Question:

Is the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree different from a PhD?

Best Answer:

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is entirely different from the PhD in Nursing.  The DNP is a new degree designation that was proposed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the accrediting body for nursing schools in the United States.  The DNP is meant to transition advanced practice nursing degrees from the master’s level to a doctorate.  The goal is to complete this transition nurse practitioner programs by 2015 and nurse anesthesiologist programs by 2025.  There is a fair amount of controversy over this proposal and the outcome remains uncertain, but at least 135 nursing schools have instituted a DNP program already and another 100 are actively considering it.

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