Have Nurse Practitioners "Gone Off the Deep End"?
Physician assistant blogger physasst questions the nurse practitioner profession's move to the DNP degree.
OKEY DOKEY. I like NP's, I consider them colleagues, but I think that they have gone off the deep end with this one. First, mandating that all NP education is awarded a doctorate by 2015 is foolish. This will decrease enrollment of many potential RN's, and especially those that might be likely to practice in rural and underserved areas, where we have the greatest need. The added expenses of completing a doctoral degree will ensure that DNP graduates will seek out better paying opportunities in more attractive locales in order to pay down student loan debt.
My other concern is the use of the title, "Doctor". It is true that pharmacists, PT's, and others have moved to a doctoral degree. BUT, none of those professions outside of a psychologist, use the title "Doctor" when treating patients.....why you might ask?
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