are all Nurse Practitioner programs going to doctorate?

roser13, ASN, RN · Feb 28, 2011

From NurseWeek:

"Under new American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) guidelines adopted October 25, 2004, advanced practice nurses and other RNs seeking top clinical roles will be educated at the doctorate level. By 2015, all programs that prepare APNs — nurse practitioners, midwives, anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists — will be established to grant the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)."

It doesn't matter what a NP program consists of - you will not be liscensed unless you attain the Doctor of Nursing degree.

elkpark · Feb 28, 2011

From NurseWeek:
"Under new American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) guidelines adopted October 25, 2004, advanced practice nurses and other RNs seeking top clinical roles will be educated at the doctorate level. By 2015, all programs that prepare APNs — nurse practitioners, midwives, anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists — will be established to grant the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)."
It doesn't matter what a NP program consists of - you will not be liscensed unless you attain the Doctor of Nursing degree.

OP, there are scads of threads here discussing this -- you may want to look around the site (or use the search feature to find them) and review what has already been discussed. At this point, this is still a proposal, not a requirement. The AACN is a voluntary professional organization which has no regulatory or statutory status -- it can't make anyone do anything, not even its own members. The only advanced practice group that has really embraced the mandatory-DNP-for-advanced-practice proposal so far is the CRNA group; their target date is 2025, not 2015; and it remains to be seen whether even that will happen.

While it is true that more and more schools are converting their MSN advanced practice programs into DNP programs (although some well-known and well-respected schools have not yet disclosed any plans to do so), there's a big difference between schools choosing to offer a DNP degree, and state BONs and national certification bodies requiring it for licensure/certification.

Southern Magnolia · Mar 1, 2011

Lots of folks in similar shoes to yours asking the same questions. I think this will be a matter playing out for the next 15 years. From my perspective (starting a BSN program in the fall- hopefully) the decision of which route to go if and when the time comes will depend on the way things look when I reach that point.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

At this time, you will be required to get a minimum of a master's degree. You might as well go ahead and go straight to a BSN program if you believe you want to be a NP. ADN programs are still right about 3 years when you consider how long it takes to take the prerequisites. What's one year more when it's pretty clear you will have to have it eventually?

DesertRN2, MSN, APRN · Mar 1, 2011

Unless they plan on paying NP's allot more money it seems a huge waste to require DNP without the financials to make it worth it. Many a BSN makes right about what NP's do now.

roser13, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2011

OP, there are scads of threads here discussing this -- you may want to look around the site (or use the search feature to find them) and review what has already been discussed. At this point, this is still a proposal, not a requirement. The AACN is a voluntary professional organization which has no regulatory or statutory status -- it can't make anyone do anything, not even its own members. The only advanced practice group that has really embraced the mandatory-DNP-for-advanced-practice proposal so far is the CRNA group; their target date is 2025, not 2015; and it remains to be seen whether even that will happen.
While it is true that more and more schools are converting their MSN advanced practice programs into DNP programs (although some well-known and well-respected schools have not yet disclosed any plans to do so), there's a big difference between schools choosing to offer a DNP degree, and state BONs and national certification bodies requiring it for licensure/certification.

Interesting, and I apologize if my post is incorrect. I have recently been a part of several conversations (and I thought I had read on allnurses.com) that have indicated that this is pretty much a done deal for all accrediting agencies. The only unknown is the timing.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 1, 2011

Interesting, and I apologize if my post is incorrect. I have recently been a part of several conversations (and I thought I had read on allnurses.com) that have indicated that this is pretty much a done deal for all accrediting agencies. The only unknown is the timing.

It's not a done deal...........yet. And, it may never come about. Right now, many institutions are gearing up for a DNP requirement. Many have already changed their programs. Probably as many are waiting.

As for requiring all APNs to receive DNP by 2015, it appears the NPs are the ones that may be required to have the DNP by 2015. The CRNAs have a target date of 2025.

So, as it stands right now, there is still no definite date and/or requirement.

elkpark · Mar 1, 2011

Interesting, and I apologize if my post is incorrect. I have recently been a part of several conversations (and I thought I had read on allnurses.com) that have indicated that this is pretty much a done deal for all accrediting agencies. The only unknown is the timing.

There are a lot of people "out there," apparently, who are presenting this (DNP-mandatory-in-2015) as fact. Bunches of people have posted here that a faculty member at their school has told them this is a done deal. I don't know if all these people are simply that misinformed, intentionally pushing some agenda of their own, or if they've simply been misunderstood. The trend is certainly toward the DNP, simply because of the number of schools that will no longer be offering MSNs in advanced practice concentrations -- but, as I said, that's v. different from BONs or certifying organizations requiring a DNP for licensure/certification. And this is still a v. controversial proposal in many circles.

kyboyrn · Mar 2, 2011

Unless they plan on paying NP's allot more money it seems a huge waste to require DNP without the financials to make it worth it. Many a BSN makes right about what NP's do now.

I went back to school to become an NP (just graduated in December and signed my contract for my first NP job today) and there is no way in this world that I was gonna make around six figures as a nurse. Every NP job I was offered or applied for paid more than 80k, and many, like the one I ended up taking, were more near the century mark. It may be true that many a BSN make that much in some areas, but where I'm from you'd have to work two full time jobs to make what I'm making, and what many of my peers are making, as an NP. There are some NP jobs that are still trying to get by paying 70k or less yearly, but even in the rural area where I live it is more the exeption. Hopefully if they make the DNP a requirement, it will increase NP salaries, but I am very happy with my salary and like I said....where I live there is no way I was gonna make this much with my BSN. Barely able to make more than half my np salary unless I worked an extra part time or prn job. I'll take the same amount of hours and double the pay :cool:

simplymemyselfandi · Mar 5, 2011

Congrats on the job. I also live in a rural community and am considering becoming a NP if the salary really is that much more lucrative to make the extra amount of school (and debt) worth it.

linearthinker, DNP, RN · Mar 5, 2011

In my area NPs are making 60-70K for the most part. For a 40 hour work week, that comes out to $29-34/hour. There are a few RNs making close to $30/hour here, but most are in the very low 20s. Starting for a new grad is about $17. So while NP pay is low, RN pay is lower. And I don't know any RNs in a 8-4 M-F job making 60k+. Not a one. So NP presents a better combination of lifestyle and earning potential for many. An individual would have to check their own geographic area to understand precise trends there.

There are fewer and fewer MSN NP programs out there. Only time will tell if there are any left when you are ready OP. I don't think anyone can make plans based on current rhetoric. Whatever will be will be. In the meantime, I'd go to a BSN program from the start. ADNs are having an especially hard time in this job market and if you know you will need advanced education to meet your goals, might as well go for it from the start! Good luck.