Abstract
Background: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse scholars represent professionals prepared with evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies that are essential to respond to challenges and address opportunities to transform healthcare. However, evidence suggests there is a need to improve EBP skills among practicing nurses (Melnyk, et al., 2021). Innovative ways are needed to integrate EBP content in curriculum to optimize DNP students’ attainment of these competencies.
Purpose: This longitudinal study evaluates how implementing an innovative competency-based education (CBE) approach to incrementally introduce learning opportunities in courses offered throughout a DNP program demonstrates students’ progress towards achieving EBP competencies.
Methods: Four courses were designed to incrementally introduce EBP skills in the DNP plan of study. The courses focused on skills such as, scholarly writing, identifying a need for practice change, critically appraising and synthesizing evidence, collaborating with practice partners and developing a plan to improve and evaluate practice. At baseline and at the conclusion of each of the courses, students completed the EBP Competencies for Practicing Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Nurses survey to rate their competence related to 24 consensus-based EBP skills on a 4-point Likert scale including the responses: 1=not competent, 2=needs improvement, 3=competent, and 4=highly competent (Melnyk, 2023). Students also reflected on their learning by answering an open-ended question summarizing what they learned. Quantitative changes in students’ EBP competency level were evaluated. Qualitative analysis was conducted by two researchers to identify common themes among responses.
Results: Students’ ratings demonstrated growth in EBP skills and indicated they felt competent in the majority of EBP competencies at the completion of the courses. Students’ reflections suggested they felt more prepared to engage in DNP scholarship, more engaged with practice organizations, and valued learning how to formulate EBP questions, critically appraise evidence, and develop a plan to implement practice change.
Conclusions: Students benefitted from the incremental introduction of EBP competencies throughout the DNP program of study. Using an innovative CBE approach to scaffold learning experiences and assessments was an effective way for students to incrementally gain EBP competencies and progress along the continuum towards proficiency.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Phi Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Curriculum Development, Competence, Nursing Education, Advances in Education, EBP Competence, Evidence-based Practice Skills, DNP Students, Doctor of Nursing Practice Students, Competency-based Education
Recommended Citation
Whitt, Karen J. and Kesten, Karen, "Developing Nurse Scholars: An Innovative Strategy to Introduce EBP Competencies in a DNP Program" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 203.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/203
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-08
Funder(s)
Sigma Theta Tau International. Phi Epsilon Chapter
Developing Nurse Scholars: An Innovative Strategy to Introduce EBP Competencies in a DNP Program
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Background: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse scholars represent professionals prepared with evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies that are essential to respond to challenges and address opportunities to transform healthcare. However, evidence suggests there is a need to improve EBP skills among practicing nurses (Melnyk, et al., 2021). Innovative ways are needed to integrate EBP content in curriculum to optimize DNP students’ attainment of these competencies.
Purpose: This longitudinal study evaluates how implementing an innovative competency-based education (CBE) approach to incrementally introduce learning opportunities in courses offered throughout a DNP program demonstrates students’ progress towards achieving EBP competencies.
Methods: Four courses were designed to incrementally introduce EBP skills in the DNP plan of study. The courses focused on skills such as, scholarly writing, identifying a need for practice change, critically appraising and synthesizing evidence, collaborating with practice partners and developing a plan to improve and evaluate practice. At baseline and at the conclusion of each of the courses, students completed the EBP Competencies for Practicing Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Nurses survey to rate their competence related to 24 consensus-based EBP skills on a 4-point Likert scale including the responses: 1=not competent, 2=needs improvement, 3=competent, and 4=highly competent (Melnyk, 2023). Students also reflected on their learning by answering an open-ended question summarizing what they learned. Quantitative changes in students’ EBP competency level were evaluated. Qualitative analysis was conducted by two researchers to identify common themes among responses.
Results: Students’ ratings demonstrated growth in EBP skills and indicated they felt competent in the majority of EBP competencies at the completion of the courses. Students’ reflections suggested they felt more prepared to engage in DNP scholarship, more engaged with practice organizations, and valued learning how to formulate EBP questions, critically appraise evidence, and develop a plan to implement practice change.
Conclusions: Students benefitted from the incremental introduction of EBP competencies throughout the DNP program of study. Using an innovative CBE approach to scaffold learning experiences and assessments was an effective way for students to incrementally gain EBP competencies and progress along the continuum towards proficiency.
Description
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepared nurse scholars are essential to respond to challenges and transform healthcare. This study examines how implementing innovative best practices using a competency-based education (CBE) approach to scaffold learning opportunities throughout a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program demonstrates students’ progress towards achieving evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies.