Are you considering a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)? A wide range of DNP programs across the country prepare nurses for roles in leadership, advocacy, and to serve as experts in their chosen specialties.
What is a Doctor of Nursing Practice?
A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest degree available in nursing and prepares nurses for advanced practice and leadership roles. The DNP program focuses on applying the latest evidence in clinical practice. According to both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practice Faculties (NONPF), the DNP answers the need for administrative and advanced practice leaders with strong preparation in systems-based practice improvement and translational research.
All programs require the completion of a DNP project, with most schools following the AACN recommendations that the project focuses on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes. Programs then require DNP students to implement their project in a clinical or healthcare-focused setting.
Choosing a graduate specialty
When it comes to choosing a graduate specialty, first determine your career goals, and if you would like to interact more impactfully with patients or if you see yourself in a leadership role in a health system. If you would like to work with patients, decide which type of patient population you would like to care for and in what type of setting.
The DNP programs at the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing focus on providing individualized experiences for each student through aligning students with DNP advisors. These advisors act as mentors and guides for navigating the program. The advisors are vested in the DNP students’ successes and assist in demystifying elements of the program that can seem complex. Advisors also mentor students on how to overcome barriers, meeting frequently with students outside the monthly advising meeting.
Leading evidence-based practice
A Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is an APRN with a master’s or doctoral degree in a nursing specialty who provides expert direct patient care and educates nurses and patients. A CNS directs patient care, implementing evidence-based practices into their care.
A CNS becomes an expert in their field and can work as a consultant or expert to provide guidance for hospital leadership, patients, and policymakers.
Nursing leadership
DNP-prepared nurses are transforming healthcare by advocating for patient-focused care and integrating research to establish best practices. Historically, graduate nursing programs prepared advanced practice nurses for a clinic setting, but not for leadership roles. Today, a DNP in Leadership is one of the fastest-growing programs in the nation. According to the AACN, between 2017 and 2021, “DNP programs in the leadership concentration saw an 87% increase in enrollment.”
The education pathway for a DNP in Nursing Leadership was designed to prepare a nursing professional in skills that are core to the roles this degree supports. Evidence-based practice, leadership and policy, informatics and technology, translational science, quality improvement, and systems thinking clearly are integral to preparing the nursing professional for future high-level nurse leadership positions in the healthcare industry.
Some DNP programs are leadership-focused and teach nurses how to use leadership and research skills to make health services better. Roles that a DNP in leadership prepares an individual for include nurse manager, nursing director, and nurse administrator.
Educating the next generation of nurses
Academic nursing educators today are in high demand, with it anticipated that one third of the nursing faculty workforce will retire by the end of 2025, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The AACN also reports that faculty shortages at nursing schools across the country are limiting student capacity. This shortage is expected to increase through 2033. This need places graduate nurses who possess an MSN seeking career changes towards academic education in a unique position to obtain their DNP in a relatively short time period and fulfill these critical vacancies.
Many academic nursing institutions require a DNP (the highest academic credential in nursing) to hold a faculty position. The clinical and leadership work experience are two crucial aspects of the four pillars of nursing that advanced practice nurses transitioning from clinical to academia bring to the classroom, which are highly desired attributes.
Patient advocacy
DNP-educated nurses advocate for patients at the hospital level or even at the national level for patient safety, work conditions for nurses, patient education, and public health programs. They champion health equity, implement evidence-based practices, improve patient safety and quality of care, and address barriers to health care access.
On a smaller scale, advanced practice nurses can work directly with individual patients and their families to understand treatment options and make informed decisions on their care. DNP nurses can also help patients navigate insurance coverage.
Consider earning your DNP
If you are an advanced practice nurse with a passion for leadership and advocacy, consider a DNP degree. Through advanced clinical and organizational training, DNP programs prepare nurses to tackle today’s most pressing healthcare challenges. Now more than ever, we need nurses with advanced training.
About the author: Kim Paxton, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, LHIT-C, IHM-C, is an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing. She is an ANCC board-certified adult nurse practitioner and advanced practice registered nurse with a practice focus on health promotion and prevention. Dr. Paxton has over 23 years of experience in educating, curricular development, development of APRN evaluation processes, and designing patient-focused plans of care.
