2015 DNP

Specialties Doctoral

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Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

The course content of many current DNP programs will need to change if it's going to be of any true benefit. I'm all for more educational requirements if they are relevant to and advance the profession. If it's more education for the sake of more education then forget it. Would it be really important for a CRNA to know how to knit a scarf?

meandragonbrett

2,438 Posts

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?

The AACN has no bearing on CRNAs, CRNA education, nor on their certification.

TanyaPMHNP

111 Posts

I'm worried about this myself because I will be starting a direct entry MSN (NP) program this year and will receive my MSN and NP licensure in 2014 - right before the proposed deadline to move to the DNP. Does this mean that I won't be able to find work after I graduate and will have to move immediately into a DNP program? I sure hope not. I would like to be able to work in the field for a bit before proceeding with the DNP. Any thoughts or anyone in a similar situation?

labelle777

48 Posts

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?

Nope, not a HW assignment or research project. Yes, its an old topic, yet still very relevant in 2011. I plan to complete an NP program in a few years,so just want to hear how others feel at this present time.

Specializes in NICU.

I'm struggling with this myself. I knew years ago this was a hot topic when I had a "Meet the Dean" at my college of nursing and she warned us all! And sure enough, she was right! Now I am in a CNS program and debating on how I will do the DNP. I should have just gone to the BSN to DNP program that is offered literally across the street from my current place! I just didn't do enough research! Ew....the thought of another 2-3yrs of school frightens me...not to mention GRE!?!?!? requirements.

However, yes, I do believe this is a benefit to us nurses and hopefully we will be a bit more respected! BUT what do patients address you as? Dr.? Isn't that confusing for the public?

Ok, I'm confused. I thought this was the last class year a RN could get a MSN and had to get a DNP. Maybe this is just in Alabama or I'm just flat out wrong! Lol.

But to answer NICU_babyRN's question I think most would want to be called Dr. so-and-so because that's their credentials. We have a NP who got her doctorate in our ER. To us in the ER she's still "Stephanie" because that's just what we always called her. Now that I'm in her classes she's "Dr. (last name here) because they never met her and that's how she introdruces herself so I call her both so that everyone knows who I'm talking about.

And about them getting more respect because they have a DNP? I don't think that's going to really be true....JMO

Fribblet

839 Posts

DNP would not be called doctor in the clinical setting, as they are "clinically" not a doctor.

They have earned a doctorate, which entitles them to be referred to as a doctor, but in an academic setting. In the clinical setting, doctor is reserved for physicians.

If not, then we're just going to confuse the **** out of patients.

Also, if they want to make the DNP the entry point into advanced nursing practice, then there needs to be a MAJOR reform of the curriculum.

Editorial Team / Admin

sirI, MSN, APRN, NP

17 Articles; 44,729 Posts

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Threads merged in NP forum.

BabyLady, BSN, RN

2,300 Posts

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
DNP would not be called doctor in the clinical setting, as they are "clinically" not a doctor.

They have earned a doctorate, which entitles them to be referred to as a doctor, but in an academic setting. In the clinical setting, doctor is reserved for physicians..

Uh...this is where you are incorrect. If you read the position statement for the 2015 plan, this very issue is addressed. It is about an 85 page document, but well worth reading.

Physicians ARE NOT SOLELY ENTITLED by any law, legal maneuver, or even hospital policy, to be the only healthcare professionals to use the title "doctor" and the national associations that certify NP's talk about this very issue and how DNP's will COMPLETELY earn the right to be called "Dr _____" in a clinical setting.

That is one of the reasons for the change, believe it or not and they have ever intention of pushing DNP's to use the title.

Your typical PharmD program is 3 years in most states past the Bachelor level...that is a Doctor of Pharmacy degree...all of the PharmD's at my facility are referred to "Dr so-and-so".

So, the proper way to address yourself when greeting a patient is, "Hello, I am Dr. Smith, I am a Nurse Practitioner that will be taking care of you today".

It all starts, with educating the public.

Physicians, have no legal grounds, whatsoever, to fight this measure..period.

There also doesn't need to be "major" nursing reform to have a DNP as the minimum standard for advanced practice.

On average, MSN programs are 2 years.

There are tons of BSN to DNP programs that are 3 years long.

That is only one extra year.

About the same amount of time, that a pharmacist, works on his Pharm D and ONE year less than an MD goes to medical school to get their Doctor of Medicine degree.

So no, I do not see how there needs to be "major" changes...adding one year, is a huge move enough.

BabyLady, BSN, RN

2,300 Posts

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

Oh..keep in mind...that we refer to all medical residents as "Dr ____" at the facility, even though not a single one of them are authorized to practice medicine, by law, independently...they are under the supervision of an attending at all times.

There is no difference, between that level of practice and a DNP, who also, functions under the supervision of an attending physician.

I'm dealing with this issue too, as a RN graduate in fall 2012. I plan on going right on to my NP. Here's what I've found: there are still MANY MSN NP prep programs, for example, Vanderbilt, U of Texas, Frontier, etc. I have spoken to all 3 of these in the last week and they INSIST they will never stop offering the direct RN-MSN for ADN prepared nurses. (I will be a ASN prepared nurse w/an previous Bachelors). Having said that, I was speaking to several NP's that teach at my college (University of St Francis) who say the issue is NOT whether or not MSN NP programs exist, or DNP programs.

The issue is : Will you be able to sit for certification as a MSN grad come 2015.....That is the only thing that really matters. We could argue all day about whether or not DNP is better etc....but for those of us on the timeline crux that is what truly matters. If you can't sit for certification, then it's no different than getting your nursing degree and not passing your NCLEX.

That said, I can't get a straight answer to that question. Both the certification board should be determining that NOW so we can make choices and the schools can organize their curriculum according.

yelnikmcwawa

317 Posts

DNP would not be called doctor in the clinical setting, as they are "clinically" not a doctor.

They have earned a doctorate, which entitles them to be referred to as a doctor, but in an academic setting. In the clinical setting, doctor is reserved for physicians.

Yeah, this is wrong on so many levels. Psychologists and Pharmacologists in the hospitals are refered to as "Doctor". And the DNP is not solely an academic title...it is a clinical doctorate. That is what delineates the DNP from the PhD nurses. Babylady put this all into good perspective...just had to chime in as well :-) If this confuses patients, then so be it. As it stands right now, most patients don't know the difference between their CNAs and RNs anyway. Hell they sometimes mistake the cleaning ladies for a nurse!

If a DNP is providing care to a patient but he or she comes across a situation that is outside of their scope of practice, they pass it off to "Dr. Soandso". A patient in the hospital will usually be seeing mutiple groups of providers anyway, so patient confusion is a moot point. They just need to know who is directing their care and who is playng a supportive role. And sometimes, physicians are playing a supportive roles to Masters prepared NPs as well!

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