To Prepare
Explore the Learning Resources concerning implementation.
Identify the speed bumps and pitfalls you have experienced thus far in your implementation.
Consider how you have supported your implementation through these obstacles.
By Day 3 of Week 6
Post a description of the speed bumps and pitfalls you have experienced thus far in your implementation. Explore what has happened and what you have done in response. How did you support your implementation through these obstacles, and what might have assisted you?
Question number #1
For adult obesity patients (P), does the implementation of a staff education on obesity management (I) as compared to lack of staff education (C) improve Patient’s enrollment to weight loss program (O) over a period of 6 weeks(T)?
Speed Bumps and Pitfalls
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Speed Bumps and Pitfalls
Nurses completing their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) projects often experience obstacles that might affect the successful completion of associated activities. The clinical practice question that the DNP project seeks to address state that “For adult obesity patients (P), does the implementation of a staff education on obesity management (I) as compared to lack of staff education (C) improve patient’s enrollment to weight loss program (O) over a period of 6 weeks(T)?” The implementation phase entails the provision of education to staff regarding obesity management. The purpose of this assignment is to describe the speed bumps and pitfalls experienced so far during project implementation including the strategies that would contribute to successful project completion through the obstacles.
Time Constraints
Time constraint is one of the challenges commonly experienced by nursing students who are completing their DNP projects. It has been a challenge balancing between work duties and the project. This resulted in the extension of the time to execute the project activities thereby delaying the completion of the entire project (Esden & Nichols, n.d.). Vanderkooi et al. (2018) conducted a study to examine the impacts of the PhD-DNP-site mentor model to direct the completion of DNP projects. According to the researchers, time-to-completion is one of the most significant barriers preventing timely completion of DNP projects. In another study, Mathieson et al. (2019) discovered that the limited time set for most DNP projects is always inadequate thereby preventing the timely completion of project activities. The project moved successfully to completion despite the time constraints experienced. In response to the limited time available for the project, the nurse developed a timetable during implementation which allowed the concurrent completion of job and project activities. This helped greatly in the implementation through the obstacles. One thing that might have assisted to prevent time constraints is allocating more time for the project than the period that was allocated.
Financial Constraints
The completion of DNP projects usually delays due to financial challenges experienced by the students. DNP students often need funds to purchase items and complete project-related activities (Morris et al., 2021). In the current DNP project, there were limited funds to successfully implement staff education programs. Bekemeier et al. (2021) cite limited funds and the lack of financial support as some of the barriers to the successful completion of projects among students pursuing DNP programs. Due to financial constraints and the lack of support, the students found it quite challenging to obtain the items required for project completion. In response to this challenge, the student applied for grants which helped to push the project to completion (Dobrowolska et al., 2021). This helped to support project implementation through the obstacles. In order to avoid facing challenges associated with financial constraints, the student ought to have applied for grants from several sources and seek funding from donors in advance before embarking on implementation.
Conclusion
Time constraints and financial constraints are the speed bumps and pitfalls experienced thus far in the implementation of the DNP project. With thorough time management and seeking for grants, the student managed to mitigate the obstacles experienced during the implementation phase. Identifying possible barriers to project completion early can help DNP students to implement appropriate measures to enhance successful completion.
References
Bekemeier, B., Kuehnert, P., Zahner, S. J., Johnson, K. H., Kaneshiro, J., & Swider, S. M. (2021). A critical gap: Advanced practice nurses focused on the public’s health. Nursing Outlook, 69(5), 865–874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2021.03.023
Dobrowolska, B., Chruściel, P., Pilewska-Kozak, A., Mianowana, V., Monist, M., & Palese, A. (2021). Doctoral programmes in the nursing discipline: a scoping review. BMC Nursing, 20(1), 228. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00753-6
Esden, J. & Nichols, M. (n.d.). Transforming post-masters DNP education: Student perspectives about their educational experiences. https://sigma.nursingrepository.org/bitstream/handle/10755/603896/1_Esden_J_p78296_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Mathieson, A., Grande, G., & Luker, K. (2019). Strategies, facilitators and barriers to implementation of evidence-based practice in community nursing: a systematic mixed-studies review and qualitative synthesis. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 20, e6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423618000488
Morris, K., Reese, C. E., Hale, R. D., & Wendler, M. C. (2021). Journeying through the DNP project: A qualitative, descriptive study. Journal of Professional Nursing, 37(5), 1004-1010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2021.07.017.
VanderKooi, M. E., Conrad, D. M., & Spoelstra, S. L. (2018). An Enhanced Actualized DNP Model to Improve DNP Project Placements, Rigor, and Completion. Nursing Education Perspectives, 39(5), 299–301. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000384