Pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner traditionally takes several years of specialized education and clinical experience. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, becoming a nurse practitioner requires a broad range of preparation, including becoming a registered nurse, completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, completing a nurse practitioner–focused graduate degree program, and successfully passing a national nurse practitioner board certification exam. It is a professional path that can take many years to complete.
For those who want to fast-track their careers, the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program from Northern Kentucky University (NKU) offers a streamlined route to achieving their professional goals. Students can complete their degrees in as few as 20 months, allowing them to quickly transition into leadership roles in the healthcare field.
Average Nurse Practitioner Salary
Nursing is an increasingly crucial profession, and demand for qualified nurses of all kinds, including nurse practitioners, is only expected to grow over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Overall employment of nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners is projected to grow 40 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.”
Although the commitment to education and training can be considerable, nurse practitioners are well compensated. As of May 2023, the average annual salary for a nurse practitioner in the United States was $128,490, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learn About a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Historically, becoming a nurse practitioner has required a master’s degree. However, in 2004, schools affiliated with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) endorsed a decision to raise the required level of preparation necessary for advanced nursing practice to the doctoral level, according to a fact sheet published by the AACN. “The changing demands of this nation’s complex healthcare environment require the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise to assure quality patient outcomes,” the fact sheet states.
A DNP provides nurse practitioners with more advanced knowledge and is an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. “DNP curricula expands learning essential to preparing expert clinicians and nurse leaders, including coursework focused on evidence-based practice, quality improvement, leadership, policy advocacy, informatics, and systems thinking,” according to the AACN. For example, NKU’s online Post-Master’s DNP program educates students on new care delivery models grounded in contemporary nursing science.
Why Is a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree Necessary?
On the surface, prospective students might not see much difference between DNPs and traditional Master’s degrees, but the distinctions between such programs are important, according to an editorial published in the journal Creative Nursing. “DNP-prepared NPs bring unique skills and expertise that can help improve patient care and workflow processes,” the authors argue. In addition, nurses who have finished a DNP have strong assessment skills, are effective collaborators and are more able to address system-level quality and finance challenges — compared to nurses who haven’t been prepared by a DNP program, according to research from SAGE Open Nursing.
In addition, an AACN report titled The State of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education in 2022 points out that there is a strong demand for DNP graduates, which continues to grow. According to the report: “There is also nearly universal agreement that DNP graduates bring unique value in areas such as leadership, applying evidence-based practice, quality improvement, organizational change, and process improvement.”
Pursue a DNP Online
There are many potential benefits to enrolling in an online DNP course of study. For those students looking to move quickly from the classroom to clinical practice, they can complete a program like the one offered by NKU in a mere 20 months. A DNP is also crucial for nurse practitioners who wish to have an impact as leaders in their field. For future nurses with high ambitions and a desire to quickly bring change to their profession, there is no better educational choice.
Learn more about NKU’s online Post-Master’s DNP program.
