A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practical professional degree that can lead to many different career paths.
If you work as a nurse and want to take your career to new heights, this program can help you attain the highest leadership roles in the nursing sector.
With the new year well underway, you may want to use 2022 as the time to go back into education and advance your career.
Here are several reasons why nurses can benefit from earning their DNP this year.
Take On a Leadership Position
While many nurses are content working as part of a team and following orders from managers, others like to have more control and authority. Throughout your DNP degree, you’ll work on developing and mastering leadership skills which are crucial for making difficult decisions under tense circumstances.
As you navigate through the coursework of a DNP, this can help you understand what goes into running a clinic and how to manage a team effectively. For those seeking executive positions in hospital administration, obtaining a DNP degree can help you get there.
Specialize In What You Love
If you have a particular passion for a sector in nursing, a DNP degree gives you the chance to concentrate on your studies and specialize in what is most important to you. Concentrations include family care, psychiatric mental health, and adult-gerontology. If you would like to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, Baylor University offers this specialization too.
Whatever field of nursing catches your attention, make sure you read into the specifications of the course first. That way, you can be confident you’ve made the right decision and that you know what the program expects of you from the beginning.
Fit Around Your Schedule
For nurses in full-time employment, the thought of getting your DNP may be the last thing on your mind. With so much of your schedule being taken up by work, you may believe your only chance of obtaining a degree is by going to an educational facility. Thankfully, online learning has grown rapidly over the years, which means you can study for your DNP without a strict schedule to adhere to.
Not only can you study for your DNP from home, but you also won’t have set hours to worry about. Whether you prefer working in the mornings, evenings, or on your days off from work, you can gain the credentials needed without the worry of having to give up your job.
Get a Salary Boost
Understandably, as you climb the ladder in nursing, you’ll expect to be financially rewarded. One of the great advantages of a DNP degree is the ability to get a salary increase. In fact, when compared to registered nurses who make roughly $60,000 per year with a BSN degree, those who possess a DNP can expect their salary to exceed $100,000.
Of course, salary shouldn’t be the sole motivation for studying for a DNP. However, when you factor in the amount of time and hard work you’ll put into the program, you’ll see that all your efforts will pay off financially in the long run.
Learn from the Experts
During your time as a DNP student, you will have the opportunity to engage and get advice from those in higher positions in nursing. Regardless of how many textbooks you read, some kinds of professional knowledge never make it into them. Instead, you can interact with experienced nurses who can teach you the A-Z of their roles and what you need to do to secure your dream role.
Whether you learn from home or in person, any reputable nursing school will host regular sessions that bring DNP students and the experts together. Make sure you ask plenty of questions and build your contact list, as networking can help you when seeking employment.
Increased Job Security
Going forward, DNPs will continue to be in demand, particularly with the anticipated physician and nursing shortage on the horizon. No matter what field of nursing interests you most, we all want to be in a role that provides job security. With a DNP degree, you will be eligible to apply for higher-ranking roles that come with job security.
An individual with a high level of job security is less likely to lose their job. When you read about people being made redundant from various sectors, the last thing you want is for this to happen to you. By studying for a DNP and entering highly ranked and high-paying roles, you can be confident your job is safe and secure.
Gain Confidence
As a nurse, you may always be second-guessing your actions and whether you’re the right fit or not for a DNP program. When you begin the course, it’s natural to feel nervous and anxious about what awaits you. However, as you settle into the program and become used to the way of working, you’ll feel much more confident in your abilities.
Once you fly through the modules and score the grades you want, this should keep you motivated and determined to carry out and obtain your degree. What’s more, when you apply for senior roles, you’ll feel more ready and confident for job interviews.
Enhance Your Skills
From the minute you start your DNP degree, you’ll learn a ton of transferable skills that can enhance how you work and ensure patients are receiving the best care available.
From how to communicate effectively to active listening, DNP programs can truly set you up for a successful career.
Once you graduate with your DNP and look for positions, you’ll find many roles require you to possess certain attributes.
Thankfully, you’ll have mastered them during your time as a DNP student, which will increase the chance of you getting the job.
Obtaining a DNP degree is a big step to take.
However, there are invaluable benefits attached to the program which can broaden your career prospects in nursing, command a higher salary, and help you flourish in your professional endeavors.
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