DNP Programs Florida

Prospective nurse practitioners may be caught in limbo by the proposed Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) recommendation. More than a decade ago, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommended that nurse practitioners be prepared with a doctoral, rather than the current master’s degree. They proposed to have the master’s degree phased out by 2015. But as 2015 fades into the sunset, we can see clearly that the DNP requirement will be postponed for a few more years. Colleges … Read the rest

DNP Programs District of Columbia

In the rapidly changing healthcare field, education must be the motto for nurses. Nurses who pursue advanced education will gain not only knowledge but also a competitive edge. New hiring practices where more acute care hospitals are showing preference for BSN-prepared nurses have contributed to a rapid increase in the BSN workforce. Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs have also seen an increase in enrollment as more nurses are going back to school to prepare for advanced practice roles, … Read the rest

DNP Programs North Carolina

The rapidly changing healthcare landscape impacts the delivery of care in several ways. A worrying issue for health care providers is how to increase the pool of providers to meet demands – especially in the area of primary care. If you’re practicing as an advanced practice nurse, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree can do much to enhance your career. But before you take the plunge, it is important to understand the plan of study and your career options after … Read the rest

DNP Programs Maine

Take your practice to the next level by building on your knowledge and strengthening your clinical and leadership skill through the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program. The DNP coursework covers quality improvement, healthcare policy, patient advocacy, information systems and technology, evidence-based practice, and organizational and systems leadership that will help nurses improve patient outcomes and make a difference in the lives of patients, families, communities, and populations. The emphasis on these areas exceeds the capacity of instruction offered … Read the rest

DNP Programs Tennessee

Patients and families rely on nurses to hold their hands through tough times, simplify their decision-making, and be their advocates. In the fast-evolving world of healthcare delivery, nurses are doing more. They form the largest part of the healthcare team and can be found at the bedside or in the boardrooms influencing decisions that impact the entire healthcare system. To direct the efforts of healthcare teams, the next generation of nurses must be prepared for practice in the transformational healthcare … Read the rest

DNP Programs Kansas

New innovations in healthcare are geared towards the improvement of life expectancy and quality of life. New treatments and ways to deliver care are the result of pressures to improve quality, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and lower medical errors. The healthcare industry is right now making innovative changes to respond to the healthcare demands of retiring baby boomers and the society at large who are suffering from multiple chronic diseases. While these changes are underway, the onus is on nurses, … Read the rest

DNP Programs Idaho

If you’ve got your eyes set on a leadership role in a clinical setting, the Doctor of Nursing Practice is the degree for you. Nursing has numerous career pathways with different educational requirements, certifications, and degree of experience. The DNP is the terminal degree for the profession. It emphasizes advanced training in nursing systems, clinical practice, and organizational leadership, and depending on your chosen area of specialty, you’ll learn informatics, health care policy, and research. In a nutshell, the focus … Read the rest

DNP Programs West Virginia

You may wonder “Why do I need a DNP degree if I’m already a successful nurse?” If you want to change the direction of healthcare and build an organization from the ground up, then enrolling in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is essential. The terminal degree produces experts who are not only prepared to translate valuable research into actionable plans in a clinical setting but also fill top-tier positions in the healthcare industry. Many nurses who complete the … Read the rest

DNP Programs Wyoming

The critical shortage of physicians in Wyoming has a crippling impact on access to medical care. The medical community has been pushing for more primary care physicians for several years now, as projections reveal a shortage of 130,000 doctors by 2025 – according to the Association of Medical Colleges. Greater access to health insurance and the growing baby boomer population that qualifies for Medicaid drive demand for services. Although the extent of the shortage is questionable, most experts can agree … Read the rest

DNP Programs Wisconsin

Advanced practice nurses, particularly nurse practitioners, improve the delivery of health care services in an overburdened system. Aging baby boomers with a complexity of health concerns, raise demand for health care services. APNs provide effective health care services, not unlike that of a primary care physician, at an affordable rate and without loss of patient satisfaction – when compared to a physician’s services. They function throughout the health care systems in roles traditionally reserved for physicians, bringing life-saving care to … Read the rest

DNP Programs Washington

Since the implementation of the full practice for ARNPs in Washington took effect in 2009, nurses within the profession have experienced great success in delivering high quality and affordable care to populations in rural and medically underserved areas. Full-practice authority allows ARNPs to assess, diagnose, interpret diagnostic tests, and prescribe medications independently. The Institute of Medicine and the National Council for State Boards recommended full practice status in 2010 to provide patients with direct access to the full host of … Read the rest

DNP Programs Virginia

The highest degree you can earn in clinical nursing is the Doctor of Nursing Practice, or DNP. Unlike a Ph.D., which highlights extensive academic work, it is aimed at practical expertise in the clinical setting. The DNP opens doors to nurses in leadership, improving care and patient outcomes, and ensuring that people have access to the facilities and nursing they need. Armed with this degree, nurses help to integrate scientific advances and technology into information systems, policies that guide healthcare, … Read the rest

DNP Programs Vermont

Graduate education is an investment of time and money. If you’re looking to move up the career ladder, you’ll have to decide whether to earn a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The DNP offers special benefits if your goal is to become a leader in the program – and it is a worthwhile pursuit if you can afford it. The completion time for the DNP is approximately three to four years, which is … Read the rest

DNP Programs Utah

The terminal DNP degree provides the ideal educational preparation for nurses to manage health care systems, assume leadership roles, advocate health care policy and practice at the advanced level according to the American Nurses Association. The curriculum equips nurses with the competencies to meet the needs of the fast-changing healthcare industry. The DNP is still a fairly new educational pathway that differs from the Ph.D. While the Ph.D. focuses on preparation for research and an educator role, the DNP prepares … Read the rest

DNP Programs South Dakota

The shortage of primary care physicians is expected to worsen in the coming decade. Increased life expectant among the current baby boomer population and greater access to healthcare coverage are just a few factors that will increase demand on the healthcare system. There is a nationwide shortage of physicians, but to date, the shortage impacts primary care more than any other specialty. According to the Annals of Family Medicine, the nation will need an additional 52,000 primary care physicians by … Read the rest

DNP Programs South Carolina

As you investigate advanced nursing degrees to become a nurse practitioner, you’ll come across Ph.D. and DNP programs. In its simplest form, a Ph.D. is a researched-focused degree whereas a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a degree that prepares graduates for clinical practice. Put another way, the Ph.D. is designed for nurses seeking careers as research scientists in private, academic, and government agencies. DNP graduates, on the other hand, bring evidenced-based knowledge (from research) into clinical practice to improve … Read the rest

DNP Programs Rhode Island

Constant changes in the profession of nursing call for nurse leaders who are capable of identifying problems before they emerge and make sound decisions to circumvent potential challenges. To lead healthcare organizations and draft policies that positively impact the profession, nurses must have a broad knowledge of advanced nursing practice, economics and finance, informatics, and healthcare policy.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to develop nurse leaders who can meet healthcare challenges and improve patient outcomes. The … Read the rest

DNP Programs Pennsylvania

Advanced practice nurses, and Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners, in particular, can help the current state of primary care. The DNP degree prepares students for advanced practice and places them on a comparable level as physicians, pharmacists, and dentists who must also earn a doctorate to practice. In their preparation for advanced clinical practice, DNP graduates also have a vital role in bridging the gap between administrators and bedside nurses. Their ability to work on both fronts can help them solve … Read the rest

DNP Programs Oregon

Oregon’s liberal laws for advanced practice nurses, particularly nurse practitioners, enable nurses to participate in the delivery of primary care and help relieve the pressures on an overburdened system. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are registered nurses who have completed graduate-level study at the masters or doctorate level and national certification in a specialized area of practice. They provide effective, affordable patient care services, similar to a primary care physician, without any loss of patient satisfaction. In rural and medically … Read the rest

DNP Programs Oklahoma

The flexible Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) trains working nurses to provide primary health care in medically underserved areas to relieve the burdens left by a lack of primary care physicians in these areas. The program lets nurses with a bachelor of science in nursing or a master of science in nursing prepare for an advanced practice role. As more of Oklahoma’s universities roll out the program, it is expected that rural areas will benefit from a growing presence of … Read the rest

DNP Programs Ohio

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree meets the special needs of today’s healthcare environment. It has a clinical or systems focus and prepares nurses for a broad range of leadership positions, including public policy, administration, public health, informatics and teaching. This is the terminal degree for clinical nursing. As such, it doesn’t have the emphasis on in-depth research and academic work that a Ph.D. does.

As a practice doctorate, it prepares nurses for advanced nursing practice roles. It helps them … Read the rest

DNP Programs North Dakota

Increased access to health care coverage by almost 32 million Americans places additional strain on the overburdened primary health care workforce. The population in rural North Dakota is especially at risk as less than 10 percent of the state’s physicians live and practice in these rural counties. One major factor that contributes to the primary care shortage in rural areas is the decision by medical students to pursue specialties outside of primary care. Specialists in other areas can earn as … Read the rest

DNP Programs New York

The urgent need for more healthcare professionals is impacting the delivery of healthcare across America. The exploding baby boomer population coupled with a shortage of professionals to supply preventative care and health education to communities places undue strain on the existing workforce. New York is one of many states where there’s a shortage of primary care physicians, and the unavailability of primary care will go up as more residents acquire health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

The Institute of … Read the rest

DNP Programs New Mexico

As a predominantly rural state, New Mexico faces major challenges in the supply and distribution of its health care workforce. The state’s supply of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists for the population is significantly below the national average. There are 15 nursing schools with limited capacity for enrollment, which doesn’t help efforts to reduce the significant health workforce shortage. Scholarships, loan programs, and special grants designed to attract new nurses won’t help if there are insufficient faculty to educate the … Read the rest

DNP Programs New Jersey

As the American healthcare system adjusts to the Affordable Care Act, increasing medical costs, and a shortage of primary care physicians, New Jersey’s shortage of doctors is expected to get worse in the next decade. In 2013, one report found that there was only one primary care physician for every 2,500 residents. To alleviate the shortage, experts are recommending the use of urgent medical care and advanced practice nurses to bring convenient and affordable care to individuals suffering from common … Read the rest

DNP Programs New Hampshire

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree was developed in response to a report from the Institute of Medicine “Crossing the Quality Chasm.” To improve the quality of care, the IOM suggested that nurse practitioners and physicians focus on teamwork, research, and technology. The DNP program aligns with recommended reform and covers the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice as designed by the American Association of College of Nursing.

Today the DNP is offered at several universities across … Read the rest

DNP Programs Nevada

The increased complexity of patient care, national concerns surrounding patient safety, a shortage of nurse leaders to design and assess care, and increasing educational expectations for all nurses are just some reasons there are repeated calls for more graduate-level nurses. The Institute of Medicine’s landmark report also makes a call for increasing the educational preparation of healthcare professionals. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree will ensure that nurses have the highest level of preparation for advanced practice nursing in … Read the rest

DNP Programs Nebraska

Residents in rural Alaska don’t have access to primary care as they should. According to the Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, there are 11 rural counties that lack a primary care physician. Thanks to policy changes granting nurse practitioners the autonomy to practice, nurses can now fill the void in primary care and practice without a doctor’s oversight. The adoption of this law is a welcome relief to nurses in Nebraska with a master’s … Read the rest

DNP Programs Montana

The passage of the Affordable Care Act and the aging population increase the demand for primary care services in Montana. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are straining to capacity to meet the health care needs of newly insured individuals. Like other states, Montana has been utilizing the services of nurse practitioners to deliver primary care services to increase access to primary care in underserved areas. At the close of 2014, there were 1,116 advanced practice registered nurses in Montana. Nurse … Read the rest

DNP Programs Missouri

Like many states, Missouri is facing a shortage of primary care providers. The supply of physicians falls short even though the majority of the population has health insurance to pay for medical services. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, the nation will face a shortage of 94,700 physicians by the year 2025. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services labeled 80 percent of Missouri, including the southeastern areas, as Health Provider Shortage Areas, meaning one of out … Read the rest