DNP Students Present Doctoral Scholarly Projects
(April 17, 2025) — The School of Nursing’s 10th annual doctoral scholars showcase featured two dozen defense presentations conducted by students from the school’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.
Thirty-three students participated in the two-day showcase March 21-22 on Wisconsin Avenue with a reception held in Copley Formal Lounge. In addition to 23 defense presentations, 10 doctoral students, who will complete their defense presentations at a later date, delivered poster presentations.
“We are extremely proud of all of our Georgetown DNP students who have reached this important professional and academic milestone,” said Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, FACHE, ANEF, FAAN, associate professor of nursing and executive director of leadership, policy, and DNP education. “The faculty are excited for them to continue building upon their doctoral scholarly work to transform clinical practice, health care leadership, and policy.”
The school offers two DNP pathways — a post-master’s Executive Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in Health Systems Leadership and Policy and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to DNP program for baccalaureate-prepared nurses interested in one of four advanced practice clinical specialties.
Both programs are distance-based and combine online classes with in-person learning experiences that allow participants to receive a Georgetown education and advance their impact on health care without leaving their communities.
Davis says the DNP degree was created to translate evidence into practice and reduce the significant lag time between discovery of best practices through empirical research and their adoption in health care delivery systems.
“Practices that are not based on current evidence in clinical settings can literally be the difference between life and death for patients,” he says.
Davis adds that DNP-prepared nurses can help ensure that evidence-based management practices, such as shared governance, translate to clinician engagement and retention, improved clinical outcomes, and better financial performance.
Information about all School of Nursing 2025 doctoral projects can be found on the Doctoral Projects webpage.
Doctoral Scholars Showcase
More than two dozen DNP students presented their scholarly work and celebrated at a reception held in Copley Formal Lounge in March.
During student presentations, fellow students and faculty are encouraged to ask probing questions. Brandy Wadsworth responds to questions about her project on improving communication and mental health support for patients with sexually transmitted infections.
Lisa Caplin, DNP, NP-C, asks a question during an oral presentation.
Margaret Brassinga presents her project on a quality improvement initiative related to enhancing sleep for patients on a neurological specialty unit.
Margaret Brassinga and Lisa Caplin, DNP, NP-C.
(left to right) Krista White, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNE; Carol Taylor, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN; and faculty listen as Jennifer Holtzbach explains her project on creating a standardized intracerebral hemorrhage alert system.
DNP students and faculty gathered on the steps of Healy Hall.