The Transformative Power of Doctoral Degrees for Nurse Practitioners

Written by: Julian Gallegos, jlgalleg@purdue.edu

First published on LinkedIn: July 16, 2023

In the rapidly evolving healthcare field, nurse practitioners (NPs) are indispensable in providing quality patient care across various settings. As advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), NPs possess the expertise to diagnose and treat illnesses, prescribe medications, and promote health and wellness. However, with the growing complexity of healthcare systems and the increasing demand for evidence-based practice, the importance of doctoral degrees for nurse practitioners cannot be overstated. This article will explore how obtaining a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) can accelerate NP careers, enhance patient safety, drive research in the advanced practice role and ensure the translation of research findings into practice.

Julian Gallegos, Purdue University School of Nursing clinical associate professor, DNP program director, and interim assistant head of graduate programs; legal nurse consultant

One of the significant advantages of pursuing a doctoral degree in nursing, such as a DNP, is the acceleration it provides to nurse practitioners’ careers. DNPs are prepared to assume leadership positions, shape healthcare policies and implement innovative healthcare delivery models. These advanced roles enable NPs to influence the direction of nursing practice, drive interdisciplinary collaboration and improve patient outcomes. By expanding their scope of practice, DNPs can provide more comprehensive and specialized care, making them valuable assets in healthcare organizations.

Doctoral-prepared nurse practitioners profoundly impact patient safety and the quality of care provided. NPs gain advanced clinical competencies, critical-thinking skills, and research methods, contributing to evidence-based practice through their doctoral education. DNPs excel at translating research findings into clinical practice, ensuring patient care is grounded in the best available evidence. By incorporating evidence-based interventions, DNPs improve patient outcomes, enhance safety, and increase patient satisfaction. Additionally, their advanced clinical expertise allows them to identify gaps in patient care and implement strategies to improve overall quality.

Pursuing doctoral degrees in nursing, whether a DNP or a PhD, is instrumental in driving research within the NP field. PhD-prepared nurse practitioners play a vital role as nurse scientists, contributing to expanding nursing knowledge through rigorous research and publishing their findings. Their research focuses on advancing healthcare delivery, improving health outcomes and addressing healthcare disparities. On the other hand, DNPs actively engage in research by translating and applying research findings into clinical practice — their collaboration with PhD NPs helps bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring evidence-based interventions enhance patient care.

Collaboration between DNP and PhD-prepared nurse practitioners is crucial to leveraging research to enhance patient care. DNPs, with their expertise in evidence-based practice, implement research findings into their clinical decision-making, protocols and organizational policies. They act as intermediaries between the research community and healthcare settings, advocating for implementing evidence-based interventions. PhD NPs, with their research and scholarship focus, generate new knowledge and contribute to the evidence base supporting advanced nursing practice. Their collaboration with DNPs helps ensure research is effectively used to enhance patient care, fostering a culture of research utilization and innovation in advanced nursing practice.

Doctoral degrees, whether a DNP or a PhD, hold immense value for nurse practitioners, accelerating their careers, enhancing patient safety and driving research in the advanced practice role. DNPs have advanced clinical competencies and skills to translate evidence and research into practice, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Collaboration between DNP and PhD-prepared NPs strengthens the connection between research and practice, ensuring research findings are effectively utilized to enhance patient care. By supporting and encouraging nurse practitioners to pursue doctoral education, we can foster a healthcare workforce that delivers the highest quality of care, advances the NP profession and contributes to the overall advancement of healthcare.

Learn more about the School of Nursing’s graduate programs.