DNP The Wave of the Future? Advantages & Disadvantages to

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DNP

• The Wave of the Future?

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Advantages Disadvantages to the DNP as Entry to
Advanced Practice Nursing

• Jessica Brandt, Stephen Coots, Kristi Eilers,
  Shannon Manning, Chris Peredney
• PLU School of Nursing
• November 13, 2007

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DNP- Issue Clarification

• Who is proposing this and what is the issue?
• The American Association of Colleges of Nursing
  (AACN) has recomended that the Doctor of Nursing
  Practice (DNP) should be the entry level degree
  into advanced practice

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DNP- Issue Clarification

• Who does this affect?
• Advanced practice nurses certified nurse
  midwives, certified registered nurse
  anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, nurse
  practitioners

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DNP- Issue Clarification

• Why the AACN wants to move to DNP?
• More accurate degree for the length of current
  masters programs
• Increasing complexity of healthcare and the
  patient population
• Identified need for furthering of knowledge by
  NPs

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Advantages
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Advantages

• Parity with other Professions
• (physicians, chiropractors, physical therapist,
  pharmacist, lawyers)
• Solidify unique position in health care team
• Give credit for educational requirements

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Advantages

• Augmented course work in leadership
• Increased course work in application of evidence
  based practice
• Positions DNP prepared nursed as team leaders

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Disadvantages
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Entry-Level Students

• Nursing faculty shortage, colleges not being able
  to grant doctorates, and lengthened programs are
  likely to limit opportunities for non-nurses to
  enter the field at an advanced level.

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Nurse Mid-Wives

• Nurse Mid-Wives are refusing to support DNP as
  only path to advanced practice
• DNP is only one option among many
• DNP may not reduce number of titles
• The American College of Nurse Mid-Wives will be
  responsible for accrediting and certification
  mid-wives just like always

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Nurse Anesthetists

• Nurse Anesthetists support DNP
• Around 50 of programs currently housed outside
  nursing
• 2015 is NOT a realistic goal. 25 years is more
  reasonable
• Historically, 30-40 of programs shut down when
  moving to a higher degree level

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CNSes

• CNSes are neutral until questions have been
  answered
• How are doctoral prepared students butter than
  masters students?
• Practice Doctorate vs. Ph.D
• ARNP vs. Faculty and Administrators
• Preceptor must having higher or equal degree as
  student

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Nurse Practitioners

• Practitioners are split
• They dont like being called incompetent
• DNP will not alter their scope of practice
• Opening Nurse Practice acts mean something could
  go wrong

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Overall Points

• Lack of Faculty
• No proof it is superior to MS.
• Exacerbation of ARNP shortage
• Health care costs

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Implications
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Educational

• DNP Program Development
• Masters Transitional Programs
• Use of a Masters Degree
• Need for Professors and Preceptors
• Large enough pool of doctoral prepared
• Tapping into practicing nurses and researchers

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Credentialing

• Reworking examinations and prerequisites
• Need for states to define scope of practice

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Public Education

• Preventing further confusion in regards to nurse
  credentials
• Clarifying for ease and positive public image

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Position Stance

• The Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• will be the required degree for all
  graduates in advanced nursing practice roles
• The DNP program will be implemented by the year
  2015

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Why DNP

• Better preparation
• EBP
• Leadership
• Equality
• Respect
• Recognition
• Appropriate Degree

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Why not 2015?

• Sufficient time needs to be given prior to
  implementation so key problems can be addressed
  and transitions can be made slowly and
  effectively

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Why not 2015?

• Inappropriate Infrastructure
• Faculty/Clinical site shortage
• Inadequate salary
• Lack of Financial Aid
• Undefined/poorly designed bridge programs
• Division within nursing profession
• Just another title

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Summary

• Benefits gt Costs
• but.
• Put into practice too quickly, the DNP outcome
  will be unsuccessful and detrimental to the
  nursing profession

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It is our future think about it

• Thanks