How do I access the Community section of the site?
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Click this link to go directly to the community section of this site. The menu tab at the top of every page named Community will take you there also.
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Where are the listings of DNP programs?
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DNP programs can be found by clicking this link. They include the names of the universities, their addresses, web links, and other information collected that includes the year of their first graduating class, number of students per annual cohort, number of hours required to earn a DNP degree from MSN and BSN levels (if known), and the curriculum delivery techniques. Comments and other contact information are also available.
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Where did the vision for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) originate?
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The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has adopted a position that all advanced practice nurses, including nurse anesthetists, be educated at the practice doctorate degree level and earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). As part of its initiative, the AACN developed a document containing "essential" elements of a DNP curriculum and influenced programs offering a Nursing Doctor (ND) degree to change the degree to the DNP. This and other documents describing the origins of the DNP can be found in the bibliography section of this site.
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Are any nurse anesthesia programs accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) to offer doctoral degrees?
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The COA accredits both master's degree and doctoral degree programs. The two types of doctoral degree programs that are eligible for accreditation are practice-oriented and research-oriented. Currently there are three programs that are accredited to offer students the option of earning doctoral degrees. Rush University College of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program has been offering a doctoral degree since the mid-1980s. Very recently, the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program was approved to offer an optional DNP and Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Nurse Anesthesia was approved to offer an optional DNAP.
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Do doctoral degrees for nurses generate confusion about who is a "doctor"?
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Historically, the title "doctor" refers to both academic (PhD) and professional (MD, DDS, DPM) degrees and acknowledges a higher degree of educational attainment in an area. Traditionally, only medical doctors practicing in the hospital setting were called "doctor." It has been suggested that patients may become confused if other healthcare workers are addressed as "doctor," and trust in the doctor-patient relationship will be eroded. No evidence exists that patients are confused about who is an MD (medical doctor) or DO (doctor of osteopathy) and who is not. Nurses are proud to be nurses and routinely identify the nature of their profession and practice, regardless of the particular degree they possess. There is no credible evidence that nurses who currently hold doctorates use their credential and title in a way that misleads patients. Additionally, many states require an advanced practice nurse of any specialty or background to identify themselves as nurse practitioners to patients.
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I am a Nursing Administrator or Chief Nursing Officer. Is the DNP an appropriate terminal degree for me to pursue?
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While one of the primary intentions of a DNP was to address the need for a terminal degree for Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners, the DNP competencies also address care of aggregate patients, such as populations, systems (including information systems), organizations, and state or national policies. DNP education has an emphasis on leadership, quality, health care delivery systems, and health care policy; all important aspects int he career of a Nursing Executive.
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If I pursue a DNP, could I teach nursing in a University setting?
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The shortage of nursing faculty is of prime concern and while the DNP is a practice degree, some DNP graduates may appropriately assume the role of an educator. Additional course work in curriculum development and educational principles is recommended but some feel the DNP could make excellent faculty with the blending of education and practice. It will be up to the individual schools to determine eligibility of faculty tenure. Some universities have rigid expectations for academic tenure, while others acknowledge and respect the practice doctorate and have clinical tenure routes, similar to medicine and pharmacy.
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How do practice-oriented doctorates such as the DNP differ from the PhD?
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Doctoral programs generally fall into two categories: practice-oriented (professional) degrees and research-oriented degrees. Practice-oriented degrees prepare experts for specialized roles within disciplines. Coursework focuses on practice roles with application of scientific findings that are innovative and supported by available evidence. The practice doctorate usually culminates in a clinically oriented " capstone project" that pertains to the individual's area of specialization.
Research-oriented degrees prepare scientists and scholars who can develop programs of research that lead to advancing the knowledge and science of a discipline. PhD programs require extensive coursework in theory, research methodology, and statistics. The PhD culminates in an original research project with completion and defense of a dissertation. The two types of doctoral degrees are alternative approaches to the terminal level of educational preparation in a field.
Here's a short list of universities with DNP program's FAQ pages. Some great information is available for anyone interested. The following links are in no particular order:
Advanced practice nurses are not required to earn a DNP. However, by the year 2015 the AACN recommends that all APNs earn this degree. The changing health care delivery system has influenced the content of nursing education. Doctorally prepared APNs compared to Master’s prepared APNs are better prepared to address the complexities.
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Will a DNP prepared APN make more money?
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Some have suggested that DNP prepared nurses will be able to command a higher salary for their work. There’s no data that reflects this as a reality. Check out some of the discussion about salary, respect, and scope of practice as a result of earning the DNP degree.
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What is the scope of practice of a DNP? What about liability?
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The DNP is a degree. It is not a role. Consider this: A BSN prepared nurse may not qualify to work in the ICU – that’s a role. Similarly, the DNP prepared nurse may be an APN, or an Administrator. In all probability the breadth and depth of practice will grow as a result of the DNP degree, but there is currently no regulatory entity that requires the DNP to have a different scope of practice outside of licensure.
Similarly, liability is tied into the role and scope of practice that reflects licensure. The degree, in-and-of-itself will not increase liability. However, the expansion of services or growth into a more complex practice setting may influence malpractice. At this point, there’s no data to reflect this phenomenon.
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Will I earn more respect with my DNP degree? Will others recognize a change in my practice abilities?
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There’s no way to say definitively that you will earn more respect or have others recognize your abilities as a result of earning your DNP degree. Your practice is a reflection of your role (APN, Administrator, etc.). The depth and breadth of your foundation of practice will change, but a degree alone does not earn respect. You will have a greater ability to practice, but values placed on you by others will no doubt be on the quality of your work and how you apply the depth of your education to practice.
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Will my certification needs change as a result of the DNP degree?
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Certifying bodies such as the ANCC and the AANP provide certification for a practice role – not for a degree. The DNP degree will become the expected level of education in the future in order to have an advanced practice role, but the degree in-and-of-itself will not change the certification.
These agencies are looking carefully at the skill sets of advanced practice nurses and will no doubt incorporate the added skills of DNP to future certification examinations. This process would best be explored through these certifying bodies.
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Should I now be called “Doctor” after earning my DNP degree?
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Titling is a challenge in many parts of the nation. There is no state regulation that can prevent you from being called “doctor” however there are some states that require anyone other than a physician to identify their role along with their doctor title. For example, “I am doctor so-and-so, a nurse practitioner.”We will no doubt see some push-back from select professional colleagues that do not recognize that the DNP is indeed that – a doctor of NURSING PRACTICE. There is no evidence to suggest that our patients are confused by the title, and also no evidence to hint that the caliber of care to them will be altered adversely as a result of the degree.
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How do I find the best program for me?
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Frequently the best way to find a program that is right for you is to ask a DNP his or her experience. There are many programs available to meet many student needs. You can check the AACN’s web site for a listing of DNP programs and look through them one at a time.
Another option is to look at the listing of DNP programs collected on this site. They can be easily searched and provide basic characteristics of these programs, including their curriculum delivery methods. So – you could search for on-line, on-ground, or hybrid programs in your area. Information about the programs along with contact information is available for most.
