The path to the highest degree in nursing has gotten wider as Upstate Medical University has created a General Doctorate of Nursing Practice program that is not restricted to those with a nursing master’s degree in clinical fields.
To make the program even more accessible, the new General DNP is fully online.
Historically, DNP education in New York state has largely been limited to advanced practice roles such as nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. This new program opens the way to a broader, more diverse group of master’s-prepared nurses, according to Jennifer Vaughn, executive assistant dean for administration and project director, Nurse Practitioner Residency Program.
“There are only a handful of programs in New York state offering this type of pathway,” Vaughn said. “It creates an opportunity for nurses in leadership, education, administration, quality, informatics and other areas of nursing practice to pursue doctoral education without needing to be an advanced practice nurse.”
Upstate has offered the DNP degree since 2013 and has graduated 46 nurses. The inaugural class for the new general pathway is set to launch in fall 2027 with a goal of 12 to 15 students.
“More important than reaching a particular number, however, is developing a diverse cohort of experienced nurses representing different areas of nursing practice,” Vaughn said. “There is tremendous value in having nurse practitioners learning alongside nurse executives, educators, administrators, quality professionals, informaticists, and nurses from other specialties. They bring different perspectives to the same healthcare challenges, which strengthens the learning environment for everyone.”
“This creates a pathway to the DNP for nurses who have earned a master’s in nursing in, for instance, leadership and administration or in population health or other areas of professional nursing practice to pursue a DNP,” she said. “It is an exciting step forward that recognizes the diverse roles nurses hold and expands opportunities for advanced education and professional growth.”
The online nature of the program also widens the scope of applicants while allowing students to implement what they’re learning immediately in their communities.
“Healthcare has become increasingly complex,” Vaughn said. “Improving outcomes requires nursing leadership at every level. That is true in direct patient care, to be sure, but also in healthcare systems, education, quality and safety, population health, informatics, policy, and administration. We need nurses who can identify challenges within healthcare and then use evidence to design, implement, evaluate and sustain solutions.”
Vaughn said creating the general DNP speaks directly to Upstate’s mission as both an academic institution and a healthcare system. Removing a barrier to a doctoral education recognizes there are many ways nurses practice and lead. Couple that with the online aspect, and Vaughn said it creates a ripple effect.
“What a nurse learns in the DNP program does not remain in the classroom,” she said. “Students can take evidence, improvement strategies, leadership skills, and systems thinking directly back to the organizations and communities they serve. I am particularly proud that this expansion recognizes the many ways nurses lead healthcare. Nurses influence outcomes as clinicians and as educators, executives, administrators, informaticists, quality leaders, policy advocates, and change agents. The General DNP creates a doctoral pathway for all of those nurses.”