[NPInfo] Re: DNP

[Dana Higbee]

Wow, I've gotten several replies on my DNP post.  Let me try to
further explain my feelings about the DNP.  For those of you that are
going this direction, I applaud you.  What I've written below are
simply my opinions.  We're a diverse group of people, so many of you
will have other opinions and different needs.

I really don't want to get a DNP.  I feel comfortable in my clinical
skills, although there are a few things that I wish my program had
focused on in more depth.  One is reading EKGs, another is reading
X-rays (also suturing and casting).  They received only cursory
coverage in my program.  Obviously these are things that can be
learned at conferences or on the job, but in my opinion they should
have been part of my program.

As far as didactic courses, I've had research and theory out the
wazoo.  I took those courses so I could get to the "good stuff", which
for me was pathophys and pharm, plus the clinical content.  I feel
like my program really glossed over the scientific underpinnings of
our practice.  We took an entire year of research, and a year of
theory/APN issues, plus a semester of healthcare systems.  There was a
summer semester of health assessment, one semester of patho, and one
semester of pharm.  Because the "science" courses covered so much
material, we pretty much raced through the content, so we could get it
all in.  I would have preferred more science, and less theory and
research.  I certainly have no interest in taking more theory and
research, leadership, or healthcare policy.  For those of you that are
interested in this, I think it's great.  It's just not my thing, and
it's not what I need to improve my patient care.

I don't have plans to get a DNP.  If the curriculum changed
dramatically, I might consider it.  I do think it would be a good
thing for NP programs, certification and licensing to be more uniform
nationally.   It's important that we continue to garner more
recognition and respect with both the public and the healthcare
community.  Regarding the new USMLE-clone exam that's being
formulated: I don't see how DNP grads would necessarily perform better
than MSN-prepared NPs.  I also strongly believe that NPs should
continue to be licensed by nursing boards, not boards of medicine.  We
are not mini-doctors.

For those of you that managed to wade through these thoughts, thanks.

Dana
Dana Higbee FNP-C


> Regarding the DNP becoming entry level for all NPs:   I have mixed
> feelings about this.  My main beef:  The DNP is supposed to be a
> "practice doctorate", i.e. it should make us better practitioners.
> Every DNP program I've investigated has majored on theory, management
> and leadership, health systems, and research.  (On a positive note,
> most do include a course on evidence-based-practice).  I don't want to
> be a clinic owner, or a health policy maker, or an administrator.  I
> want course content that will help me take better care of the patients
> I see every day.   Otherwise, I just don't see the point of the DNP
> for me personally, unless my MSN eventually proves to be a barrier to
> practice.   At age 52, I'm hoping the "eventual" will be a long time
> from now.  'Say at least 25 years.
>
> Dana Higbee
> FNP