What is the Highest Level of Nursing?
There are many different types of nurses, all of whom serve a distinct and important purpose to the health care community.
From nursing assistants to higher levels of nursing requiring much more schooling and experience, each type of nurse is invaluable to the medical community he or she works in. Nurses or nursing students who have a desire to reach the highest level of nursing are in for a long road of practicing and training. You may be just beginning your nursing career and know that you want to continue on until you reach the highest level. Or maybe, after a few years in the field working as a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN), you realize you have a desire to advance your career and pursue a higher degree. To reach the highest level of nursing, you will want to embark on a journey toward a DNP degree, or doctor of nursing practice, or an ND, nursing doctorate.
How Do You Become a Doctor of Nursing?
These nursing degrees are doctorates, similar to a Ph.D. The programs may take between four and six years to complete, following additional nursing education such as a bachelors (BSN). The programs consists of subjects including research methods and analytics, history and philosophy of nursing as a science, and community leadership.
Additionally, two doctorate degrees available to nurses are DNSc, a doctor of nursing science, and PhD., doctor of nursing philosophy. These degrees are more concerned with science and research over practical nursing.
What Does a Doctor of Nursing Do?
What a doctor of nursing may do as a career depends on the type of doctorate degree. Science and philosophy doctorates will spend time in research and analysis, whereas the others prepare nurses for higher-level practice.
DNPs and NDs often work in nursing administration, education, and practical nursing. Utilizing their advanced education and practical training, they are able to take on more responsibilities with regard to patient care. These responsibilities include, in some circumstances, diagnosing and treating patients. Like other nursing levels, these professionals are in high demand.
