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Discussion

Path to DNP/PhD/EdD

I currently work as a faculty member in a skills and simulation lab at a large university. I love my job and hope to always stay here. My long term goals include doing research on simulation in healthcare, interprofessional teamwork, and interprofessional simulation. As this is practice-based research, a DNP seems like the best pathway towards being able to do this research. The research I have found on this topic tends to be done by DNP nurses working in academia.

However, since I never plan to leave my job (although only 60%), it seems silly to become a nurse practitioner just to not really ever work as one. The NP skills would be valuable to my current job, but I doubt those hours would count for the 1,000 I need for recertification every 5 years. I know I would never get a job as a NP working only 8ish hours per week without prior experience.

So, is there another pathway to DNP without being a NP? Is there another degree that would be more valuable or more applicable for doing the type of research I am interested in?

Thank you!

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    • Featured Replies

    Touro University Nevada has a DNP program for nurse educators: I'm in my first term and it sounds like it would be right up your alley! (Touro has several campuses across the country- the DNP is exclusively at the Nevada campus)

    I also was accepted at Chatham University in PA for a similar program.

    Both are online (Chatham has two, two day on campus visits at the beginning and end of program - Touro has no on campus requirement)

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    • Experts

    All research should be related to practice in one way or another. I don't understand why you are set on getting a DNP instead of a PhD. If the type of work you want to do is research and not direct patient care -- do the research degree (PhD) and not the advanced practice degree. Think about it: someone who wants to be a researcher focusing on skin care (or some other clinical topic) would get a PhD, not a DNP.

    The other route is to get a DNP focusing on education, as another poster suggested. But those are not common as the profession has not recognized "nursing education" as an "advanced practice role" -- and therefore it is not included as an option in most DNP programs.

    You say that you have read a lot of research by DNP's about your topic. That's a problem with a DNP. People get them (preparing to be practitioners or CNS's, etc.) ... but then end up taking academic jobs and wanting to do research. But their DNP's did not prepare them to be researchers... and so it goes. Nursing shoots itself in the foot again by adding more confusion to our list of possible degrees.

    If you want to be a researcher ... get the research degree. That's what it is there for.

    Good luck with whatever you decide.

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    I would like to get more info re: DNP program thanks

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    you can do Ed.D. Do not have to defend a thesis as Ph.D. Also, I have a friend getting DNP in a non-clinical area (business/finance/management) I assume they offer DNP in education that does not require the clinical component (a clinical teaching portion for sure-same as MSN in ed. but not the medical part)

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    Yes I will be starting my DNP @ Touro concentrating in education

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    Is the Touro program all online then? So, being in the Midwest, I could complete the program remotely? Also, what are the program goals...what will you do after you complete the program? Faculty role, admin role, other? I'm torn right now between a program like this or a traditional PhD...still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up :)

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    • Author
    Is the Touro program all online then? So, being in the Midwest, I could complete the program remotely? Also, what are the program goals...what will you do after you complete the program? Faculty role, admin role, other? I'm torn right now between a program like this or a traditional PhD...still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up :)

    Yes, Touro's DNP is 100% online. You are never required to go to campus. You will need 1,000 post BSN clinical hours, but you can arrange those locally. 480 hours are included in the program but you'll need to arrange extras if you had less than 520 coming into the program.

    The program goal is for leaders in nursing education. The concept of leadership is focused on the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to fully implement the specialty role of the nurse as a doctorally prepared academic educator.

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    It's geared towards education/admin. This is online for 12 months.

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    • Author
    I'm torn right now between a program like this or a traditional PhD...still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up :)

    You and me both! Ha. I looked long and hard into PhD programs but finally decided that I did not want to be in school that long. I also work as an academic educator in a BSN program currently so I work with a lot of PhD nurses in what I want to do. They live off finding grants to do research, bringing in money, and publishing. I have no interest in that being an aspect of my job or a requirement. If I happen to get a grant and do research and publish - great! But I more so wanted to focus on bridging the delay gap between research being published and that research being translated into practice. That's what the DNP was made for. Granted it was made for APRNs to do so, but it is just as necessary in nursing education!

    So I guess it depends which side of the equation you want to be on.

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    I noticed that they aren't accredited by a nursing org...does that concern you? Is that relevant for a terminal degree? I was looking at a similar program at American Sentinel that is ACEN accredited.

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    • Author
    I noticed that they aren't accredited by a nursing org...does that concern you? Is that relevant for a terminal degree? I was looking at a similar program at American Sentinel that is ACEN accredited.

    Originally, yes. But it's only because the DNP isn't able to get national accreditation. DNP programs for educators are not formally recognized by the accreditation agency yet. They are regionally accredited. I looked at a lot of job postings and they all require a regionally accredited school but none mentioned national accreditation. Being a terminal degree, I won't need any accreditation levels for additional education.

    I have also looked at Sentinel. It costs about $10k more, has two in person residencies, and takes twice as long to complete. They also aren't sure if I'm eligible. They require 2 years experience in nursing education and specify full time experience. I work part time in a faculty role. Still, the ACEN accreditation is nice.

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    LaurRN3,

    Have you decided on a program? I am in Ohio as well, and am looking at many options. I do like the idea of Touro, but I am not sure that education will be all that I do.

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