Leveraging Technology to Enhance Doctor of Nursing Practice Student Health Policy Engagement

Abstract

Background Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) students need to develop health policy competencies. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing formed the Faculty Policy Think Tank (FPTT) in 2015, which developed recommendations about health policy curriculum at all levels of nursing education including the DNP. Problem Prior to the FPTT recommendations, there were no standardized examples of health policy competencies and their evaluation. Approach A DNP health policy course was redesigned based on the FPTT recommendations. Technological capabilities were leveraged to provide an active and experiential learning environment integrating the concepts of cultural competence, health equity, and social awareness. Outcomes At the conclusion of the course, DNP students are actively engaged in health policy and have increased confidence in their advocacy abilities. Conclusions Providing DNP students with an experiential, technologically driven learning platform gives students practical tools and applications they can use beyond the classroom to influence health policy.