The second edition of this distinguished text―designed for use across the entire DNP curriculum―defines practice scholarship for the DNP-prepared professional nurse and promotes the development of key leadership skills needed to effectively influence healthcare policy and improve outcomes. Weaving the eight AACN DNP competencies throughout, the second edition clarifies, updates, and demonstrates their application. The text incorporates updates to the AACN’s 2015 position statement, The DNP: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations, and the Institute of Medicine’s The Future of Nursing report, and delivers new content from nationally recognized nurse leaders.

Focusing heavily on improving aggregate care, strengthening leadership roles, and influencing health policy, the second edition continues to address APRN and nurse executive roles, health information technology, outcomes measurement, and the relationship of the DNP graduate to ongoing scholarship. The text’s challenging and thoughtprovoking content is of particular value not only to students, but also to professors who will welcome the clarity it offers to the highly complex DNP curriculum.