DNP be the terminal degree for NPs
Ruth A
Discussion Questions
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Assignment Details:
Post a substantive 250- to 400-word response to the following question
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Should the DNP be the terminal degree for NPs? Choose a position (in favor of or against), and present a brief argument to support your position. Consider the following:
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The impact of the DNP on nursing education
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Pros or cons of doctoral degrees in nursing
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The importance of the DNP degree in clinical practice
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The nursing leadership roles that are emerging from the DNP degree
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The Doctoral of Nursing Practice is the Nursing profession’s response to the Institute of Medicine call for action. The impact of the DNP in the nursing practice has been positive as it promotes the focus of nurses from the patient level to the system level (O’Dell, 2012). Some of the specialties include executive leadership, population health, and technology and health policy. The DNP also creates parity with other advanced healthcare providers as nurses can be at par with other doctoral professionals like Physicians, dentists, and psychologists who hold doctoral degrees and this is why it should be supported.
The advantages of having a DNP is that it will open up opportunities for both the non-clinical and clinical nurse. The curriculum is based on what has been taught at the master’s level and systems of leadership. This means the program is essential for nurses seeking terminal degree where research focussed programs like the PhDs are offered. The disadvantage of DNP is that it sets new standards of practices of which in the future will become mandatory for the profession. This means that the profession will be limited to only those who can afford to pay for this level of education. It may also lead to high turnover rates as nurses will leave their current position to pursue the course leading to a shortage of nursing care within the health systems (O’Dell, 2012). Hospitals are going to have a 'preferred' job qualification for nurses, thus failing to recognize the potential of newly nursing level with a diploma or undergraduate degree.
There is however a lot of critical of the DNP when it comes to clinical practice where for the individual nurse they are provided with a chance to negotiate for a higher salary while great opportunities for private practice are also presented since they are able to perform other roles that were limited to physicians (O’Dell, 2012). Such roles include diagnosis, administering medication, requesting for X rays, leadership roles, private practice, and consultancy, among others.
References
O’Dell, D. G. (2012). Building the DNP Professional Nursing Community: Reflections and Expectations. DNP Education, Practice, and Policy. doi:10.1891/9780826108166.0015
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