There is a big difference between an MSN and a DNP degree. This is because the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is a prerequisite for obtaining a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. In fact, colleges offers MSN to DNP programs that are designed for nurses with specialized training, such as nurse midwives or anesthetists. Most MSN and DNP candidates will either be an RN or have a bachelor’s in nursing degree.
A Master of Science in Nursing
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs generally offers four specializations: nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist and certified nurse anesthetist and midwife. These four specializations allow every student to concentrate on the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in their target career. To illustrate, a nurse practitioner will diagnose and treat common injuries and illnesses similar to a physician. A clinical nurse specialist will work in a distinct medical field, such as pediatrics, gynecology and even psychiatric nursing. However, all programs emphasize a holistic approach to health care operations, leadership and education. Most MSN programs last
…show more content…
Coincidently, the standard educational background of these professionals is a Master of Science in Nursing. These programs are different from conventional master's programs in nursing because they also focus on visionary leadership, quality improvement and evidence-based practice. Thus, students will learn how to incorporate complex concepts and professional practices to create innovative nursing practices and systems. These programs also impart the skills needed to transform and enhance evidence-based care systems. The basic requirement to enter this program is an RN license and a Master’s of Science in
Becoming a Nurse Practitioner is a very appealing career choice for registered nurses, but getting into a Master's in Nursing program at a local school of nursing is extremely difficult these days, and earning a
Healthcare systems and the way safe, quality health care is delivered are continually changing to better serve patients and communities. Professional nursing practice is a large component in the healthcare system today. Back in the 1960s, professional nursing leaders tried to adopt the bachelor degree programs as the only educational track to become a registered nurse (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Due to nursing shortages and demands this motive did not hold fast. Individuals entering the nursing profession today must first decide which educational pathway to take to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
In addition, a DNP degree will help me better serve my community by advocating for quality and safety healthcare system. Once attained, I would seek employment at either a school or university with the mission of educating nursing students to practice the highest quality of patient care. One of the major issues facing the nursing profession today is the lack of advance nursing practices. The medical field is in crisis. Doctors are stretched to the limits, and patients are demanding more advanced care. To alleviate some of the concerns facing medicine in the 21st century, advance nursing practices is a vital area in the contribution of understanding and working within the bounds of a team structure, and the promotion of communication between the interdisciplinary health team. The mission of the advance nursing practice is to help individual patients, and their families, determine and achieve optimum physical, mental and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work Nurses are among the largest professional care group within the healthcare service industry. We are responsible for providing quality care and assisting patients towards independent and healthy living. Considering the changing working environment, health care practitioners like nurses are
The standard and scope for LVN in California and Arizona the difference in California LVN’s
With an ever-increasing body of knowledge in the field of nursing, more education is being required to enter the field of nursing. Many healthcare institutions are raising the educational requirements in order to become employed or maintain employment in their facilities. Healthcare organizations are transitioning to hiring registered nurses (RN) who have a higher level of education, such as, a graduate from a Baccalaureate Degree Nursing (BSN) program. The goal of these institutions is to have nurses with a broader array of skills that can meet the growing demands of our patient population. BSN prepared nurses are recognized for their well-rounded skills in critical thinking, management, case management and health promotion versus Associate Degree nurses (ADN)/Diploma nurses that focus on direct patient care.
I’ve learned to integrate the essentials of baccalaureate education into my current practice by setting professional goals for myself and learning that I’m in a proficient level of nursing in my current practice as well as what it will take to reach expert level. I also learned how the use of evidence base practice is necessary for this changing healthcare environment and how nursing leadership can help through advocating for policy changes or new policies. The continuous changes in the healthcare environment have also created special populations who require a particular level of care. Also learned how important critical thinking is when it comes to developing a focused plan of care based on evidence along with the necessity of advocacy in
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2011). The essentials of Master’s Education for Advance Practice Nursing. Retrieved July 09. 2015.
Some of the dilemmas associated with today’s nursing force are: Many are under-educated and task-oriented, unaware of their patient’s plan of care, medical histories, or pertinent results. Too many rely on clinical coordinators and team leaders, when it comes to critical thinking, therefore, miss out on the vital fundamentals, which make nursing such an honorable profession (Grietens, 2007, p. 10). In order to create a stronger, more knowledgeable nursing workforce, entry-level requirements for RNs, as well as APRNs, need to be uniform. In addition, research shows bachelors and masters prepared nurses, result in better patient outcomes. An example of a proposed solution includes:
As the shortage of physicians grows, so does the demand for care. Patients and organizations will rely on nurses to close this gap in primary care. This will require nurses to provide a higher level of care and a broader range of services. They will be expected to be more independent, accountable, professional, and highly educated. Baccalaureate programs provide advanced training in critical thinking, leadership, education and patient safety (Cresaia & Friberg, 2010). Associate degrees are more focused on the technical aspects of nursing care and teach only the basics of leadership (Moore, 2009). Nurses that obtain a BSN degree are more prepared to face today’s challenges in health care and
In addition to the basic nursing practice education the baccalaureate nursing practice incorporates the roles of assessing, critical thinking, communication, providing care, teaching and leading. (Grand Canyon University College of Nursing Philosophy) There is an additional model of nursing research and management. This additional model prepares the baccalaureate level nurse for a broader scope of practice and enhances the student’s professional development. This research assists them in improving the quality of care that is given to the
The second MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to nursing leadership, in which an APN is aware of the influence and need for organizational and systems leadership and is able to apply various organizational theories in practice. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to quality improvement and safety. In this area, an APN is able to understand performance assessment, measurement, and evaluation processes that impact their practice. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to evidence-based practice. Here, an APN is expected to apply research utilization and translation skills as well as function as a change agent in MSN practice. The fifth MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to nursing informatics. In this area, an APN is able to incorporate nursing science, information science, and computer science to communicate effectively and thus improve MSN practice. The sixth MSN essential focused on integrative abilities related to healthcare policy. In this area, an APN is capable of effectively advocate for individuals, families, and focused populations as well as for the profession of nursing across diverse systems of healthcare. The next MSN essential is focused on integrative abilities related to interprofessional collaboration. Here, an APN is able to apply elements of interprofessional collaboration and effective communication skills to practice improvements to improve health outcomes for individuals, families, and focused populations. The eight MSN essentials focused on integrative abilities related to population health. In this area, the MSN graduate should be able to apply population-focused and culturally-sensitive intervention strategies in delivering patient-centered care to individuals, families,
Medical-Surgical Nursing is the foundation of all nursing practice. Medical-Surgical Nurse (MSN) is also known as Perioperative Nurse. A Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) provide care to all patients experiencing complex variations in health. Duties includes informing patients on their medications, documentation as well as coordinate with the Interdisciplinary team.
New graduate registered nurses face many challenges when they are fresh out of school. They struggle in categories such as role transition, high performance expectations in a high acuity environment, and an increasing role of accountability in today’s growing health care field. Leaders in nursing have identified that nurses fresh out of school are ill prepared to meet the demands in today’s health care field (Reinsvold, 2008). A recommendation for transforming today’s nursing education is the creation of new graduate nurse residency programs.
Many universities and community college have their own nursing program; however, students will want to choose a school that is best fit for them. To become a pediatric nurse practitioner, having an advanced degree is required, such as a degree in the Master of Science in Nursing. To obtain a degree in Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is required to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, but before a student enter a master’s degree program at a university, a completion of an undergraduate degree program in nursing is required. After graduating from high school students will have to earn their Associate of Arts (A.A) degree, which will take most students to achieve in two years. Then, students will have to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), while passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in the fourth year of their education in nursing (Discovering Nursing, “Pediatric Nurse Practitioner”). Finally, students will have to earn their Master of Science in Nursing, preferably within the two years after earing their Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which will take an additional two years to finish schooling. Furthermore, students will finally take a final examination to get a certification in pediatrics through Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and become a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (CPNP) (Discovering Nursing, “Pediatric Nurse Practitioner”). While trying to earn a master’s degree, students must work in a health care setting, such as the hospital or a health clinic to gain experience to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. Earning the education as a pediatric nurse practitioner will take most students about six to seven years to finish their education to pursue their career in
The difference between a DNP and a PhD in nursing is the area of their expertise: clinical and research. The DNP degree is a practice/ clinically based doctorate, while the PhD is a research based doctorate. A DNP-prepared nurse practitioner utilizes evidence-based practice into his or her plan of care for each patient, with the fact that the evidence based practice stems from research conducted by the PhD (Khan, 2015). Beverly (2014), noted that, “Collaboration between graduates of the DNP and PhD programs is critical to advance the science and translate research into practice." (p. 102). The DNP and PhD complement each other to keep patients safe and to continue advancing the practice of nursing. PhD provides the evidence based practices