While enrolled within three sequential semesters of course and field work, a masters level advanced practice nurse student gained and applied knowledge related to EBP in the classroom and during a preceptor guided practicum experience in a state supported cancer screening program within a major cancer center setting. The graduate student worked with course faculty, a preceptor and her outreach worker along with other stakeholders to develop leadership skills in a culturally and linguistically tailored clinic setting serving uninsured and underinsured Asian-Indio women. At the same time, the student developed, implemented and evaluated an educational intervention in the community setting to address the importance of early detection of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer within this select population using evidence found in the literature to guide the intervention. An EBP Model was used to guide the project. By serving in the role of “project leader or champion” the student developed critical thinking and problem solving skills to bring about transformative change and positive outcomes in the project setting, community, and those patients she interacted with as educator and provider.
Student involvement in both the clinic and capstone educational project is supported by the Master’s Essentials of Nursing (AACN, 2011). As noted in the Essentials, graduate education should prepare students to “lead change to provide quality outcomes” (p. 3) and to “translate evidence into practice” (p. 4). The specific Essentials that are met throughout the capstone project experience include II, IV, and IX. For example, the student adopted a leadership role in conducting an environment and stakeholder assessment, adopting a change agent role, and influencing outcomes at a community and system level.
A discussion of the project exemplar will highlight student and faculty perceptions related to the experience. Lessons learned will be shared and have implications for future graduate nursing education-practice endeavors. Combining EBP classroom work with that of a culminating project at the graduate level can foster the leadership development skills needed to progress from student role to that of a novice or beginning advanced practice nurse while impacting positive patient and community outcomes.