Optimizing the Role of Doctor of Nursing Practice–Prepared Perioperative Nurses in Quality and Safety

ABSTRACT Surgical care is becoming more complex, and hospitals are under amplified pressure to improve quality and prevent harm. Ongoing sentinel events, such as wrong‐site surgery and retained surgical items, indicate that important safety errors persist and require system‐level solutions. Doctor of nursing practice (DNP)–prepared perioperative nurses are well positioned to lead system‐level improvements by using evidence‐based practice, quality improvement, and implementation science to translate research into practice and develop sustainable improvements over time. This article describes how DNP‐prepared perioperative nurses lead and strengthen safety and quality initiatives in the perioperative practice setting. This article applies The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, with a focus on Domain 5 (Quality and Safety), to connect DNP scholarly project work to measurable perioperative safety outcomes. Practical guidance is provided to support alignment of DNP‐led scholarly projects with the strategic priorities of the organization.