DNP-Authored Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 2011-2021

Background: With an increasing number of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) graduates, the volume of peer-reviewed journal publications among DNP-prepared nurses is rising.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to quantify, analyze, and categorize DNP-authored peer-reviewed journal publications.

Methods: A descriptive research design was used to analyze DNP-authored peer-reviewed journal publications in the WorldCat, EBSCO Discovery Service, and PubMed databases from 2011 through 2021.

Results: The 3839 journal publications included at least one DNP-prepared nurse author. There were 2495 (65%) publications with a DNP first author, 921 (24%) with a DNP solo author, and 2918 (76%) included publication collaboration. The majority of publications were practice- (40%), nursing- (17%), and education-focused (15%). Science translation in evidence-based practice and quality improvement publications accounted for 24%.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the proliferation of DNP-authored peer-reviewed journal publications, which may indicate an increase in the number of nursing care quality initiatives occurring in the clinical setting.