DNP the new PhD

Specialties Doctoral

Published

I'm thinking of going further with my Masters to DNP. Searched some job sites only to discover all DNP positions are in schools for teaching. Is there someone with a post masters DNP working elsewhere apart from schools or doing something different from NP, CNS jobs?

A DNP is for teaching, leadership, and clinical practice. It is suppose to help clinicians improve health policies and act as leaders. Right now most schools require PhD mainly because the DNP is new and there just aren't that many out there. I think most schools will accept DNP as tenure shortly. But each will fill different niches. They will require PhD for research positions. DNP's are the ones who should be training the people who actually practice. Most PhD nurses I know, and I know many, can't function in a clinical setting. They do research, not patient care. They will argue that they have the knowledge base and that they are the ones who shape nursing practice--and they do--but most can not function independantly as practitioners. They should not be the ones training clinicians. The DNP role is for expert clinicians. A PhD nor a DNP actually teaches the skills needed to teach. Having a PhD only means you are able to independantly perform research, regardless of the field you are in. Neither actually makes you a better educator in itself. I know many PhD nurses who got their degree to "get out of bedside nursing"--their words not mine.

As far as your job search goes, any job that specifically states DNP required would be educational related right now. Later on in administrative roles it will be required, as a master's is required for most leadership positions right now.

A DNP does not increase a advanced practice nurses scope of practice, your job oppurtunities will be the exact same as someone with a master's degree in that field. With the exception that certain educational and management positions will be open to you. Ideally, your suppose to use the knowledge you gain to improve patient care and policy. There is nothing they can teach to improve the clinical skills of already practicing nurses. They can teach research interpretation and implemenation of new policy and practice guidelines. I personally think it is about time a practice doctorate was created for practicing clinicians. To get a PhD practicing clinicians would have to lose their skills and no longer be experts in there area by the time they graduated.

Eileen O’Grady covers some of the similar nitty gritty about the DNP standard. But she also covers important issues like the need to have national certification policies instead of the hodge podge state based system that we currently have. As many of you know–when you move form state to state the scope of practice and and who is control of curriculum standards vary greatly. Check it out at: http://tinyurl.com/4pxfjev

+ Add a Comment