Is getting your DNP worth it?

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So I plan on getting my masters to become a nurse practitioner. After that I was thinking of following it up and earning my DNP. Is it worth it? Do DNPs have the title "Dr." I.e. " Dr. name FNP DNP" ?? I would appreciate any tips anyone could give me on it. Thank you!

So I plan on getting my masters to become a nurse practitioner. After that I was thinking of following it up and earning my DNP. Is it worth it? Do DNPs have the title "Dr." I.e. " Dr. name FNP DNP" ?? I would appreciate any tips anyone could give me on it. Thank you!

None of my co-workers who have the title of DNP (or PHD as far as that goes), introduce themselves as Dr. So and So, Nurse of such and such”. With that said, ALL of the personnel who come to the patient's bedside are required to wear name badges up above the waist. This includes all of the docs as well.

I work in the San Francisco area of California, and things are pretty fashion forward in my location. The BSN is the new ADN, and it is amazing how many nurses have their MSN's who work full time bedside duty.

If you were planning on living in my area, I would definitely recommend getting your DNP, as it would be worth it.

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I get the parallel you were trying to make, but I'd go for another metaphor.

*Analogy, not metaphor. Had to revisit 7th grade English. Lol.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

Setting all the digressions aside...

It is completely worth it if you look at it from a wholistic perspective (ahhh nursing education); education is an investment in yourself and your future. It's something that is one of the core components of living a fullfilling life. It is terrible that tuitions are getting absurd, but when it comes to the need for providers, the ability to find a specialty that suits you and help those in need all while making a decent living, you can't go wrong if you can spend the little time and money now.

Education works only one way, and that way is opening opportunity. You can always go back to the bedside if your heart pulls you that way, but I am sure there is a way you can fulfill that want with a doctorate. Part of my problem, and I'm sure many others is thinking outside the box. I am typically a very cut and dry thinker, but there are so many ways that you couldn't imagine to put your skills to use no matter what they are in BSN, DNP or certificate in wound care.

I battled with myself for a long time about going back to get my doctorate, and it is with the above I can say 100% I am going to do it and stop thikning too much about it the "what ifs" in my brain that give me anxiety and doubt about doing it.

You can probably guess I'm choosing the DNP Psych track

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If a good deal is what you're after, a DNP has nothing to do with it. My partner has a BSN and certificate in anesthesia, works 20-30 hours a week and has 15 weeks a year off and takes >200K. And there are better deals than that...

Where (city, state) does your partner work?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Where (city, state) does your partner work?

The devil is in the details

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Geriatrics.

I'm currently enrolled in a BSN-DNP Adult and Gero program and have four semesters remaining. If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn't. I would stick with an MSN level NP program. Why? My reasoning for becoming an NP is to be a clinician; with more in-depth knowledge of physiology and pathophysiology, health, and disease. Unfortunately, that experience is not within the foundations of DNP education. In my opinion, the DNP is a degree that pushes people into leadership positions and academia. If you are like me, someone who wants to see patients, a few days a week at most, maintaining a sense of life outside of nursing/healthcare; well, the DNP is NOT for you. I have spent way too much time, energy, and money for the DNP to have a return investment in my career solely as a clinician. I don't live and breath nursing and value life far too much than pushing the daily grind of full-time work. I am fortunate that I don't have to work fulltime, but with that said, the DNP is not for everyone. Sadly, the DNP has become the terminal educational pathway for APRNs, and I can't help but notice the similarities of academia and Ponzi-schemes. The DNP does not deliver on the promises it attempts to represent. The DNP should remain an optional platform for nursing seeking advanced education beyond a masters degree.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I'm currently enrolled in a BSN-DNP Adult and Gero program and have four semesters remaining. If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn't. I would stick with an MSN level NP program. Why? My reasoning for becoming an NP is to be a clinician; with more in-depth knowledge of physiology and pathophysiology, health, and disease. Unfortunately, that experience is not within the foundations of DNP education. In my opinion, the DNP is a degree that pushes people into leadership positions and academia. If you are like me, someone who wants to see patients, a few days a week at most, maintaining a sense of life outside of nursing/healthcare; well, the DNP is NOT for you. I have spent way too much time, energy, and money for the DNP to have a return investment in my career solely as a clinician. I don't live and breath nursing and value life far too much than pushing the daily grind of full-time work. I am fortunate that I don't have to work fulltime, but with that said, the DNP is not for everyone. Sadly, the DNP has become the terminal educational pathway for APRNs, and I can't help but notice the similarities of academia and Ponzi-schemes. The DNP does not deliver on the promises it attempts to represent. The DNP should remain an optional platform for nursing seeking advanced education beyond a masters degree.

I hear similar complaints from MSN NP programs too. That the programs don't prepare the NP students enough for graduation.

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Specializes in Mental Health Nursing.

This is an interesting topic. While I do agree that DNPs introducing themselves as Dr. Jane Doe without context could be confusing to patients in the hospital setting, I think the appropriate solution would be to gradually educate the public. I don't think anyone is looking to trick patients, purposely mislead the public, or go on a power trip. I believe in acknowledging and respecting a person's education and title, and I don't believe it would be at the expense of the patient to do that.

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Specializes in Psych, Medical Surgical, Leadership,Culture.

So, here is my two cents. I would like to know where the idea originated that being a nurse and holding any terminal degree we are not permitted the use the title "Doctor". Any individual from any discipline/profession who earns a doctorate from PhD, EdD, MD, DNP, DrPh, etc, is afforded that title of Doctor. Are we precluded legally by our Boards of Nursing? I have investigated this issue extensively. My board does not prohibit nurses from instructing themselves to patients or others as a doctor. They are required however to clarify their role as an RN, NP, etc. We should be proud of our accomplishments including the attainment of an advanced degree, and not sell ourselves short.

Sincerely; G. A. Thompson, DNP, RN

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I am a Master's prepared NP. I looked into the DNP, and while a few programs were decent quality, most looked to me like a silly degree on paper that no intelligent person would respect.

As such a graduate, I would never be comfortable using a "Dr" title. You would be spending a third of your time explaining that you are not a really a "Doctor".

For those of you you graduated from a decent quality program that extended your clinical knowledge, I am happy.

I am among those who feel that the quality of NP education should be vastly improved, and not the quantity.

To be fair, I only have a few more years to work. If I were 30 or 40 years old, I would be trying to get into a good DNP program, as it is the wave of the future.

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I use my Dr. title proudly. I always say I am Dr. X, the NP. I work in a hospital environment with attendings, residents, interns, medical students etc. We all have our roles and state them as such. Sometime it opens up great dialogue and opportunities to further bring awareness and knowledge to our career. I find those who make such a big deal about using it really are envious that they did not advance their education or are not comfortable within themselves so they project that onto others. Podiatrist, dentist, Naturopathics all have earned their doctorates in a specialty. No one ever says anything to them. If a dentist comes to the hospital to see a patient, they introduce themselves as Dr. Root, the dentist but a doctorate trained NP should not? Its really sad.

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On 3/9/2019 at 6:33 PM, MilesRN said:

So, here is my two cents. I would like to know where the idea originated that being a nurse and holding any terminal degree we are not permitted the use the title "Doctor". Any individual from any discipline/profession who earns a doctorate from PhD, EdD, MD, DNP, DrPh, etc, is afforded that title of Doctor. Are we precluded legally by our Boards of Nursing? I have investigated this issue extensively. My board does not prohibit nurses from instructing themselves to patients or others as a doctor. They are required however to clarify their role as an RN, NP, etc. We should be proud of our accomplishments including the attainment of an advanced degree, and not sell ourselves short.

Sincerely; G. A. Thompson, DNP, RN

Different states have different requirements on titles in specific settings. In some, only medical doctors can use that title in the clinical setting regardless of you as an np are doctorate prepared. Others as you noted require the context to which you're doctorate is involved. Others allow anyone who has reached that level to use the term wherever without further explanation.

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