DNP Survey Results

Last updated on: December 31, 2008 | Posted on: December 29, 2008

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What do NPs really think about the DNP? Respondents to our online survey about the doctorate of nursing practice degree had a lot to say!

In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommended that all nurses seeking to be credentialed as nurse practitioners earn a DNP degree. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties endorsed this recommendation, and other nursing organizations agreed that it should be an option.The phase-in date for all new NPs to have a DNP is 2015.

Here are results of an online survey conducted by ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners in fall 2008.

Read comments by survey participants by clicking through the pages.

DNP Survey Results

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I think that many of the poster's here have missed two items. First, the degree is Doctorate of Nursing Practice (NOT Dr of Nurse practitioner), other advanced practice nurses: CNM's (Certified nurse midwife, CRNA's (nurse anesthetists), and CNS (nurse specialists)are also considered advanced practice nurses and eligible for application to DNP programs.

The second issue is that the academia HAS fluffed the degree too far. The DNP Essentials ask for only a Total of 1000 hours of clinical from BSN-DNP, and do not ask for the students to get a masters degree also. The redundant classes that many posters have discussed (taken both in masters and for DNP) was not the intention of the DNP essentials, it says to combine it all together. A generic masters degree is in the mid-30's for the number of credits, the FNP is around 49 at most programs, so the FNP already has a "jump" on post-masters credits of 15-18 credits. The DNP essentials describes an integrated advancement that does not ask for repeated courses or classes that were already taken at the master's level. Realistically the DNP should take no more than 18 months past the "masters" level to complete.

Others have touched on the issue of standardizatiod, which I also feel is important. Raise the bar for entering nurses (BSN) and create a standardizes program across the nation for the DNP.

Someone mentioned "DNP certification" in their post. The DNP test is designed only for Nurse practitioners (Family really-because it is mirrored after the entry level physician step-3 exams.) The DNP exam is not appropriate as a licensing benchmark, because many who will hold the DNP degree are not nurse practitioners. We must unite and stand by all types of nursing practice not create division and havoc.

Just watched "Night at the Museum 2" with my elementary aged children last night and the script writers discuss the concept of divide and conquer. If we continue to attack ourselves we will not have to fight the AMA for acceptance, as all nurses will not be valued. Lets follow the model of New Jersey "BSN in TEN" and increase our nurses knowledge without increasing the nursing shortage.
http://www.njsna.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=380

As an almost DNP graduate I too am worried about the increased educational loan debt and the lack of increased salary because of the DNP. I went to an online program that charged a flat fee whether in-state or out-of-state. Many who had to "commute" for the DNP should look for the distance programs. I also created a "clinical" track for my program where I completed over 600 additional supervised clinical hours beyond my FNP hours. I agree that these clinical hours were important for my practice, and feel all programs should require additional "ADVANCED" supervised clinical time during the program. I explained to the attending physicians that I was learning topics beyond the basic family practice venue. I did an HIV clinic rotation, and an emergency medicine rotation. I feel I stood up there with the first and second year residents, without having the advantage of their (more involved) education. The real value of the clinical time though was to lead by example and show my fellow medical students and rotating residents that NP's do know their stuff. I often answered questions correctly without the benifit of having their "reading" assignment sheet. I had 10 years of emergency nursing before entering the NP program and I feel the pre-practice exposure to patient communication, medical terminology, and pharmacolgy is what really differentiates the NP from the PA, if we take that away and run straight from entry to NP, without stopping to work as a nurse...then we are just running a PA program, without the added clinical rotation hours they require.

I agree the DNP program as it stands is too long and will drive BSN RN's to PA, or physician school, by virtue of the financial compensation levels at completion. Now would be a good time a NP-physician bridge program....give us a chance to apply for residencies on an equal testing footing and see what our "experience" does for us. We only go back and take the portions that we were unable to test out on.

Just some thoughts for all to ponder,
Diane

Diane , DNP-(c), MSn, FNP, RN	May 26, 2009

Nursing is one of the last professions to require doctorial level training as the terminal degree for clinical practice. It is time. We must keep pace with Pharmacy, Physical therapy, etc.

Marcia Roye, MSN RN, Instructor	May 10, 2009
St. Louis, MO

I have for the last nine years a Adult nurse practitioner with a masters in med/surg admin, and a postmasters degree as a Adult NP. I was initially excited about the DNP, until I started examining the course work. So many of the programs are very similar to the PhD for ed/research, and are missing key components of what I believe should be, a heavier weighted advanced clinical practicum. Also who of us can say to our employers - Im taking several days off a semester, as well taking time for our requirements for recert. for ANCC etc. There needs to be more programs with distance/ on line course work as well as local opportunities for the clinical hours. Also there needs to be standardization of these programs, to ensure that the outcomes are similar.

Susan Dumas, adult NP, Green Mt. Familly Med	April 28, 2009
Rutland, VT

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