Is DNPc a Real Thing?

Is the DNPc (Candidate) a real thing? What does it mean? Can DNP students use that credential when they hit a certain point in the DNP Project Process? I was inspired to talk about this after seeing a question about it posted in a Facebook group. Let’s unpack this idea.

The DNP is a practice focused terminal degree in nursing. It is not a PhD. However, many DNP programs are modeled off of PhD programs. In the PhD model, when a student completes the coursework they are approved to begin their research. The university/program may grant that PhD student the right to use the credential PhDc to indicate that they have completed coursework and are now onto the final phase of their program. The important thing to note here is that it is the university and/or program that grants permission to use the credential.

Translated to the DNP model, some DNP programs might allow a DNP student to use the credential DNPc at a certain point in the program. Likely this would be after approval of the DNP Project Proposal. However, this credential SHOULD NOT be used unless there is explicit language in the programs’ DNP handbook/guidelines allowing use of the credential and indicating what is required to use the credential. Please check your handbook if you are a DNP student. Use of the credential will vary across DNP Programs depending on the structure of the program.

In an interesting blog by Jennifer Mesnick (2017), she points out that 50% of doctoral students leave their programs before they finish! She explains that in the PhD context, some people remain in candidate status forever. Our goal as DNP educators is to give students a skill set to solve practice problems in evidence-based ways, and then evaluate the impact of those solutions. Practice is fast paced, dynamic, and evolving. We do NOT want DNP students doing projects that take years. We need rapid cycle projects that keep pace with practice. Remember that the focus of the DNP degree is not the same as the focus of the PhD degree.

Just my opinion, forget it! Don’t sweat the DNPc thing. Now, just to be transparent, my DNP Program did allow use of DNPc when the proposal was approved. However, the program that I coordinate now has no language about DNPc in our handbook. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for any students in my program to use the credential. But, you know what? I want to get my students graduated and into high-level nursing practice. I don’t have time to waste on worrying about the DNPc and I hope you do the same.

Dr. Molly J. Bradshaw

Reference:

Mesnick, J. (2017, December 18). Should You Use an Academic Credential Before a Degree? Nurse.com. https://www.nurse.com/blog/2017/12/08/to-c-or-not-to-c-should-you-use-an-academic-credential-before-completing-the-degree/