Using the Situated Model of Learning in Leadership with FNP DNP students in projects that integrate primary care and public health objectives

The Primary Care and Public Health report advocates for facilitating the integration of public health and primary care, requiring a workforce with leadership capabilities to transcend boundaries between the two sectors. At our college of nursing, faculty who teach primary care and public health collaborate in the education of Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students, who graduate as Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP). For their DNP projects, students develop a system or care delivery program that improves measurable outcomes for a population, addressing at the population level their role in providing primary care services. The Model of Situated Learning in Leadership (based on Benner et al. [2010]) provides a leadership framework for their projects. Public health faculty teach students to work with community partners, conduct a community assessment, identify areas needing change and gather data to support the need and evaluate the changes. Faculty coach students in leading the needed changes and in integrating coursework (also including organizational leadership, health care policy and finance) with project experiences. People with intellectual disabilities are a population who would benefit from improved integration of public health and primary care. Rates of chronic conditions are high. The risk ratio of hospitalization for ambulatory sensitive conditions is 6.1. FNP DNP projects to improve care coordination between regulatory agencies, family and community supports and primary care for this population provide examples of educating FNP DNP students to take leadership in collaborating to bridge the gap between primary care and public health in the care of populations.