Doctor of Nursing Practice

The major difference between a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) is whether nurses translate research into practice to improve patient outcomes with a DNP or whether nurses want to advance the science of nursing, conducting research using a PhD (AACN, 2018). Most nurses who want to complete their DNP are oriented in the direction of improving outcomes, patient centered care and population health. Most nurses who want to complete their PhD are oriented in the direction of developing new nursing knowledge and scientific inquiry (AACN, 2018). Nurses who are committed to their practice will usually choose to purse a DNP when deciding on a doctoral program and nurses who want to commit their lives to research will most likely choose a PhD program of study. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2018), nurses who complete the DNP program or PhD program of study will be able to contribute to health care improvements through the development of practice and new knowledge from scholarly expertise in teaching and research.

Personally, if I had to choose between a DNP or a PhD in nursing I would go with a Doctor of Nursing Practice-Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (DNP-PMHNP), since that is where my passion and clinical expertise remains. After completing my BSN, I plan on becoming ANCC Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing certified. There is so much more to discover when it comes to assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients who are seeking help with mental health disorders. I wish to acquire the advanced skills and abilities to integrate my knowledge, while making a positive contribution to the community and improving patient outcomes. I see myself as a leader in health care, taking initiatives to promote health, educating peers, patients and other health care providers.  I believe that a DNP would be in my best interest when it comes to my professional and personal goals as a professional nurse.