Doctoral Degrees Gain Steam in Healthcare Industry

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I have 30 years clinical experience as an RN, with 10 years as an APRN; I do no plan to go back to grad school at 50 years of age. I have applied twice to DNP programs and was turned down based on lack of tuition funds, time expense and lack of motivation for full-time demands of me expected to complete this program. I have my Masters and a good job now. You can keep the DNP for the up and coming new high school graduate. Kevin

Kevin Majchszak, CNP of MI 3:40PM April 08, 2012

Agree with John M. I am 59 with FNP-C for 15 yrs and prior to that, an RN for 22 years. To have to retake a GRE exam to prove I can handle the academia for a DNP and to incrue the debt at this age is ridiculous. My salary wouldn't even change. It's not worth it. I am in a specialized field- Cardiology/Heart Failure Coordinator-and in the "information gathering" conversations with recruiters of several programs in NY State, they all indicated that I needed to find a specialized area to center my DNP around, and get a preceptor with a DNP to help me. Again, ridiculous. Too many barriers for those of us with experience who are already preceptors to others.

SW of NY 3:30PM March 31, 2012

As nurses we are sick of continuing to have pressure to go higher and higher. Who has the funds. We all use research now to improve patient outcomes why do you need a doctor behind your name to accomplish something we all ready do?

Roxanna of AL 12:43AM March 28, 2012

I don't agree with NPNY the DNP degree is a practice doctorate for the nursing profession just like an MD is a practice doctorate for the medical profession. PhDs for those with medical degrees and nursing degrees are still considered the highest degree you can obtain in academia. If you want to do research whether you are an MD or NP you should get your PhD in your field, if clinical practice is your thing then the practice doctorate is often the way to go. I graduated from Vanderbilt's DNP program a couple years ago, great program all focused on evidenced based practice and scholarly inquiry, it was a challenging program and not substandard in any way, but it is not a PhD program. Apples and Oranges.

mb of GA 9:42AM March 27, 2012

As a DNP graduate who also comleted most of the work for a PhD in nursing, I would gladly stand toe-to-toe to debate with anyone calling the DNP and "substandard" doctorate. I'm not sure what standards you base that comparison upon, but I couldn't disagree more with that assessment. The nursing profession is largely responding to market demands for advanced practice nurses with more skills and knowlege that we can fit in our already overburdened, credit heavy master's program. Given the comparison with other health profession's practice doctorates, the addition of the the knowlege and skills asked for by the marketplace to the high credits master's programs only make sense to level these as doctoral programs and to offer the practice doctorate and offer some parity. This is not however, a "substandard" doctorate. It is different than a PhD or research doctorate in its focus on practice scholarship and practice knowlege generation, but certainly not "substandard".

Brian K. Goodroad of MN 5:00PM March 26, 2012

The DNP requirement is going to price us right out of jobs! Nursing first needs to make the BSN mandatory and abandon the Associate Degree. Then, get health systems to consistently and fairly reimburse for Masters'-prepared Nurse Practitioners. And require clinical experience prior to entrance into graduate programs. This whole system promotes expensive college programs, while putting nurses further in debt without any hope of increased salaries to compensate for it. Think about it: $20000 x 4 years =$80000 for BSN. + $20000-$40000 for 2 years for a MSN--let's call it $50000, then $40000 to $60000 per year for 2-3 years for a DNP= $120000 = a grand total of $250000!---for a $70000-90000/salary per year? I think not! And what is the point of BSN to DNP? Give us all that! I have 24 years of experience, so my 2 more years of college got me $30000 of debt, about a $3.00/hr pay raise and a lot more hours and responsibility. Now some 23 year old who has no idea what is going on clinically, can go to a bridge program for a DNP? This is game playing and a way for colleges to make money.

obxmom of OH 1:14PM March 25, 2012

This is another example of how the nursing profession causes division within itself. Just as the associate/baccalaureate controversy continues after 50 plus years, nursing has developed a substandard doctorate. Why don't we get it right? The DNP is another way for our physician collegues to continue the "less than" attitude of our knowledge and skills.

NPNY of NY 9:44AM March 25, 2012

Dad,
Think I'm going to apply to UW's DNP program

Dad of WA 12:12PM March 24, 2012

as a NP I already work/manage/understand "systems of care, and understand issues around quality and safety measurement and leadership to be able to fully utilize [my] capabilities". Nursing is unable to make the BSN a standard, and if we can't start from the bottom up how is it fair to make a Phd/DNP a requirement in the future. Also, there is no incentive to getting you Phd or DNP in nursing practice, it doesn't change your current NP practice, doesn't raise your salary and you put yourself further into debt.

MT of NY 11:52AM March 24, 2012

I agree, this is just another way for academia to make more money off the poor hard working nurses. I do not see why so many people are jumping on the band wagon, when they still can not make the entry into practice a BSN. Until the entry level to nursing is a BSN, I will never support the DNP. I do not see the clinical value for all the work, no more pay, no more respect and so much debt.

Dee of AL 8:53PM March 23, 2012