NR 705 Week 6

NR 705 Week 6

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-705: DNP Project & Practicum II

Prof. Name:

Date

Week 6

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is prepared to serve in multiple advanced roles, particularly those focused on leadership and organizational management. These roles are crucial for future nurse executives, as they require the ability to guide interdisciplinary teams, manage limited resources, and cultivate collaboration. Effective leadership has a direct impact on improving patient outcomes, ensuring safety, and enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of healthcare organizations. Strong leadership competencies also position the DNP to influence healthcare policy, lead practice innovations, and ensure high standards of quality in care delivery.

As a DNP, I understand that my leadership capacity plays a pivotal role in the success of my practice initiatives. My strengths in self-awareness, self-regulation, and communication are critical for promoting collaboration, motivating team members, and addressing resistance to change. However, I also recognize time management as a skill requiring further improvement. Committing to professional growth in this area will allow me to achieve greater efficiency in balancing project demands, patient needs, and administrative responsibilities.

Leadership Skills as a DNP

Self-Awareness and Self-Management

One of the primary leadership qualities I contribute is self-awareness. This skill involves recognizing my strengths, weaknesses, and the ways my behavior impacts others in professional settings (Friedman et al., 2021). By engaging in regular reflection and critical self-assessment, I can evaluate how my decisions and communication influence both patients and colleagues.

Self-management builds on this by allowing me to regulate my emotional responses, adapt to challenges, and use my strengths to address complex issues. Together, these abilities promote trust and respect within healthcare teams. Maintaining a high level of self-awareness and self-control ensures that practice changes are introduced in a constructive and inclusive way, ultimately fostering strong relationships with stakeholders and supporting long-term organizational improvements.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is another key competency that underpins successful leadership. As a DNP project leader, I am responsible for clearly articulating the vision, goals, and expectations to all stakeholders. Transparent communication ensures that concerns are addressed, feedback is incorporated, and collaboration is maintained across diverse teams.

Strong communication fosters trust and shared accountability, which is essential for stakeholder buy-in. Additionally, it enhances clarity of roles and responsibilities, minimizing misunderstandings and promoting efficiency in project execution. By using structured strategies such as regular briefings, debriefings, and digital communication tools, I can strengthen engagement and ensure that all members feel valued and informed.

Time Management

Although I demonstrate strengths in self-awareness and communication, I acknowledge time management as an area requiring development. Currently, my organizational strategies are functional but not consistently efficient. To improve, I plan to adopt structured schedules at the daily, weekly, and monthly levels, prioritizing high-value and time-sensitive tasks.

Additionally, I intend to incorporate digital tools such as scheduling software, time-tracking applications, and AI-enabled reminders (e.g., Siri, Google Assistant) to optimize task organization. Enrolling in professional development workshops that focus on time management will further provide evidence-based techniques to increase productivity and ensure balanced workload management.

Table: Summary of Leadership Skills

Role of the Preceptor

The collaboration between a learner and preceptor can be compared to a professional partnership, where mutual commitment and shared responsibilities contribute to success. During the development of my project proposal, my preceptor played a vital role by providing constructive feedback, proposing effective solutions, and cultivating a safe and supportive learning environment.

Her guidance significantly contributed to strengthening the theoretical foundation of my work and refining my methodological approach. The feedback she provided was not only comprehensive but also delivered in a timely and constructive manner, allowing me to integrate revisions seamlessly. By fostering a non-judgmental environment, she encouraged self-confidence and growth, enabling me to learn from challenges while continuing to advance my academic and professional work.

NR 705 Week 6

Beyond her function as a preceptor, she embodied the qualities of a mentor and role model. Her extensive experience in both clinical and academic nursing highlighted the potential professional accomplishments achievable through commitment and lifelong learning. Her research expertise emphasized the importance of inquiry and evidence-based practice in advancing nursing as a discipline.

The mentorship experience has been transformative, providing me with motivation, confidence, and inspiration to pursue excellence in my professional journey. By modeling leadership, scholarship, and resilience, my preceptor has shown me the pathways to success as a future DNP leader.

References

Friedman, A., Hancock, B., & Thompson, P. A. (2021). Data-based self-awareness as the foundation for effective leadership. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 51(10), 478–480. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001057

NR 705 Week 6