麻豆传媒

麻豆传媒 — WASHINGTON, D.C., October 28, 2014 鈥� Today, the released findings from a national study conducted by the RAND Corporation, which examined the progress made by nursing schools in transitioning to the practice doctorate 鈥� a solution advanced 10 years ago to better meet the healthcare needs of the nation. The report authors found near universal agreement among nurse educators about the value of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in preparing individuals for advanced nursing practice. Though many schools are moving to transition from the master鈥檚 degree to the doctorate for select nursing roles, many schools are facing barriers to full adoption of the DNP, which AACN is committed to addressing.

鈥淭he RAND study showcases widespread support for the DNP while pointing the way toward future action,鈥� said AACN President Eileen T. Breslin. 鈥淎ACN is pleased to see growth in the number of schools with the practice doctorate and will continue to work with stakeholders as we move toward the desired state of full adoption of the DNP by schools offering advanced nursing practice degrees.鈥�

In 2004, member schools affiliated with AACN voted to endorse the Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing, which called for moving the level of preparation necessary for advanced nursing practice from the master鈥檚 degree to the doctorate by the target year of 2015. Even though schools have moved rapidly to offer the DNP, AACN acknowledges that all schools will not be able to fully transition their master鈥檚-level programs to the practice doctorate by next year and that many schools are electing to maintain both master鈥檚 and DNP options to prepare Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs).

To better understand the issues facing schools moving to the DNP, the AACN Board of Directors commissioned the RAND Corporation to conduct a national survey of nursing schools with APRN programs to identify the barriers and facilitators to offering a post-baccalaureate DNP. Key findings from the report include:

• DNP programs 鈥� either at the post-baccalaureate (BSN-DNP) or post-master鈥檚 (MSN-DNP) level 鈥� are now offered at more than 250 schools nationwide.
• The study authors found near 鈥渦niversal agreement鈥� among nursing鈥檚 academic leaders regarding the value of DNP education in preparing nurses to serve in one of the four APRN roles, specifically Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and Certified Nurse-Midwives.
• Though the master鈥檚 degree remains the dominant route into APRN practice at this point in time, the educational landscape is changing. Approximately 30% of nursing schools with APRN programs now offer the BSN-DNP, and this proportion will climb to greater than 50% within the next few years.
• The national movement toward offering the BSN-DNP and closing master鈥檚 level APRN programs is expected to accelerate. Currently, up to 14% of schools with APRNs programs only offer the BSN-DNP as their entry-level option into advanced practice.
• An additional 27% of schools with or planning a BSN-DNP intend to close their master鈥檚 level APRN programs within the next few years.
• Student demand is strong for all types of programs 鈥� BSN-DNP, MSN-DNP, and the MSN 鈥� that prepare APRNs. Approximately 65% of schools with BSN-DNP programs also offer master鈥檚 level APRN programs.
• Many employers are unclear about the differences between master鈥檚-prepared and DNP-prepared APRNs and could benefit from information on outcomes connected to DNP practice as well as exemplars from practice settings that capitalize on the capabilities of DNPs.
• Barriers identified by schools transitioning to the BSN-DNP include a lack of faculty, costs and budgetary concerns, insufficient clinical sites, and resource challenges associated with overseeing DNP scholarly projects. The requirement of the DNP for certification and accreditation is an important factor in a school鈥檚 decision to transition fully to the BSN-DNP.

To facilitate the continued transition to the DNP, the report authors recommend that AACN conduct outcome studies to assess the impact DNP graduates are having on patient care and health care; provide outreach and data to employers showing the value-added benefits of recruiting DNP-prepared nurses; showcase success strategies that can be used by schools to overcome challenges, including securing clinical sites; and provide greater clarity and guidance around the DNP final project. 鈥淎ACN is fully committed to advancing solutions and creative ways to mitigate the challenges facing schools wishing to offer the DNP as well as to educating employers and students about the benefits of the practice doctorate to systems innovation and, more importantly, patient care,鈥� added Dr. Breslin. The RAND study is titled The DNP by 2015: A Study of the Institutional, Political, and Professional Issues that Facilitate or Impede Establishing a Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and is available on the AACN鈥檚 web site at . To highlight key elements contained in the report, AACN developed a set of talking points that may be downloaded from the Web site at . For the latest developments and data related to the DNP, including enrollment trends, see .

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for university and four-year college education programs in nursing. Representing more than 750 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN's educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor's- and graduate-degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice.

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