| Course | DNP 606 Principles of Pediatric Acute Care I |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 5 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post and replies |
| Length | About 344 words |
| Format | Discussion post with APA 7 citations |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for DNP 606 Module 5
DB 3: Interprofessional Practice at the Handoff
Passing the Baton Safely: Interprofessional Practice and Structured Handoffs in Pediatric Acute Care
Initial Post
A near miss. During a PICU shift change, the outgoing resident mentioned that a 6-year-old after cardiac surgery was "on heparin." The nurse had a different infusion rate from the one in the latest order, and the pharmacist was not part of the handoff. The discrepancy was caught at the bedside an hour later. Nobody was careless; the information simply lived in three different heads.
The competencies. The national core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice group the skills into four domains, covering shared values and ethics, knowing each profession's role, communicating across professions, and working as a team (Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016). This near miss was mainly a communication and roles failure: each profession assumed another had confirmed the order.
Evidence for structured handoffs. I-PASS gave residents one script for spoken and written handoffs. Its letters stand for illness severity, a brief patient summary, an action list, what to watch for with a backup plan, and the receiver reading it all back. In nine pediatric residency programs and 10,740 admissions, medical errors fell 23%, preventable adverse events fell 30%, and handoffs took no longer (Starmer et al., 2014).
A cautious view. A Cochrane review of nine studies of practice-based interprofessional collaboration interventions, such as interprofessional rounds, meetings and checklists, found that they may slightly improve outcomes and adherence to recommended practice, though the evidence was rated low certainty (Reeves et al., 2017). Structure helps, but it must be used consistently and adapted to the unit.
The nurse practitioner's role. Pediatric acute care NPs often provide continuity across shifts and work across disciplines. On my unit, I would advocate for I-PASS-style handoffs that include the bedside nurse and, for high-risk infusions, a pharmacist check, and I would model the receiver's synthesis step every time.
Reply to a Classmate (Families at Handoff)
You asked whether families should take part. Family-centered rounds and handoffs can catch errors too; parents often know the current infusion or allergy better than anyone in the room.
References
Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2016). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: 2016 update. https://www.ipecollaborative.org/ipec-core-competencies
Reeves, S., Pelone, F., Harrison, R., Goldman, J., & Zwarenstein, M. (2017). Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6), Article CD000072. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000072.pub3
Starmer, A. J., Spector, N. D., Srivastava, R., West, D. C., Rosenbluth, G., Allen, A. D., Noble, E. L., Tse, L. L., Dalal, A. K., Keohane, C. A., Lipsitz, S. R., Rothschild, J. M., Wien, M. F., Yoon, C. S., Zigmont, K. R., Wilson, K. M., O'Toole, J. K., Solan, L. G., Aylor, M., ... Landrigan, C. P. (2014). Changes in medical errors after implementation of a handoff program. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(19), 1803-1812. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1405556
Reading the DNP 606 Module 5 assignment instructions
Discussion board 3 sits in the neurology week of the posted syllabus and takes interprofessional practice as its topic. Like the other graded boards, it is student led, so the syllabus expects original thinking that sparks replies and pulls ideas together. Initial posts are due by Tuesday evening, Arizona time, with comments on classmates' posts and responses to all replies on your own post closing Friday at 11:59 p.m. Evidence and APA format are required. Expect to connect a real experience of teamwork in pediatric acute care with a framework, such as the interprofessional core competencies, and with research on what improves collaboration, then describe the nurse practitioner's part in it.
How this DNP 606 Module 5 example is built
The post opens with a concrete near miss from a PICU shift change. It then names the four core competency domains and identifies which ones failed. An evidence section reports the I-PASS handoff study with its results, and a second section weighs a Cochrane review's low-certainty findings, giving a balanced view. The post closes with specific actions a pediatric acute care nurse practitioner could take on the unit. A short reply addresses including families. Three sources support it: the competency framework, the handoff study and the Cochrane review. The near miss is composite and carries no identifying details. The actions at the end are specific enough that a unit could adopt them next month.
DNP 606 Module 5 rubric: what earns full marks
Expect grading on originality, a specific example of interprofessional practice, accurate use of a framework, appraisal of evidence, a clear statement of the nurse practitioner's role, engagement with peers and APA format. Posts earn more when they analyze why teamwork failed or succeeded, not only that it matters. Pairing a strong study with a cautious review shows critical appraisal. Concrete actions, such as structured handoffs that include pharmacists, demonstrate application. Thoughtful replies that extend the discussion, for example to families, also count. Faculty may also notice whether the post explains why a structure such as I-PASS works, for instance by giving the receiver a synthesis step.
DNP 606 Module 5 help from the desk
A common weakness is a general essay on teamwork without a real example. Start with a situation you saw. Another is citing only studies that support one view; include the limits. Keep identifiers out of the example. To get help with your own interprofessional post, describe the situation to the desk without patient details. Name the competency domain your example shows. Respond to every comment on your post by Friday. Tie your example to one competency domain and one study, rather than listing all four domains in general terms. Keep any example free of names, dates and unit details, and ask a classmate a direct question in your first post to start the thread.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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DNP 606 Module 5 questions, answered
Where can I find a free DNP 606 Module 5 sample paper?
Read the full DNP 606 discussion board 3 sample on interprofessional practice and structured handoffs, with the I-PASS evidence, on this page.
What are the interprofessional core competencies?
Four domains: shared values and ethics, understanding each other's roles, communication across professions and teamwork.
What is I-PASS?
A handoff script whose letters cover how sick the patient is, a brief summary, tasks to do, what could go wrong with a backup plan and the receiver's read-back.
Did I-PASS reduce errors?
Yes. Across nine pediatric programs, errors dropped 23% and preventable harm 30% once it was in place.
What does DNP 606 discussion board 3 cover?
Interprofessional practice, posted in the neurology week with replies due by Friday.