If you are looking to pursue a postgraduate nursing degree, your main options are between the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.
Both MSNs and DNPs can provide tickets to move from the Registered Nurse (RN) level to Nurse Practitioner (NP), Nurse Executive, or other higher nursing roles. (A PhD is also an option for those who want to devote themselves to research or work as top-level academic faculty and administrators.)
When choosing between MSN and DNP, you should consider how each will help your long-term career prospects and the different investments in time and coursework.
What is MSN?
The Master of Science in Nursing prepares graduates to transition into professional nursing careers and leadership positions. It also increases your earning potential. Common areas of research include:
The length and focus of an MSN depends on your career prospects and educational background.
An MSN degree provides access to the highest level of nursing, including the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) role.
The MSN may require a minimum of 36 credit hours plus 225 hours of non-clinical specializations to 630 hours of practical work in the APRN track.1,2
BSN to MSN Degree Program
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is required to enroll in the MSN program. The MSN program offers a wide variety of MSN tracks and options to choose from. The traditional path to MSN is to get her BSN first and then her RN license.
RN to MSN Bridge Program
Some schools offer RN to MSN bridge programs. This allows registered nurses to apply directly to her MSN program. RN Bridge students complete the foundational courses they take in the BSN program.
However, the curriculum choices in the Bridge Program may be more limited than the BSN to MSN track with fewer electives. Credit hours for these programs range from 50 to 150.3,Four
fast or direct entry MSN
Do you have any nursing qualifications or experience? no problem. If you have a completely unrelated bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, you can join a program designed for students who want to complete their general education and begin their journey to become a nurse. Training is long and intensive.
Students can normally take the NCLEX-RN exam and apply for an RN license after one year. Depending on her APRN specialization chosen, direct entry programs often require 60-75 credit hours plus clinical hours and prerequisite courses to be completed before admission to some programs. .3,4
Definition of Dai Nippon Printing
What is a Doctor of Nursing Practice? The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is similar to his MSN program in some ways. If you have a DNP degree, you can choose either the clinical APRN or the non-clinical track and include one or more population-specific specialties when enrolling in BSN.
And like MSN, you can apply to the DNP program from multiple starting points.
- MSN degree (MSN graduates already have a specialization, so at DNP they do not choose a specialization and the program is significantly shortened)
- BSN degree (these students choose a specialization)
- ADN + RN license (may include catch-up BSN prerequisite coursework)
However, DNP is a higher level of hands-on nursing education than MSN, which is reflected in three key differences:
- RN requirements – The DNP program only accepts students with a current, non-disabled RN license. You cannot enter the program as a complete beginner.7
- Additional training – While there is some overlap in APRN and track specializations, the DNP degree program provides more in-depth training than MSN in topics such as policy, ethics, interprofessional collaboration, systems leadership and the highest level of evidence-based practice. provide.
- Future APRN requirements – APRN licenses/certifications can now be earned with either MSN or DNP degrees.
Is DNP ahead of MSN?
A doctorate is a higher degree than a master’s degree. If the college nursing degrees are ordered by seniority from lowest to highest, the hierarchy would be:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor of Nursing (BSN)
- Master of Nursing (MSN)
- doctorate:
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Doctor of Nursing (Doctor of Nursing)
The two doctoral options are different in purpose. DNP is the tertiary level of nursing practice, while PhD focuses on research and teaching at the university level.
How is DNP different from NP?
Note that a DNP is a degree, whereas a Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a profession. It is therefore more useful to ask about the differences in function or authority between NPs with a PhD in Nursing Practice and NPs with a Master of Science in Nursing.
Essentially, DNP prepares graduates for higher nursing leadership positions and earnings potential than MSN. For example, depending on factors such as organization and geographic location, nurse practitioner, nurse executive, or family nurse practitioner salaries are more likely to be higher with a DNP degree. 6 However, in the future, a DNP will be required for some APRN positions for which an MSN degree was sufficient in the past.7Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists (CRNAs) are the primary individuals affected by this change, but other professions such as nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse midwives may face this requirement in the future. .7
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Want to advance your nursing career? Both graduate degree programs for practical nursing expand your skills and prepare you for more leadership in the profession.
USAHS Nursing Program
St. Augustine University Health Sciences (USAHS) offers Master of Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. When nursing certificate after graduation Designed for working nurses. Our nursing degrees are delivered online and have a hands-on component commensurate with the specialization of the program and role. MSN offers several options to help you get your degree faster. Earn an advanced nursing degree while maintaining a work-life balance.
sauce:
- Amanda Bucceri Androus, RN, BSN, “Master of Science in Nursing – MSN Degree Program” RegisterNursing.orglast updated September 2022,
- “Frequently Asked Questions: What types of Master’s degrees in Nursing are there?” Online FNP Programlast updated June 2020,
- Andras, I registered with Nursing.org.
- “Frequently Asked Questions,” Online FNP Program.
- “Degree Outline of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)” nurse journallast updated September 2022,
- “Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Salaries – 2022” nursing process,
- Stephanie Behring, “Is DNP the new MSN?” all nursing schools, October 13, 2020
