Why Hire a Doctor of Nursing Practice-Prepared Nurse? The Value Added Impact of the Practice Doctorate

Nursing leaders are essential in promoting the doctor of nursing practice (DNP)-prepared nurse in various innovative roles (Nichols, O'Connor, & Dunn, 2014). However, according to the recently released RAND study, The DNP by 2015: A Study of the Institutional, Political, and Professional Issues That Facilitate or Impede Establishing a Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice Program (Auerbach et al., 2014) employers and health care organizations need outreach and data to understand the added competencies and capabilities of DNP-educated nurses. Practicing DNPs are in an excellent position to demonstrate and educate our executive colleagues. The purpose of this article is (a) to foster nursing leadership's understanding of the uniquely prepared nursing practice doctorate, (b) to illustrate how the DNP-prepared nurse is being integrated/used to their potential within health care systems to maximize clinical and population health outcomes, and (c) to issue a call to action for nursing leadership to engage the DNP-prepared nurse to accomplish organizational goals.