2015 DNP

Eileen T. O'Grady

The "Anti-DNP"

And, there is a message for those who disagree with the DNP. You should not pursue this degree if you are deeply satisfied in your current positions and are meeting patient needs. Earning a DNP requires a spirit dedicated to learning and an acknowledgement that something is pulling you ever deeper into nursing. A strong DNP program will kindle that bright spark, change you, and create tension between what is and what could be. It is not always a comfortable feeling since DNP students realize they have outgrown their flowerpot and must be repotted. If the program is well run, has a high degree of academic rigor, and fosters timely program completion, graduates will be positioned to meaningfully influence health reform and work towards building more humane, lower-cost delivery systems. This dedication and hard work may not be for everyone.

http://www.webnponline.com/columns/details/to-the-class-of-2011-aprn-graduates-and-the-hopeful-future/

The fluff may not be for everyone.

Belittling others' goals and efforts lacks collegiality and professionalism. Shame on you.

It's not a belittling of anyone's goals. Those who want the DNP are free to pursue it, but not everyone feels that the DNP is the degree that it should be. Again, the benefits that are ascribed to the DNP can be yours no matter what doctorate you pursue. I do not believe that the DNP will suddenly make all NP's equal to MD's. That is not a put down of NP's or a raising-up of MD's, it's simple math. By the same token, you should not belittle and look down on those who don't drink the DNP Koolaid.

"Fluff" and "DNP koolaid" = belittling. And I think you well know that. Most (all?) of your posts on this subject are incendiary. You are consistently disrespectful and it isn't an accident.

"Fluff" and "DNP koolaid" = belittling. And I think you well know that. Most (all?) of your posts on this subject are incendiary. You are consistently disrespectful and it isn't an accident.

Belittling or truthful?

Quite frankly, anyone who pushes the DNP as much as you do without realizing its massive flaws has ulterior motives or a conflict of interest. So which is it?

I don't agree that my program has "massive flaws." I am aware that there are some that are sub par. The comments are not about sub par programs, they are about the DNP in general.

I'm not "pushing it" now, nor have I ever. I have consistently said it is not for everyone and should not be required for entry to practice.

I do think we all should support colleagues who are furthering their education, as well as the profession. Doing so does not involve drinking any kool-aid. It only requires a bit of grace, and respect.

In my experience, it has been possible to discuss the pros and cons of pursuing a BSN, MSN, PhD or DNP without even inadvertently insulting people to whom those things have great value. That some people continually make comments fully intended to deride the DNP, rather than discuss, is a psychological phenomena which mystifies me.

caroline,

what program are you attending if you don't mind me asking? I'm interested in getting my DNP!

Thank you in advance!

Here is a nurse-practitioner-written article that describes the 2015 DNP requirement:

http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/editorial.aspx?CTIID=3884

And personally I don't want patients calling me a Doctor unless i'm a Medical Doctor, I would feel like a fraud.

I think that's really sad, since the debate about the title "doctor" extends far beyond the medical profession. Many physicians want that title designated only for them and not for scholars who have PhDs, though the title historically has stemmed from those who perform scholarly research and not those studying medicine. It's a name to be shared by those who have earned the title through academia and not to be reserved for those of a particular profession.

All of my family and friends who've toiled away in academia for years (including my mother who holds a PhD in nursing) worked incredibly hard for their degrees, so it's not a fraud to refer to any of them as "doctor" simply because one particular profession has commandeered the title. If you do earn your DNP, proudly own your title. My mom's brother, a physician, proudly refers to her as Dr. :)

By the way, after my mom earned her PhD, she said the physicians with whom she worked treated her with more respect. There's certainly something to be said for promoting education among nurses.