Follow Up to "Doctor Nurse"

Back in 2008 I posted this "Dr. Nurse"

A FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) Defined per University of MD

This master's specialty prepares advanced practice nurses to work as primary health care providers for individuals of all ages and their families. With over 800 clinical hours, students develop expertise in the management of care for individuals across the life span, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention, as well as diagnosis and management of acute and chronic diseases. Graduates of this specialty are eligible for certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Web-based courses may be available. Full-time, part-time, and post-master's (non-degree) options are available.

Sample Plan of Full-Time Study

Fall (Semester I)
Course	Title	Credits
NPHY 612	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology	3
NURS 660	Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan	4
NURS 630	FP I: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention	2
NURS 631	FP I: Practicum: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Clinical Hours: 45)	1
	Total	10
Spring (Semester II)
Course	Title	Credits
NURS 701	Science and Research for Advanced Nursing Practice	4
NURS 723	Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics	3
NURS 632	FP II: Clinical Management of Common Health Care Problems	3
NURS 633	FP II: Practicum – Clinical Management of Common Health Care Problems (Clinical Hours: 180)	4
	Total	14
Summer (Semester III)
Course	Title	Credits
NURS 622	Systems and Populations in Health Care	3
NURS 703	Specialty Topics in Family Practice (Clinical Hours: 45)	2
	Total	5
Fall (Semester IV)
Course	Title	Credits
NURS 640	FP III: Management of Complex Health Care Problems	2
NURS 644	FP III: Practicum: Management of Complex Health Care Problems (Clinical Hours: 135)	3
NURS 659	Organizational and Professional Dimensions of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 755	Families in Crisis	2
	Total	10
Spring (Semester V)
Course	Title	Credits
NURS 731	FP IV: Integrative Management of Primary Health Care Problems	2
NURS 741	FP IV: Practicum: Integrative Management of Primary Health Care Problems (Clinical Hours: 315)	7
	Total	9
Total Credits		48
Clinical Hours		720

a DNP program (Doctor of Nurse Practice)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused doctorate based on the recommendations of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's "Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing" and on their "Essentials of the Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice." Master's prepared nurses who hold positions such as nurse executives, nurse informaticians, nurse educators, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners are ideal candidates for this terminal professional doctoral degree.

Sample Study program from UM web site

Sample Plan of Full-Time Study...

First Semester (Fall)
Course	Title	Credits
NDNP 802	Methods for Evidence-Based Practice Corequisite: NDNP 810	3
NDNP 804	Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations of Nursing Practice	3
N--- xxx	Specialty Elective	3
NDNP 810	Capstone Project Identification Corequisite: NDNP 802	1
	Total	10
Second Semester (Spring)
Course	Title	Credits
NDNP 805	Design and Analysis in Evidence-Based Practice Prerequisite: NDNP 802	4
NDNP 807	Information Systems and Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care Prerequisite: NDNP 802	3
N--- xxx	Specialty Elective	3
NDNP 811	Capstone II: Project Development Prerequisites: NDNP 802, NDNP 804, NDNP 810 Corequisites: NDNP 805, NDNP 807	1
	Total	11
Third Semester (Summer)
Course	Title	Credits
N--- xxx	Specialty Elective	1
NDNP 809	Complex Health Care Organizations	3
NDNP 812	Capstone III: Project Implementation Prerequisites: NDNP 802, NDNP 804, NDNP 805 NDNP 807, NDNP 810, NDNP 811 Corequisite: NDNP 809	1
	Total	5
Fourth Semester (Fall)
Course	Title	Credits
NDNP 815	Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration Prerequisite: NDNP 809	3
N--- xxx	Specialty Elective	8
NDNP 813	Capstone IV: Project Evaluation & Dissemination Prerequisites: NDNP 802, NDNP 804, NDNP 805 NDNP 807, NDNP 809, NDNP 810, NDNP 811 Corequisites: NDNP 812, NDNP 815	1
	Total	12
Total Credits		38

Clearly not Medical School....................


My post from 2008

I find this interesting, disturbing and unnecessary:

Article http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/eL earnin...

In reply to:

Making Room For "Dr. Nurse"

By Laura Landro

Provided by CareerJournal.com

CareerJournal.com

As the shortage of primary-care physicians mounts, the nursing profession is offering a possible solution: the "doctor nurse."

More than 200 nursing schools have established or plan to launch doctorate of nursing practice programs to equip graduates with skills the schools say are equivalent to primary-care physicians.

The two-year programs, including a one-year residency, create a "hybrid practitioner" with more skills, knowledge and training than a nurse practitioner with a master's degree, says Mary Mundinger, dean of New York's Columbia University School of Nursing. She says DNPs are being trained to have more focus than doctors on coordinating care among many specialists and health-care settings.

To establish a national standard for doctors of nursing practice, the non-profit Council for the Advancement of Comprehensive Care announced in April 2008 that the National Board of Medical Examiners has agreed to develop a voluntary DNP certification exam based on the same test physicians take to qualify for a medical license.

The board will begin administering the exam this fall. By 2015, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing aims to make the doctoral degree the standard for all new advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners.

I personally do not like this because I see it as a lowering the standards of Primary care from a Physician level of care to a something just below that, this new expanded Nurse Practitioner level.

They are now suggesting that these new practitioners be addressed as "Doctor"

They did not go to medical school, they did not go through 3 years of residency pn top of that.

I personally see it as a short cut to be a Doctor but yet they are not a Physician.

Then this part:

In reply to:

the American Association of Colleges of Nursing aims to make the doctoral degree the standard for all new advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners.

So NP's will be Doctors? No I do not think so.

This is another example of Nurses (I'm an RN myself) thinking they can solve the problem by Nursing, if we need Doctors, need Primary care Physicians then thats what we need not something else.

You give a different medicine that contains the disease but does not cure it, yet there is already a cure that is easy to get to and there available why go for something that just continues the problem?

My solution is simple

NP PHD Or RN PHD

thats what they should be,

Some would be "RNC ADN BSN MSN PHD" Yea I can see that on the name tag........LOL

This is just my opinion on this, we work hard to get to the level of Physician and we do not take shortcuts Being called "Dr" is a privilege of this hard work and to have this happen takes away that privilege along with causing unneeded confusion.

Had to add this 5/27/08

And what are the Nursing Educators doing about the Huge Nursing shortage? They cannot solve this problem so far, now they turn and try to solve the shortage of Physicians by replacing them with advanced degree Nurses ( who did not go to medical school)?

My feelings in 2011

Nurse practitioners are not Doctors of Medicine and are not licensed as such. Getting a Doctorate is a great thing but in the clinical setting, in the Hospital Nurse Practitioners have been NP and not addressed "Doctor" achieving the Doctor of Nursing does not change the scope of practice so a new title in the clinical setting is not appropriate.

When a Patient sees a Nurse Practitioner, they should not have to guess the level of practice,

If the NP says they are Doctor X, then the patient will assume that Doctor X, a medical doctor is taking care of them, not a Nurse Practitioner, and yes it matters.

This is not like Coke or Pepsi

A Nurse Practitioner and a Medical Doctor, a Physician, are as different as a Tomato and an Apple, both may be red but both are different.

Nurses should be proud of the achievement of a PHD in nursing but realize the importance of accurately identifying themselves to patients and the level of care they will provide.

Nurse Practitioners with a PHD will provide the same level of care as a NP with a Master degree by law and regulations and training.

I base my opinion and belief on facts not emotions, if you are being seen by Doctor X for a medical condition than you expect Doctor X to have a medical degree and have gone to medical school (MD or DO)

Dr. Bill