A regional consortium for doctor of nursing practice education: Integrating improvement science into the curriculum

The DNP curriculum prepares the graduate for evidence informed improvement translation through coursework integrating improvement, safety, and translation sciences. Innovative leadership skills are necessary to lead inter-professional unit-based and health system opportunities. Equipping the DNP with the necessary skills and competencies to accomplish any type of improvement translation requires exposure to the tools and techniques of these sciences with an emphasis in didactic content. With a foundational knowledge of the principles for improvement, translation and application will follow. It is imperative theoretical underpinnings of translational science are taught, and that the students be expected to apply these concepts in “real word” circumstances. Thus, the DNP student is afforded opportunities during their DNP program to participate in a “learning lab” for evidence informed improvement translation. In essence, the courses within the program are designed to allow conversion from theory into practice.