Nurse how to get a dnp

Nursing is one of the healthcare industry’s most important professions. Nurses are fundamental to ensuring safe and effective patient care by using their skills to assist doctors, patients, and other concerned parties. The job comes with a lot of responsibility, and it's no wonder nurses require many skills and education.

For nurses wishing to advance their career opportunities, the highest clinical degree to obtain is the Doctor of Nurse Practicing or DNP. A DNP is similar but not quite like a PhD. Nurses with a DNP go through several extra years of education that give them a special role in healthcare. In fact, many professions now either require or strongly recommend a DNP.

What is a DNP?

A DNP is a terminal degree in nursing, which means it is one of the two highest degrees a nurse can receive, the other being a PhD in Nursing. However, unlike a PhD, which is more focused on research, a DNP is a clinical degree designed for practicing nurses. A DNP is a degree that prepares a nurse to become an expert and a leader in their workplace.

Alongside their clinical education, a DNP learns how to critically evaluate problems through the use of evidence-based decision making, make recommendations to improve their healthcare institution and assess the effectiveness of their recommendations. In this process, a nurse with a DNP is expected to act as a bridge between practice and policy.

DNPs are sought after in many healthcare settings because their enhanced knowledge helps improve the systems in place. Nurses with DNPs are in a unique position to understand both the clinical role of a nurse as well as the administrative expectations in healthcare.

This is what separates DNPs from other graduate clinical nursing degrees, such as those with an MSN whose education focuses solely on the clinical side of the profession.

Where do DNPs Work?

Nurses with DNPs can work in all kinds of settings, likely to be found in an advanced nurse practitioner position or some form of management. This is because a DNP is trained to combine both clinical responsibilities with high-level administrative skills.

Nurses with DNPs who work in direct patient care will take an advanced practice nursing (APRN) track which requires a certifying exam. This track leads DNPs to clinical roles such as certified nurse practitioner (CNP), certified nurse-midwife (CNM), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), and clinical nurse specialist (CNS).

Meanwhile, nurses with DNPs who work in administration can expect jobs as nurse managers, clinical trainers, health policy advisors, and health informatics systems analysts.

A nurse with a DNP is able to both put into practice their expertise as well as work alongside management, policymakers, and other healthcare administrators. This is why many DNP programs consider building leadership skills their top priority.

Is a DNP Different From a Ph.D.?

A DNP is not the same as a PhD in Nursing. The biggest difference between the two is that a PhD is focused on research, while a DNP is a clinical, or practicing, degree. This means that someone who studies for a DNP will learn in clinical settings and have advanced knowledge of practicing professions.

Meanwhile, a PhD in Nursing usually leads to careers in education and research.

Is a DNP Worth It?

A DNP can be very helpful, but it depends on the career goals of the nurse. A DNP requires extra education, which inevitably means extra time and money must be spent. A nurse with a DNP will also end up in a profession that requires more responsibility which must be taken into account.

That being said, a DNP can be obtained with financial aid and scholarships. In the end, a DNP is going to have more career options with higher salary opportunities. A nurse with a DNP ends up making $102,000 a year on average.

How Do You Get a DNP?

A DNP is obtained through graduate-level education from an accredited institution. To get a DNP, a candidate must first have a master’s in science nursing degree or MSN. However, some programs will accept candidates with a bachelor’s degree (BSN) and provide them with a master’s along the way, similar to some PhD programs.

The MSN-DNP path can take one to two years full-time or three to four years part-time, while the BSN to DNP path can take three to four years full-time or four to six years part-time. In either case, along the way, the DNP provides options to concrete on certain fields of practice or administration.

DNP Program Specialties

A nurse seeking a DNP can end up in several fields. They include:

• Adult-Gerontology (AGNP)

• Family (FNP)

• Neonatal (NNP)

• Pediatrics (PNP)

• Psychiatric/Mental Health (PMHNP)

• Women's Health (WHNP)

• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

• Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

• Nurse Manager

• Nursing Policy Expert

A nurse with a DNP also has the option to end up in a more administrative role. In this case, the nurse would focus on the responsibilities of someone with an MBA.

Other DNP Frequently Asked Questions

• Should I get a DNP?

  You should get a DNP if it matches your career goals. Like many graduate degrees, a DNP is a commitment.

  Yet, if you are a nurse and would like to either become an expert in a certain area of clinical practice or else are interested in advancing in an administrative role, then a DNP can be a great decision. It will build you up as a crucial leader in your workplace.

• How long does a DNP degree take?

  The average DNP program takes between three to six years and requires between 30 and 90 credits. This partially depends on the type of education you have prior to pursuing your DNP.

  Some DNP programs require you to have an MSN as a prerequisite. Other programs only ask for a bachelor’s degree; however, these take a long time as you are expected to get an MSN education in the process.

• What can I do with a DNP?

  A DNP opens up many career options. With a DNP, you can either become an expert in an advanced clinical field or else take on a high-level administrative role. Many nurses with DNPs see great gains in their career growth due to their education.