Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a professional degree in nursing. In the United States, the DNP is one of three doctorate degrees in nursing, the others being the research degrees PhD and the Doctor of Nursing Science. The DNP program may often include additional clinical/residency hours, some as many as 500, as well as a DNP Capstone/Final project which is usually a clinical practice research project that is often implemented through direct clinical nursing care in an effort to improve healthcare outcomes. The DNP Capstone/Final project reflects the scope of the student’s doctoral level work, with a short goal program of demonstrating mastery of study the often student’s online newly acquired skills and knowledge. 

Internationally, since the 1990s, there have been a wide number of doctorate degrees available for nurses, including DProf, PhD and others. Internationally all such doctoral nursing degrees include mandatory research elements and take longer than a single year to complete.

DNP in North America
The curriculum for the United States DNP degree builds on traditional master's programs by providing education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, and is typically more clinically-oriented than PhD or DNS degrees. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) include the nurse practitioner (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), Certified Nurse‐Midwife (CNM), and the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and are prepared in master's-degree programs. Although approximately 52% of nurse anesthetist programs will award the DNP, the remaining 48% may use the title doctor of nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP).

Education requirements in the United States 
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), transitioning advance practice registered nursing programs from the graduate level to the doctoral level is a "...response to changes in health care delivery and emerging health care needs, additional knowledge or content areas have been identified by practicing nurses. In addition, the knowledge required to provide leadership in the discipline of nursing is so complex and rapidly changing that additional or doctoral level education is needed." According to the AACN, "...benefits of practice-focused doctoral programs include:
 development of needed advanced competencies for increasingly complex clinical, faculty and leadership roles;
 enhanced knowledge to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes;
 enhanced leadership skills to strengthen practice and health care delivery;
 better match of program requirements and credits and time with the credential earned;
 provision of an advanced educational credential for those who require advanced practice knowledge but do not need or want a strong research focus (e.g. clinical faculty);
 enhanced ability to attract individuals to nursing from non-nursing backgrounds;
 increased supply of faculty for clinical instruction; and
 improved image of nursing."

Transitioning toward the doctorate 
In the United States, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommended that all entry-level nurse practitioner educational programs be transitioned from the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree to the DNP degree. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists has followed suit, requiring the DNP (or DNAP-doctor of nurse anesthesia practice) degree for entry-level nurse anesthetist programs by the year 2025. Meanwhile, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) announced in July 2015 its endorsement of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) as the required degree for CNS entry into practice by 2030. Nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists currently practicing with either an MSN or certificate will not be required to obtain the DNP for continued practice.

In the United States there are three terminal doctorate degrees in the field of nursing: The doctor of nursing practice (DNP), and the doctor of philosophy (PhD); several programs also offer the terminal doctor of education (EdD) in nursing education. Previous doctorate level degrees have been, or are in the process of being phased out and converted to one of the three terminal degrees.  The doctor of nursing (ND, not to be confused with naturopathic doctor) and the (DrNP) have transitioned into the DNP whereas the doctor of nursing science (DNSc, DNS or DSN) has transitioned into the PhD. The PhD in nursing is generally considered the academic and research-oriented degree, whereas the DNP is the practice-oriented or professional terminal degree.

See also

 Advanced practice nurses
 Nurse practitioner
 Nurse midwife
 Clinical nurse specialist
 Nurse anesthetist
 Diploma in Nursing
 Associate of Science in Nursing
 Bachelor of Science in Nursing
 Master of Science in Nursing
 Nurse education
 Nursing school

References 

Nursing Practice
Nursing degrees
Nursing Practice