UF paves way for BSN nurses to receive practice doctorate
This fall, the University of Florida College of Nursing will begin offering a postbaccalaureate doctor of nursing practice program, allowing people who have a bachelor's degree in nursing to enter directly into study for the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. UF is the first school in the state to begin accepting applications for the program and the first to receive approval from the Florida Board of Governors.
The BSN-to-DNP program complements the college's post-master's DNP program started in 2006. Students with bachelor's degrees in nursing will be able to prepare for advanced practice careers in family, pediatric, adult or acute-care nursing.
Until now, students in Florida who wished to obtain a DNP credential had to already hold a master's degree in nursing. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has recommended that DNP status replace the Master of Science in Nursing degree as the entry level for advanced practice by 2015. Certification boards for advanced nursing practice are also expected to require nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives and nurse anesthetists to hold a DNP credential in the future. UF is one of 63 programs nationwide that offers a DNP program; however, most require candidates to have a master's degree before entering DNP study.
"The UF College of Nursing was the first nursing program in Florida to offer the Ph.D. in Nursing Science for those seeking a research career," said Kathleen Ann Long, Ph.D., R.N., and dean of the College of Nursing "We will again be at the forefront of a changing paradigm for nursing education by offering the BSN-to-DNP as the terminal degree for those seeking careers in advanced practice. We are proud to have a leadership role in offering the DNP program to baccalaureate nursing graduates."
The focus of the DNP program is evidence-based practice, Long said. It prepares nurses with specialized knowledge, skills and abilities needed for health-care delivery in the future, and equips nurses with educational backgrounds comparable to those of health-care professionals in other fields.
Because of the growing complexity of health care, new scientific advances and increasingly sophisticated technology, master's degree programs in nursing now have credit hours far beyond those in other fields. The DNP degree follows a trend toward clinical doctorates in other fields, including pharmacy and physical therapy.
UF will continue to offer its master's degree program in several specialties, including neonatal nursing, nurse midwifery, psychiatric-mental health nursing and public health nursing, contingent on grant funding, for a transitional period. By 2012, these specialties will also move to the DNP level. In keeping with national standards, the advanced generalist Clinical Nurse Leader program will continue as a master's degree offering.
During the national transition period from the MSN to the DNP for advanced specialized practice, the college will offer post-BSN students the option to exit after earning the MSN and return as a post-master's student to complete the DNP at a later time.
The BSN-to-DNP program consists of 93 credits and lasts four-and-a-half to five years for part-time students, and two-and-a half years for full-time students. The deadline for first review of applications is March 15. Applications will continue to be accepted until May 31 on a space-available basis. Those interested in applying should visit the college's Web site, www.nursing.ufl.edu.