Most appropriate degree to work as an NP

Published

Specializes in Progressive Care/ICU Stepdown.

I'm exploring what options there are with regard to working as a Nurse Practioner, either in the hospital or primary care setting.

My understanding is that the NP is largely converted to a Doctoral degree now.

However, some people have put down the DNP degree as a "joke" degree that doesn't properly prepare NPs for responsibility on par with a PA, let alone an MD/DO.

I understand that clinical preparation varies widely between schools, and I obviously want a program that will offer ample opportunity to learn and practice actual skills, as opposed to research or statistics.

That being said, given my goal of working as a practicing NP, probably eventually in a family practice setting, is DNP the most appropriate degree for me to pursue? Are there other, more specialized options?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If family practice is your goal then FNP is the obvious choice MSN or DNP. There are still many MSN programs

For adult and acute/inpatient care there are other specialties. ACNP, AGNP etc

There are also psych, pediatrics and women's health specialties as well

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Progressive Care/ICU Stepdown.
If family practice is your goal then FNP is the obvious choice MSN or DNP. There are still many MSN programs

For adult and acute/inpatient care there are other specialties. ACNP, AGNP etc

There are also psych, pediatrics and women's health specialties as well

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

Ideally, I'd like to work in the hospital setting, at least initially. I want to see interesting cases, and help critical patients.

However, hospitals bring with them irregular hours and loads of stress. I do want to settle down eventually, and start a family. That would make the 9-5 idea of family practice more appealing.

Is it even reasonable to try to transition from one to the other, or would I be better served just pursuing the family practice angle from the beginning?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you want to work primarily in the hospital setting with critical patients you will need the ACNP or FNP with a post master certificate granting you ACNP licensure.

ACNP will be the gold standard for inpatient care in the future.

There are a few programs that are longer but offer both FNP/ACNP together. Ideally you can get your ACNP then go back and get a post masters FNP when you want to settle down.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Progressive Care/ICU Stepdown.
If you want to work primarily in the hospital setting with critical patients you will need the ACNP or FNP with a post master certificate granting you ACNP licensure.

ACNP will be the gold standard for inpatient care in the future.

There are a few programs that are longer but offer both FNP/ACNP together. Ideally you can get your ACNP then go back and get a post masters FNP when you want to settle down.

Thanks! You've given me some valuable insight!

I had resigned myself to needing a Doctorate prior to working as an NP. While I still plan on pursuing a Doctoral program eventually, it is exciting to find out I can have a rewarding career with a Masters in the meantime.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If you want to work primarily in the hospital setting with critical patients you will need the ACNP or FNP with a post master certificate granting you ACNP licensure.

ACNP will be the gold standard for inpatient care in the future.

There are a few programs that are longer but offer both FNP/ACNP together. Ideally you can get your ACNP then go back and get a post masters FNP when you want to settle down.

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only person considering getting both. The way the program I'm planning to attend works is that you can either start with the ACNP or the FNP and it would take an additional year for you to get the other. That's the way I'm planning to go becuase I can really see myself wanting to do both at different points in my life.

I'd also like to continue on later to get the DNP. I don't feel that it's worthless to have it. Currently NP are usually master's prepared, but there is starting to be chatter about making NPs a doctorate degree which would certainly garned more respect for the profession.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
However, some people have put down the DNP degree as a "joke" degree that doesn't properly prepare NPs for responsibility on par with a PA, let alone an MD/DO.

The criticism isn't that the DNP doesn't prepared people for the responsibilities of NP practice -- it's that NPs have been well-prepared for practice ("on par with a PA," and with comparable outcomes to MD practice) for decades in MSN programs, which raises the question of why inflate the degree?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It seems to me that a lot of schools have now added an adult gerontology practitioner program and these are the 1s who would primarily work in acute care and hospital settings while FNPs are more so outpatient clinics and so forth. I looked on a school site that had a breakdown of where each would work.... sorry I can't remember what school it was. Been looking at so many!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Everyone considering school should read the Consensus Model for APRNs. There is some incorrect information in this thread so make sure you do your due diligence in researching it.

Consensus Model FAQ: https://www.ncsbn.org/APRN_Consensus_Model_FAQs_August_19_2010.pdf

ANCC Summary: http://www.nursecredentialing.org/APRNRegulation-Consensus.pdf

The Consensus Model: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/APRNReport.pdf

AANP Summary: Frequently Asked Questions - AANPCP

Sent from my iPhone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
The criticism isn't that the DNP doesn't prepared people for the responsibilities of NP practice -- it's that NPs have been well-prepared for practice ("on par with a PA," and with comparable outcomes to MD practice) for decades in MSN programs, which raises the question of why inflate the degree?

If the DNP offered more practical skills I would have loved to continue on for it. For me at this time getting my DNP would not result in any kind of a pay increase so unless something major changes there is no way I'm going to consider it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am starting the DNP program this fall and have gained lots of insight from various NP's I currently work with as an RN. Once you graduate and apply for jobs, future employers generally do not make your specialty (fnp vs agacnp) the deciding factor as to whether to hire you. From what I've learned, acute care NP's have more options and are more marketable, they can work anywhere except with kids under 12. FNP's are more limited to offices/outpatient. Fnp is the more popular path right now, but acute care actually requires more credit hours in the program. And besides all those points- you can always go back and get certification in the specialty you did not study, at one of my DNP friends school (u of m) it would take 1 class and 200 credit hours to get his primary care (he is currently acute)my DNP friend has found that since he went back to get his post-masters doctorate, he is more marketable to physicians. He said that physicians like the fact that you can see their patients and introduce yourself as "doctor __". There is no requirement for doctorate at this time but at least for me, it's about accomplishment and achieving the highest education I can.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion