The nursing profession is unique in that it will provide the professional with a lot of chances to grow and thrive. It doesn’t matter whether you have been in the profession, whether it is a few months or many years, it is never too early or late to think about which direction you would like to take your career and what you would like to do in the future.
Academic credentials are going to be essential in changing up the trajectory of your career. While a BSN is a great place to start, if you would really like to make some big changes in the career, you need to go for the Doctor of Nursing Practice or DNP, to help you get the work done.
While it can take some time and dedication to get your DNP degree, it can really make a difference and will change up your career. Some of the ways that this degree will help change up your career include:
More Career Opportunities
One of the big benefits of gaining this kind of degree is that it will qualify you for a lot of positions that are not available to nurses who only have an ADN or a BSN degree. If you would like to do administration, academic work, or clinical leadership, you will need a doctorate degree to get it done.
This DNP degree is going to allow nurses to work on a lot of different things in order to succeed, such as clinical practice, scholarly research, evidence-based, and advanced technology all in one. There are many great careers that you can pursue once you get this kind of degree including:
- Nurse manager or director
- Nurse anesthetist
- Nurse midwife
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Nurse Practitioner
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
You will be able to hold these positions in a lot of different healthcare facilities including insurance companies, academic institutions, and hospitals. And the need for these professionals is growing all the time.
According to the Bureau of labor Statistics, the job outlook for these advanced nursing professionals is going to increase by 45% from 2020 to 2030, which is a lot faster than you can see with other careers as well.
Gain a Higher Salary
There are a number of factors that will determine how much you can earn after gaining your DNP degree. It can depend on the organization you work with, your work experience, and your location. No matter where you go though, the DNP degree will help you to earn a much higher salary than nursing professionals with a lower degree.
According to a 2018 AORN Salary and Compensation Survey, it was noted that the base compensation for those nursing professionals with a DNP degree was about $7500 higher than the base compensation for those who had a master’s degree. This is even higher compared to those with a BSN or ADN degree too.
If you are looking to get your foot in the door at a career that has a higher income, then the first step is to start working to get your DNP degree. It can take some time and a good deal of professional experience to make it happen, but you will find that the higher salary can make it worth it.
Remain Competitive in Your Field
Many nursing professionals will choose to do a DNP because it allows them to remain competitive in their field. In the past, gaining a BSN degree was enough to help set you apart from the competition, but now it is better if you can go for the Master’s degree or a Doctoral degree to really stand out from the crowd.
While the number of nursing professionals who go after a DNP keeps going up, there are still only a few people who have this kind of degree already in hand. The beauty of this degree is that it is going to show the potential employer that you are committed to learning and getting better, and it will show off that you are really ready to go that extra mile for your career.
The knowledge that you are able to learn about new trends and technologies in the field of nursing through your degree will provide you with a competitive edge over others in the field. This will help you stay competitive within the field and can put you as a top contender for some of the best jobs if you want them.
Keep Up with the Latest Trends
The healthcare field is general, but specifically, the field of nursing, is changing all the time. The best practices and clinical technology are going to keep changing as science changes and advances. As a nurse, it is important for you to stay up to date with some of these new changes to provide the best care possible to all of your patients. A DNP degree can help with this.
Whether you decide to specialize in the field or not, there is a lot to learn as a DNP. Those nursing professionals who have a DNP are going to be leaders when it comes to a number of different things including:
- The latest trends in healthcare
- Future trends
- Scientific and medical advances
- Clinical technologies
- Best practices
- Disease processes
In this degree program, you will be able to explore some of the evidence-based practices that come with nursing, including some of the theories that will relate to research and evidence collection. While you can get some of this with your MSN degree, the DNP program will help you to add in more coursework to prepare you better than before.
Gaining Your DNP Degree
Gaining a DNP degree can take some time and hard work. There is a lot of information that you need to work through in order to gain this degree and you will need to study hard while also maintaining your work life as well. Take a look at some of the great ways that a DNP degree will be able to transform your career today.
