Reply To: The Discouragement Received From Nurse Colleagues When Pursuing DNP

[Joseline]

Hello Avery,
I am so sorry for all the negative feedback you have received from coworkers and classmates when you have mentioned that you are studying to earn your Doctorate in Nursing Practice. I identified with you. So far, I am the only one from my cohort pursuing graduate-level education. During the undergrad program, many in my cohort wanted to only finish the ADN program. Some student nurses in my cohort stayed to pursue the BSN. Very few have expressed the desire to pursue graduate-level education and are contemplating far in the future. Since my undergrad, I knew I wanted to pursue the DNP but I received a lot of discouragement from my cohort and from many registered nurses during my clinical rotations. Many of the registered nurses and unit managers in different units disagree with undergrad student nurses and discourage them to go to grad school right after finishing the BSN. I was advised to work and get experience first as a registered nurse to find out what I like first. I have been told that the extra money I am investing I will never see again. Now that I am working as a registered nurse, I have been told that all the effort will not be worth it in the end.