Look Toward a Rewarding Career Outlook as a Doctorally Prepared Nurse
CAREER OUTLOOK FOR NURSE PRACTITIONERS
A Doctor of Nursing Practice degree enables you to achieve the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise to assure quality patient outcomes—giving you to the tools and skills needed to become one of the most valuable resources within the U.S.’s rapidly evolving health care system. Nurse practitioners, specifically, have one of the most exciting career outlooks of any health care professional. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, more American citizens gained access to health care than ever before. Additionally, its emphasis on preventative care has become a primary focus for health care providers, and the nurse practitioner’s focus on total wellness plays into this strategy. Increasing numbers of Americans are also living longer than ever, therefore requiring greater health care attention and services. Taking all these variables into account, more and more highly qualified providers are needed to keep up with the rising demand for health care services.
Nurse Practitioners, in particular, are well poised to benefit from this increased demand for wellness and primary care services. Their license qualifies them to examine, diagnose, and treat patients across the entire lifespan. Nurse practitioners with doctorate degrees can also expect high returns on their investment in higher education: the average DNP-educated Nurse Practitioner salary is $113,6181 and the NP job outlook is projected to rise 19% by 2020.2
CAREER OUTLOOK FOR NURSE EXECUTIVE LEADERS
As the demand for nurses continues to grow, so does the demand for nurse leaders who can guide new generations of nursing professionals to personal, professional success and improved patient outcomes. A DNP degree with a concentration in Executive Leadership prepares you to manage units, departments, and often organizations including:
- Hospitals,
- Medical Offices,
- Hospice Organizations,
- Schools, and
- Rehabilitation Centers.
Within this program, you hone your skills at encouraging and enhancing organizational behavior in a beneficial, ethical, efficient, and practical manner—all while keeping patients at the forefront. Ultimately, by further developing and fostering the practice of creating and implementing new policies and procedures for health care organizations and professionals, you too can play a leading role in this exciting growth within the nursing profession.
Many graduates of Loyola University’s online Executive Leadership DNP concentration have gone on to become unit directors, executive leaders in health care organizations and facilities, and even Chief Nursing Officers and Chief Executive Officers. You, too, can advance your nursing career to such a high-level position with a DNP degree. Salary expectations for DNP graduates with concentrations in Executive Leadership are also bright. According to the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) 2013 Salary and Compensation Study for Nurse Leaders, doctorally prepared nurse leaders are more likely to earn top salaries. In fact, 63 percent of respondents to this study reported earnings falling between $120,000 and $300,000+.
- 1Advance for NPs and PAs. 2014 Salary Survey. Accessed April 26, 2016 from http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/SignU...
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. Accessed March 31, 2016 from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-....
- American Organization of Nurse Executives. 2013 Salary and Competition Study for Nurse Leaders. Accessed March 31, 2016. http://www.aone.org/resources/nurse-leaders-compensation-summary.pdf.