As of 2017, Ohio was home to 16,760 APRNs, an increase of more than 3,000 from just two years prior. The growing number of APRNs in Ohio is music to the ears of a healthcare sector that’s been plagued by physician shortages in recent years.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, as of 2018, nearly 1.4 million Ohio residents lived in areas that have been designated as primary care shortage areas by the federal government. And projections from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration reveal that by 2025, the Buckeye State will have a deficit of 1,200 primary care physicians.
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Not only are more Ohio nurses choosing to enter into advanced practice nursing, but many are choosing to earn the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) along the way. The DNP allows Ohio’s nurses to display a commitment to the profession while also positioning them for exceptional professional opportunities and increased paychecks.
The DNP is pursued by RNs with their sights set on initial APRN certification (as a nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, nurse anesthetist, or clinical nurse specialist), as well as by practicing APRNs looking to transition into administration or clinical nursing education and those seeking to add another population focus or specialty certification.
Fortunately, there are plenty of colleges and universities offering the DNP with online courses to make them more accommodating to the schedules of working RNs. As of 2020, there were 20 schools in Ohio offering the DNP, most with entry points for both BSN- and MSN-educated nurses.
Earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree in Ohio
Ohio’s DNP programs are designed for nurses who already hold at least a BSN. A number of programs offer the option for BSN-educated nurses to advance to the doctorate level while earning both an MSN and DNP. While BSN students enrolled in DNP programs typically earn an MSN before they earn the terminal DNP, one school in Ohio offers the option of advancing directly from a BSN to a DNP.
Of course, conventional DNP programs are also available that offer MSN-trained nurses the option to advance to a DNP. Several of Ohio’s post-MSN programs are designed specifically for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNS) looking to obtain the highest level of clinical training available by earning their DNP with a Clinical Expert track. Other programs offer a Nurse Executive track for those seeking positions as administrators, educators, clinical nurse leaders, or public health specialists.
Ohio nurses who seek more flexibility in their DNP studies can avail themselves of a number of accredited online DNP programs. Such programs enable both bachelor’s- and master’s-prepared nurses to take their courses while continuing to work in their chosen careers.
In Ohio, nurses enrolled in these online programs would work with their faculty advisor to find placement in an appropriate clinical setting that collaborates with their program. Such settings can range from geriatric sites to occupational health clinics depending on a student’s specialty. Students would then work with their advisor to determine a research focus that complements the studies in their chosen specialty for a final DNP project.
Doctorate-Level Coursework and DNP Projects
Nurses enrolled in DNP programs earn the highest level of education in their chosen area of practice. Nursing schools in Ohio offer an unusually diverse number of tracks for their DNP students. Online with online programs available in Ohio, specialty tracks include:
- Adult Gerontology Primary Care
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Administration
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
- Organizational Leadership
- Executive Leadership
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Advanced Clinical Practice/Specialization in APRN Roles
Earning a DNP typically involves completing at least 1,000 hours of clinical sequences. Hours from both the students’ masters and doctoral programs count towards this requirement. In some cases, students entering a DNP program may already have post-baccalaureate hours. These hours can count towards a DNP if they are properly documented.
A final requirement to obtain a DNP is to complete a DNP project in the student’s chosen specialty. Nurses will work with a program mentor to identify an appropriate area of research.
Examples of DNP projects pursued in Westerville include:
- Osteoporosis screening at the point of care with screening mammography
- Promoting oral health care knowledge in African-American college students
- The feasibility of hypertension management in the retail health facility
- Improving vaccinations among Amish children in Knox County, Ohio
BSN to DNP Programs for BSN-Prepared Nurses
Most DNP programs for BSN-educated nurses involve obtaining a master’s degree in nursing first before enrolling in the final DNP segment of the program. Such arrangements enable nurses to earn both their master’s and doctoral degrees in one accelerated program at the same educational institution. This provides the most direct educational route for career advancement in the nursing field.
At the master’s level, nurses typically complete 30 core credits and additional coursework based on their chosen concentration.
Once nurses have completed their coursework at the master’s level, their next step is to complete the DNP-level coursework for their chosen track.
CCNE-Accredited BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP Programs Available in Ohio
The following DNP programs have been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) (current as of 2016).
Ashland University
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Ashland
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Systems Leadership
MS/MSN-DNP (online)
- Advanced Practice Nurse
- Health Systems Leadership
Case Western Reserve University
Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Cleveland
Accreditation: CCNE and COA
Post-Master’s-DNP (hybrid)
- Education Leadership
- Practice Leadership
- Nurse Anesthesia
Kent State University
College of Nursing
Kent
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online)
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
MSN-DNP (online)
- Leadership and Technology
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
Nursing
Columbus
Accreditation: CCNE
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Leader in Clinical Practice
- Executive Leader
Mount St. Joseph University
Department of Nursing
Cincinnati
Accreditation: CCNE
Post-Master’s-DNP (hybrid)
- Health Systems Leadership
Ohio State University
College of Nursing
Columbus
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online)
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Family Nurse Practitioner (also available hybrid/campus)
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (also available hybrid/campus)
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (also available hybrid/campus)
- Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Clinical Expert
- Nurse Executive
Ohio University
School of Nursing
Athens
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Geri Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Executive/Administrator
- Nurse Educator
Post-MSN-DNP (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Geri Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Executive/Administrator
- Nurse Educator Acute
Otterbein University
Department of Nursing
Westerville
Accreditation: CCNE and COA
BSN-DNP
- Nurse Anesthesia (campus)
- Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (hybrid)
ADN-DNP
- Psychiatric & Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (hybrid)
Master’s-DNP (online)
- Advanced Practice
- Nurse Executive
University of Akron
School of Nursing
Akron
CCNE and COA
BSN-DNP (hybrid)
- Nurse Anesthesia
Post-Master’s-DNP (hybrid)
- Leadership
University of Cincinnati
College of Nursing
Cincinnati
Accreditation: CCNE and COA
BSN-DNP
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (campus)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Nurse Anesthesia (campus)
- Nursing Administration (online)
- Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (online)
- Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)
Post-MSN-DNP (online)
- Leadership
University of Toledo
College of Nursing
Toledo
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (campus)
- Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner
MSN-DNP (online)
- Direct Care
- Leadership
Ursuline College
Breen School of Nursing
Pepper Pike
Accreditation: CCNE
MSN-DNP (online)
- Direct Care
- Indirect Care
Dual DNP/MBA (online)
- Ethical Health Care Leadership
Walsh University
Gary and Linda Byers School of Nursing
North Canton
Accreditation: CCNE
BSN-DNP (online)
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Post-Master’s-DNP (online)
- Nurse Leader
A larger selection of CCNE and ACEN (American Commission for Education in Nursing)-accredited DNP programs are available online.
Other DNP programs in the state not shown here may be regionally accredited or hold specialty accreditation through the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs or the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education.
Opportunities Available to Ohio’s DNP-Prepared Nurses
DNP-educated nurses in Ohio have the skills and training necessary to serve as high-level clinical practitioners, educators, and administrative leaders.
The following job listings provide insight into the many opportunities available to Ohio’s DNP-educated nurses:
Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner, Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron, OH
- Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing preferred
- Previous pediatrics experience and emergency department experience preferred
- Licensed as an RN in the State of Ohio
Assistant Professor or Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing – FNP, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH
- DNP or PhD with FNP in primary certification
- At least two years of teaching experience in classroom learning and skills/simulation
Program Director BSN Nursing, Mercy College of Ohio, Toledo, OH
- Minimum master’s in nursing; PhD, EdD, or DNP preferred
- Active, unencumbered Ohio RN license
- At least two years of experience as an RN
RN Clinical Placement Lead, Nursing Education, University Hospitals, Parma, OH
- MSN required; DNP or PhD preferred
- 10-15 years of clinical experience
- 5-10 years of experience with education/teaching in clinical or academic setting
- Current RN license in the State of Ohio
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.