Tara L. Walker DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC (ej0304)

Assistant Professor (Clinical)

140 Cohn, 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202

By appointment

Over the course of her 24 years in the nursing profession, Dr. Walker has demonstrated effective clinical practice, leadership and inter/intra-professional collaboration necessary for successful implementation of multiple health care initiatives at the systems level to promote patient care outcomes and improve hospital throughput with the end goal of increasing access to care and decreasing length of stay. Her doctor of nursing practice degree has enhanced her abilities and equipped her with the necessary tools to translate research into clinical practice to promote optimal patient outcomes and improved financial metrics. As a leader in health care, Dr. Walker has worked on task force groups to implement programs at the systems level that include: same-day discharge of low-risk cardiology patients in the Ascension Health hospital system; created a registered nurse learning module to improve knowledge of medication side effects to improve hospital consumer assessment of health care providers and systems (HCAHPS) scores for St. John Health System; and implemented a statewide black maternal health disparities social media campaign to raise community awareness.

• DNP, Wayne State University
• MSN/MBA, University of Phoenix
• BSN, University of Rochester
• Certifications:
  • ANCC Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Graduate Certificate Nursing Education - Wayne State University

• Quality improvement involving translation of evidence-based interventions in clinical practice
• Strategies for length of stay
• Nursing mentorship and doctoral student retention
• Black maternal health disparities
• Community awareness

Project types:

• Quality improvement
• Program evaluation

Theoretical frameworks:

• Diffusion of innovation
• Neuman Systems Model
• Watson's Caring Theory
• Benner's Novice to Expert

Methodologies:

• Lewin's Change Model
• Kotter's Change Management Model
• PDSA

• Program evaluation and quality improvement projects in the areas of acute care, emergency department, and cardiology
• Past DNP projects:
  • Strategies for length of stay reduction
  • Nursing Mentorship
  • CLABSI reduction
  • 30-day readmission rates reduction
  • Transitional care
  • End of life care-acute care setting
  • Early mobility
  • Ultrasound guided peripherally inserted central catheter lines

• McNeill, C., Walker, T. , Stephens, U. (2023). Reflective Journaling: Assessing Competencies for Advanced Practice Nursing Students. Nurse Educator | DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001369
• McNeill, C., Stephens, U., and Walker, T (2022). Urban health: A practical application for clinical based learning. Wayne State University Library Systems. https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_textbooks. (CC-BY-NC 4.0)
• Villaseñor, S., Walker, T., Fetters, L., & McCoy, M. (2017). e-Prescribing in the acute care setting: Determining the educational and motivational needs of healthcare providers. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 35(8), 392-400.
• Casida, J., Crane, P., Walker, T., Wargo, L. (2012). Elaboration of leadership and culture in high-performing nursing units of hospitals as perceived by staff nurses. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An International Journal, 26( 4), 241- 261.
• Collaboration with students: Adwada, L. Walker, T., McCoy, M. (2022). Implementing a Mhealth Application for Middle Eastern Heart Failure Patients. A Quality Improvement Project. Poster presentation for the WSU Contemporary Issues in Urban Health conference at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
• Darsa, N., Walker, T., Villasenor, S., Boudreau, K. (2022). Improving Postoperative Transfer of Care Through a Structured Handoff System: A Quality Improvement Project. Poster presentation for the WSU Contemporary Issues in Urban Health conference at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.