Transformative Learning in an Online Doctor of Nursing Practice Population Health Course

Background: Population health is a critical component of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education, providing the foundation for clinical prevention, health equity, responsible policy, and practice change. Many DNP learners enter population health courses focused on individual patient care in microsystems. Transformative learning broadens learners' perspectives about health determinants and implications for health system transformation. Method: Transformative learning strategies were imbedded in a 10-week, online population health course. Students engaged with readings and multimedia content and wrote anonymous reflective analyses about population health determinants. Qualitative survey data were explored for transformative content using line-by-line content analysis. The stages of transformative learning were used as a priori codes. Results: Learners questioned their own beliefs and epistemologies and demonstrated all aspects of transformative learning, although not equally across course topics. Conclusion: To achieve the promised outcomes of DNP education, population health content should be professionally transformative and integrated across the curriculum.