NURSING SCIENCE
Nursing Degrees Showdown: MSN vs. DNP for the Advanced Practice Nurse

By Emily Hundley, Kristine Adiele, Hannah Weisenbeck, Emily Krnavek, MAPP Students

4 MIN READ
Title:
Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree in the United States: Reflecting, readjusting, and getting back on track
Published: April 2020 in Nursing Outlook
What was the purpose?
The purpose of this article is to investigate the ability of nursing schools to adopt a universal DNP standard for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
What was the population studied?
The population studied included nursing schools across the United States with APRN programs, specifically Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or DNP pathways.
Describe the process the article used to come to its conclusions.
The authors combined the opinions of experienced professionals with information gathered from various literature and data resources to provide advice. They considered both past and current trends regarding professional development to determine what recommendations would benefit the nursing profession most in the coming years.
What were their findings?
This article found that while it is widely recognized that a transition from MSN to DNP programs would greatly benefit the nursing profession, many of the necessary efforts to make that change are not being made. These changes include making DNP programs more financially attainable, separating the exam requirements for MSN and DNP graduates, increasing DNP clinical opportunities and requirements to prepare less experienced students better, and fully emphasizing the value of a DNP over an MSN.
Do their findings make sense?
These findings are clear recommendations to begin a transition for the professional development of nurses. The research combined with valuable professional opinions shows that the best development pathway is by increasing the number of DNP programs and the number of students who choose to attend those programs. Through the findings presented, this pathway can become more accessible and valued across the United States.
How is this important to nursing, and how have things changed?
This is important to nursing for those looking to go back to school to obtain either their MSN or DNP. Looking at all the factors like cost, accreditation, and market demand for each degree can help a person decide which path they want to pursue. According to the article, once the change is implemented, the clinical outcomes of DNP competencies will be favored compared to the outcomes of MSN-prepared APRNs.
Why is standardization in the DNP curriculum important for APRN students and the nursing profession?
If there is no standardization in the DNP curriculum among APRN students, there will be a difference in the level of knowledge among APRNs after they graduate. That difference increases the difficulty of transitioning to practice and will directly affect the level of care patients receive.
What benefit does obtaining a DNP over an MSN give an APRN?
Despite the ability of MSN and DNP graduates being required to sit for the same certification exam, obtaining a DNP will be more beneficial. In clinical settings, a DNP graduate will be better prepared due to the increased clinical hours in comparison to the MSN-prepared graduate. In addition, having a higher level of education can make the candidate more competitive when seeking jobs and professional opportunities.
Reference:
McCauley, L. A., Broome, M. E., Frazier, L., Hayes, R., Kurth, A., Musil, C. M., ... & Villarruel, A. M. (2020). Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree in the United States: Reflecting, readjusting, and getting back on track. Nursing outlook, 68(4), 494-503. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2020.03.008
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