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Discussion

DNP required soon?

"The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has recently released a position statement calling for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree to be the terminal degree awarded for advanced practice nurses."

I've been reading some articles about the recent changes to the terminal degree for a CRNA. Does this basically mean that by 2015 many CRNA programs will be DNP instead of the Masters? What will happen to all those MSN program grads...will they have to go back for the DNP? Thanks in advance for any input.

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  • Experts

While not a CRNA, I'm a CNS and from what I understand, the MSN APNs will be grandfathered in.

Correct. There are many CRNA's practicing that do not have a masters degree with their anesthesia certification.

There are a few programs in development that can provide you with more information.

+1 to being Grandfathered.

from what i understand the dnp will be awarded primarily due to the amount of clinical hours most crna programs are completing. many are just a few hours shy, probably just end up doing a couple months more in clinical, with a few extra classes.

The ANCC does not credential CRNAs, only CNS and NP. Also, as of feb 2006, the AANA does NOT support DNP as entry to practice.

An additional three semesters I believe.

  • Experts

So far, the DNP-as-minimum-entry-to-advanced-practice is simply a proposal -- a few professional organizations have released position papers and there's a lot of discussion going on. That and 50 cents will buy you a cup of coffee. Nothing is official yet, or likely to become official anytime soon.

The organizations pushing this tend to be the academic groups; as meandragonbrett notes, some of the professional groups representing real live, practicing clinicians have gone on record as opposing the idea.

Remember, we are the same group that has been debating BSN-as-entry-level for some 30 years now, and that ain't happened yet ...

The ANCC does not credential CRNAs, only CNS and NP. Also, as of feb 2006, the AANA does NOT support DNP as entry to practice.

I thought they were behind this all the time. Do they support DNP at all? i'm sure they endorse it, right?

The ANCC does not credential CRNAs, only CNS and NP. Also, as of feb 2006, the AANA does NOT support DNP as entry to practice.

I hope you are correct. I'll have my RN in 2009, and my BSN in 2010, and plan to enter an NNP program the following year once I get my 2-years of NICU experience in.

It's just something I really, really want to do with my life. I may get a DNP anyway...just for a sense of accomplishment and in case as I approach retirement, you never know if your body will hold up, and teaching at a college does have a degree of appeal to me.

Just thought I would add that the DNP program at TCU is 30 semester hours long. The admission requirement is that you have a masters and an APN certification.

This makes me believe that a CRNA DNP (DNAP) program would be 30 semester hours longer than the current program. If it were ever to occur.

So the next logical question in my mind is, if any of you get your DNP will you call yourself doctor in the clinical setting?

So the next logical question in my mind is, if any of you get your DNP will you call yourself doctor in the clinical setting?

Good question, as I am wondering the same thing.

Is "Hello, I'm Doctor Smith your Nurse Anesthetist" going to fly?

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