Purpose 

The purpose of this assignment is to provide the student with an opportunity to explore the nurse practitioner (NP) practice requirements in his/her state of practice, NP competencies and leadership skills to develop a plan to support professional development. 

Activity Learning Outcomes 

Through this assignment, the student will demonstrate the ability to: 

1. Examine roles and competencies of advanced practice nurses essential to performing as leaders and advocates of holistic, safe, and quality care. (CO1)  
2. Analyze essential skills needed to lead within the context of complex systems. (CO3) 
3. Explore the process of scholarship engagement to improve health and healthcare outcomes in various settings. (CO4) 

 Requirements: 

1. The APN Professional Development Plan paper is worth 200 points and will be graded on the quality of the content, use of citations, use of Standard English grammar, sentence structure, and overall organization based on the required components as summarized in the directions and grading criteria/rubric. 
2. Submit the paper as a Microsoft Word Document, which is the required format at Chamberlain University. You are encouraged to use the APA Academic Writer and Grammarly tools when creating your assignment. 
3. Follow the directions below and the grading criteria located in the rubric closely. Any questions about this paper may be posted under the Q & A Forum or emailed to your faculty. 
4. The length of the paper should be 5-8 pages, excluding title page and reference page(s). 
5. Support ideas with a minimum of 3 scholarly resources. Scholarly resources do not include your textbook. You may need to use more than 3 scholarly resources to fully support your ideas. 
6. You may use first person voice when discussing information specific to your personal practice or skills.  
7. Current edition APA format is required with both a title page and reference page(s). Use the following as Level 1 headings to denote the sections of your paper (Level 1 headings use upper- and lower-case letters and are bold and centered): 
   • APN Professional Development Plan (This is the paper introduction. In APA format, a restatement of the paper title, centered and not bold serves as the heading of the introduction section) 
   • APN Scope of Practice 
   • Nurse Practitioner (NONPF) Core Competencies  
   • Leadership Skills 
   • Conclusion 

Directions: 

1. Introduction: Provide an overview of what will be covered in the paper. Introduction should include general statements on scope of practice, competencies, and leadership, and identification of the purpose of the paper. 
2. APN Scope of Practice: Research the Nurse Practice Act and APN scope of practice guidelines for the state in which you intend to practice after graduation. Describe the educational, licensure, and regulatory requirements for that state in your own words. Identify whether your state allows full, limited, or restricted NP practice. Discuss NP prescriptive authority in your state. Provide support from at least one scholarly source. Source may be the regulatory body that governs nursing practice in your state. 
3. Nurse Practitioner (NONPF) Core Competencies: Review the NONPF Core Competencies. Describe two competency areas you believe to be personal strengths and two competency areas in which you have opportunities for growth. Discuss two scholarly activities you could do during the master’s program to help yourself achieve NP competencies. Provide support from at least one scholarly source. Source may be NONPF Core Competencies document provided via the link in the week 2 readings. 
4. Leadership Skills: Analyze three leadership skills required to lead as an NP within complex systems. Describe two strategies you could use to help you develop NP leadership skills. Provide support from at least one scholarly source. Textbooks are not considered scholarly sources. 
5. Conclusion: Provide a conclusion, including a brief summary of what you discussed in the paper. 

 APA Formatting   

Formatting follows current edition APA Manual guidelines for  

1. title page 
2. running head 
3. body of paper (including citations and headings) 
4. reference page 

 Writing Mechanics  

Writing mechanics follow the rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, punctuation, and other aspects of formal written work as found in the current edition of the APA manual. The length of the paper is at least 5 pages but no more than 8 pages.  

 Topic 3:  Claire runs cross country in college, and lately, her times have not improved.  She knows she needs adequate carbohydrates to keep her body fueled.  Typically, her food intake consists of cheese sticks and a glass of orange juice for breakfast; a peanut butter sandwich, apple, bag of pretzels, and sweetened tea for lunch; spaghetti with marinara sauce, garlic, bread, salad, and a glass of milk for dinner; and orange for her evening snack.  Lately, she is feeling tired and has to wear a sweatshirt in class to keep warm. She is also having trouble concentrating.  What do you think is causing Claire’s problem, and why?  What would you recommend? 

 

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide the student with the opportunity to explore and explain verbal, non-verbal, and written communication at the highest professional level. This assignment allows for the assimilation of professional leadership competencies as a doctorally prepared practice scholar. Assignment content supports professional formation, communication, and dissemination of skills relevant to the DNP practice scholar.

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

CO3: Differentiate attributes of effective leaders and followers in influencing healthcare. (PO 6)

CO4: Assimilate attributes for intra-/inter-professional collaboration across healthcare settings (PO 8)

CO5: Formulate selected strategies for leadership and influence across healthcare systems. (PO 8)

Due Date(s)

The Late Assignment Policy applies to this assignment.

The assignment title is due by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 5.

Total points possible: 350 points.

Preparing the Assignment

Follow these guidelines when completing each component of this assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions. It is each student’s responsibility to save and maintain all artifacts required in the e-Portfolio

1. The assignment will include the following components within 5-7 pages (not including title page or reference page):
   1. Title Page (Title matches the first-page title)
   2. Use the following required Level 1 headings:
      1. Verbal Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      2. Non-verbal Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      3. Written Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      4. Conclusion
   3. Introduction (Note: Do not use “Introduction” as a heading). Place the paper’s title on the first line.
      1. In a brief paragraph, introduce your paper’s topic and establish its importance.
      2. Present a clear purpose statement and a mini-outline, in sentence format, of the paper. The best introductions outline the paper according to the major sections in the assignment guidelines (which are the required level 1 headings for the body of the paper).
   4. Verbal Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      1. This section describes the leadership competency of verbal communication for the DNP practice scholar.
      2. Present your understanding of the components, comportment, and collaborative nature of effective and ineffective verbal communication as a leader.
   5. Non-Verbal Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      1. This section describes the leadership competency of non-verbal communication for the DNP practice scholar.
      2. Present your understanding of the positive and negative behaviors of non-verbal communication as a leader and examples of each.
   6. Written Communication Competencies and the Practice Scholar
      1. This section describes the leadership competency of written communication for the DNP practice scholar.
      2. Include your understanding of (a) professional tone & style, (b) use of standard English, and (c) strategies for effective writing as a DNP leader in documents such as emails, memos, curricula vitarum, grant proposals, white papers, poster presentations, project dissemination manuscripts, and other formal written forms of professional leadership communication.
   7. Conclusion
      1. Recap the paper’s purpose statement and mini-outline criteria.
      2. Draw major conclusions from the body of your paper.
      3. Summarize the importance of effective communication competencies for the DNP leader.
   8. Clarity of writing
      1. Use consistent standard English grammar and sentence structure is evident throughout the paper. The sentences and wording should be clear and concise, without slang, colloquialisms, street language, or conversational style.
      2. Paper should be generally free of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and typographical errors.
      3. The paper should be organized and use the required Level I Headings headers and others as needed to organize the content.

 

Create a 5–7 slide presentation (with detailed speaker’s notes) on how you would select, foster collaboration among, and educate a team dedicated to solving a diversity issue.

Assessments 1 and 2 are scenario-based, so you must complete them in the order in which they are presented.

Finding, organizing, and motivating teams is a key leadership skill as is the ability to communicate and present information.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply qualities, skills and practices used by effective healthcare leaders.
  • Outline goals and initial priorities that reasonably reflect the project.
• Competency 2: Apply practices that facilitate effective interprofessional collaboration.
  • Outline a plan that effectively fosters interprofessional group collaboration.
• Competency 3: Apply ethical codes and diversity best practices in health care organizations.
  • Define the composition of a team with characteristics that could effectively address a diversity issue.
  • Describe the basic characteristics of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
  • Explain the benefits of promoting and supporting diversity within an organization using scholarly resources.
• Competency 4: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella’s writing standards.
  • Create an organized presentation that clearly communicates all specified content.

 

Overview

In this assessment you will continue your work on the project by creating a 5–7 slide PowerPoint presentation for the diversity project kickoff meeting.

Preparation

• View the PowerPoint Presentation Instructions for guidelines and hints for an effective presentation.
• Download the PowerPoint Template found in the resources and use it to complete this assessment.

Scenario

Imagine that Lynette follows up with you in an e-mail shortly after reading your views on leadership and collaboration:

Hi,
Thanks for sending me your thoughts last week on the diversity issue at the clinic. Your next step is to select a team of professionals who can help you in this project and prepare an introduction of the project for a first meeting with them.
I want you to prepare a presentation to serve as a brief, but substantive introduction for the first meeting with a group of 4–5 members who will participate on the committee tasked with addressing the diversity issue. Once I review more information about the proposed team I can help you with the recruitment. The presentation should be 5–7 minutes and use 6–8 slides with detailed speaker’s notes so I can understand your approach. Not a lot of time or space, so keep things pretty high level. Do the following:
Briefly outline the project goals and highlight 2–3 of the initial priorities to be addressed by the group. Also, explain why they are important.
Explain the composition of the team and why you chose them. Note that you will not know the exact individuals yet, but assume we will recruit the people with the desired qualities and characteristics that you outline in the presentation. Consider the following:Include a group of professionals you believe can help define the problem and ultimately make recommendations on how to address it.
Make sure each member is either trained in, sensitive to, or has experience with the concept of workplace diversity.
Give some thought to having some members from outside the organization.
Provide member profiles: their diversity, qualifications, experience, internal versus external, and so forth.
Explain your role and describe how the committee will work together and achieve effective interprofessional collaboration.Describe how the group will communicate. How and when they will meet.
Describe how ideas will be shared and decisions made.
Describe roles, group function, and structure.
Describe the basic characteristics of a diverse workplace.
Provide a convincing argument regarding the benefits of a diverse workforce using support from current research.Thanks,
Lynette

Instructions

Create a 5–7 slide presentation in response to the content defined in the above scenario and submit it in the courseroom.

Presentation Guidelines

• Length: 5–7 PowerPoint slides (not including title slide) that would accompany an approximately 5-minute oral presentation.
• Notes: Prepare detailed speaker’s notes describing items on each slide so that the viewer can accurately interpret the deeper meanings and intentions that would have been conveyed orally. Support your claims, arguments, and conclusions with credible evidence from 2–3 current, scholarly or professional sources.
• Visuals: Create visuals that are easily read and interpreted. Use colors, fonts, and formatting and other design principles that make the information clear and generally add to the aesthetic of the presentation.

Please refer to the scoring guide for details on how your assessment will be evaluated.

Grading Rubric:

1- Outline goals and initial priorities that reasonably reflect the project. 

Passing Grade:  Outlines insightful and goals and initial priorities that accurately reflect the project, along with reasonably stated assumptions. 

2-  Define the composition of a team with characteristics that could effectively address a diversity issue. 

Passing Grade:  Defines the composition of a team, with characteristics that is highly diverse and well equipped to effectively address a diversity issue. 

3-  Outline a plan that effectively fosters interprofessional group collaboration. 

Passing Grade:  Outlines a plan that effectively fosters interprofessional group collaboration and includes multiple proven methodologies. 

4-  Describe the basic characteristics of a diverse and inclusive workplace. 

Passing Grade:  Describes the basic characteristics of a diverse and inclusive workplace, with support from scholarly resources. 

5-  Explain the benefits of promoting and supporting diversity within an organization using scholarly resources. 

Passing Grade:  Explains the benefits of promoting and supporting diversity within an organization, using scholarly resources that include specific examples of where it has worked. 

6-  Create an organized presentation that clearly communicates all specified content. 

Passing Grade:  Creates an organized presentation that clearly communicates all specified content, using effective visuals and detailed descriptive speaker’s notes.