When you start looking into graduate education for nursing, the choices can get overwhelming. This is the level where all the specialization options and acronyms start flooding in.
Sure, there are still plenty of registered nurse (RN) certifications out there to navigate—and if you've started your nursing career, you do have a much better handle on how many different nursing roles there are.
But of all the healthcare professionals out there, nurses probably have the widest range of levels and choices in their career journey.
Going back to school to pursue higher nursing degrees multiplies those role options. Many nurses go on to earn a master's of science in nursing (MSN)—and you can decide if you want that to be a clinical degree (MSN-NP), leading you into the nurse practitioner role, or if you want that to be an administrative and leadership-focused degree (MSN).
So where does the DNP come in? What is the difference between a nurse practitioner and a doctor of nursing practice?
Here's the breakdown.
DNP vs NP: Degree level
DNP stands for Doctor of Nursing practice, and it's a terminal degree—meaning that it’s as far as you can go into nursing-specific education.
(You can still earn specialized training in many areas, and you can look into post-graduate certifications after a DNP, but those are considered "add-ons" to your degree).
NP stands for nurse practitioner, and it means you hold a master's degree in nursing and have become an advanced practice registered nurse. But here's where things can get confusing, because a nurse practitioner could very well hold a DNP degree. It would just mean they've earned the highest nursing education available while they work as an NP.
Traditionally, the degree path for nursing might look like this:
- Bachelor's degree (RN-BSN)
- Master's degree (MSN-NP)
- Doctorate degree (DNP)
Working as a nurse practitioner or advanced practice registered nurse requires a master’s level (MSN) degree. The DNP tends to be more for nurses who want to move into nursing leadership, legislation or education—or for nurses who want to deepen their nurse practitioner work.
It's useful to note that both NPs and DNP-prepared nurses are considered advanced nursing practice nurses by healthcare organizations and in the nursing and healthcare professions.
DNP vs. NP: What they learn
Different DNP degree programs can vary with educational tracks and leadership tracks. The doctoral degree focuses on implementing research into practice, leadership and policy.
DNP coursework includes identifying a gap in practice at a clinical site, creating and implementing a quality improvement project based on the gap in practice, and putting the data obtained into an executive summary to submit to a scholarly journal.
Historically, we heard about doctoral programs including a thesis project/paper, but the DNP program is more focused on a quality improvement (QI) project. Each college/university structures this project differently to meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing® (AACN®) essentials.1
DNP students complete these projects in various healthcare settings including educational institutions, hospitals, and clinics. The doctorate degree focuses on improving nursing practice, improving patient outcomes, and providing quality patient care. The doctor of nursing practice degree also includes clinical nursing education, even as it trains students for leadership roles.
Additionally, as of 2025, nurses who want to become nurse anesthetists need to also hold a doctor of nursing practice degree or a doctor of nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP), according to the AANA®.2
Nurse practitioners are educated and trained to provide care to patients within their determined licensure. Nurse practitioners can choose if they want to get their degree/seek licensure in family medicine, adult/geriatric medicine, pediatric medicine, perinatal medicine, mental health medicine, or women’s health medicine.
The specialty they choose will allow them to practice within a certain population.
This level of nursing practice program includes clinicals. You'll deepen your understanding of nursing, and you will advance your skill in clinical practice (especially in your chosen area of focus).
For example, a student in an MSN program who wants to become an adult gerontology nurse practitioner would learn about lifespan medicine and the ways lifestyle can contribute to disease prevention over long stretches of time. They will focus on the aging process and long term, comprehensive healthcare services for their patients.
DNP vs. NP: What they do
With their experience in implementing a quality improvement project, the DNP graduate can look for opportunities in leadership positions and a focus on healthcare system improvement.
Some types of roles that DNP’s have include:
- Chief nursing officer
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Nursing director
- Nursing professor
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)2
Nurse practitioners generally use their advanced clinical training to practice in direct patient care settings.
This may include roles in women’s health, pediatrics, family medicine, psychiatric mental health, or private practice clinics. Nurse practitioners are advanced clinical practice nurses, and their autonomy tends to be much larger than that of an RN. As an example, NPs can diagnose illness and prescribe medicine in most states.3
In a primary care environment, a nurse practitioner can take on many of the same responsibilities as a physician.3
Some example NP specializations in the nursing profession are:
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
DNP vs. NP: Mixing together
These two terms are not exclusive!
A DNP educated nurse does not have to work in leadership. Many DNPs continue to practice within the same realm they practiced as an NP. Generally, this added education offers more knowledge in quality improvement to support their practice and care for their patients. They offer their nursing practice DNP knowledge to supplement what they already do.
From personal experience, after obtaining my DNP, I feel more confident and understanding in the quality improvement focus areas that the clinic gives us each year to focus on for our patients.
I do not just look at my metrics and see what needs improvement. I think through ways to improve these numbers with my patients to assure it is not just a clinic number I am changing, but also providing high quality, patient-centered care for my patients.
DNPs who want to continue to practice within patient care may find ways to use their knowledge and skills combined with practice. This is more often seen when a DNP takes on a medical director role in a clinic, which allows the individual to both practice and lead.
Additionally, some DNP-prepared NPs will take on supporting/leading quality improvement project on an organizational level as a supplement to their practice. This allows the NP to find a passion area and make a difference for all patients.
Finally, a DNP prepared nurse can teach at the highest level within collegiate nursing education. The general rule is that nurses need to have a degree above the level of which they want to teach.
With the doctor of nursing practice being a terminal nursing degree, one could teach at all levels of nursing with this degree.
As you can see, the DNP offers the NP additional education to better serve patients, students, and communities. If you know you are interested in earning your DNP, that can help inform your choices of a master's degree program in nursing.
To see more of what a DNP could allow you to do, check out What is a DNP Nurse?
1DNP, the AACN https://www.aacnnursing.org/our-initiatives/education-practice/doctor-of-nursing-practice
2About CRNAs, AANA®. https://www.aana.com/about-us/about-crnas/become-a-crna/
3Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Authority by State, Maura Deering, J.D. Nurse Journal (October 2, 2023). https://nursejournal.org/articles/nurse-practitioner-prescriptive-authority-by-state/
4Rasmussen University’s Master of Science in Nursing Nurse Practitioner Specializations degree program does not offer specializations in Perinatal Medicine or Women’s Health Medicine.
5Rasmussen University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program does not academically qualify graduates for advanced practice nursing licensed careers including but not limited to the following: Nursing Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurse, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
6AANA® is a registered trademark of American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
7American Association of Colleges of Nursing® is a registered trademark of American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
