Many nursing professionals want to work to further their career and see an advancement that gives them better working hours, more pay, and the best in benefits. Many professionals will choose to go on to their DNP degree in order to reach all of these benefits and more. In fact, between 2008 and 2019, the number of professionals with a DNP more than quadrupled.

Before you put in that amount of work, you may wonder whether it makes sense for you to get the degree. You have to work hard, take on more schooling, and work hard to do the degree. There are a number of reasons why you should consider gaining a DNP degree and some of them include:

 
Get the Highest Credentials in Nursing

 
When you work on a DNP degree, you are doing a terminal nursing degree. This is one of the highest credentials that are available in your field. There are a few other options that you can choose, such as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Nursing Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. Unlike some of the other options though, the DNP is going to be a practice-focused doctorate. 

Because this is one of the highest credentials that you can get in nursing, you will find that the program will be very rigorous. They are going to be a combination of coursework and practicum experiences to help you build on a master’s degree program. You will be able to use this for research, teaching others, and providing the best level of care to your patients. 

More Career Opportunities

You will be able to pick from your choice of jobs when you get your DNP degree. You will find that there are a ton of jobs that open up to you with this degree and your earning potential will be larger than ever before. In many ways, the DNP degree is going to help you to get executive-level leadership roles in scientific inquiry and practice to make job hunting easier. 

When you are done with your DNP degree, you will know all about nursing and how it works. Some of the skills you can bring to the table include:

• - Identify some of the emerging trends
• - Initiate some of the efforts to address clinical issues
• - Mobilize interdisciplinary teams

With all of these competencies, you will find that you can take on more responsibilities, which means more pay. You can go anywhere you would like to find a good job and impress future job recruiters as well, taking on some of the top jobs at any hospital or medical facility. 

Parity with Other Health Professionals

Those who have a DNP degree will have parity with some of the other health professionals. You will have a doctorate degree, which means that you are going to be considered on the same level as dentists, physical therapists, and medical doctors. You can even open your own practice in some states based on their laws. 

No matter what you decide to do in your career as a nurse professional, your DNP degree will help you get there. This is a great degree that will provide you with the necessary skills to lead and contribute effectively to any team that you are responsible for and can open up a ton of great opportunities as well. 

Prepare You for Leadership Roles

When you want to take on a leadership role, then you need to go for your DNP degree. In one report done in 2011 by the Institute of Medicine, it was stated that nurses should take on a more influential role when it comes to making a transformation to the healthcare system in America. This can be done by having these nursing professionals take on leadership roles in the field. 

One way that a nursing professional is able to do this is through their DNP degree. To start, when you get the DNP degree, you will be prepared to take on larger roles in a medical facility. You can take on administrative roles that help to take care of patients, plan out the level of care, and so much more. 

The curricula of the DNP degree is going to focus on the eight foundational competencies that are necessary, preparing these professionals for a role in leadership that they need. In these roles, the nursing professional will be able to take on a greater role in influencing the healthcare system for their medical facility employer. 

Higher Earning Potential

Another benefit that comes with getting your DNP degree is that you will be able to earn more money. When you get the highest credential in nursing, you will be able to see higher earnings compared to before. The DNP degree will prepare you for a lucrative and meaningful role in healthcare. This allows you to make more money than you would in other careers. 

On average, DNP-prepared nurses will make more compared to those with the MSN degree. They do have to spend more time in school and doing practical experience, but it can be worth it. The average salary of these professionals is $102,000 a year. This is 8% higher than the wage of a nurse who just got the MSN degree. 

Why do these graduates make more money? They are compensated for having the greatest competency in the field and taking on the most accountability in their leadership positions. Because they need this extra experience and time in school, they will be able to make more money in their roles as well. The amount you make depends on the job and where you work. 

Choosing to Get a DNP Degree

 As a nursing professional, there are a lot of different career paths that you can take. But some will choose to go all the way to gaining their DNP degree. When you are considering whether this type of degree is the right one for you, make sure to check out some of the benefits of choosing your DNP degree today.