What You Need Know About Doctoral Nursing Degrees

Only about 2% of nurses hold a doctorate.¹ In the past, they didn't need advanced degrees to succeed, but that’s quickly changing. Here’s what you need to know:

There Are Two Main Types of Terminal Nursing Degrees

If you’re looking to earn a doctorate in nursing, you can choose to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a PhD in Nursing. While both are doctorates and share many similarities, their focuses can be different. A DNP is a professional degree that prepares you to evaluate the latest research and use it in a clinical setting. A PhD in Nursing, however, is an academic degree geared toward teaching or contributing original research to the profession.

A DNP is the best choice if your goal is to provide high-quality care for patients, either directly or by helping manage a hospital or clinic. A PhD in Nursing is the best choice if your goal is to conduct scientific research at the highest levels, shape healthcare policies as a government policymaker or program director, or educate the next generation of nursing professionals.

The Push for More Doctorate in Nursing Graduates Is Working

Over the past decade, there has been a major focus on creating a more educated workforce of nurses. This includes increasing the number of nurses with doctorates. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine called to double the number of nurses who pursued doctorates by 2020.² It was an ambitious goal, but one that was achieved—in fact, by 2020, the number of doctoral graduates had more than tripled.³

A PhD in Nursing Can Help You Improve the Profession on a Global Scale

Through a PhD in Nursing program, you can acquire the skills and knowledge you need to conduct important research into the practice of nursing and the ways nursing interrelates with the rest of the healthcare community. Nurses such as Jacqueline Fawcett (famous for her metatheoretical work in nursing), Jean Watson (founder of the Watson Caring Science Institute), Afaf I. Meleis (internationally renowned nurse-researcher), and Margaret Newman (creator of the theory of health as expanding consciousness) all hold a PhD. 

A Doctorate in Nursing Puts You in Position to Be a Leader

Whether you want to run your own clinic or head up a research team, a doctorate in nursing can give you the skills and credentials you need to be a leader. Leadership figures prominently in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) framework for preparing future nurses. The AACN says, “Graduates must develop attributes and skills critical to the viability of the profession and practice environments. The aim is to promote diversity and retention in the profession, self-awareness, avoidance of stress-induced emotional and mental exhaustion, and re-direction of energy from negative perceptions to positive influence through leadership opportunities.”⁴ AACN’s leadership competencies for advanced-level nursing education include demonstrating flexibility in managing change, showing leadership in times of uncertainty and crisis, and mentoring others in their own professional growth.”⁴

You Can Teach With a Doctoral Degree in Nursing

While a PhD in Nursing trains you for an academic setting, either a PhD or a DNP can lead to a career in education. With a doctoral degree in nursing, you can work in the nursing education field, helping people learn about health and how to lead a healthier lifestyle, or you can teach in a nursing school, helping students learn how to become a nurse.

You Can Earn Your DNP or PhD Online

Thanks to online education, becoming a nurse with a doctorate can be a reality. Online nursing programs let you complete your coursework from home, on a schedule that offers the flexibility you need to continue meeting your other responsibilities, including working full time.

If you’re interested in enrolling in a doctoral-level nursing program at an online nursing school, consider Walden University. Not only does Walden offer doctoral-level nursing degrees online, it provides an exceptional learning environment with a diverse student body, a commitment to social change, and partnerships with leading healthcare employers and associations. With so much to offer, Walden attracts students from all over and is one of the largest nursing education providers in the U.S. If you want to earn a DNP or PhD in Nursing, Walden can help make your educational goals a reality.

For those choosing to pursue a DNP, it’s also good to know that once it has been earned, it's possible to follow an abbreviated path toward a PhD in Nursing. At Walden University, students who hold a DNP can choose a bridge option that builds on current knowledge and experience with scholarly research and relevant coursework. Walden applies up to 25 DNP credits toward the PhD program, which can potentially reduce time to completion and total costs.⁵ 

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice and a PhD in Nursing degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: : https://www.ncsbn.org/research/recent-research/workforce/2022-workforce-rn.page
²Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24983041
³Source: https://campaignforaction.org/issue/transforming-nursing-education/#progress
⁴Source: www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Essentials-2021.pdf
⁵Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic such as tuition and fee increases and/or the student’s transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; writing, research, and editing skills; use of external data for their doctoral study/dissertation; and/or individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations, care-giving responsibilities or health issues, part-time vs. full-time enrollment, leaves of absence, and/or other personal circumstances. Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included. Students may incur additional costs for remedial writing assistance, if necessary.

Note on licensure: The PhD in Nursing is not a licensure program and will not prepare students as nurse practitioners.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing (BSN), master’s degree program in nursing (MSN), post-graduate APRN certificate program, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Walden University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Note on licensure: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Traditional Program and DNP Executive Leadership specialization program are not licensure programs and will not prepare students for practice as licensed nurse practitioners.

Note on licensure: The DNP nurse practitioner specializations programs are designed to prepare graduates with an active registered nurse (RN) license or APRN license to practice in the U.S. as nurse practitioners in their program specialty area. However, each state has its own academic preparation and authority to practice requirements and issues its own credential for an RN to be permitted to practice as a nurse practitioner in that state.

No graduate program can guarantee that graduates will obtain licensure to practice as a nurse practitioner. We encourage students to consult the appropriate board of nursing or regulatory authority in the states or jurisdictions in which they reside or intend to seek licensure to determine specific requirements. Walden Enrollment Specialists can provide general information relating to licensure; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to licensure for the state in which they intend to practice, as requirements vary widely.

Note on certification: Walden’s DNP NP specializations are designed to academically prepare graduates to apply for national certification. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve national certification. We encourage students to consult an appropriate certifying body for the specific certification eligibility requirements. Students should also consult their state board of nursing or other state agency to determine what certifications are required or accepted in that state. It is an individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification, as requirements vary widely. For more information about nurse practitioner certification exams, students should visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board at www.aanpcert.org, the American Nurses Credentialing Center at www.nursingworld.org/ancc, or other nurse practitioner certification websites.

Enrollment Restrictions by State
Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into any DNP program or specialization: Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island
Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into any DNP Nurse Practitioner specialization: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Oregon
Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into the DNP Executive Leadership specialization: Washington state
Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into the DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) specialization: Arizona
Walden currently cannot enroll residents of the following states/districts into the DNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) Primary Care specialization: Nevada

Note on Field Experience and Relocating
Students who are considering relocating are advised to contact their Student Success Advisor prior to any decision to relocate in order to determine how relocation may impact progress in their program. Advisors can provide information and guidance on how relocating may result in possible changes, restrictions, and/or additional requirements affecting field experience. Each board of nursing and higher education authority governs the field experience rules and regulations in their respective states, and students may be unable to complete field experience in the state in which they plan to relocate. While Walden is committed to working collaboratively with students to secure field sites across the United States, it is imperative that students contact their Student Success Advisor immediately when considering relocating.

Walden University is accredited by The Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.