Practice Doctorate Resource Center

NONPF Perspective

Recommendations

The NONPF Practice Doctorate Task Force brought to the NONPF Board in June 2003 recommendations for the practice doctorate.  These recommendations are dynamic and will expand and change as the practice doctorate evolves, but in their present state they reflect the current thinking of the NONPF Practice Doctorate Task Force about this level of preparation.  The NONPF Board approved the recommendations in June 2003 and made some modifications in November 2004. 

The Board emphasizes that NONPF remains dedicated to all NPs and their faculty, recognizing that their credentials may have been obtained initially through CE programs (and they were later grandfathered), through post-master’s programs, or through a traditional master’s or higher graduate degree program.   

NONPF Recommendations for the Nursing Practice Doctorate

1. Multiple pathways can lead to a nursing practice doctorate.

1. Programs may build on an APN clinical base creating a clinical ladder

2. Programs may offer direct entry into nursing and a seamless program of education.

3. Programs may offer both options.

2. A nursing practice doctorate program shall prepare expert standing in one of three practice arenas:  health care, leadership, or teaching.

1. Programs may prepare the fully accountable expert clinician who continues to provide care across settings and to patients with higher acuity of illness in acute and chronic care;

2. Programs may prepare the expert teacher of clinical learning and decision making; or

3. Programs may prepare the expert clinical leader, change agent, and policy maker prepared to work within the health and political systems to improve continuously the quality of care and delivery of services.

3. Nursing practice doctorate programs, in addition to preparing the expert in one practice arena, shall confer proficiency in advanced nursing core functions of leadership, health care systems, clinical teaching, evidence-based teaching and research utilization, and advocacy/policy.

4. The research emphasis in a nursing practice doctorate program differs from a traditional PhD program.  Rather than preparing nurse scientists for research careers, this program shall prepare graduates to use research knowledge and methods to create, implement, and evaluate practice interventions, health delivery systems, and clinical teaching.  As well, this program prepares graduates to assume a key role in establishing national practice guidelines and conducting clinical trials.

5. Nursing practice doctorate programs shall prepare students to contribute to the redesign and improvement of cost-effective health services delivery.

6. Nursing practice doctorate programs shall prepare students to create interdisciplinary models and lead interdisciplinary teams effectively to achieve better health outcomes and reduce health disparities.

7. Through intensive practica, nursing practice doctorate students will have a synthesis experience leading to demonstration of proficiency in advanced nursing core functions and expert standing in at least one practice arena.

8. Some graduates of the nursing practice doctorate may spend the majority of their time in policy positions at the state or federal level.  These individuals will need the strong clinical doctorate to speak knowledgeably about care issues and costs.

Prepared by the NONPF Practice Doctorate Task Force

Approved by NONPF Board of Directors June 2003. 
Ammended by NONPF Board of Directors November 2004.