How to Avoid Doctor of Nursing Practice Reality Shock 2.0: From Clinical Practice to the Classroom

"Reality shock 1.0," which is experienced by new nursing graduates as they enter the nursing profession, has been an issue of concern for decades. Since the proliferation of multiple nursing doctoral degree programs, beginning in approximately 2004, when the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2013) recommended that the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) replace the master's degree as the minimum for advanced practice nursing, an era of reverse "reality shock 2.0" may be developing for graduates of DNP programs. Specifically, early evidence indicates that the acquisition of an academic position, and its attendant transition back to the academia, may be difficult. The purpose of this article is to deconstruct the typical process of being interviewed and accepted (appointed) as a tenure-track faculty member at a teaching-intensive 4-year public institution and to recommend strategies for obtaining the best salary, benefits, and other resources during the negotiation process.