Tag: DNP

Why Get the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree?

There is a forward push for the DNP to be the required degree in order to practice as an NP, but what is the point of the DNP?

from Sincerely, Meagan

What is the point of the DNP? It’s been about a semester and a half so far into my DNP curriculum, and I can tell you that some of my peers (sometimes me, too) have been questioning whether or not spending this extra money and time to obtain a Doctorate is necessary and worth it. I can tell you so far that the DNP type classes we have taken so far at Columbia are focusing a lot more in nursing leadership, looking to improve the quality of healthcare, understand where improvements can be made… whether in hospital or at clinics, etc. Everyone’s career goals are different. So since it is not yet a requirement to have this terminal Doctorate degree in order to practice as a NP, I urge those who are considering MSN vs DNP prepared nurse practitioner programs to do their research (weigh the costs between programs, the length of time, etc.).

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Does a Doctorate of Nursing Practice Make a Difference in Patient Care?

The question of whether the DNP impacts patient care has arisen among many NPs who hold those DNPs.

from JNP

To date, a large number of doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) degrees have been earned by nurse practitioners (NPs) with experience as master’s prepared clinicians. Among those of us who find ourselves in this situation, the question of whether that DNP has affected our patient care has arisen. In my own case, as a graduate of a DNP program designed specifically for experienced master’s prepared nurses, I like to think that my DNP program changed my thinking, my approach to problems, and maybe even to life generally. That is what doctoral degrees are supposed to do—orient us toward knowledge synthesis and development and, in the case of nursing, to develop and apply theoretical contexts that help us to understand our work and deliver care. Do those same contexts apply to our clinical knowledge and approach to our patients?

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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.