The DNP capstone project (most often referred to as a DNP final project) takes place near the end of your DNP program. It is your opportunity to take your newly acquired competencies achieved through DNP coursework and clinical experiences and design a project that is focused on positively impacting healthcare outcomes, either through direct clinical nursing care or indirectly from the systems side of nursing. As a culminating project, the goal is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of newly acquired skills and knowledge. A successful DNP capstone project reflects the scope of the student’s doctoral level work and focuses on a meaningful change to healthcare outcomes.
Note: The term “DNP capstone project” has given way to the term “DNP final project” in recent years due to the AACN’s 2015 call for nursing schools to use a term that distinguishes the DNP project from other graduate-level projects.
Your final DNP project is an investigation of an area of nursing practice, the healthcare delivery system, or a healthcare policy issue that aligns with the scope of your doctoral work. It’s your time to translate health research into practice, preparing you to make the transition to the role of active practitioner in the delivery of informed, quality healthcare.
Your final DNP project will be unique to you, although all DNP projects should:
Featured Programs:
Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Featured Program: Doctor of Nursing Practice
- Feature a systems or population/aggregate focus
- Demonstrate how it can be implemented into your area of practice
- Include a realistic plan for sustainability
- Include an evaluation of the project’s results
- Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship
