2015 DNP

Specialties Doctoral

Published

I am wondering if anyone has heard any updates.

Everything I keep seeing online from the AACN is "recommendation", "strongly encouraged", "highly suggested".

I have yet to see anything, that says, "Look, either you graduate and pass your boards by January 1, 2015 or you can put the MSN you have in back of the closet and start working on your DNP, because the MSN isn't good enough anymore to sit for national certification."

There are many of us, including myself, that will be finishing probably in 2013 or 2014...now, we would all like to think that we would pass our certification the first go-round, but we all know that may or may not happen for some of us.

Example: You graduate in June 2014 with your MSN and it is January, 2015, you still cannot pass your certification exam...does that mean you have to go back to school or you cannot practice?

I have seen some colleges that have completely phased out MSN programs but I have seen MANY that have not...that makes me wonder if it is not going to be a "go" like they are claiming that it is.

I would love to hear from those that keep up with this sort of thing...that may have more insight.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

That link is a PhD program, not a DNP.

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care Transport.

Ah yes, sorry. I stand corrected. :)

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Remember 30 years ago when "you have to have your BSN in order to be an RN?"

Well, I think this will be the same way - not worried in the least and think the lack of consistency with the DNP is going to be their downfall.

I remember a time where they actually were going to make the standard for NP education a Masters Degree and we all know how that fizzled out.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
I am a FNP practicing for ~2.5yrs.

I personally haven't met many NPs that are for the DNP. Perhaps its mainly BSN students that are being convinced to progress to this path instead of NP.

I don't think getting a DNP is going to benefit a NP much unless you want to open your own practice or you want to teach, and primarily teach. Although they tout it as being a "clinical doctorate" its not really. NPs/RNs don't even come close to what MDs have to do in clinical hours for med school and residency.

I personally am going to attempt to get into med school. Getting a DNP is not going to lessen the restrictions I have as a NP. And personally I don't want patients calling me a Doctor unless i'm a Medical Doctor, I would feel like a fraud.

In my program (birthplace of the NP) they were really pushing the DNP. Mainly I think its about money, how to keep students in school longer so the schools can make more money. The classes are not really more clinical knowledge about disease, patho or management. The classes are for research, theory, policy and politics.

I think I would gain more skills and expand my marketability and knowledge if I went and obtained additional training as NNP, Nurse Anesthetist, ACNP, etc over DNP. I don't think people are going to make more money as DNP either. Perhaps it would allow you for more management position if you wanted.

Overall its not really worth the cost benefit ratio.

Having a DNP does little, if anything, to aid in opening a practice. One thing (academic title) has nothing to do with the other thing (role and scope of practice). Regarding teaching, the DNP is not the appropriate terminal degree as the DNP is not research based--it is a practice-based degree.

As far as "NPs/RNs don't even come close to what MDs have to do in clinical hours for med school and residency"you are absolutely correct. The third year medical student who is addressed as doctor has no where close to the 14 years of health care experience as the average NP had in my cohort, nor the average 20 years of health care experience, training and education as within my DNP cohort.

In abandoning the profession of nursing for medical school, I think you are wise to consider as this path seems to be a much better fit for you. This way, you will never have to consider yourself a "fraud" by holding an earned doctoral degree within nursing.

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As far as "NPs/RNs don't even come close to what MDs have to do in clinical hours for med school and residency"you are absolutely correct. The third year medical student who is addressed as doctor has no where close to the 14 years of health care experience as the average NP had in my cohort, nor the average 20 years of health care experience, training and education as within my DNP cohort.

I've never worked in any clinical situation where MS-3s are addressed as "doctor" except by mistake, the same as lots of clients assume a male RN is a "doctor" -- MS-3s have not completed their doctoral degree and are not licensed physicians.

As for the extensive experience of your grad school cohort, that's all fine and good -- but we all know there are a kazillion direct-entry programs across the US cranking out advanced practice nurses with no nursing experience at all, and, if there aren't already direct-entry DNP programs out there, there will be any day now (so, there will be plenty of schools cranking out DNPs with no nursing experience at all). It's just not reasonable, IMO, to make the "but advanced practice nurses have all those years of nursing experience" argument when there are so many people entering advanced practice via the direct-entry route.

I am another advanced practice nurse who, so far, sees no value or advantage to the DNP boondoggle except to stroke some individuals' egos (oh, yeah, and to make more $$$$ for schools :rolleyes:).

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

To me, it is very important that states and the national organizations that certifies advance practice nurses, gets more specific about what is going to happen. Those of us that are in school right now, are at a major disadvantage because we do not know what route to take.

About 1/2 of the DNP programs I have found only accept students that have an MSN and advanced practice credentials. The other 1/2 are BSN-DNP programs.

I actually sent an e-mail yesterday to the AACN asking for clarification on this very issue.

So far, I have not got a response...to me, that is very telling on how "cut" it is not.

My guess? Is that it may get pushed out maybe 5 more years...I could be wrong...but the colleges are moving very, very slow which is evidence that they are not on board with the plan as of yet.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, OR, FNP.
Why bother with a DNP? Why not go to medical school? It's almost the same length. The fourth year of medical school is mostly for interviewing.

The NP made sense for veteran nurses looking to expand their scope. The BSN-DNP track doesn't really make much sense.

+1 on just go to Med School. I had to make that very difficult choice many years ago and although staying in nursing made the most financial, career, and family sense at the time - I regret not going to med school instead of grad school.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Why bother with a DNP? Why not go to medical school? It's almost the same length. The fourth year of medical school is mostly for interviewing.

The NP made sense for veteran nurses looking to expand their scope. The BSN-DNP track doesn't really make much sense.

Medical School is WAY longer than a DNP.

Bachelor Degree....4 years.

Medical School....4 years...THEN you only have an MD and no state will license you to practice without completing a residency.

Residency...3 to 7 years, depending on specialty...this is where the major time commitment comes in.

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+1 on just go to Med School. I had to make that very difficult choice many years ago and although staying in nursing made the most financial, career, and family sense at the time - I regret not going to med school instead of grad school.

But I don't want to be a physician....I want to be an NP. I'm sorry you regret not going to med school....but that doesn't mean everyone does.

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According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), they are in the process of moving advanced nursing practice from the master's degree to the doctorate level by the year 2015. They plan to make it so that Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Midwifes, & Nurse Anesthetist require a Doctor of Nursing Degree to practice beginning in 2015. What are your thoughts on this proposed requirement?

According to the AACN, currently less than 1% of nurses have a doctoral degree.The movement to the Doctor of Nursing Practice(DNP) is about producing the most competent nursing clinicians possible to meet the nation's complex healthcare needs.

Do you think these steps are necessary and will advance the profession? How will it affect you. Share your thoughts.......

Further info on the proposed Changes:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/DNP/dnpfaq.htm

http://www.aacn.nche.edu/dnp/pdf/DNPForum3-10.pdf

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

If you do a search of this community, you'll find lots of posts/threads on this topic. A lot of people support it. A lot of people are against it.

Is this for a homework assignement or research project?

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What would a MSN be able to use their degree for in this circumstance?

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