The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is the more advanced level of education in the nursing field. While a nurse who has a DNP degree holds a doctorate, they are not precisely medical doctors. Nurses who hold a DNP degree are often sought after for leadership roles. Many nurses are seeking DNPs to advance in their careers as it opens doorways to new and exciting paths in and outside of medical institutions.
In this article, we are going to take a look at the benefits of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, to help you make a better decision if you are considering enrolling in this program to take your career to the next level. Here is a list of the contents involved:
- What is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree?
- Why should you get a DNP?
- Bigger and better opportunities
- Get the highest level of nursing education
- Become a leader
- Earn a higher salary
- Apply the latest nursing knowledge
- Assessment
- Educate the future generation of nurses
- Have an opinion on healthcare policies
- Specialize in something you have a passion for
- Gain increased job stability
- How can we help you find a nursing job in the UAE?
1. What is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree?
The DNP is a program designed to prepare experts in nursing practice. It is the most prestigious practice-focused nursing degree, building upon master’s programs by providing a knowledge foundation in quality improvement, systems leadership, and evidence-based practice, among others.
DNP stands for Doctor of Nursing Practice. The degree is focused on how diseases progress from a clinical perspective. The exact curriculum of a DNP program varies depending on the school and chosen specialization. However, it will almost always include advanced practice, diagnostics, leadership, team management, and disease treatment.
Basically, DNP graduates are able to become independent practitioners. There are also strong links between the DNP and other healthcare fields such as psychology, medicine, or dentistry.
A DNP is one of two doctoral degrees available in the nursing profession. The second is the Ph.D. in nursing, which provides training mostly focused on scholarly research. On the contrary, the DNP is a practical professional degree. It can offer you a wide range of career paths, from working as a health policy advocate to being a clinic manager.
That is not to say DNPs do not work in clinical research, because they can, and many choose to do so. However, DNPs more often than not choose to practice medicine in the field and work as advanced nurses.
While exact job titles vary, a number of descriptions are found from country to country. These are the Nurse Practitioner or NP (with several different specializations), the certified registered nurse anesthetist or CRNA, the certified nurse-midwife or CNM, and the clinical nurse specialist or CNS. Around 54% of all nurse anesthetist programs award the DNP. The other 46% award the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) instead.
2. Why should you get a DNP?
If you are considering making a move to advance your nursing education from an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) to a DNP, you should know that this decision will come with a lot of perks. A DNP does more than potentially unlock high-level opportunities that are not open to nurses with only an MSN.
This degree, which normally takes about two years to complete, can teach and prepare students to become instruments of change and innovation in a complex industry. Therefore, a DNP helps nursing professionals make sense of the constant changes in health care and gives nurses the tools to acquire leadership skills, ultimately allowing them to develop abilities and strategies that can help medical facilities deliver high-quality care that improves patient outcomes.
Today, nurses who aspire to advance in their careers and get at the top of the hierarchy are encouraged to either obtain a DNP once they finish their MSN studies or go into a DNP program directly after they receive their BSN.
Although completing a doctorate of nursing practice degree requires a lengthy time commitment, there are many benefits of earning a DNP. A nurse with a DNP not only gets more opportunities for career growth and receives a higher paycheck, but he or she will also experience greater job satisfaction and gain a deep sense of personal achievement.
In the next part of the article, we are going to take a closer look at each of the benefits of pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice, so keep reading if you want to know more.
3. Bigger and better opportunities
If you are the type of person who is ambitious and wants a nursing career filled with opportunities for lifelong growth, earning a doctorate of nursing practice will help you be closer to fulfilling that goal. Usually, DNPs take on various types of leadership roles that let them be at the top of the ladder. They obtain their license, become nursing directors at hospitals, and even open their own practice.
They can also become nursing educators or managers, influence policy-making in public health positions, and work as leaders in research projects, among other options. For nurses looking to assume more responsibility and make a difference, a doctorate of nursing practice is simply the best option.
4. Get the highest level of nursing education
A doctorate of nursing practice is a terminal degree, which basically means it is the highest level of education that you can get in the nursing field. Acquiring this degree is not only a personal achievement, but it also may help you become one of the top specialists in the nursing field, opening leadership opportunities.
DNPs are not easy to earn, and they are time-consuming programs. However, The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a large shortage in the number of nurses with the type of skills and knowledge that you will acquire in pursuit of this degree. Once you graduate, you will be in high demand, so you can land a job with the conditions you desire, and at the salary you require. All these factors combined make the long and difficult course of study worthwhile.
5. Become a leader
Many of the positions that DNPs can pursue are high-level leadership positions that allow them to control various aspects of a clinic’s health care process. Leadership responsibilities could vary from overseeing the nurse staff who delivers patient care to being involved in running a facility’s operations in an executive position, such as the chief nursing officer (CNO).
Moreover, attaining a DNP equips nurses with the ability to lead others with confidence. Strong leaders are necessary to motivate and inspire others to carry out a facility’s healthcare strategies and improve patient outcomes.
6. Earn a higher salary
Of course, all this responsibility and leadership comes with a higher paycheck. On average, a registered nurse who holds a BSN makes approximately $60.000 per year, meanwhile, NPs with an MSN degree earn around $80.000 annually, while nurses who hold a DNP usually earn a salary over $100,000.
Granted, salary should not be your main motivation for pursuing the degree. Leadership roles in nursing are both demanding and stressful. Additionally, they require a lot of personal input and sacrifices. However, if you are passionate about your job, having a good salary to go along with is a great bonus.
7. Apply the latest nursing knowledge
Nurses with DNPs focus their studies on clinical training alongside academic and research studies. As a result, they have the perfect chance to apply their recently learned knowledge in real-life settings. Many go on to practice as NPs (Nurse Practitioners), working in clinics or hospitals, and even sometimes opening their own practices.
As a doctor of nursing practice, you will be up to date with the latest research trends and cutting-edge knowledge. Therefore, you will have the ability and expertise to apply current research to the practical world of nursing. This is one of the reasons why DNP programs were created. Many professionals in the industry expect that highly educated nurses will help narrow the information gap between what happens bedside and the latest developments in the academic world of medicine.
8. Assessment
A doctorate of nursing practice program equips graduates with the ability to break down the most complex health care situations. These professionals can make smart, informed, and precise decisions that can provide short-term benefits to a healthcare facility while still maintaining long-term goals in sight.
Ultimately, the ability to assess difficult situations can go a long way toward helping a healthcare facility operate smoothly. This is the reason why large medical facilities always fight between them to hire DNPs.
9. Educate the future generation of nurses
An area of significant shortage in the nursing field, according to the Association of Colleges of Nursing (ACN). The lack of nurses who have the credentials needed and want to teach at the university level is pretty evident. If you are considering becoming a nurse educator and teaching the future generation of nurses, then obtaining a doctorate of nursing practice degree will allow you to do so.
However, even if you do not choose to become a nursing professor or teacher, assuming a leadership nursing role will give you the nursing skills and tools to become a mentor for the future generation of nurses.
10. Have an opinion on healthcare policies
Healthcare policy is another career path that you probably do not associate with nursing. However, the development of policy is extremely crucial to the healthcare industry as a whole.
To create functional policies, implement reforms that are beneficial to the medical field, and ensure the implementation and maintenance of proper medical standards, policymakers need input from those with a higher level of expertise in the healthcare industry.
Some nurses choose to apply the knowledge earned from their DNP degree along with their experience as clinical nurses by influencing healthcare policy and taking on administrative roles in the health system.
11. Specialize in something you have a passion for
Do you have a deep passion for a specific field in nursing? DNP students have the opportunity to focus their program and specialize in what is most important to them. You will be able to choose from a number of different specialties, which might include the following:
- Pediatric Primary Care
- Family Care
- Emergency Room Care
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care
- Psychiatric Mental Health.
12. Gain increased job stability
DNPs are likely to be in high demand with the expected nursing and physician shortage in the near future. Doctorate-level nurse practitioners have the capacity to cover and narrow the gaps between the two roles.
Additionally, over the last decade, there has been a shift in the credentials and requirements needed for advanced nursing practice from the master’s level to the doctoral. The Association of Colleges of Nursing and other healthcare organizations have endorsed the requirement of a DNP degree for advanced practice nurses. Therefore, obtaining a doctorate in nursing has acquired more value, an almost secure you a position as a nurse practitioner.
13. How can we help you find a nursing job in the UAE?
If you are looking for a nursing job in the UAE, we can assist you with the entire process. You can sign up for free and apply for nursing jobs on our webpage. Make sure to read the job description and requirements carefully before applying for any vacancy.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a nurse or another healthcare employee, here in Connect Health, we can help you find the best professional that your company deserves. We have a wide database of healthcare professionals where you can find the ideal candidate for your business. You can also post a job vacancy on our webpage if it is more convenient for you.
Would you like to contact us to obtain more information about the nursing jobs in the UAE? Feel free to send us an email at info@connecthealth.ae to get in touch with one of our representatives who will gladly answer all of your questions.
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