Tara Walker, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC
Assistant Professor (Clinical)
140 Cohn, 5557 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48202ej0304@wayne.edu
313-577-3647
Office hours
By appointment
Tara Walker, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC
Bio Sketch
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.
Education
- 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
Research Interests
- 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
Clinical Area(s) of Expertise
- 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
Selected publications
- 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.
Courses taught by Tara Walker, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC
Winter Term 2025 (future)
Fall Term 2024
- NUR4060 - Transition of Nursing Knowledge into Practice
- NUR7444 - Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan for APRNs
Spring-Summer Term 2024
Fall Term 2023
Spring-Summer Term 2023
Winter Term 2023
Fall Term 2022
Spring-Summer Term 2022
Winter Term 2022
Recent university news spotlights
- Team of Wayne State nursing faculty receives Office of Minority Health grant to reduce barriers to colorectal cancer screening and opioid overdose prevention in metro Detroit
- College of Nursing trio celebrates 10th anniversary of graduation and more than a decade of friendship
- Book by WSU nursing professors becoming authoritative source on urban, racial health disparities