A DNP is a terminal degree in nursing education and there is no higher title degree available for nurses.
Choosing to take the DNP program is an important decision.
Luckily, nurses can achieve the highest DNP degree in many nursing fields, as part of advance-practice nursing programs.
The duration of the program is an important factor that affects the decision of many nurses.
The shortest programs are usually convenient for nurses who work or want to complete the DNP degree as soon as possible.
Because many nurses choose to work and study at the same time, flexibility and part-time learning is a priority.
It is why online DNP programs are getting more popular.
The duration of the program depends on the nursing specialty.
Some specialties take longer to get a DNP degree, and some are even longer than master studies.
The programs consist of classroom education, classical or online, and obligatory clinical hours.
On average, each program can take two years to complete.
Can you finish a program in a year?
The answer is yes.
The majority of online programs are self-paced, and how long will it take you depends on your commitment.
There are federal and state standards for the program content and clinical classes, but sometimes there are summer and winter courses.
If a nurse chooses to enroll in these programs, he or she can finish the program sooner.
Also, some programs classify 500 clinical hours completed in the MSN program as a mitigating factor in earning a DNP degree.
But the most important is to determine an area in which you want to specialize.
For example, MSN-prepared nurses who pick leadership as their specialty will have fewer clinical hours in their DNP programs.
Opposite, nurses who want a specialization in anesthesia will have more clinical classes during the program.