- Review the Learning Resources for this week and reflect on the roles of advanced nursing practice as it relates to project management.
- Select one of the roles described in Chapter 8 of the Sipes text to focus on for this Discussion.
- Review the article by Rew et al. (2020) and reflect on the steps and processes used by the team described in the article.
- How might you use a similar approach for the completion of your DNP doctoral project or dissertation? What project management strategies might be most appropriate for your nursing research?
By Day 3 of Week 2
Post a response for the following:
- Explain which project management processes and techniques you believe will provide the most guidance to assist you plan and develop your DNP doctoral project or Dissertation. Be specific and provide examples.
ANSWER
1. Introduction
The DNP study or project provides students the opportunity to use higher-order thinking methods in analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting knowledge that is developed through various disciplines. DNP graduates are known for their innovative and complex solutions to critical healthcare needs. The development of a strong proposal and then a solid project or study is the key to success in a DNP program and this can be achieved through the use of effective project management techniques such as the use of a project management plan, timeline, and Gantt charts, project objectives defining, data collection, regular review, implementation and dissemination, and a clear monitoring and measuring strategy. A well-constructed project management plan will provide a sound base for the study or project and help to ensure that the maximum effective use of resources is made. Also, many DNP scholars have difficulties in managing and executing their studies or projects. Some scholars have challenges regarding the selection of the study that will be the most helpful to society. Some scholars find difficulties regarding the transformation of individual contributions into a culture of inter-professional teams. Many scholars struggle between work, family, and their studies which is sometimes overwhelming to them. Some may not have a well-organized time management plan and therefore extend the completion of the project. By looking into developing research in health and social care literature, there are not too many documents or literature that systematically take the scholars through the various stages of project management teachings, starting from the purpose of the study, the significance of the study, research questions, literature review, methodology, project plan to the execution, analysis to the findings and finally to the conclusions. This article is poised to fill that gap and provide a comprehensive guide for managing and executing DNP doctoral projects and dissertations.
1.1. Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study is to examine the project management methodologies used in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects and dissertations. Specifically, the study will assess the extent to which project management knowledge areas and processes are utilized by DNP project managers in the United States and the perceived effectiveness of these methodologies in achieving project success. The results of the study are intended to contribute to the enhancement of project management practices in DNP projects and dissertations by identifying the most effective project management techniques currently being used as well as knowledge area gaps and improvement opportunities. In addition, the study results will provide a deeper understanding of how project management practices, tools, and methodologies, are being used in academic and healthcare environments by project teams composed of nursing professionals and academic scholars. The findings of this study will be of interest to various parties, including nursing academia and healthcare organizations that want to introduce new project management practices or tools to their projects, nursing academics seeking to enrich their project management curricula in their DNP programs, and fostering the role of project managers and project management knowledge in advancing nursing profession at the highest clinical practice level. I chose to do this study because I have been a student of project management for the last few years and I have come to learn and embrace its fundamentals and invaluable knowledge of area management processes. Also, my previous Master’s degree in healthcare leadership culminated in a project similar to a DNP project or dissertation and I have an understanding of the stress and emotional and time inputs that the students go through to complete their projects. I imagine how using project management techniques would have improved efficiency and output quality. As a faculty, I have also had the privilege of evaluating DNP projects interacting with faculty and students, and discussing several issues about project management and the lack of a holistic approach to DNP projects. Every project comes with its unique requirements and interpretations. However, the way project management knowledge areas are integrated into the prevailing methodologies in the nursing profession is still a learning curve and quite dynamic. I would like to appreciate the effort of everyone who contributed, directly and indirectly, to the successful completion of this research project. A special thank you to Dr. Anne Khademian, my dissertation chair, for her unwavering support and constructive criticism throughout the process, which has significantly improved the quality of the project. Thank you also to Dr. Timothy Howe and Dr. Sina Ebnesajjad for their advice and expert opinions that shaped this research into an invaluable learning experience. I would also like to acknowledge the George Mason University Institutional Review Board (IRB) for providing ethical guidance and approval to conduct the study. I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to the many program directors and second and third-year family nurse practitioner-Doctor of Nursing Practices (FNP-DNP) students in the School of Nursing, who participated in the empirical studies phase of the project. We have learned so much from the process, which I am immensely grateful for. I also wish to extend thanks to the administrator and instructor at the DNP program for their help and support. Last but not least, my heartfelt gratitude goes to my family, without whom I could not have finished this project. My son, Odeen, and daughter, Amy, have endured countless late dinners and missed weekend outings as a result of working on the project during the past academic year. I will be forever thankful for their love and understanding. Thank you all.
1.2. Significance of the Study
The doctoral project starts with a comprehensive literature review. It will identify a specific research question or hypothesis based on a literature review and provide the project’s theoretical foundation. The literature review will also establish how the proposed project will address the identified knowledge gap. After the completion of the project, the research would enhance the project management knowledge in the healthcare industry as well as lead to quality improvement and better patient outcomes. The project will also put the results into action. By implementing the recommendations given in the study, a prospect procedure template will be created. Such a template will standardize the current manual nursing procedures, provide a more efficient and effective way for nurses to perform the procedures, and promote evidence-based practice in the organization. Moreover, the data collection and statistical analysis techniques used in the project will offer a solid foundation and guideline for future researchers who are interested in the same or relevant industry. The project will benefit the healthcare industry with a smoother transition from traditional practices, make a difference in advancing the nursing profession, and most importantly, improve the job quality and working efficiency of our fellow nurses. Last but not least, it will bring me a step closer to the “expert of a recognized specialty of professional nursing practice” that I define as DNP. The progress of my study has proved to me that I am developing the necessary competencies and specialized knowledge that is required of such an expert. With the implementation of the project, which could provide a solid example for successful practices and quality improvement, I would feel more confident to graduate and embrace future challenges and satisfactions. I am looking forward to achieving this final and most significant milestone in my educational journey. Overall, we expect to select a series of project management techniques to be introduced in the project, all of which have already been successfully applied in the healthcare industry. While the DNP project is still in progress, each of the selected techniques will be clearly explained in the following sections. It will be shown how the technique is relevant to the project and provides critical success to the project. It is believed that by sharing the knowledge of project management as well as utilizing advanced technology for tracking and monitoring, a greater quality improvement not only in nursing practices but also in overall patient care delivery will be achieved shortly.
1.3. Research Questions
Research questions establish the parameters for the proposed investigation. They are central or key inquiries that need to be responded to at the appropriate time in the examination to lead the doctoral project to the best end. The examination questions are the focal point of consideration and perhaps the main piece of the whole practice. The fundamental thought intrinsic to any doctoral project is that each study itself chips away at the climate that has effectively been done in that field. Also, for a valid justification, the inquiries should be the center and replicate this complete exercise. On account of an investigation that is to be tried, it is the speculation that coordinates the plan and gatherings of the highlights that have been chosen to test it. The main thing to be chosen is the thing kind of legitimacy the examination will have, and the inquiries should be organized such that factor and test decisions can be made. Any adjustments of tests and methods must be restoratively defended and the clique confident in their answer to the inquiries given. The inquiries will be the methods for getting the authorization of every individual whom we wish to draw anything else engaged with examination to reply. Every individual from the task ought to comprehend the worth of the objectives, the attractions and compensations of the tasks, and conceivable resulting psychological and neurotic benefits that we might expect as the aftereffect of the inquiry. For instance, with those examined, there is no uncertainty that there is something like seven distinct plans that could be utilized as the premise of the principal technique experiment. Every one of these potential game plans requires specific exercises of examination and places great upon what sort of logical help could be accomplished. Already the inquiries associated with the necessary components of learning who partake in the investigation; that is, recognizing what is desirable from the eventual outcomes and the beginning preparing these people to the aggregate nature and potential worth of the data.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Current Knowledge Gap
2.2. Relevant Theoretical Frameworks
2.3. Key Concepts and Variables
2.4. Synthesis of Previous Studies
3. Methodology
3.1. Research Design
3.2. Sampling Techniques
3.3. Data Collection Methods
3.4. Data Analysis Procedures
4. Project Planning
4.1. Setting Project Objectives
4.2. Identifying Stakeholders
4.3. Creating a Project Timeline
4.4. Allocating Resources
5. Project Execution
5.1. Implementing Data Collection
5.2. Addressing Ethical Considerations
5.3. Monitoring and Controlling Project Progress
6. Data Analysis and Interpretation
6.1. Statistical Analysis Techniques
6.2. Interpreting Findings
6.3. Validity and Reliability Assessment
7. Discussion and Conclusion
7.1. Analyzing Results about Research Questions
7.2. Implications for Advanced Nursing Practice
7.3. Limitations of the Study
7.4. Recommendations for Future Research
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