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Discussion

Out of Practice NP - Which terminal degree?

I am an NP who has not practiced in that role for 10 years. I have a few years experience as an NP, but family moves, time off for kids, and licensing issues that presented in certain states where we have lived have made it prohibitive for me to practice in my chosen career. I have been teaching at a community college for the past three years and have found that I have a passion for working with students.

I have been exploring the possibility of seeking a terminal degree, something that has always been on my radar as my "end-game". I have recently been able to obtain my APRN license due to continuous certification (different state, different rules). I have been told by an advisor at a local 4-year college that a DNP would be my best option for keeping me engaged with students, rather than raising money for grants for research. But in reading Essentials for DNPs it seems as if teaching is not an end goal for this program. I feel like I would need to take a few years to take courses and do clinical hours in my specialty in order to be marketable, and I live in an area already saturated with NPs.

I am aware of the differences in the degrees, but the coursework for the DNP looks to be something that I would enjoy, as opposed to the coursework for the Ph.D., which looks quite intimidating. I am wondering if a Ph.D. might be my only viable option for a terminal degree, given my length of time away from the APRN role. I do not have any direct experience with research, and all of the programs near me require an already predetermined area of research to be stated on the application.

Any advice would be most appreciated!

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    My university faculty is pretty evenly split EdD/ PhD/DNP. All three are considered equal terminal degrees for teaching faculty.

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    Thank you for your response! Ideally, I would love to do an EdD, but both local universities where I have inquired state they do not accept the EdD. I cringe at the thought of doing all this work to complete a terminal degree only to be unemployable locally (my ability to move might change in 7-10 years, but as of now, a move for a job wouldn't be possible). I am leaning towards the PHd, as I think I'm too "out of practice" to seek out a practice doctorate.

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    May I ask what state you're in? I've never heard the EdD not being at least considered.

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    I am leaning towards the PHd, as I think I'm too "out of practice" to seek out a practice doctorate.

    You do not have to work as a NP or have a NP to receive a DNP.

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    Our faculty is 75% DNP to PhD. The only EdD is the admissions director.

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    You do not have to work as a NP or have a NP to receive a DNP.

    Most DNP programs don't have a requirement for practice experience much less recent experience. To be safe, it would be a good idea to identify a few programs you would be interested in attending and talking to them directly. My hunch is that most programs would be happy to take you even without recent experience.

    It sounds like your goal is teaching though and if you're going to do any kind of clinical teaching, programs are probably going to want some recent experience. Do you want to teach at the pre-licensure level (ADN or BSN) or teach advanced practice students? If you want to teach at the undergrad level, a post-masters certificate in nursing education (with or without a doctorate) might get your foot in the door. But you might want to think about getting some type of recent work experience even if it is PT and/or at the RN level.

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    Completion of a DNP requires considerably less time and difficulty compared to a PhD. I would generally recommend the PhD if you want the most academic employment opportunities as some universities will not grant tenure to a DNP. However, a community college would probably be a great fit for a DNP.

    My experience with a post-masters DNP was essentially like a second, abbreviated MSN. The coursework was relatively easy to complete. The application will require an idea for a project but think more QI than actual research.

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    Null, would you be willing to share where you did your post-masters DNP? I'm looking for something similar.

    Thank you! :)

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    I am working on my post-masters DNP. There are several programs that do not require you to be a practicing APRN (the one I chose does) . I believe you would seen a leadership DNP

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