[Soh]

Hello Avery,

This is a valid topic to discuss about so thank you for bringing this up. A doctorate in nursing is the highest degree available. However, most of the master degree nurse practitioners get paid on the same scale as doctorate nurse practitioners. There are some states that have nurse practitioners practice independently and in this case they can earn more. The idea behind this is similar to the fact that there aren’t wage difference between ADN and BSN nurses. Obtaining a BSN only allows more opportunities for higher earning such as being involved with management or working as an educator. By obtaining a doctorate, the APRN has many opportunities to be involved with research, policy changes and provide leadership in both clinical and academic setting. I do think that doctorate should be paid more but it is more dependent on the area they work in and the expertise they carry through experience. Another factor to consider is that NPs get paid more in rural areas where the need is greater. Also in more developed areas, there can be a saturation of NPs that causes many NPs to work as a bedside RN until they are able to find NP positions. As more DNPs are arising, I hope that we can influence more changes to health policies and that the value of the DNP will increase.

[Soh]

Hello Avery,

I am currently in my first year of my DNP program in Southern California. I am pursing an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree. Since I have started I have received some doubt from my colleagues and friends. The main question was if it was worth taking out loans from my private institution. They were questioning if I would make enough to make this doctorate degree worth it. NP salary does depend on where you plan to work in the future so I can’t say that I would be making a significant amount more than my current pay. However, my purpose and my reasons for wanting to further my education is valid enough. I hope more and more nurses will continue to pursue an APRN degree to solidify our roles for the future. The role of the APRN is still developing and needs alot of work. The more people we have that are involved would make our voices stronger and would allow the public to understand our roles even clearer. Nurses have a unique role as patient advocates and the role development course I am taking currently has opened my eyes to the impact APRNs can have for both the hospital and the patient. This topic clearly arises from the fact that most people are still ignorant of the role of the DNP. More education and exposure to the role of the APRN is necessary. Thanks for bringing this topic up.

[Soh]

Hello Susan,

Thanks for your initial post and raising awareness on this issue. As healthcare is advancing and more nurses are increasing their scope of practice by pursing higher education, this seems to have become an actual issue. I am currently working in a small hospital in southern California. Our NPs here have master degrees so we call them by their first name. However, the teaching hospital I worked in Tennessee had many NPs who had doctorates and we would call them doctors. Although they are not physicians, they have earned the doctorate degree and they should be addressed as such. However, I believe that with the recent advancement of nursing practice, more education for the public is necessary. In the meantime, while in the clinical setting, the nurse should address that she/he should specify their certification as an APRN. This is in order to decrease possible miscommunication with our patients and other unnecessary confusion. This issue emphasizes more on how our nursing organization should be focused on educating the public and the importance of increasing our voice by having more nurses actively involved in professional organizations. Nurses are the largest profession in healthcare and we can have a stronger voice if we have more involvement.

[Author]

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