Iowa is aging – and quickly. According to a June 2018 article in The Gazette, about one quarter of Iowa’s counties have senior populations that exceed 20% of the total populace. Even as the state is getting older, the population of elderly are enjoying longer lifespans than ever before, with the fastest growing segment of the population here being the 85+ category. As a result, the state’s healthcare system is under greater strain than ever.
This is spurring the need not just for more RNs, but also for highly educated NPs and other APRNs capable of serving the gerontological needs of the growing senior population here, as well as in primary care roles in family practice.
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Fortunately, many of Iowa’s RNs are choosing the DNP as a pathway into advanced practice, satisfying the need for highly trained clinicians, particularly in the state’s rural areas where physician shortages are most acute.
According to a 2019 Nursing Trends Iowa report published by the Iowa Center for Nursing Workforce, the number of RNs in the Hawkeye State who reported a doctorate in nursing as their highest degree increased by 21.2% between 2017 and 2018.
Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Iowa
Doctor of Nursing Practice programs offer entry-points to accommodate both RNs who hold a BSN, as well as RNs and ARNPs with an MSN:
- BSN-DNP (post-bachelor’s) programs give RNs who have earned their BSN the opportunity to satisfy the requirements for an MSN, before transitioning to DNP requirements, all in one accelerated program. These programs are often used as a path to initial ARNP certification and licensure but are also available with an aggregate/systems/organizational focus. In a BSN-DNP program, full-time students usually complete an average of 90 credits in three-four years.
- MSN-DN (post-master’s) programs give RNs who have earned an MSN the opportunity to complete the requirements for a DNP. As RNs with an MSN may already be certified in an ARNP area, they may choose to further their proficiency within their current ARNP role, add an additional specialty or patient population focus, or move into roles in administration, health policy, informatics, public health and more. In an MSN-DNP program, full-time students usually complete 36 credits in 18 months.
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits Iowa’s DNP programs. To earn CCNE accreditation, a DNP program must provide students with at least 1000 post-baccalaureate practice hours, as well as give them the opportunity or choice to specialize in one of these areas:
- A direct care role in advanced practice nursing (such as nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife)
- Aggregate, systems, aggregate, or organizational focus (such as healthcare policy and/or leadership positions)
Online programs allow Iowa’s RNs who seek a DNP the flexibility to complete coursework from anywhere in the world. Practicum requirements of the program must still be fulfilled in-person at participating facilities.
Other types of DNP programs available in Iowa, both campus-based and online, include:
- Traditional DNP programs, which average 18 to 24 months
- Accelerated DNP programs, which average 12 months
- Part-time DNP programs, which average 30 to 36 months
The DNP curriculum is uniform from school to school, including these types of courses:
- DNP core – Core courses of the DNP program, which may include:
- Advanced theory
- Healthcare informatics
- Analytical methods for health prevention
- Specialty courses in an APRN role or aggregate/systems/organizational track:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
- Administration
- Executive Leadership
- Informatics
- Healthcare Policy
- Public Health
- Final project – DNP programs typically include a final project, in which soon-to-be DNP graduates showcase DNP projects, which generally involve a written paper that may be published, along with a formal presentation.
BSN-to-DNP Programs for BSN-Prepared Nurses
A BSN-DNP program allows RNs who hold a BSN to earn an MSN and DNP together in a unified program. After completing requirements for an MSN, students transition into the DNP phase. BSN-to-DNP programs usually take 48 months to complete.
The MSN portion of BSN-DNP programs most often focus on an ARNP role, such as nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, nurse anesthetist or clinical nurse specialist. These programs fulfill the 500 clinical hour national certification requirement, readying students to take a national certification examination when they have completed the program.
Of course, depending upon the concentration, courses in an MSN program will vary. However, the average of 36 hours of core MSN courses is consistent:
- Evidence-based practice research
- Quality control and safety
- Health prevention
- Informatics and information technology applications
- Organizational, aggregate and systems behavior and leadership
- Healthcare advocacy and policy
- Healthcare economics
- Ethics, diversity and policy analysis
- Program evaluation
MSN programs that concentrate on an ARNP role will also include a core of about 50 credit hours of ARNP courses, like:
- Physiology or pathophysiology for advanced practice across the lifespan
- Health assessment for advanced practice across the lifespan
- Pharmacology for advanced practice across the lifespan
BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP Programs Available in Iowa
Iowa is home to four CCNE- accredited DNP programs (current as of 2016). Some programs are available partially or totally online. Other DNP programs not shown here may hold regional accreditation or specialty accreditation through the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs or the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education.
Allen College
School of Nursing
Waterloo
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (campus)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Leadership in Health Care Delivery
- Community/Public Health Nursing
- Leadership in Health Information Technology
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Nurse Practitioner
Briar Cliff University
Department of Nursing
Sioux City
Accreditation: CCNE
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Nurse Practitioner
Clarke University
Nursing Department
Dubuque
Accreditation: CCNE
Post-Bachelor’s-DNP (hybrid)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Leadership and Practice
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
MSN-DNP (hybrid)
- Leadership
Graceland University
School of Nursing
Lamoni
Accreditation: CCNE
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Organizational Leadership
University of Iowa
College of Nursing
Iowa City
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online/hybrid)
- Adult/Geriatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult/Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Systems-Nursing Administration & Leadership
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-MSN/ARNP-DNP (online)
- Clinical Nursing Practice
Opportunities Available to DNP-Prepared Nurses in Iowa
Enrollment in Iowa DNP programs continues to increase, with 2018 stats from the Iowa Board of Nursing revealing a steady increase of DNP students in Iowa’s colleges and universities in recent years:
- 2011-2012: 279
- 2012-2013: 305
- 2013-2014: 280
- 2014-2015: 292
- 2015-2016: 333
The following job posts reveal just some of the exciting opportunities for Iowa’s DNP-educated nurses:
Family Nurse Practitioner, Community Health Care Inc., Muscatine, IA
- MSN with FNP, DNP, or a related degree
- Minimum of 2-3 years of primary care provider experience
Nurse Practitioner ED Casual, Nebraska Methodist Health System, Council Bluffs, IA
- MSN/DNP
- Must be a graduate of an APRN program
Nursing Faculty, Clarke University, Dubuque, IA
- Minimum of an MSN, doctorate degree preferred
- FNP or ADP certification required
Nurse Practitioner – Hospitalist, Nebraska Methodist Health System, Council Bluffs, IA
- MSN or DNP
- Valid state license and certification as an NP
- Two years of experience as an NP required, preferably in a hospital
Adjunct Faculty, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Purdue University Global, Des Moines, IA
- MSN, doctoral (PhD, DNP, EdD) preferred
- Active RN license in Iowa and national certification as an adult-gerontology NP or acute care NP
Martin-Herold College of Nursing and Health Faculty Practitioner, Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, IA
- DNP or PhD is preferred
- Certified as an NP with eligibility for prescriptive authority in IA
Examples of DNP nursing positions were taken from a survey of job listings in January 2020 and are shown for illustrative purposes only. These examples do not represent job offers or positions that are currently available.