-prepared nurse could involve engaging in health policy advocacy. DNPs possess valuable expertise in healthcare delivery, population health, and healthcare systems, making them well-positioned to advocate for policies that promote health equity and address systemic barriers to care. By participating in policy development, influencing legislative initiatives, and collaborating with policymakers and stakeholders, DNPs can drive meaningful change at the local, state, and national levels. This advocacy may include efforts to increase access to care, improve healthcare infrastructure, and advance health equity agendas, ultimately leading to positive outcomes for individuals and communities alike.
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Discussion: Ethics and the DNP-Prepared Nurse
You are likely already upholding ethics in nursing and healthcare delivery in your current nursing practice experience. As mentioned in the introduction for this week, a patient-focused approach that promotes the delivery of safe, quality, and cost-effective healthcare for promoting positive patient outcomes, represents a fundamental alignment to ethical principles for the delivery of healthcare. In your journey toward becoming a DNP-prepared nurse, you will continue to uphold ethical principles in your nursing practice and will likely continue to serve as an advocate for adhering to these principles in all you do.
Photo Credit: ibreakstock / Adobe Stock
For this Discussion, reflect on the case studies/scenarios related to ethical challenges presented in this week’s Learning Resources. Think about how these ethical challenges may mirror your own experiences in nursing practice. Consider what other ethical challenges may arise in your own nursing practice or as you continue your program of study.
To prepare:
Review the case studies/scenarios related to ethical challenges presented in this week’s Learning Resources.
Reflect on ethical challenges related to the organization or at the point of care that you may have encountered in your nursing practice.
Consider what new ethical challenges you might face once you obtain your doctoral degree.
Week 6: The Doctorally Prepared Nurse: Ethical Issues and Advocacy for Social Change
By Day 3 of Week 6
Post an explanation of at least two significant ethical issues relevant to the DNP-prepared nurse. Then explain how these issues might compare to the types of issues you have encountered in your practice. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 5 of Week 6
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by expanding upon your colleague’s post or suggesting an alternative approach to the ethical issue described by your colleague.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 6 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 of Week 6 and Respond by Day 5 of Week 6
To Participate in this Discussion:
Week 6 Discussion
Blog: Positive Social Change and the DNP-Prepared Nurse
As a current and future advanced practice nurse, you are and will continue to serve as an agent of change in all you do. Think about the positive impacts you have on patient care, the organization and nursing practice in which you work, and the community in which you serve. How will earning the DNP degree not only support your advocacy for positive social change but, in its own right, represent a commitment toward fostering innovation for change in nursing practice?
For this Discussion, review the Learning Resources and reflect on how you, as a current and future advanced practice nurse, will strive for and commit advocacy for positive social change. Consider how your current nursing practice experiences and future opportunities will further support your role as an agent of change.
To prepare:
Review the Learning Resources and reflect on your personal and professional commitment to advocacy for patients, communities, and the profession.
Think about how your role as a DNP-prepared nurse contributes to advocacy for positive social change.
By Day 4 of Week 6
Post an explanation of how you anticipate enacting personal and professional commitment for advocacy to positively impact your patients, communities, and the profession. Be specific. Then, explain how your role as a DNP-prepared nurse contributes to advocacy for positive social change.
By Day 6 of Week 6
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by expanding upon your colleague’s post or suggesting an alternative approach for enacting positive social change as a DNP-prepared nurse.
**Response to Colleague 1:**
I appreciate your insightful reflection on the ethical responsibilities and advocacy roles of DNP-prepared nurses. Your emphasis on the importance of navigating complex ethical dilemmas and advocating for social change resonates with the multifaceted nature of the DNP role. One alternative approach for enacting positive social change as a DNP-prepared nurse could be to focus on community-based participatory research (CBPR). CBPR involves collaboration between researchers and community members to address issues of mutual concern and promote social change. By engaging directly with communities, DNPs can identify pressing health needs, co-develop interventions, and empower community members to take ownership of their health outcomes. This approach fosters trust, equity, and sustainability, leading to more impactful and culturally responsive interventions.
**Response to Colleague 2:**
Your perspective on the ethical dimensions of the DNP role and the importance of advocating for social change is insightful. Building upon your reflections, another approach for enacting positive social change as a DNP-prepared nurse could involve engaging in health policy advocacy. DNPs possess valuable expertise in healthcare delivery, population health, and healthcare systems, making them well-positioned to advocate for policies that promote health equity and address systemic barriers to care. By participating in policy development, influencing legislative initiatives, and collaborating with policymakers and stakeholders, DNPs can drive meaningful change at the local, state, and national levels. This advocacy may include efforts to increase access to care, improve healthcare infrastructure, and advance health equity agendas, ultimately leading to positive outcomes for individuals and communities alike.
The post NURS 8006 Week 6: The Doctorally Prepared Nurse: Ethical Issues and Advocacy for Social Change appeared first on Destiny Papers.
