A doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a scholarly project that focuses on translating theoretical and clinical knowledge and skills into practice. A DNP project is to take a broad area of concern and turn it into a focused problem to improve healthcare. The purpose of a DNP is to contribute to existing body of nursing knowledge and evidence-based practice in care. It also seeks to prepare student for DNP-prepared nurse leader and change agent roles. Moreover, it helps to demonstrate students’ ability to apply advanced nursing knowledge and skills to solve complex practice problems.

The first step in writing a DNP project is identifying a practice issue or problem that needs improvement. In other words, identify opportunities for implementing evidence-based practices to imporve patient care, enhance health outcomes, and address certain health issues. The issue could be addressing the prevalence of chronic diseases, improving medication safety, infection control, and coordination of care. The next step in creating a DNP project is crafting a PICOT (patient, intervention, comparison, outcome, and timeline) question. A PICOT question helps to guide literature search, project design, and evaluation plan.

The next step in the process of writing a DNP project is selecting a theoretical or conceptual framework. The most common frameworks used in DNP projects, include Lewin’s Change Theory and Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory. The use of theories provides a foundation for understanding the issue of concern and influences the design of an intervention. The next step is conducting a literature review to identify research that answer the PICOT question. Nursing students writing their DNP projects can use databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. The next step is to develop a project proposal and a project outline. The next step is to start writing.