The ABCs of the doctor of nursing practice: assessing resources, building a culture of clinical scholarship, curricular models.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepares nurses to provide comprehensive care across sites and over time. It is absolutely crucial-for both patient care and the nursing profession-that broadly recognized standards of competency for these new practitioners be established. The Council for the Advancement of Comprehensive Care has met since 2000 to build consensus on competency standards and a process for certifying these graduates. Deans of five nursing schools discuss their experiences and provide guidance for schools interested in developing DNP programs.