Dual DNP/PhD programs: what's most important?

[coffee&scrubs, BSN, RN]

Hi all! I'm looking into dual DNP/PhD program options and would love to talk to anyone currently pursuing the dual option. What has your experience been? How does your DNP project compare or relate to your PhD work? Does the program allow for adequate clinical experience for the DNP? How difficult was it to find funding? Did anyone continue to work as a nurse while in school? What do you think is the most important factor to consider when choosing a program? Thank you in advance!

[Jules A, MSN]

I know this sounds snarky but from where I sit this latest, greatest dual whatever is yet another cash grab for the universities. That our fellow nurses, the nurse educators, are participating in the reaming of our own is inexcusable, imvho.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

I have no idea why someone would want to do a dual program like this.

DNP is practice based applied research. It's designed for APNs (there's some wiggle in there) who are actively practicing and want to improve their clinical practice based on already existing knowledge.

PhD is new knowledge research. For any nurse interested in developing new knowledge for the benefit of nursing.

Again, I don't see why you'd need both at the same time. Are you an APN already? How do you plan on utilizing these degrees?

[Calimurse]

Hi @coffee&scrubs, i am currently a DNP/PhD student (although I know other schools are starting these programs) and I TOTALLY disagree with the first 2 comments. It is 100% worth it and a useful dual degree. @Jules A stated that it is a cash grab for universities...and in fact that is false. DNP degrees are expensive, but PhDs are funded, with living stipends. Therefore spending an extra 2 years to get the DNP at the same time as the PhD means that I am getting a DNP degree for free/getting paid to do it. Also, PhDs are increasingly usefully particularly in nursing with the shortage of nursing faculty. Only 1% of nurses get PhDs which means you will be at the top of any job pool and have your pick of faculty positions if you choose. Finding a DNP/PhD project that is related is doable but is a challenge, that is for sure. But if you want to do your own research as well as clinically practice, then the degree is a great fit for your goals. It is the equivalent of an MD/PhD degree meaning that you find it important to advance nursing science while also staying relevant in clinical practice. Far too often, we have nursing researchers that are so out of touch with current practice, the research isn't useful. By being a clinician and researcher, your work will be more relevant and useful to advancing nursing science. plus, you wont get bored. Best of luck, do not be deterred from the hard work. You can do it!

[Null]

19 hours ago, Calimurse said:

Hi @coffee&scrubs, i am currently a DNP/PhD student (although I know other schools are starting these programs) and I TOTALLY disagree with the first 2 comments. It is 100% worth it and a useful dual degree. @Jules A stated that it is a cash grab for universities...and in fact that is false. DNP degrees are expensive, but PhDs are funded, with living stipends. Therefore spending an extra 2 years to get the DNP at the same time as the PhD means that I am getting a DNP degree for free/getting paid to do it. Also, PhDs are increasingly usefully particularly in nursing with the shortage of nursing faculty. Only 1% of nurses get PhDs which means you will be at the top of any job pool and have your pick of faculty positions if you choose. Finding a DNP/PhD project that is related is doable but is a challenge, that is for sure. But if you want to do your own research as well as clinically practice, then the degree is a great fit for your goals. It is the equivalent of an MD/PhD degree meaning that you find it important to advance nursing science while also staying relevant in clinical practice. Far too often, we have nursing researchers that are so out of touch with current practice, the research isn't useful. By being a clinician and researcher, your work will be more relevant and useful to advancing nursing science. plus, you wont get bored. Best of luck, do not be deterred from the hard work. You can do it!

I'll add that not all nursing PhD programs provide funding. I would also consider that maintaining a clinical certification as an advanced practice nurse can be a challenge while simultaneously pursuing a research career.

[Null]

On 12/13/2018 at 5:52 PM, Jules A said:

I know this sounds snarky but from where I sit this latest, greatest dual whatever is yet another cash grab for the universities. That our fellow nurses, the nurse educators, are participating in the reaming of our own is inexcusable, imvho.

I can understand that perspective. I have a DNP and am not a huge fan of the degree. However, it is my understanding that at the most recent AACN conference, the combined programs were discussed as a possible solution to the national decline in enrollment of nursing PhD programs in favor of DNP programs, of which the latter has increased almost exponentially in recent years. I think the proliferation of the DNP speaks more to the desire of nurses to grab the "low hanging fruit" when it comes to doctoral education.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

On 1/27/2019 at 12:42 PM, Null said:

I'll add that not all nursing PhD programs provide funding. I would also consider that maintaining a clinical certification as an advanced practice nurse can be a challenge while simultaneously pursuing a research career.

I think many nursing schools doesn’t have the structure that allows nurses to split clinical time between research and academia. Many times, our medical centers are too detached from the nursing school. Many of our PhD faculty have not been at the bedside for years. Medicine doesn’t typically operate like that. As an employee of an academic medical center, it is expected that our attending physicians have appointments in the medical school as faculty and many juggle clinical time with a research lab. Even the ones on the top of the hierarchy. In fact, physicians don’t need an MD/PhD to serve as primary investigators.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

I'll add that my PhD program does not provide funding. You can apply for grants and scholarships but that has maybe covered 10% of my tuition over the last 4 years (doing BSN to PhD). I had heard PhD programs are really declining and in my own university the DNP cohorts are 3-4x larger.

[Gunnelsm]

@Calimurse I am currently a nurse at Mayo Clinic looking into applying for this program and would love to ask you a few questions. Could you message me? It seems I don’t have enough posts to do this. Thanks!