MSN versus DNP versus pHD

[crmathew]

So I started my nursing journey in 2013 January (phew! its been three years already!) I didn't start my first job till December 2013 as a NICU nurse and I have been loving every minute of it. But even before all of this my passion has been teaching and I am itching to get back into it. I love every opportunity I get to teach and cherish it. I walk away proud when I have taught something and when someone says to me "that made a lot of sense." I digress. Now I have been doing my fair bit of research about what path to take next to advance my career. I love my job and the clinical aspect of nursing. I know I want to teach. And I know I want to practice nursing as well. I am leaning towards pediatric primary care more and more because I believe kids are the most impressionable group in our population and them being our future and all maybe I can use my teaching skills to develop a healthier younger generation. I also am dying to teach in a classroom setting, probably something like pathophysiology or pediatric nursing. So my question is, with all the different degrees out there, what should I be taking to pursue all this? I am hearing more and more that Nurse Practitioner jobs are going to require having a DNP. I am also hearing that a pHD is preferable when it comes to classroom teaching. Believe me, if I could, I would do both (I am one of those weirdos who love school/academics) Unfortunately I don't get paid to go to school and it is quite the opposite as you all know. So I am looking for any ideas you wonderful ladies and gentlemen have to throw at me!

PS: I think this site is awesome and I have just been lurking around in the shadows till now looking at posts and thoughts but I plan to be more active from now on :)

[kakamegamama]

It sounds like you are really excited about teaching/learning. That is awesome! Here's my story, and it may work for you. Only you can decide. I worked for several years with my BSN and then decided that if anything ever happened to my husband and I had to support our family, I could better do that with a master's degree. So, I went back to school and obtained my MSN and obtained a job teaching clinical/lectures. THEN I decided, again, that a higher degree could come in handy as far as tenure, my own knowledge, etc., and returned for my doctorate. I chose a PhD outside of the field of nursing so that I'd have a broader knowledge base, and chose the field of higher education. It served me well and has opened doors that otherwise I don't think would have been opened if I stayed with my MSN. Then, I realized in order to do what I really wanted to do a NP would be most useful, and I obtained a post-master's certificate. And, it has indeed served me well. Currently I teach overseas (PhD has really opened doors there); work in a clinic when I'm in the States as a NP; and even though I'm not in a traditional classroom, really appreciate the fact that I began as a BSN, advanced, and have lived various areas of nursing along the way.

Each degree has its benefits. However, I think that if you really want to teach, a PhD is probably the best route. Your clinical experience can serve to make you credible clinically, the PhD can serve to help you learn best practices for clinical and classroom teaching/curriculum/etc.

Best of luck to you in your future.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think to teach at the university level, you need a doctorate, preferably the Ph.D. I have a BSN and a Masters in Teaching. That allows me to be a clinical instructor at most. Here anyway

[llg, PhD, RN]

One thing concerns me is that you say you want to teach peds ... but yet you work in a NICU. Those are 2 different specialties. Before you go back to school for any degree and try to focus on peds, I suggest you get a job in pediatrics and make sure you like working with that population -- and develop competence (at least) in that specialty.

This isn't much call for PhD level faculty who know only NICU. I know that from personal experience as a NICU nurse who got a PhD. Unless you are also an NNP, teaching opportunities focusing on NICU are limited -- almost non-existent. So if you are interested in an academic career, either become an NNP or switch clinical specialties.

There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduate peds faculty members with either MSN's or DNP's. If you are not interested in a research career -- but rather in a clinical one with a little teaching -- or teach undergraduates and have a little practice, the DNP makes a lot of sense.