Doctorates of Nursing Degrees

If you are a nurse and have already earned a BSN or MSN but want to further your education, you may want to consider a doctorate in nursing. The practice doctorate in nursing is a relatively new degree to be offered. A practice doctorate in nursing will usually prepare nurses in two different roles: direct healthcare and health systems/clinical leadership.

However, all programs usually require various research, health policy, and business courses in addition to the focused courses, allowing overlap between the roles. Depending on what kind of doctorate degree you choose to pursue, you may only need to have completed your bachelor's degree, or you may need to have an MSN before enrolling. Nurses who gain their doctorate degree in nursing are licensed independent practitioners, much like doctors of pharmacy or doctors of clinical psychology.