3Introduction
H. Michael Dreher and Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow
Although the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree was introduced by one pio-
neering program in 2001, the degree first came into prominence in 2005 when a group
of schools implemented several diverse models of DNP degree curricula (American
Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2010; Fulton & Lyon, 2005). In the first edi-
tion of this book we reported that there were 121 DNP programs and one DrNP program
(as of September 2010). In 2015, the AACN reported an astounding 264 DNP programs
and 60 or more in development. The momentum toward the DNP degree model has been
swift. However, in this early wave of momentum, aside from the National Organization
of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), the other primary nursing specialty organi-
zations (representing nurse anesthetists, nurse- midwives, and clinical nurse specialists)
were on the periphery of the substantive discussion. Over time, there has been consid-
erable outreach to the specialty advanced practice organizations regarding the 2015 goal
of endorsing the DNP degree as the entry- level degree for advanced practice nursing.
And although the 2015 date has come and passed, there have been no regulatory actions
in any state that have in any way inscribed the DNP degree as a required replacement
for the master’s degree for advanced practice registered nursing (APRN). Nevertheless,
what has changed, rather enormously, is the health care marketplace. In 2005, there was
no indication of a pending global recession. Additionally, there was also no indication
that a young senator from Illinois, in his first term, would become president and pass
historic health care reform, resulting in the signage into law on March 23, 2010, of The
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly called the Affordable
Care Act (ACA, 2010). In 2010, we saw extensive dialogue and discussion about the still
relatively new DNP degree. Today, in 2016, the debate has waned considerably, and con-
temporary thought leaders in doctoral nursing education are more focused on how to
reengineer the DNP curriculum more consistently across programs.
In early 2010, the American Nurses Association (ANA) published a draft of its
position statement on the DNP degree. It was thought that the ANA would offer a pol-
icy stand after a period of public comment, but as of the writing of this second edition,
the ANA has been silent on the DNP. Despite the reluctance to formalize doctoral entry
into advanced practice nursing and begin the slow process of modifying 50 individ-
ual State Nurse Practice Acts, changing regulatory requirements on the federal, state,
accrediting organizational, and specialty practice levels, there is enormous enthusiasm
for this degree among nurse educators and DNP graduates who have graduated from
the earliest founded programs. The primary authors of this text nevertheless believe
that the ultimate success of this degree will be largely affected by the marketplace as
well as the data- driven outcomes of these graduates. Therefore, it is critical, especiallyDreher_71733_PTR_01_int_p1-8.indd 3Dreher_71733_PTR_01_int_p1-8.indd 3 12/7/2016 6:04:22 PM12/7/2016 6:04:22 PM