527chapter TWENTY-FOUR
A Critique of the 2006 Essentials
of Doctoral Education for Advanced
Nursing Practice: Do They
Guide Practice?
David G. Campbell- O’Dell and H. Michael Dreher
It has been 10 years since the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
published The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice. In addition,
while their call (it was never a mandate) to have advanced practice nurses begin to be
prepared with the doctorate instead of the master’s by 2015, nothing regulatory hap-
pened when 2015 came and passed. Nonetheless, the surge in nurses who have obtained
and who seek the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is impressive. This chapter
explores those 2006 essentials from two perspectives: a DNP- prepared, practicing cli-
nician and an academic nursing dean who has helped launch two Doctor of Nursing
Practice programs. These two authors offer their perspectives to the discussion of the
relevancy of the essentials document to contemporary practice.
■ AN ADVANCED PRACTICE/ CLINICIAN PERSPECTIVE
The eight Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice published in 2006
by the AACN provide a foundation for curriculum development in order to advance
education for this professional group of nursing students. These eight essentials are
referenced and integrated into the course development of DNP programs. There is
some controversy as to the level of consistency of how each program addresses each
Essential , but that is a matter for those in academia to address. The intent of this discus-
sion is to explore the idea of how these essentials may affect practice. The foundation
question is: Is DNP- prepared practice based on the eight essentials?
As we evolve into this discussion, let us agree that this is not an attack on the 2006
Essentials of Doctoral Education. These essentials, discussed in great detail in other chap-
ters, are not being questioned on their value when designing and delivering curriculum
for the practice doctorate degree in nursing. These doctoral education essentials viewed