A Review of Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects With International Implementation: Lessons Learned

BACKGROUND: Nurses pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree must complete a scholarly project that competently applies evidence-based practice. This review analyzed 31 international DNP projects conducted in a United States school of nursing between 2013 and 2024. METHOD: Extracted data included project title, country, completion year, student involvement (solo or group project), and available publication citations. Informal interviews with project mentors informed identification of key themes and lessons learned. RESULTS: Projects were implemented across 13 countries and submitted for publication. Mentor interviews and project records highlighted the importance of bidirectional partnerships, ethical engagement, sustainability, and institutional support. Barriers included logistical challenges, costs, and navigating ethical approvals. CONCLUSION: Global health offices within academic nursing institutions can facilitate international DNP projects by navigating challenges and fostering bidirectional learning and partnerships. Broader data collection and formal qualitative analysis are needed to strengthen recommendations for international DNP project implementation.