Skip to Main Content

DNP in Practice: Keeping Current

Overview

Once you are in practice, it is important to stay current in your profession and with the lifelong learning associated with evidence-based practice. Check out the resources on this page to assist you with that endeavor.

Health Policy Institutes

Health Policy Institutes and Think Tanks can be great partners. They also publish quite a bit of research.

Here are some great examples:

TMC Health Policy Institute

  • Seeks to drive innovative, evidence-based initiatives throughout member institutions
  • Aims to increase access to care through innovative initiatives

Center for Health Policy at the Brookings Institution

  • Dedicated to providing practical solutions that achieve high-quality, innovative, and affordable health care throughout the United States
  • Conducts research, develops policy recommendations,a nd provides technical expertise to test and evaluate innovative healthcare strategies

Professional Memberships

Professional memberships can be invaluable. They provide a place to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and gather information. This is also a place where you can mentor others.

National Institute of Nursing Research

NINR aims to:

  • Build the scientific foundation for clinical practice
  • Prevent disease and disability
  • Manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness
  • Enhance end-of-life and palliative care

Other Resources

Podcasts are usually free and are a great way to:

  • Listen to experts in the field
  • Discover thinkers and leaders in your field
  • Keep up with current trends
  • Often sponsored by reliable sources like the American Journal of Nursing

Resources at your location

Your place of work may offer access to:

  • Subscription databases
  • Apps
  • A medical librarian
  • Etc.

Some of these resources may be portable if you wind up leaving to work elsewhere.

Freely Available Resources

There is a lot of good stuff out there. Take advanage of it!

Google Scholar Advanced (Go to Google Scholar, then find advanced in the menu)
NICE Evidence Search (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, UK)
PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database)
•Translational Science Institutes
•And more!

Low-cost Resources

Some things are worth the subscription price in order to stay current in your field.

Consider the following:

  • Journals that come with professional memberships
  • Subscribing to trade journals
    • Practical
    • Current
    • Focused on you and your peer group
    • Ex: Nurse Leader
  • TRIP Database
    • Reliable, EBP search engine for healthcare providers and researchers
    • Low-cost individual subscriptions
    • Free access to Clinical Practice Guidelines citations