The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials: A New Model for Advanced Practice Nursing

Mary Zaccagnini, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC is a clinical assistant professor ad Honorem at the University Of Minnesota, School Of Nursing. Dr. Zaccagnini received her undergrad degree at St. Catherine’s University, and her master’s and doctorate at the University of Minnesota. During her tenure at the university, Dr. Zaccagnini was coordinator for the Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist Program, was an instructor and coordinator for undergrad and graduate programs, and an instructor for the gerontological, neurologic and oncology clinical and didactic classes. Her career in nursing education has focused on preparing advanced practice nurses for practice in acute care settings and undergraduate nurses for practice in medical-surgical and gerontological nursing. Dr. Zaccagnini’s scholarship was focused on developing a volunteer resourced computer center in a long-term care facility in order to assist residents in developing a social network and thereby decreasing social isolation. Prior to teaching, Dr. Zaccagnini practiced as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in oncology, pain management, and palliative care in acute care institutions. Additionally, she developed pain management and palliative care programs and practice for hospitals in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. She has authored three editions of the book The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials, A New Model for Advanced Practice Nursing, published various nursing articles and authored chapters in medical surgical and pain nursing books. Additionally, she volunteered and assisted with studies on PAD and managing side effects post breast cancer, as well as the production of a video and book on PAD. Dr. Zaccagnini was a national speaker on the topics of pain management and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. She is certified by the ANCC as an Adult Clinical Nurse Specialist, and has held the office of president for the Minnesota Affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists and treasurer for the Minnesota APRN coalition. Dr. Judith Pechacek has served as a professional nurse in a variety of settings for forty years. Her practice career was spent as a general staff nurse, nurse leader, manager and nurse executive. In 2013, she accepted a faculty position at the University of Minnesota, school of nursing, teaching in the Health, Innovation and leadership track in the Doctorate of Nursing program (DNP). In 2015, she assumed overall leadership for the DNP program, the largest hybrid - DNP program in the nation with over 300 full time students in eleven specialties. Her teaching responsibilities have focused on leadership, quality, business and global studies. Her scholarship is dedicated to interprofessional practice and the connectionto quality patient outcomes. Most recently Dr. Pechacek was named as the Senior Quality Nurse Scholar and faculty member for the Veterans Administration Quality Scholars (VAQS) Fellowship program. She also serves on multiple boards in the community, as a University committee member and is actively raising two teenagers on her Century farm in Rural Minnesota.