Clarification on the DNP requirement of 2015

Specialties Doctoral

Published

Hi-

I'm a bit confused about the whole 2015 DNP requirement for APRNs. Does this mean a DNP, instead an MSN, is required in order to become a Nurse Practitioner starting 2015? Is this applied uniformly in all States or do States have their own "flexibility" on how this is handle? (I live in MA.)

If DNP is required, I wonder if MSN programs will be phased out and replaced by DNP programs or maybe integrated into the DNP programs. In a clinical setting, will the scope of practice expand for someone with a DNP vs someone with an MSN? Or are they moving to DNP because they believe that MSN programs are already very much a doctoral program relative to other health professions?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

umbdude

What kind of research would an nurse be able to do with a PhD. Assume wouldn't be fulltime?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
Would a PhD be for teaching? or what is the benefit?

A PhD is for teaching/research. A PhD is still considered the most desirable degree to obtain tenure. The PhD trains you how to do research where a DNP/DNAP teaches how to best utilize research.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
What kind of research would an nurse be able to do with a PhD. Assume wouldn't be fulltime?

Pretty much any type of research depending on what the nurses background and additional training is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Are they going to require a doctorate for pa? Well that would only be fair if we will still get the same pay

I don't think it is about pay. I think it is about scope of practice, if you were to compare NP's and PA's.

My personal thought is that it is turfy and has more to do with physicians and their sense of competition, all dressed up in superficial safety arguments. It will be nice if it boils down to which states allow or require the DNP.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

2013 National Salary Survey Results

This data is current as of 2013, I know there is 2014 data out there somewhere.

2013 NP Salaries over vs PA Salaries

Avg FT salary for NP 98,817

Avg FT salary for PA 107,268

​

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Honestly, they should just make program for a NP to become a MD then. What is the point of creating a doctorate for nurses when the masters degree will suffice? This way, a NP can specialize in a MD field like family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, or OB/GYN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
Honestly, they should just make program for a NP to become a MD then. What is the point of creating a doctorate for nurses when the masters degree will suffice? This way, a NP can specialize in a MD field like family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, or OB/GYN.

Have you actually read the material from the AACN on the DNP?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Honestly, they should just make program for a NP to become a MD then. What is the point of creating a doctorate for nurses when the masters degree will suffice? This way, a NP can specialize in a MD field like family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, or OB/GYN.

Maybe they should go like the 3-year program PA to DO that LECOM has so they can at least give NP the opportunity to become expert in whatever field they desire (like Radiology, Surgery, Anesthesiology etc...).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Maybe they should go like the 3-year program PA to DO that LECOM has so they can at least give NP the opportunity to become expert in whatever field they desire (like Radiology, Surgery, Anesthesiology etc...).

Honestly, the 3 year program is a terrible deal for a practicing PA. There are many physicians and med students who feel med school could be shortened to 3 years or combined with a FM or IM residency to 5-6 years. Shaving 1 year off of med school after a practicing PA has completed 2 years full time of schooling as well as real world practice is a slap in the face. The whole idea lacks parity for balancing what a PA knows and still needs to know.

In addition, the student HAS to fulfill a OB/GYN, peds, IM or FM residency for half of the 12 slots.

I am all for a bridge program for NPs and PAs, but this is a bad delivery. Why else hasn't it taken off at other programs?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Honestly, the 3 year program is a terrible deal for a practicing PA. There are many physicians and med students who feel med school could be shortened to 3 years or combined with a FM or IM residency to 5-6 years. Shaving 1 year off of med school after a practicing PA has completed 2 years full time of schooling as well as real world practice is a slap in the face. The whole idea lacks parity for balancing what a PA knows and still needs to know.

In addition, the student HAS to fulfill a OB/GYN, peds, IM or FM residency.

I am all for a bridge program for NPs and PAs, but this is a bad delivery. Why else hasn't it taken off at other program?

I agree with you that med school can and should be taught in three years and there are a couple of 3-year program out there... FM residency probably can be 2 years since a lot of FM docs don't see peds/OB patients anyway. Take the peds/Ob out of the curriculum. Leave these stuff for peds sand OBGYN docs... IM is a little bit more complicated than that and I am not sure it can be done in 2 years.

It might be hard to make a bridge PA program less than 3 year. I could see it done in 2 1/2 year if they waive the 6 week FM, 12 weeks, 6 weeks pediatrics rotation... Regardless 2 1/2 year would be fair for someone who want to make the jump...

Every program and schools are inflating their degrees these days... For instance, I was looking at a NP curriculum and I see a lot BS that has nothing to do with practicing advanced nursing... Also, biostats is a whole semester course in NP school when that class is an 8 hours module in med school. Both class descriptions were identical!

There is a huge demand for these bridge programs... LECOM has been receiving a lot of applications for less than 20 spots/year. I think they waive the MCAT requirement for these PA, which is huge.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I agree with you that med school can and should be taught in three years and there are a couple of 3-year program out there... FM residency probably can be 2 years since a lot of FM docs don't see peds/OB patients anyway. Take the peds/Ob out of the curriculum. Leave these stuff for peds sand OBGYN docs... IM is a little bit more complicated than that and I am not sure it can be done in 2 years.

It might be hard to make a bridge PA program less than 3 year. I could see it done in 2 1/2 year if they waive the 6 week FM, 12 weeks, 6 weeks pediatrics rotation... Regardless 2 1/2 year would be fair for someone who want to make the jump...

Every program and schools are inflating degrees these days... For instance, I was looking at a NP curriculum and I see a lot BS that has nothing to do with practicing advanced nursing... Also, biostats is a whole semester course in NP school when that class is an 8 hours module in med school. Both class descriptions were identical!

I do agree there is a lot of fluff, but there is also a lot of hidden science/medicine based teaching in classes that are not overtly "medical" sounding.

Many of our classes (ACNP for me: which is an acute care specialty focusing on IM/critical care issues within a hospital setting) use medical school textbooks such as Bates, Harrison, Goljan, Lange, Robbins, Costanzo etc. Our labs also employ chest tube/CVC insertion practice, intubation, x-ray interpretation and suturing simulations just like med school. Is our learning and curriculum at the medical school level? No but it isn't just fluff.

I can't speak for all programs, but that's how mine operates.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I agree with you that med school can and should be taught in three years and there are a couple of 3-year program out there... FM residency probably can be 2 years since a lot of FM docs don't see peds/OB patients anyway. Take the peds/Ob out of the curriculum. Leave these stuff for peds sand OBGYN docs... IM is a little bit more complicated than that and I am not sure it can be done in 2 years.

It might be hard to make a bridge PA program less than 3 year. I could see it done in 2 1/2 year if they waive the 6 week FM, 12 weeks, 6 weeks pediatrics rotation... Regardless 2 1/2 year would be fair for someone who want to make the jump...

There is a huge demand for it... LECOM has been receiving a lot of applications for less than 20 spots/year. I think they waive the MCAT requirement for these PA, which is huge.

Yeah, they waive the MCAT and recalculate GPA using a different algorithm.

I just feel 2 years would be adequate, as PA school is no joke in many aspects with intern year and residency squaring away any deficits if there were any.

Having an experienced PA sit in clerkships (or hell maybe even intern year) is a waste of their knowledge base.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment