Earning A Doctor Of Nursing Practice In Washington Dc
Traditionally, a Doctor of Nursing Practice program requires candidates to possess an MSN, which would typically be in an advanced practice registered nurse role or executive/leadership track. A number of DNP programs also accept BSN-prepared RNs , allowing them to complete their MSN before seamlessly transitioning into the DNP program.
MSN-to-DNP programs that dont include an MSN component are 18-24 months in duration, encompassing about 35 credits. BSN-to-DNP programs consist of about 75-95 credits of doctorate-level curriculum.
The following DNP programs have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education . CCNE and ACEN-accredited online programs are also available to advanced nursing students in Washington, DC.
Licensing And Practice Requirements For Nps In Washington
After completing their nurse practitioner degrees, Washington students must pursue licensure through the Washington Nursing Commission. You may get your nurse practitioner license after supplying proof of your graduate degree and your national certification.
Washington allows nurse practitioners full freedom of practice by permitting them to work within their full scope of practice .
Washington Dc Board Of Nursing
As small as it is, Washington, D.C. still has its own Board of Nursing. The District of Columbia Board of Nursing can provide nurses with information on licensing and examinations, renewals, patient complaints and disciplinary actions, approved nursing programs within D.C., continuing education requirements, and much more. The District of Columbia Board of Nursing can be reached care of the Department of Health, 717 14th Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C., 20005.
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Program Information: Online Family Nurse Practitioner Programs In The District Of Columbia
The online master of science degree in nursing at Georgetown University focuses on preparing advanced practice registered nurses with the academic foundation and clinical expertise needed for the treatment of families in primary care contexts. The 44-credit program can be taken in full- or part-time formats over the course of 19 or 27 months.
Coursework includes advanced health assessment, advanced concepts in pharmacology, primary health care of the family, care of the family in crisis, and foundations of health systems and policy. In addition to online coursework, the program requires 650 hours of clinical practice and two on-campus intensives. Georgetowns MSN-FNP program is open to residents of all states except New York and Tennessee and does not require a GRE score with an application. Over the past four years, 100 percent of GUs FNP graduates have passed the ANCC national certification exam on their first attempt.
Georgetown also offers an online BSN-to-DNP program, which is available in full- or part-time formats. This 69-credit program is generally completed in eight 15-week terms and includes 1,000 practice hours and two on-campus intensives. Coursework includes instruction in evidence-based care, nursing science, leadership, ethics, biostatistics, epidemiology, economics, and healthcare policy, among other areas.
Can I Complete My Degree Part
Students enrolled in our Accelerated or Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing program may only attend the program on a full-time basis due to its accelerated format.
Students enrolled in our RN to BSN or RN to MSN programs may only enroll on a part-time basis.
Students enrolled in a graduate program have the ability to enroll in most tracks on a part-time basis. To review your program of study options, visit the MSN, DNP or certificate webpage in the specialty area of your choice. PhD applicants should contact the program director directly.
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What To Look For In A Bsn Program In Washington Dc
Cost, accreditation, quality of education, religious affiliation and university history are just some things to consider when considering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Washington, DC. If you are looking to go back to school while still working, you will find that most schools offer accelerated formats, evening classes as well as online instructional components to fit the demands of these busy nurses.
For example, Howard University in Washington, DC, a historically Black college, offers a basic track for BSN applicants straight out of high school as well as an RN to BSN bridge program for working Registered Nurses.
Catholic University Of America
View CUAs DNP Program in the Listings
The online DNP program in CUAs Conway School of Nursing is best-suited to aspiring APRN nurse leaders. Its flexible, practice-focused, and relatively straightforward. If youre interested in on-the-ground connections, the school has clinical partnerships with 15 healthcare facilities across Washington D.C. and adjoining areas of Maryland and Virginia. Faculty are still involved in direct clinical practice and many of them lead their own research projects.
Overall, student opinions of CUAs graduate nursing programs are fairly positive. Reviewers on independent websites say that CUA faculty are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. They like the rigorous coursework and the good instructor to student ratios. And, of course, they can study online.
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List Of Accredited Nursing Schools In Washington Dc
Washington, DC is home to a number of accredited nursing schools dedicated to helping students launch careers in the healthcare field. As a nurse, you have a wide field of career options available, each one requiring a different level of education. Each of these nursing paths also requires successfully passing a licensure examination at the conclusion of your studies.Nursing assistants Nursing assistants are the first line of care for most patients, performing essential personal care. To be a certified nursing assistant, you need a basic amount of education, often as little as eight weeks. In the Washington, DC area, almost 4,000 individuals are employed as nursing assistants, earning an average of $14.29 per hour.
Licensed practical nurses Registered nurses
Msn: Family Nurse Practitioner
This MSN: Family Nurse Practitioner program prepares registered nurses for leadership in providing primary care for children and adults alike in any number of clinical settings. With a focus on delivering high-quality, patient-centered primary care, we offer didactic and clinical experiences to prepare you to care for the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health of patients, families and communities.
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Cna Classes & Programs In Washington Dc
As an entry-level healthcare provider, the Certified Nurse Assistant/Aide provides valuable patient care, helping registered and practical nurses take care of daily duties such as feeding and bathing patients, preparing patient rooms, answering call button lights, and much more. Many appreciate the short, affordable training that CNAs go through as an alternative to lengthy and expensive associate’s or bachelor’s degrees. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNAs in the Washington, DC area earn a mean salary of $31,620 annually.
What To Look For In An Adn Program In Washington Dc
When applying for an ADN, it’s best to choose a program that is credentialed and has high pass rates for the NCLEX exam. Accreditation, licensing and program outcomes are just a few key points to consider when looking at two-year nursing programs:
Accreditation
Degrees earned from schools that aren’t yet accredited may not be considered as valid by employers. To make the most of your financial investment, choose a nursing education program that is currently accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education .
Licensing
When completing their education programs, students become proficient in nursing fundamentals so they can successfully test for the National Council Licensure Examination . Passing the exam is critical in becoming licensed to work as a Registered Nurse. Students who do not pass the test the first time will have to re-apply to retake it. As such it’s is important to attend a school whose graduates have an average or higher pass rates. Low exam pass rates may signal a nursing program that lacks rigor or quality.
Program Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- Rate of employment in the field
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What Can You Do As A Nurse Practitioner
Thanks to their advanced training and education, NPs hold more clinical autonomy than RNs. NPs make key decisions in patient care and serve as primary caregivers, much like physicians. They hold hospital admitting privileges and may prescribe medication in collaboration with a physician, although NPs may prescribe independently in some states.
While some 47% of these advanced practice registered nurses work in physicians’ offices, others find jobs in hospitals, outpatient care centers, educational services, and health practitioners’ offices. Around 90% are certified to work in specialized primary care areas like family, adult-gerontology primary care, and acute care.
An NP’s earning potential depends on their specialty area and their work setting. Emergency departments are the top-paying setting for NPs, offering $135,000 a year. Read about other lucrative career options on this page.
Nurse Practitioner Scope And Range Of Practice
The AANP characterizes the District of Columbia as full practice. DC nurse practitioners carry out a wide range of duties necessary for primary care, including writing prescriptions, and they do so without mandated physician supervision or collaboration.
Many nurse practitioners care for underserved populations. DC may be metropolitan, but it has its share of underserved. The Department of Health notes the presence of multiple Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas/ Populations in DC . Nationwide, nurse practitioners have been integral in increasing access. Qualifying DC Advanced practice nurses are listed as eligible for participation in the 2018 Health Professional Loan Repayment Program. The most recent published list of eligible sites for primary care providers includes a number of health centers and clinics as well as organizations such as treatment and corrections facilities. Organizations such as Bread for the City, notably, have doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals on staff.
Some nurse practitioners work in innovative settings such as retail care. These, too, increase the likelihood that those in need of care will receive it in a timely manner before conditions worsen. Services are delivered by professionals who are very knowledgeable about management of common conditions. The Contemporary Clinic recently included an article by a DC family nurse practitioner about sunburn prevention .
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Top Np Programs In Washington
- Pacific Lutheran University. Located in Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University offers both a traditional MSN program and an entry-level MSN program. The entry-level program does not guarantee admission to the nurse practitioner track, but interested students may apply if space allows. Pacific Lutheran offers a Family Nurse Practitioner track.
- Seattle University. Seattle U offers a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track that allows students to choose from four distinct specialties: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health with an Addictions focus, Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Midwifery. Family Nurse Practitioner students can elect to either write a thesis or complete a scholarly project as their capstone experience.
- Washington State University. Located in Vancouver, Washington, Washington State University has Masters-level NP programs including: a Family Nurse Practitioner track and a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. The school is set to launch a DNP program in the fall of 2012.
Doctoral Level Nurse Practitioner Degree Requirements
- Clinical hours required: 1,000 or more hours
- Timeframe: Up to 3 years after completion of a Masters degree
Whether you want to work with families, children, or adult patients, getting a nurse practitioner degree may put you in a great position to provide a higher level of care to patients. Get more information on nurse practitioner schooling by contacting Washington DC programs.
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Advantages Of Adn Programs
Associate Degree in Nursing programs from accredited colleges can allow students to prepare for the National Council Licensure Examination and enter the vocation in only two years. With an RN license and ADN, you can complete a bridge, RN to BSN program, which may cost less overall than a traditional four-year program. More employers in Washington DC are requiring BSNs from their nurses.
Bsn To Dnp Programs In Washington Dc
As we mentioned in the online section, GW and Georgetown have similar BSN to DNP programs. If youre interested in the FNP or the AGACNP, you can compare them side-by-side! But theyre not exactly the same.
- Georgetowns BSN to DNP: In addition to the FNP and AGACNP, Georgetown offers tracks in WHNP and a combo Nurse Midwifery/WHNP concentration. It also has a separate, on-campus Nurse Anesthesia program that takes three years to complete on a full-time schedule.
- GWs BSN to DNP: On top of the FNP and AGACNP, GW has an AGPCNP track
In the admissions section of the DNP, Catholic University of America talks about the possibility of a BSN to DNP, but it doesnt provide any details. Check with the program coordinator to determine if its a valid option.
Note: Youll find more out-of-state ideas in our listings of online and on-campus BSN to DNP Programs.
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Paying For Nurse Practitioner School In Washington
- Back to School Nursing Scholarship: Four times per year, BestNursingDegree.com awards scholarships of $2500 each to nursing students at different levels of education. Learn more and apply for the current scholarship cycle.
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program: If student loans are unavoidable during your undergraduate or graduate years, try to make headway on them with this program. Students selected for this program have up to $50,000 of loans repaid when they spent two years working at an NHSC-approved site.
- NURSE Corps Scholarship Program: In exchange for an upfront scholarship that may cover all of your educational expenses, you must agree to work in a Health Professional Shortage Area after graduation. The required commitment is two years.
- Washington State Nurses Foundation: As a registered nurse, you may already be a member of this group. Look into the multiple scholarships they award each year to RN and nurse practitioner students.
Nursing Scholarships & Grants Info For Washington Dc
Following are examples of nursing scholarships and grants for Washington DC residents and students attending nursing school.
Jack H. & Lovell R. Olender Foundation Graduating high school students who live in Washing DC and demonstrate extreme financial hardship may be eligible for nursing scholarships from the Foundation. Students must be accepted to nursing schools that are accredited. In addition to financial need, scholarships are awarded based on academic scores, personal essay, and letters of recommendations. Typical awards are $1,000. For current applications and guidelines, contact the Foundation at 888 17th Street, NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20006. Completed applications must be mailed to the Foundation, c/o Jack & Lovell Olender, 4312 J Evergreen Lane, Annandale, VA 22003. For general questions, students can call 354-1800.
Georgetown University The School of Nursing & Health Sciences provides nursing scholarships and grants to exceptional students. Financial assistance programs such as the Georgetown Excellence in Nursing Science and Practice Scholarship provide critical support for students. Each program has specific eligibility and submission requirements. Award amounts vary. Students should contact the School directly at 687-7258 for more information including current applications.
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Average Nursing Salaries In Washington Dc
All salary data is as of May, 2011
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the mean salary for registered nurses in Washington, D.C. is $75,160, which is about $6,000 higher than the national mean salary for RNs. For comparison, licensed vocational nurses and licensed practical nurses only earn a mean salary of $49,690 in D.C., which is still higher than the national mean wage for all occupations, but much less than the salary of a registered nurse. The following table shows the total number of RN jobs and their annual mean wages for Washington, D.C. itself and the two metropolitan areas of which it is a part.
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Most Affordable Dnp Programs In Washington Dc
This ranking of the cheapest D.C. universities in our listings was calculated using the per credit tuition rate. Unfortunately, there only three schools in D.C. that offer DNP programs. And theyre all expensive. Even CUA, our #1, is going to be costly. Look for scholarships & funding wherever you can!
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Why Is Program Accreditation Important
ââRegionally and nationally accredited schools offer a quality education. Accrediting agencies review student outcomes, faculty, and curricula to ensure that they meet the highest standards.
Accreditation also influences the student journey in many other ways:
- Accredited graduate schools may not accept students who attended unaccredited undergraduate schools.
- Unaccredited schools cannot provide students with federal financial aid.
- Some employers do not recognize degrees from unaccredited schools.
Advantages Of Bsn Programs
Nurses with a Bachelor of Science degree will only continue to be in demand around the Washington, DC area. Many nursing positions at hospitals and outpatient clinics require applicants to have a BSN, so the need for RNs to complete their bachelor’s degree has never been more critical. In addition to providing superior quality of care to patients, RNs with a BSN can earn higher salaries and advance into leadership roles quicker than RNs with an associate’s degree.
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Washington Dc Fnp Licensing Requirements
The Washington, D.C. Board of Nursing is overseen by the Department of Health-Health Regulation and Licensing Administration. To gain licensure as a family nurse practitioner in the area, applicants must submit the following:
- A completed application
- Two passport-sized photos
- A fee payable by check or money order the fee is $230 for an initial APRN license and $119 for those adding an APRN specialty to an existing APRN license
- Verification of RN licensure
- Verification of APRN certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board or the American Nurses Credentialing Center
- A criminal background check
A note on license renewal: APRN licenses are valid until June 30 of the next even-numbered year, for a maximum of two years. To renew a license, 24 continuing education hours are required, including at least 15 contact hours in a continuing education program with a pharmacology component.