The Doctor of Nursing Practice: defining the next steps

The purpose of this article is to summarize the previous articles in this special issue of the Journal of Nursing Education that are based on the Committee on Institutional Cooperation's Dean's Conference on the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and to identify areas of consensus, as well as areas of controversy. Areas of consensus include the high level of interest in DNP programs and the intent to expand the role of the advanced practice nurse to population health, policy, and leadership. Areas of controversy include the nature of the DNP product, the definition of clinical experiences, the nature of the capstone project, the outcomes of these new practitioners, and the impact on schools. Suggestions for achieving higher levels of consensus, including the need for respective, inclusive dialogue, are provided.