Music Therapy as A Non-Pharmacologic Intervention for Behavioral Disturbance in Dementia – The Agency is a geriatric psychiatry unit. Table of contents Title page The problem identification/Available knowledge PICO or PICOT Question Literature review, matrix (table), Development, and literature synthesis Organizational Project Information The Gap Analysis Needs Assessment Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Analysis Guiding /theoretical Framework and Change Theory Aims, Goals/Objectives Clarified Goals and SMART objective Your Introduction, The Problem and Available Knowledge sections should be completed with a PICO question. Building upon this you should add the Literature Review, Literature Matrix and Literature Synthesis, Organizational Project Information with identification of the selected project setting with Needs Assessment, stakeholders, sponsors and participants. Gap Analysis and SWOT Analysis diagrams should be included as appendices with concise explanations of your Gap Analysis and SWOT findings included in your scholarly paper. The length of the explanations will be dependent on the complexity of your problem. In addition include both the Guiding/Theoretical framework (middle range theory), and change theory, then lastly the project goal(s) and objectives will need to be included. Citations, References and Appendices should also be included, and current literature refers to preferably within 3-5 years, but no greater than 10 years. Adherence to APA 7th ed. is expected. As an Appendix you will add your updated DNP Project Charter/Action Plan (to date). The DNP Scholarly Project Paper Guiding Template Your introduction establishes the context of the problem (cultural, sociological, and/or political). Introductions should start broad and narrow down to identify the paper’s focus. The introduction is a concise yet compelling description of the problem. Share insight into how the problem was identified and any solutions that are currently being researched. Throughout the paper justify the significance of the selected problem and clearly articulate why the project is worthy of the proposed change. You ARE the project’s “strongest cheerleader, but you will gain the support of others if you “keep the spirit alive .” Introductions are captivating and inviting, so the reader gravitates further into the paper. A great way to do this is to include impressive statistics and information to make your audience want to read further into your paper. Approach your DNP Scholarly Paper and Project Proposal with the mindset that your audience has very little knowledge of your project topic and the associated details. Hence, it will be essential to take a detailed approach as you present your project information to aid in helping the audience gain an appreciation of your project. The Problem Identification/Available Knowledge The available knowledge section includes the problem background, the etiology, and scope of the problem, knowledge gaps (what is missing in the literature about the problem), the extent to which previous studies have addressed the problem, and the proposed project solution. The background places the problem into a broad context. The background should expound on the key ideas or themes you developed in the introductory section. Discuss the significance of the problem and the consequences of not addressing the problem (., morbidity, mortality, financial resources). The background will help to note where gaps exist in the literature as in where the limitations are in terms of research or review. Include what information about the problem is lacking as well as what information prevents the problem from being resolved. Be sure to discuss the extent to which previous studies or projects have attempted to address the problem. The proposed solution addresses the knowledge gap(s) that contribute to the focus of the problem from a systems perspective. PICO or PICOT Question The PICOT is an acronym for a questioning strategy used with Evidence-Based project general intervention or comparison projects. It contributes to ease in finding evidence and relevance of findings The components of the PICOT acronym are (P) population, (I) intervention, (C) comparison, (O) outcome, and (T) time. It is essential that each of these components is included in formulating the PICOT question. The PICOT question is often considered your guide in searching for relevant evidence and information. Your PICOT question will help narrow your project focus, as it will be necessary to be extremely specific on each of the components in your PICOT question. Goals and Objectives Information The Fishbone Diagram is one of the most widely used tools in Clinical Quality Improvement projects. The Fishbone Diagram is a schematic that is used to sort common causes of process variations relative to cause and effect. A diagram such as a Fishbone Diagram can aid in visualizing the causes and effects. Add a diagram to your appendix, as you will be required to speak to it in your paper. Identifying the cause and effect will help to substantiate your PICO/PICOT question. Create your PICO or PICOT question using the format. Among youth in a rural Northern California community (P), are eHealth interventions (I), compared to standard interventions (C), effective in increasing knowledge related to substance use/misuse and treatment options (O) within 80 days (T)?). Literature Review, Matrix (table) Development, and Literature Synthesis The integrated literature review, matrix table development, and literature synthesis collectively are the foundation to guide the project. The literature review should yield an abundance of information that will allow you to engage deeply in details relative to your project focus. The goal of the literature review is to summarize and critically evaluate the overall evidence so as to reveal the current state of knowledge, not simply to describe what researchers have done. Upon completing your literature search, identify 3-5 emerging themes based on your findings from the data gathered, then summarize in your own words. You will need to harvest at least 10-30 relevant articles. The literature review captures the background information of the problem, the problem scope, consequences of the problem, and gaps in knowledge, along with exploration of a possible solution. Begin the literature review process and the development of the matrix table with a description of the processes necessary to successfully complete these activities. Begin by identifying key search words relative to your project focus and the search engines you will use. Review multiple journals, and organize your articles into a matrix table. You will be required to critique the overall quality of the evidence you review as not all literature is equal. Create a Literature Review Matrix (table). Identify the following: 1. Citation, with author and year, 2. Purpose, 3. Research Design, 4. Methodology, 5. Findings, 6. Conclusion, 7. Critical Appraisal Tool & Rating. It is often helpful to include notes of importance. This tool allows for the critique of an authors’ work and organizing your resources for ease of retrieval. Utilize subject headings to organize evidence. Present the information chronologically by date of publication or alphabetically by author. A literature matrix table will summarize each of the resources selected to support your DNP project and summarize the pieces of evidence. It is also important to adhere to appropriate grammar throughout the table. The matrix should be included as an appendix. Refer to Frederiksen, L. & Phelps, S. (2017). Literature Reviews for Education and Nursing Graduate Students for in-depth information on Literature review and matrix development. [This is an Open Source, free text]. A literature matrix will be a required component of your DNP scholarly paper; hence including a concise overview of the formatting process will be necessary. According to Reavy (2016), synthesis implies a combination of ideas that make thoughtful connections of relationships and explains why the relationships are meaningful. Synthesizing means comparing different sources of evidence and highlighting similarities, differences, and connections. Successful synthesis allows an author to formulate new ideas based on the interpretation of other evidence. The results of your synthesis should yield a persuasive argument that justifies your project focus through the identification of major themes associated with the problem focus. Synthesizing the literature guides formulation of your project goals and objectives. Your goal is to help the reader understand what is available in the literature and what is lacking as it relates to your problem statement). Explain why this lack of information prevents the problem from being resolved. Identify the gaps in the literature and the limitations in terms of research or review. Build toward the most substantial evidence supporting your change. If you identify research that has previously addressed the problem, include that information at the end of the literature review section. Organizational Project Information The project team that you create will drive the project. Surrounding yourself with a team that can provide guidance, support, and expertise will be critical to the success of your project. Stakeholders can open doors for the success of your project. Building a positive relationship with supportive stakeholders by keeping them informed of the project progress is key (Reavy, 2016). Identify mentors who can be a part of your team, such as faculty, community members, content experts. For policy-focused projects you will need to identify at least five content experts to assist you in policy development. Include a rationale for why you have selected specific personnel. Your team members may change as additional types of support are needed throughout the process. Identify characteristics of the organization and population you are working with, along with the key stakeholders and project sponsors. Note that in your paper and proposal discussions, it is inappropriate to identify the specific agency name; instead, use the term “agency” and the general geographical location/setting. Discuss the congruence of your DNP project to the selected organization’s mission, goals, and strategic plan. Consider formulating a table to identify stakeholders to include as an appendix. (Zaccagnini p. 360, 2021). Project participants must also be identified, and appropriate demographics included. DIscuss inclusion and exclusion criteria as applicable. The Gap Analysis The Gap Analysis is the process of identifying the difference between current knowledge, skills, and/or practices and the desired best practice (or the desired state). Provide a description of the gap between the current and desired state, describe the unmet need, and what is needed to close the gap. A clear description of the planned interventions will allow for reproducibility by others. Consider creating a visual or table, place it in Appendix and reference its location in your DNP scholarly paper. Refer to the Gap Analysis document for more detail. Needs Assessment An organizational needs assessment is a systematic process to identify the gaps between the current condition and the ideal condition. Zaccagnini (2021) notes that a good needs assessment identifies the difference between what is and what should be; It involves scanning for problems, upcoming changes in regulations or clinical requirements, business opportunities, new mandates, etc. Develop a needs assessment specific to your organization that adequately describes the gap between best practice evidence and the current state. The needs assessment is specific to the organization and should distinguish the difference between what is and what should be with that organization. A needs assessment determines what needs to be accomplished to close the gap. It informs a project’s overall plan by helping to identify targeted strategies and prioritize resources. It examines the costs and benefits of the various ways the gap can be reduced or closed. It helps to understand what is needed in terms of time, money, and resources to achieve a particular outcome. It clarifies or determines your project objectives. Include a concise overview of the information noted in your Needs Assessment table in your scholarly paper, then consider formulating a Needs Assessment table and include it as an appendix in your DNP scholarly paper. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis Risk management is an essential part of planning your DNP project. Risk is defined as an uncertain event of conditions that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative impact on a project’s objectives. Time, cost, scope, and quality are common risks that impact any project. It is important to take such factors into consideration when planning your DNP project. Identification of risk is the first step in a risk management plan. In addition to brainstorming, interviewing, and diagramming activities for your project, the SWOT analysis is an imperative tool to use for analyzing risk. SWOT is the acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and strengths. The SWOT analysis examines the project from each SWOT perspective as a means to identify risks for consideration in your project planning. Conduct an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and place the table or diagram in the Appendix. Consider the feasibility and usefulness of the potential intervention or implementation. This might include: human resources, time involvement, adequacy of human and physical resources, training/education needs, space requirements, institutional interest, and stakeholder commitment. Consider the organization and/or populations’ readiness for the proposed intervention or practice change. What is known about patient/family/community/population preferences related to your topic? You might include information from literature and/or internal organizational data. The SWOT Analysis table and an overview of the information identified in your SWOT will be presented in your DNP scholarly paper. Guiding /Theoretical Framework and Change Theory The DNP Essentials supports using theory to create a framework for the project. A theoretical framework aids in both conceptualizing the project and supporting forward progress. Middle-range theories are often ideal for describing and explaining DNP project phenomena as they consist of a limited number of concepts and propositional statements that are straightforward. Middle-range theories in nursing are specifically designed to guide clinical practice implementation, thus providing a more appropriate clinical fit. The theoretical framework chosen should be utilized in every stage of the project, from the initial idea to the final stage of sustainability. All DNP Projects involve a change in a system or practice. This can be difficult to achieve, as change is, by nature, challenging. However, utilization of a change theory to support the process through evidence-based strategies will aid in success. Through an additional review of literature, the DNP project leader will select both a change theory and a middle-range theory to support the project. the project. An overview of each theory should focus on how phenomena are interrelated with justification for their theoretical underpinnings. The theories will serve to establish a foundation for the sustainability of the project. Discuss the theoretical or conceptual framework that guides this project and any guiding principles or programs within the organization/setting. The reader must see how your chosen framework/s frame or clinically fits your project. Examples of Conceptual Frameworks and Theories are ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation, ARCC Model, Clinical Scholar Model, Health Belief Model (HBM), IHI Breakthrough/Collaborative Model, Iowa Model, Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model, Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change, Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU), Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services Framework (PARIHS), Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory, Rosswurm and Larrabee Model, Six Sigma DMAIC Model, Stettler Model of Evidence-Based Practice, Stevens Star Model of Knowledge Translation, and The Knowledge to Action Framework. A visual is an optional means to illustrate how your chosen frameworks “frame” and inform your project, then place in the Appendix. Refer to the Theoretical or Conceptual Framework resource and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee UWM Libraries – Middle-Range Nursing Theories to guide you in determining the clinical fit of your project. Aims/Goals/Objectives Clarified There is much confusion and overlapping with the terminology of aims, goals, and objectives. Zaccagnini (2021) “defines goals as broad statements that identify future outcomes, provide overarching direction to the project, and point to the expected outcomes of the project” (Zaccagnini, 2021, p. 369). Goals should proceed objectives, and each goal will require its own objectives. “Goals are where you want to be; objectives are how you get there” (Zaccagnini, 2021, p. 369). For the purpose of conceptualization of the DNP scholarly project, Zaccagnini (2021) notes process objectives define the steps required to accomplish activities necessary to implement the project in the time frame stated. For the DNP project, goals and objectives guide project development and management. Goals and SMART Objectives Goals are broad statements that identify future outcomes, provide overarching direction to the project, and point to the expected process outcomes of the project A project may have a single overarching goal or multiple goals depending on the size of the project. Most projects will have more than one goal. Goals are developed initially and serve to determine the relative and subsequent objectives. Objectives are the actions that will move a project toward its goal(s). Each goal will likely have multiple objectives that specify the activities necessary in order to achieve the desired project goal(s). Objectives need to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-limited. Zaccagnini (2021) notes that in addition to goals and objectives, desired outcomes of the project should be identified. Outcomes describe the impact of the project and can be measured by identifying the change or impact. Outcomes can be achieved through pre and post-surveys that assess attitudes, skills and behaviors. Expect to revise the desired project outcomes as the project evolves. Review and complete the Goals (usually 1-2) & SMART Objectives (3-8) worksheet to aid in the formulation of these entities. Use this worksheet and reference(s) as a guide: How to Write a . Project Objective/Minn. DOH Website. Include your goals and respective objectives here in your paper.
