Why Get a Doctorate of Nursing DNP Degree
In current times, nurses are not content with just earning a nursing diploma or degree then rest on their laurels after getting their certification. Most nurses enroll for their Master’s program soon after settling into their jobs. Nursing field has very many MA nurses specializing in different areas.
With so many MSN degrees in the file, it is natural for an increasing number of nurses to study for their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. It is a terminal degree just like Doctor of Philosophy regarded as the Ph.D. in nursing. Ph.D. in Nursing prepares nurses for research and science-oriented roles. The work of the graduates is to develop new knowledge for the nursing profession.
A DNP prepares graduates for roles in the clinical settings. If you prefer nursing practice to academia, it is the right terminal nursing degree for you. It prepares you for senior clinical responsibilities, administrative and leadership roles.
DNP creates opportunities to serve in specialist roles
DNP prepares you adequately for a specialized role. During the program, you will learn much at the progress of diseases from clinical practice. It may vary among schools and the chosen specialization but will always include diagnostics and disease treatment. Mostly, a DNP degree prepares a student to become independent practitioners. It even has a strong with other kinds of scientific fields such as dentistry, psychology, and medicine. The job titles may vary according to requirements by the employer, but there are descriptions throughout the country. These include:
- Nurse Practitioner (NP) with dozens of specializations
- Certified nurse midwife (CNM)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
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Over 50% of nurse anesthetists programs award DNP while around 48% award Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP). A Doctor of Nursing Practice hence enables you to practice in your favorite specialist nursing area in a leadership role that includes mentoring and educating other nurses.
Other advantages of a DNP
A doctorate in nursing provides you an ability to do the following:
- Improve clinical practice
- Become a critical thinker on solving problems and improving nursing practice
- Address nursing shortage
- Develop and mentor new leaders in nursing
- Promote evidence-based practice
- Improve academic tenure and interdisciplinary practice
- Improve the view of other people with advanced practice nursing
- Gain business and management skills relevant for clinical practice and health care
- Practice nursing to the same standards as other medical professionals with a degree in medicine, pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Psychology.
Job prospects
The demand for a nurse with a doctoral degree is so high that anyone who earns the degree will move to move up several levels in the career. For instance, a country like the US with a high number of people with post graduate degree only has 1 percent of nurses with DNP degrees. There is a significant shortage because education this level is demanding and many nurses do not attempt to enroll for advanced studies after their Masters. One of the highest deficiencies is in the area of nursing educators. Experts suggest that one way of alleviating the shortage is to double the number doctorate nurse graduates. At least 10% of BSN should be studying to acquire an MSN and enroll for a DNP within five years of graduating with a BSN.
Since we are not there yet, it means that anyone with DNP will be in high demand for the foreseeable future. The salary of DNP degree holders varies according to the roles. The average annual salary ranges between $95,000 and $ 10,000. Nurse educators earn the least while a nurse anesthetist makes more.
In addition to remuneration, a doctorate in nursing will leave you with fulfillment to know that you played a role in teaching a new generation of nurses, advancing the nursing profession by introducing new methods of care and raising standards of quality.
