The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is a relatively new clinical leadership and practice position that is evolving in terms of benefit to primary care. As a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) in a primary setting, my calling is to work with families and children. Advanced practice nursing is unique in that nursing is the cornerstone to practice, rather than medicine. My nursing background provides for a broader perspective, and approaches healthcare with not a fix-it-or-fail mentality, but rather an understanding that a variety of principles govern life and health. The processes that define life and make us unique can work in accordance or in conflict; I strive to find resolutions to these conflicts by identifying and alleviating the pain of maladaptive psycho-social-spiritual dissension. I do this by promoting and stimulating personal growth in others, and especially so in pediatric populations.
My practice adheres to a blend of three theories: the theory of goal attainment (by Imogene King), Roy’s adaption model (by Callista Roy), and the Neuman systems model (by Betty Neuman). These theories recognize dynamic interpersonal relationships between the biological, psychological, and social parts of a person, and explain how roles, stress, space, and time are key factors in the creation and attainment of life goals and lifestyle practices. Understanding how individuals react to stress and illness will help me to support my patients during life adjustments. In caring for the family unit and little ones, I will promote bodily systemic stability, a mental-emotional environment conducive to healing when ill, and healthy adjustment-making when life and role changes occur. I am an avid goal setter, and I encourage this kind of long-term thinking in a variety of contexts, including my patients’ personal healths. I love to encourage and foster the growth of the people around me so that they can achieve their dreams and adapt well to change.
As an FNP, I hope to maintain long-term relationships as a primary provider for my clientele. I will adjust my practice to the unique needs of each patient, teaching health-promotion guidelines to support optimal functioning along a continuum wellness, while incorporating a diverse and culturally sensitive approach to care. The key word to a nursing practice foundation is care – the FNP cares physically for patients in terms of diagnostics and intervention, and cares mentally, spiritually, and psychologically, building a trusting relationship with each patient that leads to education, personal growth, and better health. I am building my decision-making and critical-thinking skills now to deliver the best evidence-based practical solutions and client teaching in my future practice.
I also believe that servanthood is the basis of leadership, and I practice leading extra-curricular work activities, committees, and volunteer projects. My contributions to leadership and volunteer work now are paving the way for my future intention to become a pediatric DNP in the U.S. Air Force. I enjoy teaching others how to live healthier lives, and in doing so, I gain an understanding about patterns of human behavior. I love to encourage and collaborate with my patients, involving and empowering them in their own care and decision making. I can apply this to pediatric practice, fostering behaviors that will last a lifetime and maintaining stable family units. I want to guide my patients and their families to make well-informed decisions so they can successfully navigate through the various cognitive and developmental stages set out for them.
Further down the road, I hope to attain positions of leadership that give me the opportunity to make changes to our health delivery system that reduce its complexity while better serving the people. To strengthen bridges between medical and nursing communities, I will participate in university teaching, mentoring programs, and councils that govern our practice acts, which will fulfill my desire to participate in the promotion of nursing leadership, a fundamental pillar of Institute of Medicine (American Nurses Association, 2010) and Campaign for Action (2017) recommendations. I will advocate for autonomy among nurse practitioners, pushing for high educational standards and equality. By recognizing the building blocks of society – family, church, work, school, cultural groups, and others, I will honor this profession and the practice of health promotion to be used on a large scale and make greater changes to health policy both in the U.S. and globally.
American Nurses Association. (2010). IOM future of nursing report. Available from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/workforce/IOM-Future-of-Nursing-Report-1
CampaignForAction.org. (2017). Future of nursing: Campaign for action. Retrieved from https://campaignforaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Campaign-Successes-9.14.17.pdf