title: Community/public health nursing practice leaders' views of the doctorate of nursing practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper presents thoughts of practice leaders in the community/public health nursing (C/PHN) specialty on advanced nursing practice (ANP) and the necessary educational preparation for such practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Practice leaders were engaged in conversations specifically focused on the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as preparation for ANP in their specialties, and asked to consider the benefits of, and challenges to, this educational program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resulting remarks were then assessed for themes by the interviewers and these are presented along with thoughts on the future of education for ANP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, there was much agreement among the practice leaders interviewed about the importance of a broad skill set for ANP in the specialty. However, the practice leaders interviewed here also identified the practical challenges involved in educating nurses at the DNP level in the C/PHN specialty, as well as some concerns about the definitions of ANP for the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina, #1080, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. susan_m_swider@rush.edu
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Swider
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cowell
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Breakwell
authors.forename: Pearl
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallinder
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000193:education