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 learn the skills that help them use evidence-based care in a wide range of patient settings. They learn to improve the system of healthcare delivery for an array of populations and communities. That is actually one of the prime reasons the DNP was developed. The AACN also is pushing to require advanced practice registered nurses, APRNs, to have a DNP in order to practice. At the moment, most practicing APRNs have an MSN.
In the past, nurses continuing their education worked toward a Nursing Doctorate degree. After 2004, the DNP was developed by the American Association of College of Nursing, AACN, as a way to focus on practice expertise instead of academic research. This addressed the increasing need for highly qualified nurses to deliver healthcare and leadership to an expanding population and one that is aging. At the same time, more people are eligible for and seeking medical help because of the Affordable Care Act. This increasing demand, however, is facing the fact that there is a shortage of doctors, especially in primary care, and nurses. At the same time, many nurses are at an age that they are planning retirement within the decade.
In Ohio, the shortage is especially high. The Health Information Workforce Center predicts that Ohio will have a shortage of 32,000 nurses by 2020. That’s almost 30% less than the state needs to deliver quality patient care.
The shortage of nurses, the increasing complexity of healthcare and the growing need for their skills all means that nurses with a DNP will be in high demand in Ohio and around the country over the coming decade.
Reasons to Get a DNP
Nurses with a DNP will be at the forefront in delivering healthcare and shaping policy. The degree prepares them for a variety of leadership positions, from APRN roles to teaching in nursing faculties, developing health systems, and creating effective policies for healthcare. A doctorate helps a nurse work as an equal with other members of the healthcare team with doctorates. Nurses who want to make a difference, who see from the patient level what needs to be done, get more respect and have more authority if they have earned a DNP.
There is more demand for highly trained nurses as concerns grow about healthcare safety and quality. Because they are taught to use research to find solutions, administrators see them as valuable additions to their medical teams. They have received a high level of training in new technology and scientific advances. This alone gives them skills in high demand. Technology and new best practices based on the latest research are changing healthcare on a regular basis. The training required for a DNP gives nurses the ability to effectively deal with this constant change. Employers know that they have the education to deliver quality healthcare in a variety of settings.
In the future, nurses who wish to become an APRN will need a DPN. Currently, a Master’s is sufficient, but that is changing. Getting the degree may or may not immediately result in better pay. Most APRNs are paid based on their certification, like Nurse-Midwife or Nurse Practitioner, not on whether they have an MSN or DPN. But according to a national survey done by ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners in 2011, those with a DNP are making about $7,000 more a year. And in the longer term, they have more chance for advancement, management, academic and research positions that pay highly.
Nurses with a DNP can advance into teaching and research more easily. Many in nursing faculties are retiring within the next decade. This has put nursing education in a crisis. In 2012, according to an AACN survey of 662 institutions nationwide, 8% of all full-time positions and 7% of part-time were empty. Nurses who have earned a DNP are in high demand for these positions.
The need at all levels of nursing is increasing in Ohio. Nurses with a DPN will have the pick of the jobs, the easiest pathway to advancement and the highest pay.
DNP Admission Requirements Ohio
In Ohio, nurses have two pathways to a DNP degree. Four universities have a BSN to DNP program and nine offer MSN to DPN programs.
The BSN to DNP approach lets registered nurses move from a BSN seamlessly to a DNP. This offers a variety of benefits. The student doesn’t have to worry about duplicate classes. The schedule is offered to streamline the time needed to get a DPN.
The MSN to DNP approach lets nurses with a Master’s take the classes needed to move to the doctorate level degree.
Each school has its own requirements. Most require 34 to 37 credits for MSN students, spread out over two years or more. The requirements for BSN to DNP are more involved, and the program takes longer.
It is important to check each school to make sure they have the classes you want to take. Check that the program you apply for is a good match for the goals you have for your career. All the programs are competitive. That means it is essential to get paperwork in on time, meet all deadlines and send the proper documentation.
Admission Requirements – Post-Baccalaureate Entry
Requirements for a BSN to DNP program vary from school to school. Here is a list of requirements that are standard in almost all of them.
- BSN from an accredited institution
- Transcripts that show your courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
- Current license as an RN and/or advanced practice nurse certification
- Resume and sample of your written work
- Proof that you have completed your required clinical hours
- Three letters of recommendation
- Interview
- Core classes in nursing theory, statistics and graduate level research, all of which must have been completed within the last five years
- Criminal background check, health checkup, vaccination and tuberculosis records
- Essay explaining why you want to earn a DNP
Admission Requirements – Post-Master’s Entry
Requirements for each MSN to DNP program vary from school to school. Most schools require these standard requirements:
- MSN from an accredited institution
- Transcripts that show your courses and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
- Current license as an RN and/or advanced practice nurse certification
- Resume and sample of your written work
- Proof that you have completed your required clinical hours
- Three letters of recommendation
- Interview
- Core classes in nursing theory, statistics and graduate level research, all of which must have been completed within the last five years
- Criminal background check, health checkup, vaccination and tuberculosis records
- Essay explaining why you want to earn a DNP
At an average cost of $7,797 per term, the average cost of completing the DNP program for post-baccalaureate students is $38,985 and $15,594 for post-masters resident students. Additional expenses for textbooks, course requirements, prerequisite requirements, and student fees will increase your final cost. Tuition reimbursement, scholarships, grants, and other sources of aid will reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
DNP Programs Ohio
Akron, OH DNP Programs:
University of Akron
200E Exc 160, Akron, OH 44325
330-972-7111
Ashland, OH DNP Programs:
Ashland University
401 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805
419-289-4142
Cincinnati, OH DNP Programs:
University of Cincinnati
PO Box 210038, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0038
513-558-5500
Mount St. Joseph University
5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati, OH 45233-1670
1-800-654-9314
Cleveland, OH DNP Programs:
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106
216-368-2000
Columbus, OH DNP Programs:
Ohio State University
Newton Hall, 1585 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-4041
Dayton, OH DNP Programs:
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435
937-775-3440
Kent, OH DNP Programs:
Kent State University
800 East Summit Street, Kent, OH 44240
330-672-3000
North Canton, OH DNP Programs:
Walsh University
2020 East Maple Street, North Canton, Ohio 44720
800.362.9846
Pepper Pike, OH DNP Programs:
Ursuline College
2550 Lander Rd, Pepper Pike, OH 44124
440-449-4200
Toledo, OH DNP Programs:
The University of Toledo
2801 West, Bancroft, Toledo, OH 43606-3390
1-800-586-5336
Westerville, OH DNP Programs:
Otterbein University
1 South Grove Street, Westerville, OH 43081
614-890-3000