Increasing complexities of nursing practice, healthcare delivery, payment systems, technology, and knowledge development are drivers of current shifts in the healthcare market; these in turn have led to advancing roles and responsibilities for nurses that require higher education. This book effectively addresses many of these shifts. This thoughtful book from Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) leaders pulls together information from across systems leadership to define the parameters of DNP education, improvement projects both for academic credit but also for system redesign, and competencies expected of DNP graduates. The book prepares DNP students and graduates through broad explication of complex systems, systems thinking, and complexity leadership. Nurses with advanced education in systems thinking and processes can apply second-order problem-solving to rectify ill-designed processes, lack of standardization, and poorly functioning teams. To achieve these aims and alleviate preventable harm, nurses must accept and embrace new models of leadership that move beyond the managerial horizontal approaches; vertical leadership development reinforces reflective practices for thinking deeply about care provided and the systems that surround daily work. The book addresses these new, necessary competencies, culling expertise from a wide variety of chapter authors. This ground-breaking book helps fill these gaps in defining leadership development for DNP graduates and their role in leading system redesign improvement. The book leads DNP students, faculty, and graduates through germane content to create these vitally needed practice environments. It also provides clear explication of the differences between the research-focused PhD and the clinically focused DNP, and ways they can integrate. By delivering up-to-date information about improvement work in healthcare systems for DNP students and graduates, this must-read book for faculty, students, and clinicians offers hope for achieving the quality goals that will provide the right care for the right patient at the right time, every time.
