Nursing Dnp Essentials

by | May 4, 2025 | Nursing

 

Compare and contrast key characteristics of a DNP and PhD in Nursing, including academic preparation and practice roles and settings.

 

 

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing are both terminal degrees in the field, signifying the highest level of academic achievement. However, they differ significantly in their academic preparation, primary focus, and subsequent practice roles and settings.  

Academic Preparation:

  • DNP: The academic preparation for a DNP program emphasizes the application of research to clinical practice and the development of leadership skills. Admission typically requires a Master’s degree in Nursing, although some institutions offer BSN-to-DNP pathways. The curriculum focuses on evidence-based practice, quality improvement, systems leadership, healthcare policy, informatics, and advanced clinical practice in a chosen specialty. A significant component of DNP programs is the completion of a Doctor of Nursing Practice project, which involves applying research to address a specific clinical or system-level problem. DNP programs also require a substantial number of clinical or practice hours, often around 1,000 hours post-baccalaureate, with a significant portion at the doctoral level (American Nurses Association, n.d.; Walden University, n.d.).  

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing are both terminal degrees in the field, signifying the highest level of academic achievement. However, they differ significantly in their academic preparation, primary focus, and subsequent practice roles and settings.  

Academic Preparation:

  • DNP: The academic preparation for a DNP program emphasizes the application of research to clinical practice and the development of leadership skills. Admission typically requires a Master’s degree in Nursing, although some institutions offer BSN-to-DNP pathways. The curriculum focuses on evidence-based practice, quality improvement, systems leadership, healthcare policy, informatics, and advanced clinical practice in a chosen specialty. A significant component of DNP programs is the completion of a Doctor of Nursing Practice project, which involves applying research to address a specific clinical or system-level problem. DNP programs also require a substantial number of clinical or practice hours, often around 1,000 hours post-baccalaureate, with a significant portion at the doctoral level (American Nurses Association, n.d.; Walden University, n.d.).  
  • PhD in Nursing: The academic preparation for a PhD in Nursing program heavily emphasizes the development of research skills and the generation of new nursing knowledge. Admission typically requires at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and often a Master’s degree. The curriculum focuses on research methodology, statistics, theory development, and substantive nursing science content. A core requirement of a PhD program is the completion of a dissertation, which is an original research study that contributes to the body of nursing knowledge. Unlike DNP programs, PhD programs in nursing do not typically require clinical practice hours; the focus is on rigorous research training (University of Illinois Chicago, n.d.; University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, n.d.).  

Practice Roles and Settings:

  • DNP: Graduates with a DNP are prepared for advanced practice roles and leadership positions in various healthcare settings. Their focus is on translating research into practice to improve patient outcomes and healthcare systems. Common practice roles for DNP-prepared nurses include:
    • Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs): Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), and Nurse-Midwives. They provide direct patient care, diagnose and manage illnesses, and often have prescriptive authority. They work in hospitals, clinics, private practices, community health centers, and other clinical settings (Franklin University, n.d.; NMSU Global Campus, n.d.).  
    • Healthcare Executives and Administrators: DNPs are equipped with skills in organizational leadership, policy development, and quality improvement, enabling them to take on leadership roles in healthcare organizations, influencing policy and improving system-level outcomes (Franklin University, n.d.; NMSU Global Campus, n.d.).  
    • Nurse Educators: While some PhD graduates also enter academia, DNPs with a focus on education play a vital role in preparing the next generation of nurses, often emphasizing clinical application and evidence-based teaching methods (NMSU Global Campus, n.d.).
    • Nurse Informatics Specialists: DNPs with informatics training can lead the implementation and optimization of electronic health records and other healthcare technologies to improve patient care and data-driven decision-making (NMSU Global Campus, n.d.).  
  • PhD in Nursing: Graduates with a PhD in Nursing are primarily prepared for careers in research and academia. Their focus is on conducting original research to advance the science of nursing and healthcare. Common practice roles and settings for PhD-prepared nurses include:
    • Nurse Scientists and Researchers: They design and conduct independent research studies, analyze data, and disseminate findings through scholarly publications and presentations. They work in universities, research institutions, and healthcare organizations with a research focus (Duke University School of Nursing, n.d.; University of California San Francisco School of Nursing, n.d.).  
    • University Faculty: PhD-prepared nurses are essential for educating future nurses and conducting research within academic settings. They teach undergraduate and graduate courses, mentor students, and contribute to the scholarly output of the institution (Queen’s Nursing Institute, 2024).  
    • Policy Analysts: Their research skills can be applied to analyze healthcare policies and contribute to evidence-based policy development at local, state, and national levels (University of Illinois Chicago, n.d.).  
    • Consultants: Their expertise in research and specific areas of nursing science can lead to consulting roles in healthcare organizations and government agencies.  

Comparison Table:

Feature Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing
Primary Focus Application of research to practice, leadership Generation of new nursing knowledge through research
Academic Prep. Master’s (typically), DNP Project, Practice Hours BSN/MSN, Dissertation (original research)
Research Focus Applied research for practice improvement Basic and translational research, theory development
Practice Roles APRNs, Executives, Educators (clinical focus) Nurse Scientists, Researchers, Faculty
Practice Settings Hospitals, clinics, healthcare organizations Universities, research institutions, policy organizations
Clinical Hours Required (significant number) Not typically required
Culminating Project DNP Project (application-focused) Dissertation (research-focused)

In summary, while both the DNP and PhD in Nursing represent the highest levels of nursing education, they cater to different career trajectories. The DNP is the terminal practice degree, preparing nurses for leadership roles in clinical settings and the application of research to improve patient care. The PhD is the terminal research degree, preparing nurses to conduct original research and advance the scientific knowledge of the nursing profession, primarily within academic and research-intensive settings. The choice between the two depends on the individual nurse’s passion and career goals.  

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