Professional Role Development
“Nursing research involves much planning and attention to details, yet novice and seasoned nurse researchers often overlook the day-to-day operations required to conduct research studies. Project management is a set of iterative steps that can facilitate the process of conducting nursing research” (Rew et al., 2020).
As you begin working on your nursing informatics project, consider how this project will plant the seed for your future work (in and out of an educational setting). How might what you do in this course lend itself to what you will need to do in nursing practice on a day-to-day basis? Why might it be important to consider this now versus later in your education or practice?
Throughout this course, you are tasked designing a nursing informatics project. This project is steeped in project management concepts to drive your work.
For this Discussion, you will explore why this approach might not only will assist you in this course, but how it might assist you in nursing practice beyond your studies.
Reference:
Rew, L., Cauvin, S., Cengiz, A., Pretorius, K., & Johnson, K. (2020). Application of project management tools and techniques to support nursing intervention research.
Nursing Outlook, 68 (4), 396–405. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2020.01.007
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
· Sipes, C. (2025).
Project management for the advanced practice nurse (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing.
· Chapter 8, “Case Studies: Applying Project Management Concepts and Tools” (pp. 205–235)
· Chapter 3, “Design/Initiation: Project Management—Phase 1”
(pp. 55–84)
· “SWOT” (p. 179)
· American Nurses Association. (2015).
Nursing informaticsLinks to an external site.
: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.).
· “Metastructures, Concepts, and Tools of Nursing Informatics” (pp. 2–6)
· “Professional Practice Areas for Nursing Informatics” (pp. 7-9)
· “Standard 3: Outcomes Identification” (p. 71)
· “Standard 4: Planning” (p. 72)
· Marcilly, R., Schiro, J., Beuscart-Zéphir, M. C., & Magrabi, F. (2019).
Building usability knowledge for health information technology: A usability-oriented analysis of incident reportsLinks to an external site..
Applied Clinical Informatics, 10 (3), 395–408. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1691841
· Powell, K. R., & Alexander, G. L. (2019).
Mitigating barriers to interoperability in health careLinks to an external site.
. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 23 (2).
· Rew, L., Cauvin, S., Cengiz, A., Pretorius, K., & Johnson, K. (2020).
Application of project management tools and techniques to support nursing intervention researchLinks to an external site..
Nursing Outlook, 68 (4), 396–405.
· virtualstrategist. (2016, October 19).
How to perform a SWOT AnalysisLinks to an external site.
[Video]. YouTube.
· Van de Velde, S., Kunnamo, I., Roshanov, P., Kortteisto, T., Aertgeerts, B., Vandvik, P. O., Flottorp, S., & GUIDES expert panel. (2018).
The GUIDES checklist: Development of a tool to improve the successful use of guideline-based computerised clinical decision support Links to an external site.
. Implementation Science.
To Prepare
· Review the Learning Resources for this week and reflect on the roles of advanced nursing practice as it relates to project management.
· Select one of the roles described in Chapter 8 of the Sipes text to focus on for this Discussion.
· Review the article by Rew et al. (2020) and reflect on the steps and processes used by the team described in the article.
· How might you use a similar approach for the completion of your DNP doctoral project or dissertation? What project management strategies might be most appropriate for your nursing research?
By Day 3 of Week 2
Post a response for the following:
· Explain which project management processes and techniques you believe will provide the most guidance to assist you plan and develop your DNP doctoral project or Dissertation. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 6 of Week 2
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and
respond to
at least two of your colleagues on
two different days who selected a different advanced nursing practice role than you. Expand upon your colleague’s posting or offer an alternative perspective.
RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSIION POST
Angela M
Project Management in Advanced Nursing Practice
Project management is a vital competency for advanced nursing practice, especially when leading complex initiatives such as a DNP doctoral project. According to Sipes (2020), the role of the project manager in nursing is multifaceted, encompassing planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources to meet specific goals within a defined timeline. For this discussion, I am focusing on the project manager role, which aligns closely with the leadership responsibilities required for guiding a DNP project from conception through completion.
The article by Rew et al. (2020) provides a practical example of project management in nursing research. The authors describe a team-based approach to developing a systematic review, highlighting structured planning, defined roles, and iterative feedback. One effective strategy they used was segmenting the work into manageable phases—literature search, data extraction, synthesis, and dissemination. Their use of timelines, regular team meetings, and continuous quality assurance helped ensure progress and accountability, all of which are applicable to DNP project management.
For my own DNP project, I plan to adopt a similar phase-based approach, beginning with a detailed project charter and timeline. Key project management techniques that I believe will guide me most effectively include:
1.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – This will help me deconstruct my project into actionable components such as literature review, stakeholder engagement, IRB approval, implementation, and evaluation.
2.
Gantt charts – Visual timelines will assist with tracking tasks, identifying dependencies, and managing deadlines.
3.
Stakeholder analysis and communication plans – These will ensure I engage my clinical site, mentors, and preceptors in a consistent and transparent manner throughout the project.
Moreover, the
Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle will be crucial in evaluating interventions iteratively, especially if real-time adjustments are needed. This aligns with the emphasis on quality improvement in DNP practice (Sipes, 2020). Implementing these techniques not only supports efficient project execution but also builds leadership and organizational skills critical to advanced practice nursing.
References
Rew, L., Boyer, C., & Rospenda, K. (2020). Project management for research: A process for engagement and implementation.
Nursing Outlook, 68(6), 689–697.
Sipes, C. (2020).
Project planning and management: A guide for nurses and interprofessional teams (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
