Integrating Human-Centered Approaches to Align Doctor of Nursing Practice Curriculum With Real-World Practice

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, preparing nurse leaders for today’s complex health care environment, must support needed competencies and provide fresh, innovative strategies that align with real-world practices. A traditional postgraduate DNP program created an integrated curriculum and expanded the leadership thread to incorporate a contemporary and evidence-based theoretical framework, Human-Centered Leadership in Healthcare. This leadership theory with its highly relational approach between leaders, peer leaders, and teams quickly resonated with students. Two DNP final projects and their positive outcomes are shared. The Human-Centered Leadership in Healthcare framework offers promise in restoring joy, meaning, and excellence to leaders in education and practice.