Academic and Professional Goals and the University’s Mission and Vision
AACN COMPETENCIES AND THE WALDEN MISSION, VISION, AND OUTCOMES
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) set forth a set of standards, the DNP Essentials, that define the foundational competencies that should be acquired and focused on throughout a DNP degree program’s curriculum. Additionally, the DNP Essentials represent those competencies and areas that will inform your areas of practice as a DNP-prepared nurse. Take special note that in addition to your personal and academic motivations for pursuing a DNP degree, you will be required to demonstrate and enact these essentials in your daily practice.
For this Assignment, review the AACN DNP Essentials document and reflect on the competencies presented. Reflect on your personal and academic goals and consider how those goals align with both ___ University’s mission and vision and with the AACN DNP Essentials. Reflect on the social determinants of health framework and consider how your academic and professional goals might align with addressing these elements as a DNP-prepared nurse.
RESOURCES
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
Required Readings
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2020). Fact sheet: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).Links to an external site. https://www(dot)aacnnursing(dot)org/Portals/42/News/Factsheets/DNP-Factsheet.pdf
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2015). The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current issues and clarifying recommendations. https://www(dot)aacnnursing(dot)org/Portals/42/News/White-Papers/DNP-Implementation-TF-Report-8-15.pdfDownload DNP-Implementation-TF-Report-8-15.pdf
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice. https://www(dot)aacnnursing(dot)org/Portals/42/Publications/DNPEssentials.pdfDownload DNPEssentials.pdf
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Social determinants of health: Know what affects health.Links to an external site. https://www(dot)cdc(dot)gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm
• Read, C. Y., Pino Betancourt, D. M., & Morrison, C. (2016). Social change: A framework for inclusive leadership: Development in nursing education.Links to an external site.Journal of Nursing Education, 55(3), 164–167. https://doi(dot)org/10.3928/01484834-20160216-08
• Walden University. (2022). Social determinants of health: Understanding vision health equity.Links to an external site. https://www(dot)waldenu(dot)edu/online-masters-programs/master-of-science-in-nursing/resource/social-determinants-of-health-understanding-vision-health-equity
• Walden University. (n.d.). Walden catalog.Links to an external site.https://academicguides(dot)waldenu(dot)edu/catalog/home
o Review the “Introduction” to the Walden Catalog, noting in particular the “Vision, Mission, and Goals” section of the Walden University Catalog.
Required Media
• Walden University. (2021). DNP glossaryLinks to an external site. [Interactive media]. Walden University Blackboard.
https://waldenu(dot)instructure(dot)com
TO PREPARE:
• Review The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) in this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the competencies presented.
• Review Walden University’s mission, vision, and university outcomes.
• Reflect on your professional and academic goals. Consider how Walden’s mission and vision as well as the AACN’s perspective may fit with your goals. How might you incorporate a commitment to social change into your academic and professional plans?
• How might your academic and professional goals align with addressing the social determinants of health?
Reflecting on Academic and Professional Goals in Light of DNP Essentials and Walden University’s Mission and Vision
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Reflecting on Academic and Professional Goals in Light of DNP Essentials and Walden University’s Mission and Vision
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Essentials comprises eight key areas that define the scope and focus of practice for nurses at the DNP level. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) developed the DNP Essentials in 2006 to provide guidance and direction for the rapidly evolving nursing field. Disease Causation Theory is the most widely accepted theory of disease causation. According to Garira and Maregere (2023), the theory states that the interaction of environmental and biological factors causes diseases. Biological factors include genes, viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Environmental factors include lifestyle choices, environment, and pollution exposure (Garira & Maregere, 2023). The DNP Essentials tie nicely with the Disease Causation Theory because they also focus on how different causal factors interact to create disease. More importantly, the DNP essentials look closely at how the nursing practice can exploit the various avenues of intervention to prevent and treat disease at the individual and population levels (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). A nurse practitioner at the DNP level is uniquely positioned to apply the knowledge in order to provide comprehensive patient-centered care. This paper reflects on my professional and academic goals in light of social determinants of health (SDH) and how this relates to Walden University’s mission and vision.
The environment and the social context comprise two of the essential components of Disease Causation Theory, which is a model for explaining the factors influencing the development of diseases. On the other hand, the concept of SDH extends the exploration of these components by exploring how social, economic, and political factors impact health outcomes (Alderwick & Gottlieb, 2019; Palmer et al., 2019). According to the theory of SDH, access to healthcare, education, employment, and housing can affect public health. Thus, social determinants of health and disease causation are two intricately interconnected concepts that must be considered when attempting to improve the health of individuals and populations (Garira & Maregere, 2023; Palmer et al., 2019).
In light of this, Walden University’s mission and vision are directly linked to the social determinants of health concept. Walden University is committed to providing affordable, high-quality education that prepares nurses to work in a global, diverse society to create positive social change (Walden University, n.d.). This mission is achieved through a focus on social justice, which includes a commitment to addressing the root causes of health disparities. In other words, Walden University recognizes that SDH play a significant role in the development and progression of diseases. In addition, Walden University’s DNP curriculum is designed to impart nurses with the skills and knowledge needed to holistical...
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