Both may co exist in the same nursing school i.e The majority of research based programs in nursing will also offer an academic doctorate aswell. The Practice based programs generally admit master’s ‘prepared’ students with expertise in an area of advanced practice nursing.

Main differences between the Research Based programs and the practice based programs are:

• Less emphasis on theory and meta-theory in the Practice Based programs
• considerably less research methodology content, with the focus being on evaluation and use of research rather than conduct of research;
• an emphasis on practice in any research requirement
• clinical practical and/or residency requirements

As DNP programs are Practice Based they provide a rich and varied opportunity for practical experiences aimed at helping the graduate achieve the essential and specialty competencies required upon completion of the program.

In order to achieve the 8 Essential DNP competencies, DNP programs also provide a minimum of 1,000 hours of practice post-baccalaureate as part of a supervised academic program. Practical experience is designed to help students achieve specific learning objectives related to the DNP Essentials and specialty competencies.

The 8 Essential competencies as defined by the AACN, that must be met by DNP Programs are:

The process of obtaining the doctorate in nursing practice diploma

Those who are interested in following the courses of a university online must first quality. In order to quality for such courses, a nurse must be the owner of a diploma of Bachelor of Science in nursing. Another condition for being approved as an online student of a DNP program, the person interested must be certified and maybe even work as a registered nurse. Certified nurses must first become registered nurses in order to be eligible for following such courses. For the online training, experience in which concerns the internet navigation is also important, while having skills in working with computers is absolutely necessary. If all these requirements are met, then the person interested in such a program can apply for one and must then attend the courses according to an online schedule.

The aims of a doctorate in nursing practice

A lot of people think that such a doctorate is not the absolutely necessary type of diploma. Well, it is true that in order to work as a registered nurse, the doctorate is not a requirement, but it definitely is for those who are interested in pursuing an academic career. These nurses will be trained, during their doctorate program, to consider the healthcare needs of their patients and they will be taught to search for solutions to offering a better medical and healthcare service to communities. It is clear that someone who is really in love with the nursing career will feel extremely attracted by the idea of following a doctorate program. Since there are plenty of DNP programs on the internet that don’t require too much time, I don’t see why they should not be a choice for those interested in obtaining the PhD.

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Important Points to Consider

There are significant things that we need to consider in choosing a dnp online program. Among these are:

1. The qualifications of Nursing Faculty. If you are planning to enroll online, you should check the portfolio or profiles of the nursing faculty who are employed in that specific institution. They should meet the criteria needed for accreditation including the educational background of their faculties. You have to make sure that all of the lecturers are graduate of this as well;
2. Commitment to essential nursing practices. Nursing had been formalized to establish a standard curriculum. This affects all nursing curriculum applied to student nurses, graduate nurses, registered nurses and nurses with master’s degree who will pursue further studies. The standard for nursing practice is interrelated to different nursing scopes. These are very essential aspect of nursing that is part of the nursing code of standards. It means that when you select, you have to make sure that they have to correlate the essential nursing practice in their curriculum;
3. The vision, mission and goals. The existence of the vision, mission and goals are derived from the commitment of the nursing school to its service for their students. It is best for you to know these because it is very important for the formation of skills, knowledge and attitude.

Advantages

One of the most impressive advantages is its availability for their enrollees. There are many registered nurses who wanted to move forward on their nursing practices. However, most of them can’t avail it. The awareness of online program can provide the nurses with an opportunity to enroll and study at home. They can also listen and watch lectures which are recorded by videos and they can learn from it in anytime of the day.

Another advantage is that it prevents their enrollees from spending extra money for going to the center and attends the regular classes. If there are lessons that they have missed from the actual class, in online nursing program, they won’t miss even a single lecture and they can repeat the lessons anytime they want.

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• Keiser University Graduate School

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National American University is about personal development and community. When you choose to attend NAU, you don’t just join a group of diverse students and faculty; you join a group of people from all walks of life sharing a unique experience.

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There are many nurses who are planning to earn this degree in order for them to take advancement on their chosen profession. Nursing is a calling which involves health care professionals that provides nursing service to the people holistically. The program provides a further study related to nursing practice in the clinical area. A hospital setting which has various departments employs nurses on different fields. A nurse can decide of what type of nursing field they are going to pursue which are based on their practice. Nurses who take good care of children chooses pediatric nursing, nurses who specializes in the patients with kidney problems are called renal nurses and many more. There are available nursing institutions but the most trending today is the dnp online program which is available on the internet.

Requirements for admission

Same with other institution, this is also requiring their enrollees as part of the criteria needed to be admitted. The following are the requirements for admission:

1. The enrollees must be a registered nurse. Nurses who are planning to enroll must furnish a certification proving that they have passed the state examination. State exams are administered to unregistered nurses who applied for the examination;
2. Sufficient clinical experience. There are also others that may require their enrollees with a certification of employment stating the period of their clinical experience. It can add to the qualification for admission if you have any certification that can prove that you are practicing the nursing profession in a specific and special areas like operating room, renal department, cardiac department, oncological department and others;
3. Must be a graduate of Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Enrollees must present their credentials like transcript of records and diploma proving that they have earned bachelor’s degree in nursing. They can request from their school for these documents; and
4. Complete medical examination results. Enrollees who wanted to be admitted  should submit the complete results of their medical examination. This includes laboratory and radiologic tests; and
5. Entrance examination result. Others may require an admission assessment test to check the mental capability of their enrollees.

Same with other nursing education, the dnp online program have set requirements for their student in order to attain a degree. This may include the following criteria:

1. Earned complete units. It is the major key for obtaining a doctorate degree in nursing by completing the necessary units. Lacking of unit can prevent you from acquiring a certification.
2. Result of Comprehensive Examination. There are others that provides a comprehensive examination for their enrollees at the end of the entire program. This is to access the nursing knowledge, skills and attitude of their enrollees towards the commitment of their service to people.

Nurses who have earned a DNP are expected to have high career opportunities for the pursuit of career advancement. The career opportunities on the nursing field consistently reveal a high-growth potential:

• Positions as advanced practice nurse grew by 68% from 2000 to 2008.
• Positions in Nurse Practitioner are expected to increase by 23% by 2016.
• Nearly 50,000 nursing instructors and teachers will be needed in higher education institutions by 2018.
• The demand for registered nurses is foreseen to increase by 22% between 2008 and 2018.

Career Options

The DNP degree program can take you to a higher-level leadership position and education functions within health care industries. Therefore, you can contribute significantly in the improvement of the delivery of quality patient health care and developing nursing professional trainings.

At the completion of the program some of the career options for Doctor of Nursing Practice:

• Nurse-managed clinics
•  Private medical offices
•  Public health departments
• Military and veterans facilities
• Schools and universities
• International health organizations
• Walk in clinics
• Hospitals and hospital clinics
• Extended care facilities
• Occupation and employee clinics
• Hospice centers
• Home health care agencies
• Emergency rooms
• Urgent care sites
• Long term care facilities
• Rural and urban area facilities
• Health research
•  Pharmaceutical companies
• Nurse educators

Different Roles

There are many career options for Doctor of Nursing Practice is health care industry. It depends on their skills and interest. They may assume a role in administrative leadership and leadership positions in research, clinical care delivery, patient outcome and system management, education and direct practice. They also has selections to work in different areas such as acute care, family care, geriatric care, and holistic care to name a few.  Because of the changing demands in the delivery of health care services and industry, there is also an emergence of health care needs and areas of competency that a practicing nurse should identify. Since there is a rapid change in the complexity of leadership and discipline of nursing, what is needed is a doctoral level education in order to meet the rising needs in the nursing field.

Nurses that have preparation in doctorate degree have concentrated on solving issues in refining the nursing profession for many years. But, nurses who are working with direct patient care have concerns over inadequate nursing staffing, high difference on patient-nurse rations, compulsory overtime, safety issues and lack of respect. Could this mean a lack of nursing leadership? Does the day-to-day issues of nurses are truly understood by nursing leaders? Most of the needs of the nurses are not realized –and that doctor of nursing practice nurses aid in bridging the gap.

A Growing Demand

Because of the issues that the APNs are facing, the master’s in nursing was reexamined in order to determine if it is the best academic preparation for APNs in the light of these prevailing issues which are the following:

• Bigger need for an expansion of knowledge required by APNs to perform role in interdisciplinary groups;
• Rapid complexity of today’s health care system;
• Demand for nurses to perform function at higher levels as well as help design systems that provide safe, cost-effective nursing care;
• Scarcity  of faculty needed to prepare future nurses and leaders;
• Specialist preparation programs that requires more credit hours than most graduate program requires.

Today, the DNP degree has demonstrated a high demand in the nursing field. One study shows that 25% of BSN graduates will proceed to Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) ; 52% of these graduates showed an interest on pursuing to become nurse practitioners; and 23% of them want to become certified registered nurse anesthetists. According to the respondents, the DNP is the most favored terminal degree to attain their goals towards advanced practice. Only 5% showed an interest on pursuing PhDs. According to one needs-based survey, 51% of the respondents exhibit an interest in pursuing their education; of the 51%, only 2% shows an interest in researched-focus PhD.

Can it Ease the Faculty Shortage?

A 2006 study shows that 71% chose a DNP after evaluating DNSc, PhD and DNP. Of those, 55% choose nursing education as their career goal and 39% shows interest on clinical practice. Thus, the study suggested that this can ease the faculty shortage especially to nurses that are interested in clinically focused education.

This may be the answer in preparing nurses in achieving the highest standards, improve clinical expertise and evaluate health care models that are cost-effective basing on strongest evidence and in helping nurses in becoming competent nurses.

A Nurse Called as “Doctor”

The doctorate of nursing practice is a preparation for advanced practice towards alliances with other health professionals. In this case, nursing become at par with other professions such as medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and clinical psychology. Because of today’s interdisciplinary practice and education, many health professionals that are not physicians can earn a title.

The Dilemma

The dilemma with using the title as a “Doctor” arises when it creates confusion to patients. Can a nurse be called as doctor? Yes, a nurse can be called as doctor and one example of such manifestation is a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

As provided legally by some other state, the title “Doctor” can be used by health professionals that are non-physicians provided that there is an inclusion of their title of licensure or specialty  when communicating to patients.

However, the American Medical Association (AMA) contradicted the use of the title since according to them the title in itself misleads the patients to confusion considering that patients would believe that they are being given care by a doctor. This statement is embodied in Resolution 211 which was passed by AMA House of Delegates. It also state further that persons who misrepresent as physicians themselves in relation to their patients must be identified and prosecuted.

A Legal Title

As a conclusion, it is a must for you to use your legal title licensure in the state where you practice your field. In indicating educational credentials, you can make use of your educational credential in all healthcare settings. Legally, the title “Doctor” can be use when an advanced practice nurse just like a Doctor of Nursing Practice has gained already a licensure with an appropriate title as doctor. But if the language of legality is unclear in your state, the different professional organizations on a local or national level can initiate a suited legislative action for you to get the title you would want to earn.

Practice doctorates are the doctoral degree programs which concentrate in the field of professional discipline such as the DNP degree. The practice doctorate is known to be the highest level of educational credential for nursing practitioners and other advanced practice nurses. According to Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), DNP  will be the entry level by 2015 for all advanced nursing practice job role.

Should a Nurse Practitioner get a DNP degree in order to practice in the future?

No. Advanced practice nurses who are master’s degree holder can pursue their studies and continue their practice in their present positions, job roles and privileges.

Can graduates of this program assume educator roles in schools of nursing?

Yes. Though it does not prepare graduates for scientific research, the Association of

Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) recommended that graduates of the program can take the role in schools of nursing and the preparation of theory and practice of teaching in nursing field.

Will additional professional nurses be licensed as advanced practice nurses?

If a professional nurse is already certified nationally as clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, or as an advanced practice nurse executive they shall no longer need or required to have additional certification. A coursework is important to prepare those nurses who don’t hold yet an advanced certification in national certification examination depending in the area of expertise.

What are the competencies expected for professional nurses who completed as DNP?

The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) developed eight (8) areas of competencies for nursing practitioners who has completed their studies.

These eight areas of competencies at the level of practice doctorate comprise of:

• Conducting practice inquiry Skill;
• Advanced practice in scientific foundations;
• Inter-professional collaboration and leadership;
• leadership in promoting a culture of excellence in practice and quality improvement;
• Information literacy to complex decision-making  and skill in the application of technology;
• Skills in analytical advocacy health policy;
• Risk management skills  and strong organizational leadership;
• Ethical decision-making competency regarding dilemmas in health care.

What is the difference between DNP  and PhD?

The Doctorate in Nursing Practice is a terminal degree that prepares nurses for advanced practice such as becoming nurse administrators, advanced practice nurses and educators. The outcome for DNP program is for the pursuit of nursing leadership. DNP nurses are expected to function at the highest level of nursing practice. They also function as nursing leaders in the application and translation of research tin to practice.

On the other hand, the Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) prepares nurses to become scientist that conducts discovery and application of scientific knowledge on healthcare and nursing in general. The PhD program outcome is geared towards the creation of nurse scientist for academia and research career in research-intensive settings.

 DNP program focuses on the advancement of experience in practice while the PhD is focus on research.  A research in a form of Capstone Inquiry is the final project for DNP, while the in the PhD  the requirement is the accomplishment of an original research project.

DNP vs PhD

On the other hand, a DNP program graduates are skilled to use tools needed in the assessment of the evidences acquired through conducting nursing research and create an evaluation of the impact of such studies to their practice for the purpose of enhancing the quality of their healthcare services.

DNP vs PhD –Respective Area of Focus

The program objective for Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree is geared towards clinical practice while the degree for Doctorate of Nursing Practice is geared towards research and academic careers in private and public sectors of healthcare services.

The competencies of Doctorate of Nursing Practice focus on the clinical integration experience and emphasize the application of skills and tools towards evidence-based research in practice. On the other side, the doctor of philosophy has two tracks of study –the clinical research and health services research which gives them an opportunity to work with interdisciplinary research faculty.

The degree requirement for the Doctorate of Nursing Practice is the completion of a project that would present a synthesized coursework as well as clinical practice application. On the other hand, the Doctor of Philosophy requires a qualifying written and oral examination as well as dissertation paper which includes oral defense of the findings specific study.

The career focus of DNP degree graduates is on leadership positions in clinical services, as faculty and clinical information technology. They are developed in order to generate innovative designs to enhance health care outcomes. PhD focuses on conducting and disseminating researchers that would contribute to the local, regional and national needs.  They are developed to become advance in research, education and health policy.

DNP vs PhD – Knowing What Fits You

The specialization for both doctorate degrees is different that is why knowing what fits you between taking DNP or PhD is very simple! If you are towards clinical practice in delivering healthcare services and assessment of healthcare outcome, then the Doctorate of Nursing Practice fits you! If you are towards research and academic advancement, then the Doctorate of Philosophy fits you! Let this give you a guide of deciding which degree is compatible with your practice.

However, a their salary is affected by contributing factors such as location and level of education and experience (To see a more detailed table of Salary per state see here)For an instance, a doctor of nursing practice in California earns a salary which is 6% higher than the national average. Also, their education and experience is the major contributing factor. The following statistics below would show the difference in their salary in relation to their respective specialties.

DNP Salary in Relation to Area of Specialties

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists -$143,700
• Certified Nurse Midwives – $87,200
•  Nurse Practitioner -$78,916
• Clinical Nurse Specialist-$78,916

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing also reported that the head nurse in a hospital setting would garner an average salary of   $84,648 annually. A nursing director working in the same setting may earn an annual of $105,503 and a nurse hired as a head of nurses within the same locality can earn an average salary of $171,235 annually.

National Salary Trend

Based on the statistical data from Indeed.com, the salary index of the DNP nurses within the period of January 2010 to October 2011 is highest in the middle of the 3^nd quarter and lowest during the 4^th quarter of 2010. However, the statistics shows that in 2011, the salary index rises in the 4^th quarter. This implies that the salary for Doctor of Nursing Practice is therefore increasing at the end of the 4^th quarter of 2011.

Average Salary according to Related Title

As of December 5, 2011, the highest paid is the Supervisory Physician with an average salary of $172,000 per annum.

Currently, their average salaries for job posting across US are 48% greater than average salaries for all job postings across US. See statistics below.

In conclusion, the doctor of nursing practice is one of the most highly paid advanced practice nurses in the field of health care services and industry in US.