As healthcare advances, many new roles are becoming available to those who are willing to further their education. The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is becoming an increasingly popular role for nurses as they choose to advance their education and want a practice degree versus a professional degree such as in research. The main role of a DNP is to actually put into practice the research that has been done for the discipline (Zaccagnini & White, 2017).
The DNP embodies the convergence of the various practice doctorates in nursing and was adopted as the terminal practice degree in nursing by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2004 (Chism, 2016). Historically, nurses have been prepared at the doctoral level through a variety of degrees both outside of and within nursing. These various degrees include, but are not limited to, the doctor of education (EdD), DNS, DNSc, DrNP, ND, and PhDs in various fields of basic or applied sciences related to nursing.
Our role as nursing leaders is to place a high priority on our commitment to educating ourselves, while improving the lives of patients through collaborative and transformational nursing leadership. I have chosen to pursue the Doctorate of Nursing Practice to transform and revolutionize best practice outcomes. While exploring program types, I considered the PhD, however this degree placed an emphasis on academics and research. My final decision was centered on how to affect change in nursing practice at the bedside. The decision to apply to Yale was based on the time-tested, world-class faculty and scholars available to the DNP student. Yale is a leader in higher education and I am seeking the very best.
In 1965, the American Nurses Association shared its vision for the future of nursing education. A primary goal in its message was that a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) becomes the minimum requirement for entry into nursing practice (Nelson, 2002). Fifty years later, debates on this issue continue. In its report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change and Advancing Healthcare, the Institute of Medicine shared its recommendation that 80% of nurses possess a bachelor’s degree by the year 2020. A significant number of health care facilities have adopted the practice of hiring nurses with BSN over those with two year Associate’s Degree of Nursing (ADN) or a three-year hospital based diploma program. Stakeholders in the Registered Nurse (RN)
There is much controversy about the educational requirement to prepare nurses for practice. Rather the minimal education level be a diploma, associate degree in nursing (ADN), or bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) a need for an agreed upon education level for practice is necessary. There is a wide range of nursing related practices all of which do not require the same amount of education and this author agrees with the National League of Nursing (NLN) concerning scope of practice and preparation for the field of nursing; that an ADN or diploma program is a sufficient level of education for technical nursing practice and the BSN should be the minimum for practice as a professional nurse (Black, 2014, p. 136). This author thinks that the option for an ADN is vital to nursing as a whole, however agrees with the idea that any career requiring only two years of schooling is technical and not professional. This places ADNs in the same category as technicians and assistance in other health care fields (Taylor, 2008, p. 613). This paper examines the necessity for nursing education beyond an associate degree for professional nursing practice in order to meet the increase of complex medical needs.
Nursing, as a crucial part of the health care system, keeps evolving while dealing with an increasingly complex clinical situation that involves quality of patient care. Therefore, to successfully handle these scenarios, nursing needs to become more advanced, clinically and academically. A DNP degree is needed in this situation because according to Dunbar- Jacob, Navito & Khalil (2013), a DNP degree is considered to have more impact on nursing than a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree due to the advanced clinical education a DNP provides (p. 425). Hence, the DNP degree has an enormous impact in nursing practice especially in terms of improving clinical care, promoting leadership roles, and improving educational status.
The Doctorate of Nursing (DNP) degree like the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree was created to prepare nurse scholars. Both of these programs focus on research methodology and require a research project. However, the DNP curriculum design is practice-focused while the PhD has a research-focused. To expand the practice of nursing, there is a need to continually create practice experts, nurse scientist, and leadership. As in other disciplines, the educational component must be designed to support the specialization of the discipline. The DNP programs have two components that guide the student to achieve their highest potential of competencies (Slyer & Levin, 2012). The first component of the program is the DNP Essentials which outlines
The DNP embodies the convergence of the various practice doctorates in nursing and was adopted as the terminal practice degree in nursing by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2004 (Chism, 2016). Historically nurses have been prepared at the doctoral level through a variety of degrees outside of and within nursing. These various degrees include, but are not limited to, the doctorate in education (EdD), doctor of nursing science (DNS or DNSc), doctor of nursing practice (DrNP), nursing doctorate (ND), and PhDs in nursing as well as fields of basic or applied sciences related to nursing.
I am delighted in my career as a professional nurse and seeking the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) gives me the opportunity to expand my knowledge base in order to practice at a higher level, and obtain the terminal degree in my profession. My goal is to become an adult nurse practitioner, with primary focus to improve the practice of nursing. The Doctor of Nursing Practice will equip me with knowledge and skills needed to understand and appreciate research and facilitate the process of putting evidence into practice, with the overall goal of achieving improve patient safety, satisfaction and outcomes. The Doctor of Nursing Practice will enable me to assume more leadership role, in practice and in research. I should be able to participate in research and formulate nursing models guided by evidence based practice models of care. Having practiced as a professional nurse for five years, obtaining the Doctor of Nursing Practice gives me the opportunity to foster my professional growth and development.
The DNP embodies the convergence of the various practice doctorates in nursing and was adopted as the terminal practice degree in nursing by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2004 (Chism, 2016). Historically, nurses have been prepared at the doctoral level through a variety of degrees both outside of and within nursing. These various degrees include, but are not limited to, the doctor of education (EdD), DNS, DNSc, DrNP, ND, and PhDs in various fields of basic or applied sciences related to nursing.
Advanced practice registered nurses play a significant part in extending access to health care by providing primary care and specialty care services to clients. Advanced practices registered are mentors, educators, researchers, and administrators. According to Health Resources and Services Administration, “Ninety-six percent of the NP workforce reported being in clinical practice, providing direct patient care” (Health Resources and Services Administration 2016). Furthermore, “Nearly three percentages were in faculty positions and approximately one percent was in administrative positions”(Health Resources and Services Administration 2016).
Wojciechowski, A. "Assuring the Effective Advanced Degree Nurse as Clinical Education Program Manager." Internet Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice: 5.2 (Jun 2002):43 Academic Search Premier. EBSCO Host. Camden Carroll Lib. Morehead State University. 27 Oct 2013.
This paper will evaluate the local, national and international drivers that have influenced the development of advanced nursing practice. The discussion will include the political, economic, social, and technological influences that have contributed to the transformation from the traditional nursing role to the numerous exciting advanced level career opportunities achievable in nursing today. Dynamics that have shaped my own current advanced nursing role will be discussed and to conclude some thoughts on the future of advanced nursing practice.
The first key message that is discussed is that nurses should practice to the fullest extent of their education and training. Most of the nurses that are in practice are registered nurses. Advanced nurse practitioners are nurses that hold a master’s or doctoral degree and include nurse midwifes, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists and consist of about two hundred and fifty thousand of the nurses currently working today. Advanced practice nurses are limited to what
INTRODUCTION There are many things that affect a student’s enrolment as a nurse the student must be competent in the many registration standards that the Nursing Midwifery Board of Australia have set. The stigmas attached to students with Impairments and or Criminal histories and the ineligibility to register. Nursing is defined by the International Council of Nursing (2014) as collaborative care of individual’s any age health or ill of all communities, groups, in all situations. Health promotion, illness prevention and the care of unwell, disabled and dying people are included in the nursing practice. Encouraging a safe environment, research, contributing to shape health policies and health systems management, and education are also key nursing