DNP before NP cert

Specialties Doctoral

Published

I have my Master's Degree in Nursing Leadership/Management. My end goal is to become a doctorate prepared nurse practitioner. I am starting a nurse executive DNP program this fall. After I complete my DNP, I plan to complete a post-MSN FNP certificate program.

My question is whether that will hinder my future as an NP? I imagine nurse practitioners usually complete their DNP degree with a medically-geared specialty concentration (i.e. geriatric, family, neonatal, etc.) and not with an administration concentration. I know I am perhaps educating myself, in a sense, backwards from the norm, but it makes most sense for my life and family at the current time.

Feedback?

Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

There's a thread now about PA salary and comparisons to the name cache of working at an academic institution. Heck, we're (NPs) making double what our master's instructors made and those of us getting bonuses could make triple. I'd just assume sit in my office all by myself and make a good living than have my name involved with university this or that, and I couldn't care less about getting my name on papers.

I have considered, for fun, making YouTube videos of me sitting in an overstuffed armchair in front of a bookcase -wearing a cardigan of course- discussing varying DSM diagnoses and clinical pearls. Truth be told, I really just need a more time consuming hobby.

My hat is off to you and your colleagues!

Unfortunately what I have seen in my area is the few places who actually embrace the DNP at this time are largely the well known teaching hospitals who have historically paid terrible no matter what your discipline. I guess it can be very seductive to stay at the big name teaching hospitals where the atmosphere seems almost cult like to me and so many get sucked into the glamour and ego portion of working for one of the Giants so much so that they are willing to work for what is imo disgraceful, insulting wages. I literally make $100,000 a year more than a dual certified NP with more experience than I have who works for one of the well known teaching hospitals. Trust me their benefits aren't that good. ;) We truly need to start discussing our wages, supporting each other and insisting on being treated like the professionals we are, imo.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
There's a thread now about PA salary and comparisons to the name cache of working at an academic institution. Heck, we're (NPs) making double what our master's instructors made and those of us getting bonuses could make triple. I'd just assume sit in my office all by myself and make a good living than have my name involved with university this or that, and I couldn't care less about getting my name on papers.

I have considered, for fun, making YouTube videos of me sitting in an overstuffed armchair in front of a bookcase -wearing a cardigan of course- discussing varying DSM diagnoses and clinical pearls. Truth be told, I really just need a more time consuming hobby.

I have been published and it is a pita. I did it the first time just to say I did it but it was "nursing research" which imo no one really pays attention to. I'm working on one now with a couple of physicians who asked me to participate simply because I like hanging out with them and this one should end up in a medical journal.

Heck your YouTube pearls video would be far more beneficial to DNPs than the capstone projects I have seen, most of which have not impressed me in the least. I figure I should be making twice as much as the NP instructors I had because only a few of them had ever actually practiced. :(

For those who say if I don't like nursing I should get my PA or MD I wanted to respond that in fact I have loved being a nurse for the most part it just frustrates me that the desperate need for recognition has taken on what I personally feel is a path that doesn't add to our credibility. I believe the push to admit every 20yo with a BSN into a DNP program will continue to result in a decline of our actual skill set and usefulness in the clinical setting. Plus, and feel free to put me on blast for this, I wish I had gone to medical school but unfortunately I am far too old and am not one who subscribes to the thought that "you can do anything" no matter how old, decrepit or senile you might be. So NPs are stuck with me, the good news I guess is that I know my stuff and insist on a decent wage so I'm not dragging our profession down by working for peanuts or being incompetent.

Specializes in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine.
My hat is off to you and your colleagues!

Unfortunately what I have seen in my area is the few places who actually embrace the DNP at this time are largely the well known teaching hospitals who have historically paid terrible no matter what your discipline. I guess it can be very seductive to stay at the big name teaching hospitals where the atmosphere seems almost cult like to me and so many get sucked into the glamour and ego portion of working for one of the Giants so much so that they are willing to work for what is imo disgraceful, insulting wages. I literally make $100,000 a year more than a dual certified NP with more experience than I have who works for one of the well known teaching hospitals. Trust me their benefits aren't that good. ;) We truly need to start discussing our wages, supporting each other and insisting on being treated like the professionals we are, imo.

I currently work at a teaching hospital. Wish they did recognize my DNP....they day I got back from my defense, no congrats, just "You can't use doctor, only doctors can" was the response I got. Like I said, might be sour grapes, but in case they didn't notice--I AM A DOCTOR! Don't get me wrong--I learned a ton. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have learned from them, to have grown as an NP, and to be a part of my patients' lives. But I'm not the only one moving on either. I know of at least 2 - 3 other NPs who left for similar reasons.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I currently work at a teaching hospital. Wish they did recognize my DNP....they day I got back from my defense, no congrats, just "You can't use doctor, only doctors can" was the response I got. Like I said, might be sour grapes, but in case they didn't notice--I AM A DOCTOR! Don't get me wrong--I learned a ton. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have learned from them, to have grown as an NP, and to be a part of my patients' lives. But I'm not the only one moving on either. I know of at least 2 - 3 other NPs who left for similar reasons.

That is so interesting and even more offensive that academia isn't recognizing the designations they have essentially created. Unfortunately in many cases they don't care if excellent employees leave because there are plenty of starry eyed new grads drinking the Kool Aid waiting to jump on board.

Good luck as you move forward and while I can't say that you will get any recognition for having your DNP I would bet your wages will improve.

Specializes in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine.
That is so interesting and even more offensive that academia isn't recognizing the designations they have essentially created. Unfortunately in many cases they don't care if excellent employees leave because there are plenty of starry eyed new grads drinking the Kool Aid waiting to jump on board.

Good luck as you move forward and while I can't say that you will get any recognition for having your DNP I would bet your wages will improve.

Thanks JulesA. The kicker is that the younger physicians I work with said, "Why can't you use Dr.? That makes no sense." But this came from the Department of Medicine...I asked if it would have been the same if I'd gotten my DNP through them, and they said no.

Let's say that my wages went way up with the job I'll be starting in a few weeks and I can use "Dr." as long as I explain it's a doctorate in nursing (which is all the state BON requires).

I am doing a similar thing First my DNP in leadership and then hope to enter NP Any thoughts on schools that work with DNP for NP?

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