Want to get a DNP but need help with a research project

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Hi everyone!

I just finished my FNP program and want to go right into the DNP portion but I'm having a hard time coming up with a research topic. I have to have my topic prior to enrolling. I've been unemployed for a year due to my clinicals so I don't "see" anything in a work place that I could study.

When I was working, it was for an MCO who really prided themselves on the culture of the company, which I think made happier employees. I wanted to study about the process of changing the work place environment but really need to a focus and how it relates to patient care.

If anyone has any ideas they are welcomed. I would also like to hear from other DNP's about how they picked their topic. It sound like for the next couple of years I am going to be studying the same area and want to make sure I choose well.

Thanks

I'm thinking that extra special impressive nurse's ID will look something like this: Nancy Nurse RN BSN MSN DNP PDNPC-C (post dnp cert-certified) lol

Post DNP cert-certified!!!

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My capstone project topic was "Advances in any kind of patient monitoring." To be true, as many people here, capstone projects was a little bit pointless to me. I just wasted a lot of time and energy on it.

How I picked the topic? Done some research on a similar capstone projects topics. Also, nursing capstone was really helpful for me.

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Specializes in LTC & Private Duty Pediatrics.

All:

What is the Effect of Using Clorox Wipes versus Lotion Infused Baby Wipes during Perianal Care in Reducing Urinary Tract Infections?

How Many Licks Does it Take to Reach the Center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?

Hope this helps.

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I agree with you, my MSN research has really nothing to do with where I am now, or where I'm going. I'm at a crossroads right now and actually considering a completely different DNP program and will petition to do something completely different AND useful to my future...

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hope i never have to do another crapstone. err i mean capstone project again.

Why do they even make DNP students do this if its a clinical doctorate? Why not have them create patient cases or something and leave the capstones to the PhDs who have interest in that stuff.

DNP is trying to be the one all be all degree, has to pick a true focus if it wants people to take it seriously. I guess schools want to be able to say "become a better researcher, provider, teacher, leader, and FLAWNCE nightinge gale" all for the low price of 10000-80k or whatever these things cost.

Of course you could just pick up useful books on amazon if you really want self enlightenment. No sense in getting a further degree unless it has HARD benefits. Self enlightenment can be found from other, cheaper, and better sources than following paper writing directions from some other DNPer and getting extra collegiate letters on your whytekoat.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
No sense in getting a further degree unless it has HARD benefits.

Yeah, benefits such as additional income and additional clinical knowledge/skills. Why is that too much to ask in exchange for thousands of your hard earned dollars and several years your precious time?

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My only reason in getting the DNP is because I fouled up big time in my graduate program and took too long to decide which focus area I wanted, and was basically talked into going into administration route. I really desire to be a provider and can't seem to find any good, fast entry post graduate certificates in my area of interest (except for 1, which has only a 40% entry rate) so I'm straight into a DNP program that will allow me to have my NP and sit for boards in about the same time as the post graduate certificate would take.

As far as WHY DNP students are required to do all of this, well i'm sure it has to do with the ANA or some other governing body who decided that a terminal degree student should have some form of a comparable 'dissertation' type level work in order to be granted the degree.

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Specializes in Neurology, Psychiatry.

Well first off, your DNP will be a practice change project (quality improvement) not research based, you're going to use already published literature and data in your area. My first nursing job was in a Neuro ICU and my DNP specialty area was psych-mental health and I figured how can I overlap the two and address an important issue?? *DING* it came to me at 3am when I was asleep but I ended up implementing a depression screening protocol among post-stroke patients in the outpatient setting. I pretty much had a neurologist use the screening tool, see the results and effectiveness and then assess their comfort with using the tool. Overall, positive results - more than half of the people screened were positive for depression, the provider thought it was easy to implement and it's never done so I made a practice change!

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.
Well first off, your DNP will be a practice change project (quality improvement) not research based, you're going to use already published literature and data in your area. My first nursing job was in a Neuro ICU and my DNP specialty area was psych-mental health and I figured how can I overlap the two and address an important issue?? *DING* it came to me at 3am when I was asleep but I ended up implementing a depression screening protocol among post-stroke patients in the outpatient setting. I pretty much had a neurologist use the screening tool, see the results and effectiveness and then assess their comfort with using the tool. Overall, positive results - more than half of the people screened were positive for depression, the provider thought it was easy to implement and it's never done so I made a practice change!

Good for you!

To the OP: If you can't come up with something to explore, then why not just be happy with your MSN? I think, at this point -- with no laws actually changing requiring NP's to have doctorates.... why not only do the doctorate if you have interests beyond clinical proficiency? Oh --- actually the OP may have been the one who had to do the DNP for lack of other options right now? If that's the case... just keep researching ideas. There's GOT to be something your interested in and can flesh out in capstone. I agree you should make it worth your while, though -- too much work to put into something you care nothing about.

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