Reach The Summit Of Your Nursing Career With A DNP

To reach the pinnacle of their careers, many nursing professionals are turning toward the pursuit of a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The DNP is one of three doctorate degree programs available to nurses in the United States. A DNP degree program is generally more clinically oriented than a PhD or DNS degree, with a greater focus on practice-based training in the clinical applications of higher-level nursing expertise.

Want to learn more about a DNP and how it can help you reach your career goals in nursing? Read on to discover how a Doctor of Nursing Practice could give you a boost toward the top of the nursing career ladder.

Highlights: DNPs and Nursing Careers

• A Doctor of Nursing Practice is one of the most distinguished degrees a nursing professional can acquire to prepare for top positions in the field.
• Career opportunities for DNPs are versatile, with numerous roles on both the clinical and non-clinical side of nursing.
• A DNP helps clear a pathway toward leadership roles and management functions in nursing.
• Earning potential is higher for those who hold a DNP.
• This advanced degree program can be completed online to accommodate various schedules and life obligations.

What Is a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)?

A DNP is a doctoral-level degree for nursing professionals. It’s one of the highest levels of education one can acquire in the field of nursing. Most colleges and universities require DNP applicants to have a master’s degree because the DNP program builds on the master’s curriculum. Some schools will accept students with only a bachelor’s degree, but such programs take substantially longer to complete.

The DNP program and its associated studies expand a nurse’s knowledge of healthcare practice, policy, and ethics, preparing them for the highest levels of nursing practice. The DNP program guides nurses to apply their skills and knowledge to a wide range of careers—including non-clinical options such as that of administrator, practitioner, and educator.

Careers Opportunities for DNPs

Whether you choose to pursue a hands-on clinical role or one that leads and creates policy, a DNP degree opens the door to various career paths.

Clinical Roles for the DNP

Many DNP professionals continue to build their careers as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). This allows them to continue working directly with patients; however, they often specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of a specific type of patient care.

Nursing students who work in clinical roles as DNPs will typically pursue careers as:

• Certified nurse practitioners 
• Clinical nurse specialists 
• Certified registered nurse anesthetists 
• Certified nurse-midwives 

Most DNPs in these positions will work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, and outpatient care centers. Some DNPs even work as primary care providers in the states that allow them to do so. Many of these roles give the DNP a substantial amount of independence.

Non-Clinical Roles for the DNP

Non-clinical DNP professions emphasize management, leadership, policymaking, and other non-bedside career paths. Nurses who wish to take on administrative or leadership roles should think about DNP programs that focus on business administration or organizational leadership options.

Non-clinical roles for DNPs exist in general medical hospitals; however, they may work in other settings as well. Non-clinical DNPs may hold a variety of positions, including:

• Nurse manager/nurse administrator 
• Executive nurse leader 
• Nurse informaticist 
• Clinical trainer 
• Professor in a nursing program

Once the DNP has been achieved, there is still room for career advancement. For example, you may choose to narrow your practice focus with a subspecialty certification or add more specialty certifications.

Earning a DNP Is More Important Than Ever

Medical knowledge is constantly changing, so staying current on evolving best practices requires a mastery of the subject matter. Patient care is complex, and ever-increasing industry-wide changes in healthcare are shifting more responsibilities onto nurses. Personnel shortages have led to growing intellectual burdens on nurse leaders, who may face overly high expectations. In such settings, the DNP program offers exceptional preparation for advanced clinical practice.

In today’s ever-evolving healthcare system, DNPs are called upon to assume more prominent leadership roles and management functions in nursing, including advocacy and problem-solving. They are expected to act as liaisons with other medical professionals and areas of medicine. This increased responsibility leads to enhanced pay as well as increased advancement opportunities, especially as current DNPs begin to retire.

Advantages of Pursuing Doctor of Nursing Practice

Earning a DNP enhances your marketability as a nurse leader and presents greater opportunities for advanced training in a clinical environment. Not to mention, a DNP may eventually be required for credentialing of nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and certain other advanced practice nursing specialties that currently only require an MSN.

Increased pay is another advantage. Due to an aging population, a shortage of physicians is expected. This translates into higher demand for DNPs to fill in the gaps. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is $129,480 as of 2023.

How Your DNP Moves You Into Further Leadership Roles

The right DNP program will emphasize and help students grow skills in areas of:

• Health policy
• Technology
• Evidence-based practice
• Systems leadership
• Quality improvement

Thus, equipped with a DNP, healthcare professionals may strive to make an impact on processes, patient outcomes, and more by transitioning into leadership roles and management functions in nursing. Healthcare policy advocates as well as nurse administrators, executives, and supervisors are all examples of such positions.

Earn Your Doctor of Nursing Practice at Carson-Newman University

If you are interested in learning more about the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, reach out to Carson-Newman University by requesting more information today. As a Christian University, Carson-Newman is committed to helping students reach their full potential as educated citizens and worldwide servant leaders.