The need for some sense making: doctor of nursing practice

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has developed a general proposal for a practice doctorate for nursing and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties has developed a proposal for the practice doctorate for nurse practitioners. This article describes the current initiative for developing the practice doctorate and argues that the proposed practice doctorates raise substantial concerns for the discipline of nursing. The concerns addressed in this article include the rationale offered for the new degree, confusion over the focus of the degree, the impact of the degree on educational and economic resources for both students and employers, and the regulatory issues arising from the implementation of the degree. The authors recommend thorough debate by all involved stakeholders before moving forward with this degree.