Ddp Degree

If time and money were not a issue, I would push my educational goals to achieve a PhD or DNP degree. Although both degrees are highly distinguished, a PhD in nursing is linked to research and focuses on developing new nursing knowledge and advancing scientific inquiry. On the other hand, a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP), is associated with nursing practice and focuses on a clinical career and improving outcomes of patient care and population health.

According to Blais (2015) all advanced nursing degrees require a graduate degree. However according to Ellenbecker (2014), recommendations have recently been made to allow exceptional nurses who hold a baccalaureate in nursing to progress straight to a doctorial education without having to first achieve their master’s
While all programs are essentially the same in content the key difference between is they vary in intensity. For example, a qualified nurse with an MSN could obtain a PhD in 22 months but a BSN student following the 3-year or 4-year track would complete 6 to 10 hours a semester. Both advanced degress have 100% online programs, on campus programs and hybrid programs. While some requirements varied slightly between schools, I found the DNP required around 400 clinical hours while the PhD in nursed required none. On the contrary the PhD programs requires a dissertation, while the DNP does not require a disseration.

Employment opportunities for a DNP includes health care administration and clinical nurse faculty. While employment opportunities for a nurse holding a PhD includes but is not limited to becoming a nurse scientist, nursing faculty or nursing educator. According to payscale.com the average annual salary of those holding a Doctorate in Nursing is 116,000. According to salary.com the average salary of a nurse with a PhD is