Student name

Capella University

NURS-FPX8024

Professor Name

Submission Date

Midway Evolution

1. As you navigate through the halfway point of your DNP project courses, what specific goals have you identified for your personal, professional, and leadership development, and how do you envision these goals evolving as you progress further in your coursework?

By the midpoint of my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project courses, I intend to improve my ability to critically assess and apply evidence-based interventions to facilitate patient outcomes. The DNP position is focused on leadership, evidence-based practice, and system-level thinking to equip nurses with the ability to change the healthcare delivery and outcomes (Rivaz et al., 2021). At the personal level, I would wish to improve time management and resilience to be in a position to balance academic, clinical and personal life. On a professional level, I would like to gain new knowledge on quality improvement, integration and application of technology to enhance safe and sustainable nursing practice. As a leader, I will ensure that I build interprofessional collaboration, change management teams, and patient-centered care. These goals extend to greater autonomy, influence and innovation as I go.

Rivaz, M., Shokrollahi, P., Setoodegan, E., & Sharif, F. (2021). Exploring the necessity of establishing a doctor of nursing practice program from experts’ views: A qualitative study. BioMed Central Medical Education, 21(1), 328. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02758-w

2. Reflect on your feelings about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and implicit bias. How do these principles shape your actions and decisions in your designated discipline? How does implicit bias impact your development as a professional and leader?

I consider diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles to form the basis of the safe, ethical and patient-centered nursing practice. Bias-aware and culturally competent nursing has been identified as the solution to disparities reduction and enhancing health equity (Teixeira et al., 2024). The principles guide me to treat every interaction with cultural humility and make care multisectoral and responsive to the values and needs of the patients. The values also influence my relationship with other students, as I respect and cooperate with others in diverse teams. Detection of implicit bias is significant since assumptions that are not analyzed can hinder decision-making, promote inequalities, and limit leadership abilities. Through reflection and bias-addressing, I become a better professional and grow to be more authentic, empathetic, and inclusive leadership, as well as promote equity in care delivery.

Teixeira, G., Picoito, R., Gaspar, F., & Lucas, P. (2024). Cultural competence and nursing work environment: Impact on culturally congruent care in Portuguese multicultural healthcare units. Healthcare, 12(23), e2430. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12232430

3. How has your writing evolved, and what specific strategies or skills have contributed to this progress? Additionally, what areas do you still hope to refine or develop further in the second half of your coursework?

This has led to the improvement of my writing as it became more structured, evidence-based, and academic in tone, which enabled me to convey the ideas more clearly and specifically. My approach to academic writing has been enhanced through strategies such as the use of feedback provided by instructors, rehearsal of critical assessment of sources, and systematic application of the American Psychology Association (APA) guideline. APA guidelines are used to give a structure to the writing of academic papers (Keepers et al., 2020). I also got to know how to synthesize the literature more, to make the research, theory, and practice connected. Further on, I would like to master the ability to build stronger arguments, improve conciseness, and develop critical analysis to the doctoral level.

Keepers, G. A., Fochtmann, L. J., Anzia, J. M., Benjamin, S., Lyness, J. M., Mojtabai, R., Servis, M., Walaszek, A., Buckley, P., Lenzenweger, M. F., Young, A. S., Degenhardt, A., & Hong, S. H. (2020). The American Psychiatric Association practice guideline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 177(9), 868–872. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.177901

4. Reflecting on your academic journey thus far, how has your motivation and commitment to self-care evolved throughout the program? Identify specific strategies or practices that have nurtured your well-being and impacted your motivation. Looking ahead, describe how you intend to prioritize self-care and maintain motivation as you continue your studies. Furthermore, consider what actions you plan to take for yourself to ensure your continued well-being and success.

In retrospect, regarding my learning journey, my interest and commitment to self-care have grown as the program demanded more. I was focusing on academic achievement, but I have realized that I need well-being to stay motivated and productive. Strategies such as incorporation of exercise into the routine, meditation, and draw boundary between school and personal life have played a significant role in coping with stress and remaining motivated. Self-care practices need to be a regular habit in order to succeed in academics and professional resilience (Campoli, 2024). Self-care is a priority that I will engage in in the future by maintaining regular routines, finding the support of peers and mentors, and relaxing.

Campoli, J., & Cummings, J. A. (2024). “Becoming a person who does self-care”: How health care trainees naturalistically develop successful self-care practices. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 11. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205231223321