Upcoming Nurse Practitioner Guideline HELP!!

[Dman2012]

Well, first off I am entirely new to this site so i hope im posting this in the right place and if not, im genuinely sorry!!

Im 18 and enrolled to finished my AS degree on the nursing track through a community college, basically it has been my dream for a while now to graduate with a MSN as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, but very recently i was discussing what i wanted career-wise with another nurse that i had met and she had mentioned that by 2015 it would be required for all (i imagine only the new ones?) NPs and to get a doctorate degree or DNP. While i have read about how the AACN endorsed the new plan in 2004 to phase into effect by 2015 it was the first time i had ever heard of it. While i probably could go talking to a college advisor about the matter, it is highly unlikely they would have the expertise or knowledge to help me sort through the mess. By any and all means i am committed to attaining my goals but if its not necessary then who in the world would want to go through all the extra schooling much less have to pay for it?.

Essentially, here is my problem-- I have tried reading through all the "junk" regarding this matter but like many things it is filled with frivolous wording and is never as simple as it could be. Along with that, in my search for info i keep running into instances where i see people arguing over whether or not its a recommendation or a required guideline. After all that I've been through i want this career more than anything and so Im looking for help and insight from anyone who can give it.

Would it be just too crazy to try and find a way of contacting a current NNP who works at the children's hospital and ask them for help??

Im sure there are tons of info on here about the issue but i dont have hours to spend everyday looking for it and even if i did, most of the time it still isn't always clear.

So is there anyone who can please please please help me understand this?!!?? Even if you can only answer one of my questions it would be progress.. I would love to talk to someone who is a current Neonatal Nurse Practitioner!

I feel helpless and lost trying to figure out what it is that I'll have to do, any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[TheLastTime]

This is actually not new news. This is the direction the NP genre is going. You will be much more competitive with the DNP. As tempting as it may be to go the cheap route with the Master's, the tide is turning towards the Doctorate.