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The Quick Center’s Black Box Theatre was humming with activity on April 8, as 30 DNP candidates presented their posters and defended their research to faculty. A reception afterward drew 130 family, friends, and staff.

Research topics covered a range of nursing issues, from dealing with patient aggression, improving the quality of drug management, comparing different types of anesthesia, and assessing the suicide risk for those presenting to the Emergency Department. “Many of the projects presented focused on improving the care of patients,” noted Dean Lynn Babington. “This is clinically-focused, evidence-based research that will be used in clinical practice. The DNP students keep an e-portfolio of scholarship, and the poster presentation is just one artifact within that portfolio.”

Faculty challenged each presenter, asking, “Where would you go with this if you had funding?” or “Have you thought about building on this area of scholarship?”

Each of the students will pursue publication for his/her research. In the past two years, all eight DNP graduates have had their research published, “a remarkable record,” noted Dr. Babington.

Fairfield’s DNP program has mushroomed since it was launched in September 2010. From an original graduating class of five, it has grown to 30 this year, including the School’s first group of Nurse Anesthetists to graduate with a doctoral degree.