Have you ever wondered what you could do with your life if you were to take the next step from BSN to DNP online? Obviously, higher degrees open more doors, but what exactly can you do with a nurse practitioner doctorate degree, DNP? That’s a very good question because there are so many things you really can do that the possibilities are almost endless! Let’s explore a few of those options.

1. Prescribe Medications in All 50 States

Of course, the most obvious difference between an RN (Registered Nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing) and a DNP is that a nurse practitioner can prescribe medications in all 50 states. However, the level of supervision varies from state to state, with some states legislating a more focused oversight by doctors they are working under. In other words, their level of authority changes based on that state’s licensing laws.

2. Pursue Administrative Leadership Roles

As a graduate from DNP executive leadership programs online, the sky is the limit as far as how high you can go in your profession. From being in an administrative position in a hospital to literally running your own clinic, you can be an effective leader in an executive position of authority with a high level of autonomy in many cases. Again, that autonomy is based on state regulations, some giving DNPs more autonomy than others.

3. Work Toward the Development of Policies and Procedures

While any RN could probably be effective in helping to develop policies and procedures, most institutions require anyone on the board or in an advisory position to hold a minimum of a master’s degree, but more often than not, a doctorate too. If you are at all interested in improving patient care and outcomes, you would do well to investigate the best DNP programs to get you started on the right path. There is always room for improvement in healthcare, and who knows patients’ needs better than nurses?

4. Administration in Research

While a DNP probably wouldn’t be an administrator of a medical research lab, they could administrate patient care research both in the private as well as in the public sectors. A shortage of healthcare providers and the growing amount of medical technology brings patient care into a whole new realm. Technology, in some areas of patient care, is still in its infancy stages, and so research is needed to see just what role technology can play in offering better care and outcomes over time.

There are just so many things you can do with a DNP degree that you can’t with a bachelor of science that literally dozens of doors will open to you. It all depends on your focus and how you envision your future. Do you want to continue working with patients but as a nurse practitioner, or do you see yourself molding the future of healthcare? With a doctorate degree and a high level of specialization, you can do almost anything, except brain surgery that is! The question is, what do you want to do?