DNP degree slow to become standard for APRNs

The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree has not become the norm, despite calls for it to be the standard entry-level degree for advanced practice registered nurses, rather than the Master of Science in Nursing. That is because there is little incentive for nurses to attain a higher degree and a lack of significant evidence showing a doctorate improves care quality over a master’s degree, according to academics interviewed in Medscape. The number of DNP programs in the United States has grown, however. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties have advocated for the DNP to become the entry-level degree for APRNs. (Medscape article, 1/5/23)