DNP Nursing Education?

[MCRNBSN]

I understand that there are few DNP programs with an emphasis on Nursing Education. From your experience, are faculty with a DNP held to a lower standard than a nurse with a PHD?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

My university considers DNP, PhD, and EdD to be terminal degrees of equal merit when it comes to career progression, hiring, and advancement. Our faculty is about equally split between the three.

[MCRNBSN]

Thanks for the reply! I am near finishing an MSN in Education and I've done research on the differing degrees and I feel that a DNP interests me the most. However, I've also read that some institutions do not consider a DNP qualification for a tenured track position. My goal is to pursue a career in academia.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Thanks for the reply! I am near finishing an MSN in Education and I've done research on the differing degrees and I feel that a DNP interests me the most. However, I've also read that some institutions do not consider a DNP qualification for a tenured track position. My goal is to pursue a career in academia.

My university does not have tenure. Controversially we reward performance and student focus.

[elkpark]

At the last university in which I taught, DNPs were not considered equivalent to PhDs. DNP-prepared faculty were treated the same as MSN-prepared faculty -- not eligible for tenure, not allowed to vote in the faculty organization.

[MCRNBSN]

Interesting, my goal is to remain in academia and I was planning on pursuing a DNP in Education. Maybe I should reconsider.

[elkpark]

Different schools have taken different positions. However, you can't assume that a DNP will be considered the same as a PhD. There are significant differences between the two; that is important to some schools, not important to others.

[MCRNBSN]

I understand that. The differences between the two are what make me more interested in pursuing the DNP. At one of my local community colleges I read that one of the professors is pursuing a DNP in Education.