Recently, KU School of Nursing alumna Clare Fox, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMGT-BC, DNP '22, was featured on The University of Kansas Health System's Take Five show for work she started during her Doctor of Nursing Practice education.

Read Clare's thoughts on how her project, Reducing Violence Against Nurses through the Implementation of a Violence Risk Assessment Tool, came to fruition and is now being used to help nurses with workplace safety.

What’s it like to have your DNP project used in your workplace setting?

It’s been incredibly rewarding to have my DNP project implemented and actively used in my workplace. Workplace violence in healthcare has serious consequences for both employees and patients, so addressing it in a meaningful way is essential. The University of Kansas Health System has been intentional about prioritizing prevention efforts that support a culture of respect, safety and accountability. I had the opportunity to partner with an outstanding team to implement a violence risk assessment tool, the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA), in the inpatient setting to promote identification of escalating behaviors to implement earlier interventions to reduce the risk of violence. While implementation is an ongoing process and there is still more work ahead, I’m proud to work at a health system that is continually strengthening safter and care for employees and patients.

How did your DNP studies prepare you for your role now?

The DNP program at the University of Kansas School of Nursing prepared me for my current role as a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner by strengthening my clinical thinking and system-level perspective. I gained knowledge and experiences that enhanced my ability to provide high-quality, safe care that also addresses patients’ holistic needs. The program challenged me to reframe how I view patient barriers to care and to approach complex situations with curiosity and with a non-judgemental mindset. That approach supports a stronger therapeutic relationship and helps build a partnership built on trust. My DNP studies also reinforced the importance of collaborating within an interdisciplinary team to advocate for process improvements that enhance the delivery and accessibility of care. Overall, the program instilled a commitment to continuing to learn and grow professionally to better serve my patients, my profession and my community.

What would you tell someone who is currently working on their DNP project or what would you have liked to know as a student?

I would encourage students to choose a project that is both meaningful to them and realistically feasible to complete in their practice setting. I found that early and ongoing stakeholder support is key as engaging leadership and frontline staff from the beginning makes a significant difference in implementation and sustainability of the project. Leaning on faculty mentors throughout the process is also essential, as their guidance and feedback support both the successful execution of the project and professional growth as a student. Looking back, I did not fully appreciate home much my DNP project could shape my clinical practice after graduation. I learned that a DNP project can continue to grow, evolve and influence patient care, clinical practice and system-level change long after completing the DNP program.