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Discussion

A degree that involves research AND practice

Hello,

I am a BSN student and will be graduating in May 2011. I would like to transition into grad school right away. I am interested in becoming a Psych-MH Nurse Practitioner. So, I know that I should go for the DNP degree. I know that this degree is heavily focused on practice. However, I like research and have done a considerable amount as an undergrad. I was wondering if DNPs do any research. I'm assuming if they do, it would be focused on practice and implementation. Is this correct?

Do PhDs get to practice at all?

I apologize if someone has already asked/answered this question!

Thanks!

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    • Expert

    Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

    Many PhD-prepared nurses have clinical backgrounds and continue in clinical practice at least part-time (lots of nursing faculty have "joint appointments," in which they teach/research part-time and practice clinically part-time for some employer/facility that pays part of their compensation).

    Advanced practice nurses have a great deal of flexibility in choosing how much they want to be involved in research. Some (most?) finish grad school and never think about research again, and are focused solely on clinical practice; some continue to be involved in research to some extent (or a great extent). I know one colleague who has spent his entire career as a child psych CNS doing research and publishing articles on the results -- he has since completed a PhD, but that was comparatively recently and he was v. productive and successful for many years as an MSN-prepared CNS (not as a primary researcher -- that would require a doctorate; but he worked in a large, well-known center where he participated in research directed by physicians and PhDs, and had smaller studies of his own within that larger framework.

    Depending on employment opportunities and how hard you were willing to work at it (as compared to taking the easiest job to get, being tied to a particular location, etc. :)), you would be pretty much able to construct the career framework (balancing clinical practice and research) that most appeals to you, with either degree.

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    • Expert

    I agree with elkpark ... but you'll need to integrate a lot of clinical experience in with your graduate studies (e.g. work part time while going to school and/or incorporating extra clinical experience into your academic program) if you want to have a career that includes a significant practice component. There are few things more reviled in nursing than someone with a lot of academic credentials but minimal practice experience trying to pass themselves of as an "expert in nursing."

    llg, PhD, RN

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    • Author

    Thank you to both elkpark and llg! That was very helpful. I actually have one more question. Do you know if most grad schools require Psych-MH DNP candidates to have practice experience prior to applying?

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    • Expert

    Don't know. You'll have to check with the particular schools that interest you.

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    • Expert
    I agree with elkpark ... but you'll need to integrate a lot of clinical experience in with your graduate studies (e.g. work part time while going to school and/or incorporating extra clinical experience into your academic program) if you want to have a career that includes a significant practice component. There are few things more reviled in nursing than someone with a lot of academic credentials but minimal practice experience trying to pass themselves of as an "expert in nursing."

    llg, PhD, RN

    Yeah, that. :)

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    Thank you to both elkpark and llg! That was very helpful. I actually have one more question. Do you know if most grad schools require Psych-MH DNP candidates to have practice experience prior to applying?

    Even if a school doesn't, you would be wise to get some clinical experience under your belt. Even though you are most interested in mental health now, your interests could change dramatically once you graduate from your current program and get your license.

    One of the biggest pitfalls to going to graduate school before getting some clinical experience is that you can risk getting pigeonholed into a career track that is not right for you or one that is in a specialty that is no longer your area of interest.

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    Most APN Masters programs require at last 1 year of fulltime RN work experience before entry. I have seen several BSN-DNP programs that require at least two years of full-time work experience post NCLEX

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