It is crucial to plan a direct practice improvement (DPI) project, and developing a budget is a part of that process. The budget in Appendix A includes diverse types of costs and justifies them. The present paper explains the different types of costs, demonstrating how and why a budget is important for the project and nursing in general, in particular, due to the limited nature of accessed resources.
As can be seen in Appendix A, most costs are not directly applicable to the project, but their consideration was still required because their funding was alternatively produced (provided by the clinic). Indeed, the budget incorporates a fixed (not variable, that is, not fluctuating based on volume) and direct (directly related to producing the project) cost of the labor of one individual, who will assist with extracting the data (Flaherty, Grasso, & Aiena, 2017). Furthermore, the budget includes some money meant to cover the miscellaneous expenses should an unexpected one be required. Additionally, the budget recognizes the need for a lot of resources, including the time and effort of the researcher, the space and equipment of the clinic, as well as the materials provided by the clinic, all of which will not be paid for and will be provided for free. Travel is acknowledged as a source of expenses for the participants, but it will not be reimbursed. Overall, the need for diverse resources is acknowledged in the project’s budget.
Budgeting is a critical skill in many fields, and nursing is not an exception. Zaccagnini and Pechacek (2019) highlight its importance for nursing projects, and Flaherty et al. (2017) and Moore (2018) discuss it outside of such constraints. All these sources recommend that nurses, especially those in leadership roles, become familiar with key economic terms and concepts because of their involvement in resource allocation in healthcare. In a quality improvement project, the budget ensures that all the key resources are available; in leadership roles, its understanding assists in the management of the limited resources in an efficient way (Moore, 2018).
The recognition and appreciation of the resources provided by the project’s site are important from this perspective because the organizational budget will be impacted by it. Thus, the budget is there to ensure that the project can be carried out, and it demonstrates the use of a skill that nurses need to develop for successful resource management. The limited nature of the resources and the need to manage them carefully are particularly crucial in this regard.
References
Flaherty, E, Grasso, A., & Aiena, C. (2017). Resource management. In L.A. Joel (Ed.), Advanced practice nursing: Essentials for role development (pp. 165–183). FA Davis.
Moore, B. (2018). Healthcare economics is essential for the nursing profession. In C. King, S. Gerard, & C. Rapp (Eds.), Essential knowledge for CNL and APRN nurse leaders (pp. 183–196). Springer.
Zaccagnini, M., & Pechacek, J. M. (2019). The doctor of nursing practice essentials: A new model for advanced practice nursing. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Appendix A
DNP-840 DPI Project Budget
Directions: Complete the following table for your DPI Project Budget. For each portion, much is answered. If one portion does not apply to your project, an explanation needs to be given as to why.