Purpose

The purpose of this DNP Reflective Portfolio is twofold, to:

1. Reflect on what you have learned and how you have grown professionally during your DNP program
2. Demonstrate your professional development and how you have met the DNP Essentials and SPU DNP Program Outcomes.

The DNP Reflective Portfolio guides students to appreciate the knowledge they gain, and to assess and evaluate how this new knowledge has changed their professional practice. Through reflection and inquiry, students are able to ask questions of themselves and begin to discover a new vision for their future practice as a DNP prepared APRN.

Process

Quarterly Reflections

Quarterly reflections will aid you in writing your yearly and summative reflections.  Every quarter you should add a short reflection addressing the following questions to your Typhon portfolio:

1. Reflecting on your reasons for returning for an advanced degree and your plans after graduation, how has your course work and growth in your new knowledge and skills helped to inch you closer to a new vision for your future practice as a DNP prepared APRN?
2. Reflecting on your quarter, the content presented, and the growth in your learning, how has it influenced your philosophy of advanced nursing practice and your role as a leader and change agent within the healthcare system?
3. For the DNP Essentials and Program Outcomes this quarter (listed in your course syllabi) describe how you were able to meet those essentials and outcomes through your coursework and reflective learning process.

Artifacts

You are also encouraged to upload artifacts from each of your courses at the end of each quarter, which will support and illustrate your reflections.  These documents do not replace your reflections; they are meant to support your written reflections. You may find it helpful to reference the SHS Program Outcomes and Doctoral Education Essentials section of course syllabi to find assignments identified by faculty as meeting specific objectives.

Yearly and Summative Reflections

The core of your portfolio will be comprised of written reflections at the conclusion of each year of the DNP Program, before the beginning of Autumn Quarter, with a final summative reflection* in NUR 7938 Immersion or NUR 7939 Synthesis course, depending on your curriculum. For each DNP Essential and associated Program Outcome(s), include 1-2 summary paragraphs describing how you achieved the Essential and Program Outcome. At least one exemplar artifact must be included for each summary with descriptions of how exemplars demonstrate achievement of the Program Outcomes and DNP Essentials. Written reflections also include what best demonstrates the outcomes of your learning; what were the major milestones and achievements in your transformative educational journey. (Quarterly reflections will help you write the yearly and summative reflections.) 

A reflection must be completed before students can gain access to NUR 7995 and NUR 7932/36 course modules. Part time students should also complete a yearly reflection following NUR 6103, prior to entering NUR 7309, which will be reviewed prior to entry into the NUR 7995 course modules.

Completing Your DNP Reflective Portfolio

Guiding Questions

The following questions can be used as a stimulus for your reflection on your educational journey in the DNP program.

1. How has your DNP educational experience informed and guided your professional practice?
2. How has your philosophy of nursing practice/role as a leader and change agent in the healthcare system changed?
3. What knowledge/skills do you see as key to the DNP-prepared APRN in your specialty area? How did you acquire this knowledge/skills and has it influenced or changed your current nursing philosophy and practice?
4. For each DNP Essential and Program Outcome, reflect on which courses, assignments, experiences helped you meet the essential/outcome. How have you changed and grown professionally?
5. Why is the role of the DNP-prepared APRN essential to helping meet the future healthcare needs of our patient population and society’s needs to improve the healthcare system?
6. Where do you envision yourself professionally 5 years from now, and how has the DNP program contributed to this vision?

Required Elements

Your portfolio must include the following components to be complete.

1)    Home Page

A short statement including:

1. Why you are seeking a doctoral degree.
2. What you hope to gain from your education
3. What you plan to do after graduation.

2)    Professional Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Certifications (BLS, Nurse Educator, NRP, etc.)
3. Other professional documents you would like to share

3)    Yearly and Summative Reflections

Each reflection should demonstrate how you have met specific AACN Essentials and corresponding Program Outcomes, include supporting artifacts.  See above (Yearly and Summative Reflections) to determine when you are required to complete specific reflections. 

Each of the following elements should be included in every reflection:

1. A narrative reflecting on what you have learned and how you have grown professionally.
2. A reflective narrative describing how you have achieved the DNP Essential and corresponding Program Outcome and how the exemplar(s)/artifact(s) you include from the related courses demonstrate that achievement.
3. Course artifacts/exemplars, as indicated above under "Artifacts".

4)    Quarterly Reflections

Quarterly reflections capture thoughts and concepts that will be incorporated into Yearly and Summative Reflections.  They are required but will not be reviewed in depth as they are intended to be a tool for you as a student.  Be sure to include thoughts and artifacts that will be helpful to you in completing your Yearly and Summative Reflections.