Reference no: EM133785109

Question: Nursing is a very diverse career with opportunities for nurses to pursue many different roles. It is also a career that offers numerous opportunities for continued education and degree advancement. At the associate degree level of nursing, many nurses are focused on bedside care and managing patients. While these nurses can be charge nurses and change agents, they often do not have some of the skills and research knowledge that comes with a more advanced degree. At the baccalaureate level of nursing, the nurse has had an opportunity to embark on some research within their time in school and to further expand on knowledge beneficial to patient care. Once someone obtains a masters degree in nursing, they have often chosen a specific specialty to focus on and learn on more in depth. This is when we start to see more established leadership qualities and more concrete knowledge on specific areas develop. When comparing leadership and roles of the DNP-prepared nurse to the PhD-prepared nurse, there are similar expectations. However, the DNP-prepared nurse is more likely to act in a role that translates research to practice in the clinical setting while the PhD-prepared nurse is more involved in conducting research and leading in policy reform. At the DNP level, expectations are often raised. What is expected of this nurse is enhanced in comparison to those at prior listed levels due to their prolonged education, research, and terminal degree. DNP prepared staff are expected to act as leaders who display proficiency in asserting control, influence, and power in professional and personal areas including advocating for patients and the nursing profession. (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2021, p. 32) They are expected to have more enhanced leadership skills, act as mentors for others, and help produce change. With this degree the nurse is expected to display the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (2023) core competencies encompassing leadership, communication skills, relationship building, professionalism, business skills and principles, and overall +knowledge of the healthcare environment. This background of knowledge in teamwork, business, and the healthcare system compiles }to form a well-educated leader who will likely be given higher roles and responsibilities. When acting within these roles and responsibilities, the DNP nurse is expected to show strong skills in personal care, time management, and integration of others into the healthcare team all while supporting the organization and translating knowledge to practice to promote optimal patient care.