The United States healthcare system is continuously evolving and nurses need to be equipped with new effective skills to meet emerging health care needs. Nurses are currently under increasing pressure to take on larger roles in advocacy and problem solving ( Agger et al., 2014). Besides, they are expected to liaison with other areas of medicine to provide comprehensive and reliable care to patients. As such, Doctor of Nursing degree equips nurses with the necessary knowledge and skills for improving the quality and reliability of care. The degree exposes the nurses to a constantly growing base of medical knowledge and evolving best practices ( Andrew Scanlon et al., 2014). The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree can be completed in three to six years of study, depending on an individual’s and the program itself. The program has the potential to offer nurses an excellent preparation for advanced clinical practice.
History of Doctor of Nursing Practice
The history of Doctor of Nursing Practice dates back to the 1930s. New York University and Columbia University offered doctoral degrees in nursing from as early as 1933. Both universities offered Doctor of Education Degree (EdB). More universities began offering nursing doctorates. For instance, six universities had begun to offer nursing doctorates by the mid 1960s. The expansion of the program offerings gained momentum in the 1980s, following the development of the Institute for Nursing Research (NINR).
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The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s endorsement of the “Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing” in 2004 marked a significant turning point for Doctor in Nursing Practice degree in the United States ( Hain & Fleck, 2014 ). The decision was made based on a research conducted by a taskforce constituted to assess the need for a clinical practice doctorate. The stakeholders involved in the research included education, research, and practice. Following the resolution, related organizations moved in and voted to change the educational level required for Advanced Nursing Practice from the traditional Master’s degree to the newly introduced Doctor of Nursing Practice degree by the year 2015. This saw Doctor of Nursing Practice degree established as the terminal degree in nursing practice for all Advanced Nursing Practice Registered Nurses.
The Purpose of Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree is specifically designed to prepare clinical leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary for improving the quality of care, systems of care delivery, and health outcomes for patients. DNP-prepared nurses are effectively equipped to fully implements research-based care ( Bednash et al., 2014). The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree builds on evidence-based practice, system leadership, and quality improvement in care delivery. It is important to realize that the changing demands of United States’ complex health care environment require nurses with the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise ( Lathrop & Hodnicki, 2014) . According to the Association of Colleges of Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice nurses are equipped with a blend of clinical, economic, leadership, and organizational skills that uniquely to deftly assess current nursing practices and design effective programs for improving care delivery.
Current State of DNP Programs in the United States
Currently, 348 Doctorate of Nursing Practice programs are enrolling students at schools of nursing across the United States (AACN, 2019). There are also 98 new additional programs that are still in the planning stages. This indicates that the number of programs is likely to increase nationwide. Doctor of Nursing Practice programs are now available in all 50 states. The number of students enrolled in Doctor of Nursing Practice programs rose from 29, 093 to 32,678 between 2017 and 2018 alone. The number of DNP graduates increased during the same period, with the number rising from 6090 to 7039.
References
Agger, C. A., Oermann, M. H., & Lynn, M. R. (2014). Hiring and incorporating doctor of nursing practice–prepared nurse faculty into academic nursing programs. Journal of Nursing Education , 53 (8), 439-446.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2019). Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials, https://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/DNP-Essentials
Andrew Scanlon, D. N. P., Denise Hibbert, R. G. N., Freda DeKeyser Ganz PhD, R. N., Linda East PhD, R. N., & Debbie Fraser MN, R. N. (2014). Addressing issues impacting advanced nursing practice worldwide. Online journal of issues in nursing , 19 (2), 1.
Bednash, G., Breslin, E. T., Kirschling, J. M., & Rosseter, R. J. (2014). PhD or DNP: Planning for doctoral nursing education. Nursing Science Quarterly , 27 (4), 296-301.
Hain, D., & Fleck, L. (2014). Barriers to nurse practitioner practice that impact healthcare redesign. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 19 (2).
Lathrop, B., & Hodnicki, D. R. (2014). The Affordable Care Act: Primary care and the doctor of nursing practice nurse. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 19 (2).
Zaccagnini, M., & White, K. (2015). The doctor of nursing practice essentials . Jones & Bartlett Learning.
