Introduction
Achieving a DNP degree will be an important step in my academic career, as it would allow me to progress towards my future goals. I chose to focus on family nursing practice in order to be able to help in resolving a variety of health problems found in people from different populations and backgrounds. I believe that a DNP degree will help me in enhancing my knowledge of nursing practice, which, in turn, would assist me in completing my career goal.
Main body
One of the key benefits of the DNP program at Delaware University is that it offers comprehensive education on practice issues related to nursing, such as leadership, policy, nurse’s clinical role, and more (University of Delaware, 2016). The variety of core courses delivered as part of the DNP program would help me in becoming a valuable part of the workforce, whether I choose to work in independent practice or at a public hospital. For instance, understanding leadership and innovation in population health will be useful in building awareness of leadership theories that apply to population health promotion and innovation in health care. Consequently, developing a thorough knowledge of these theories and learning to apply them in practice would allow me to initiate and support changes in health care. This will be useful in my further career as I want to be able to address and resolve complex healthcare issues faced by various populations.
Another important benefit of the DNP program is that it is built on the principles of evidence-based practice. Evidence-based practice allows ensuring that the care provided to patients is based on the latest research evidence. Practicing evidence-based care would help me to be effective in my work. In the 21st century, treatments and technologies develop on an on-going basis, which means that they quickly become outdated as new methods emerge. Thus, evidence-based practice allows healthcare practitioners to respond to the latest developments in medical research and to offer the best available care to patients.
However, as noted by Mulimani (2017), evidence-based care has to be provided in accordance with patient’s values, beliefs, and preferences in order to ensure high quality of care delivered. Therefore, having a good knowledge of patients and their needs will be among the core requirements of my future work. The DNP Family Health Practitioner program is designed to enhance the students’ knowledge of various populations and their health needs. For examples, the program offers specific courses on women’s and older adults’ health, which would allow me to address the needs of these populations more effectively in my practice.
Lastly, the program focuses not only on diagnostics and treatment of diseases but also on their prevention. In contemporary health care, there are many diseases that can be prevented using lifestyle changes, regular diagnostic procedures, and other preventive care. Learning about prevention strategies along with diagnostics and treatment would allow me to educate patients on disease prevention, thus ensuring better patient outcomes.
Conclusion
Overall, I believe that the course will aid me in fulfilling my future career goals. Moreover, the course will prepare me for dealing with a variety of contemporary health care issues. Becoming a family health practitioner requires extensive knowledge of diagnostic, treatment, and prevention methods, which is why I believe that the DNP program at Delaware University will help me in becoming successful in my future work.
References
Mulimani, P. S. (2017). Evidence-based practice and the evidence pyramid: A 21st century orthodontic odyssey. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 152(1), 1-8.
University of Delaware. (2016). Nursing practice (DNP). Web.