Non-nursing major graduate wants DNP!

Specialties Doctoral

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i am graduating from the university of iowa next year with a non-nursing major. i have planned to apply to an entry-level msn program, but by the time i graduate from that (2015) it will be required to have a dnp to be an np (which is what i am ultimately going for). i was wondering if anyone had any advice as to whether i should still just finish out this particular program and then apply for a post-masters dnp program after, or just begin an lpn or rn program now and later apply to an rn-dnp program instead?? my other option is to start an accellerated bsn program now and then apply for a bsn-dnp program after. i feel like starting the rn or bsn now would be like taking a step back for me, i am in my 3rd year.

i was also curious about whether non-nursing major entry-level dnp programs exist, just like the entry-level msn ones. that would be a great option for my case! i cannot find any just by searching the web, but i figured there would be many of these types of programs emerging due to the change in minimum degree requirements for nurse practitioners, etc.

i am just unsure of the path that is best to take in my situation. i would really like to get my dnp as inexpensively as i can, which means not 10 years from now!! i am currently taking nursing pre-req's here at iowa along with my major courses, and i was pre-medicine my first two years in college so i am well prepared for any nursing program, just not sure which one is best!

please help!

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Hey AshleyPCA,

I'm in the same boat. But I graduated in 2008 with a BS in Biology. To answer your question yes their are direct entry DNP programs out there. The university I graduated from has one, University of South Carolina (columbia) and I believe University of Portland. Their programs are like 5 years long or so but within the first 1 1/2-2 years or so you earn your RN and begin working while you complete the graduate portion. I'm not sure of any others, I found it hard to find any other programs to be honest. I was looking up direct entry MSN programs and found myself on the university of Portland website and saw their program, I was beginning to think USC (south carolina) was the only one who had a program like this. My high school classmate was just accepted into USC 's program but i beleive they only accepted 8 people for this spring that is. I applied but was denied so i'm focusing on direct entry MSN programs. I was accepted to an ADN program here in columbia SC but like you I too feel as if i would be going backwards. But i'm determined to become an NP with a DNP and will do whatever it takes to get there. I also want experience as a nurse in order to be a more efficient NP of course, so i guess its not too bad since i would have more experience before reaching my end goal, but i would also like for my current bachelors to count for something..lol.

Anywho....the next deadline for USC (south carolina) for Fall 2011 is May 1st and for spring 2012 its Dec 1st I believe.

oh ya! Case western university (i forgot!) sort of has a direct entry DNP its like 3 different entry points/stages. First you get the MN which prepares you for work as a nurse then you get the MSN (specialty option) then you continue on to get the DNP. Once admitted initially you are automatically admitted into the MSN and DNP programs. Its called the graduate entry program. Look it up and get the accurate details I'm just going off of memory here. I thought about applying there but its so expensive...duno though.

Hope this info helps!

Monah86

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Is your goal to be a NP or is it just to say that you have a doctorate? As I understand it, current MSN-NPs will be grandfathered in but schools just won't have that as an option.

If your goal is to be a NP, then apply to the entry level MSN-NP programs. If your goal is to have a doctorate, then I'd say go for a ABSN program. Once you have your BSN, you can work and evaluate DNP programs for NP as they become available. I was looking at the UMaryland website and they do say that they plan to have a MSN-DNP for current MSN-NPs that are interested.

I used to joke that my goal was to have as many Masters as possible without having a doctorate but looks like the NP transition will mess that goal up for me. I have one Masters and was working on my second one when I dropped out to start nursing school pre-reqs.

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My understanding is that the 2015 deadline requiring the DNP for nurse practitioners is not expected to actually go into effect. Seems like a good idea to get the DNP eventually but, if its not going to be required, the fastest route to being a NP would be a direct entry MSN program, that is a masters degree for someone with a non-nursing BA. Seattle University has a program that I have been looking into. Heres the link

College of Nursing - APNI - Primary Care Nurse Pracitioner - Family, Psychiatric, Adult-Gerontological Specialties - Seattle University

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The 2015 rule for DNP degrees simply means that the minimum entry to practice for APRNs will be doctoral rather than master level. It does not mean if you are currently an NP or in an MSN-NP program that you have to get a DNP by 2015 to continue practicing or sit for boards. It also does not mean if you want an MSN in education or administration that you have to have a DNP to teach or manage. This happened with pharmacy in 1995 If you graduated from pharmacy school in 1994 or prior, you could be a master-level-trained pharmacist. If you graduated from pharmacy school in 1995, your program would have to have been doctoral level in order to sit for boards. There are plenty of masters level pharmacists practicing with the same scope-of-practice as their doctorally prepared counterparts (though likely making less money if years of experience are close). This is currently happening with physical therapists, but I think they have until 2017 to implement the DPT and phase out the MPT.

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I am in the same exact situation Ashley except different part of the country. I go to school in Massachusetts and was planning on applying to entry level MSN programs to become and NP. Now with knowledge of the 2015 switch to DNP I am at a loss. I too have been debating whether to go into a ABSN program and then go into a DNP program or if I want to continue moving forward and getting an MSN prepared RN and taking it from there.

I know this question is a year old but if anyone has any suggestions for me that would be great! I have all the prerequisite courses and I am a Junior currently.

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There is no requirement for the DNP in 2015. It was a proposed goal set by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in 2006. It was a "stretch goal" as AACN did not have any ability to mandate this of the 50 states and national certification boards.

No State Board of Nursing is requiring the DNP. The only certification agency that has endorsed the DNP is the national certification board for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), and they set 2025 as their mandatory date.

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Specializes in medical surgical.

Be very careful. I am working with nurses who are over 100k in student loan debt. Very difficult to get out of. I see a lot of depression with these nurses. They cannot buy homes, cars or have kiddos. Something has to be done. I am paid off, but then college is getting pricier and for no good reason other than they can!

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
I am in the same exact situation Ashley except different part of the country. I go to school in Massachusetts and was planning on applying to entry level MSN programs to become and NP. Now with knowledge of the 2015 switch to DNP I am at a loss. I too have been debating whether to go into a ABSN program and then go into a DNP program or if I want to continue moving forward and getting an MSN prepared RN and taking it from there. I know this question is a year old but if anyone has any suggestions for me that would be great! I have all the prerequisite courses and I am a Junior currently.

Look for quality direct-entry masters programs. There are several local.

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Go with the accelerated BSN! I am now almost graduated with my BSN just two years after graduating from Iowa with my first BA. I'm so glad I went this route because now I can begin applying for direct BSN-DNP programs. Its been rough though, no social life or ability to work as much as you may need to, but its all been worth it to me knowing I'll be done in just a couple months from now. I'd suggest looking into a program like mine, its a program requiring nursing pre-reqs and all that, but because I had a previous BA they allowed me to squeeze right into this cohort's third year. So I am getting my BSN in 2 years. Not sure if other schools will allow that but its worth a shot! Look into other accelerated BSN programs as well.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma ICU, CVICU.

Ashley, You have to be licensed as a registered nurse to get into any NP or DNP program. There are foundations of nursing and basic nursing skills you will learn in nursing school. Also, you need clinical experience as well. Rookie RNs who jump into NP school struggle... badly. Good luck with your decision. I know its difficult to make an educational U-turn, but it is totally worth it. Nursing is a very rewarding profession with few educational boundaries.

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Thank you for the advice. But along with that, its true that you should not just jump right into NP school right after graduating as a rookie nurse. Thankfully, I do not plan to do so. Most programs here in Minnesota actually require a few years nursing experience anyway. So I won't be jumping right in to a graduate program this fall. Insted , I plan to work and gain experience in the specialty I plan on going to grad school for.

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First of all, the 2015 DNP IS NOT required. U of I has switched their program to a DNP rather then a MSN, but there is no law saying that all NP's have to have their doctorate in 2015.

Think of the MSN vs DNP much like ADN vs BSN. People always talk about ADN's being phased out, but never have and most likely won't be. However, many places prefer a BSN to an ADN. So in short, you could practice with your MSN, but many places will prefer a DNP as they become more popular.

Allen offers MSN programs, but I think they are in Waterloo or Cedar Falls? I'm not sure if they are direct-entry though.

I agree with the above poster about not wanting my nurse practitioner to not have gone through nursing school.

My advice, go to Kirkwood and get your ADN, then enter an RN-MSN program. Kirkwoods waiting list isn't too bad as long as you have prereqs done. A girl I went to high school with got into their ADN program the fall after she graduated. She had done so many of her pre-reqs while in high school and finished up the rest the summer before she started the program.

This is an older thread but Kirkwood nursing program has been in the tank for several years. They change deans about every 2 years. They have some good instructors but the best seem to get hired away to the University. Kirkwood is a great community college except the nursing program. Since they have trouble keeping instructors, they cater to them at the expense of the students. Many instructors are rude, condescending and hateful. Besides the curriculum is a mess, tons of conflicting info, disorganization, and lack of respect for students. You will jump through all their meaningless hoops to the point of exhaustion while teaching yourself. It felt more like military boot camp than education.

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