The Nursing PhD and DNP: A Panel Discussion Sponsored by the NIH Nurse Practitioners Special Interest Group November 19, 2009 National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland

Goal of Today’s Panel Discussion Is: –Doctoral Education Career Not—to convey that all nurses need to pursue doctoral education

Is a PhD or DNP in Your Future? Robin Newhouse, RN, PhD, CNAA, BC, CNOR Assistant Dean, DNP Program Sue Thomas, RN, PhD, CNS-P, FAAN Assistant Dean, PhD Program University of Maryland School of Nursing

Key Points of the DNP Practice doctorate – defined as any form of nursing intervention (Advanced Practice, Administration, Informatics) The DNP is the terminal practice degree that prepares graduates for the highest level of nursing practice

Key Points of the PhD The PhD degree is the research focused terminal degree Prepares the individual to conduct independent research

Contrast of Key Differences DNP Prepares for the highest level of practice Commitment to practice career Oriented toward improving outcomes of care Practice Intensive PhD/DNS/DNSc Prepares for the highest level of research Commitment to research career Oriented toward developing new knowledge Research Intensive

DNP PRACTICE EDUCATIONRESEARCH

PhD PRACTICEEDUCATION RESEARCH

DNP or PhD? Both programs require rigorous plan of study Terminal degree Prepare leaders in the field of nursing Both prepare nurse educators

Resources Needed DNP Mentors in leadership Access to diverse practice settings Financial aid PhD/DNS/DNSc Mentors in research Access to active programs of funded research Dissertation support

Considering Doctoral Education? Essential Characteristics of Doctoral Candidates Vision Passion Focus Persistence Resourceful

Current DNP Program Status 92 Schools are offering DNP 102 developing DNP University of Maryland DNP Program –Began September 2006

Current Status of PhD Programs 111 Schools offer a PhD program 15 are developing a PhD Program University of Maryland Program began in 1979 and it is the 16 th Nursing PhD Program in the United States

Consistency Across DNP Programs Essentials of the Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing DNP Essentials DNP tool box

DNP Essentials DNP Core: Outcome competencies deemed essential for all graduates Specialty Competencies/Content: Clinical and didactic learning experiences focused on preparing the DNP graduate for specialty which is defined by the specialty organizations

Eight Core Essentials Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Care Outcomes Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health Advanced Nursing Practice

Eight Core Essentials Scientific Underpinnings for Practice Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence Based Practice Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care

The Focus of the DNP Clinical decision making Evidence based research Research utilization in clinical practice Organizational and systems leadership Informations systems and technology Health care policy Clinical prevention and population health

Consistency Across PhD Programs All prepare graduates to do independent research Dissertations are evidence of capacity to develop, conduct and analyze complex nursing research problems

Focus of the PhD Acquiring the tools to do research –Theory –Research Design –Statistics Developing their area of specialization Education Practice Research

University of Maryland DNP Program A post-master’s option 38 credit program –19 core –15 elective –4 capstone Capstone project Emphasis on evidence-based practice

Entry Options for Admission to PhD Program Post-Masters BSN to PhD 63 credit program Dissertation Emphasis on Research for discovery, practice or education

University of Maryland PhD Program 60 to 63 credits 6 credits of Theory 3 credits of Measurement 14 credits of Design and Statistics 5 credits Research Rotation 6 credits Practica 12 credits Dissertation 15 credits of electives

Roles of the DNP Graduate Practice leadership roles Faculty positions responsible for clinical program delivery High level executive positions Policy development in clinical practice

Roles of the PhD Graduates Independent Researcher Faculty positions Practice leadership roles High level executive positions Policy development

Money Currently all full time PhD students have Full tuition paid for 9 have fellowships from $9,500 to 27,000 per year

Controversy Evidence to support need for DNP vs MS Extending time to graduation Diversity in degrees Decreased enrollment in MS and PhD programs Reduction in knowledge generation BS to DNP

Conclusion DNP programs are a solution to the faculty shortage Will enhance nursing science Will prepare leaders in nursing practice Encourage nurses to pursue advanced degrees at earlier ages Encourage and financially support full time study