Nursing education includes research that leads to the development of nursing sphere in general, beginning at the applied and academic undergraduate level. Deepening at the graduate level—the Ph.D. -doctoral degree in nursing encompasses knowledge and skills such as leading research and development projects in clinical practice. The core competency to be achieved in an applied bachelor’s degree is to be able to manage and supervise in a work context.
The unpredictable changes need to be analyzed and to improve one’s own performance and that of others. After an undergraduate degree, the individual can manage complex technical or professional activities and projects, taking responsibility for decision-making in unpredictable work environments. It means taking responsibility for managing the professional development of individuals and groups of employees. This means that the degree covers the theoretical area of knowledge and is mandatory for future work.
In contrast to the Ph.D., the DNP looks at the learning process in a more comprehensive way, as it refers to the practical application of the skills acquired. Based on this level, it is possible to practice at patient care sites and apply the knowledge to specific cases, which has a positive impact on the learning process of future medical staff (Ahmed et al., 2018). In addition, it is vital to keep in mind that in order to be successful in all classes, it is necessary to attend the lectures themselves and to cooperate with the institutions (Ahmed et al., 2018). In this way, their application can be documented and be an argument for obtaining this degree in the future.
Thus, it is evident that the DNP is the preferred option since the practical application is an integral part of learning. Theoretical knowledge is necessary, but only at the initial stage of training because a general understanding of the activity is necessary. This degree allows one to consider all the knowledge you have acquired in the context of applying and adapting it to your future profession. In many ways, it is the DNP that determines the future specialist and their occupation since not many people who have been trained in obstetrics are able to continue to develop in this area.
In addition, it is also essential to be based on the amount of time a student is required to spend in order to obtain a particular level of study. If you compare, it becomes noticeable that there are significant differences in the amount of material taught. A PCD degree requires 140 hours of theoretical material, while a DNP requires at least 400 hours of practical application, which makes this type of work more relevant.
As a result, we can formulate the opinion that the DNP degree is much more necessary in the context of not only learning but also the formation of the future specialist. Moreover, this option has a large number of additional features, but it is not possible to obtain it without prior preparation of theoretical material, which is precisely what the PD specializes in. They should not compete with each other but work in combination, which will lead to better development of a person as a specialist in his field. The competent interaction of these levels allows you to count on the maximum result of your future work and opens up new opportunities for development and new ways of interaction.
References
Ahmed, S. W., Andrist, L. C., Davis, S. M., & Fuller, V. J. (2018). DNP education, practice, and policy : redesigning advanced practice for the 21st century. Springer Publishing Company.
Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2019). Advanced practice nursing: An integrative approach (6th ed.). Elsevier Saunders.