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Accelerated MSN to DNP Pathways in Psychiatric Nursing

Key Takeaways

  • Accelerated MSN to DNP Programs: These programs enable nurses with an MSN to quickly advance to a Doctor of Nursing Practice, often within 2-3 years.
  • Career Advancement: Completing a DNP can lead to higher-ranking positions and increased salaries in psychiatric nursing.
  • Program Requirements: Applicants need an MSN, an active RN license, and clinical experience in psychiatric-mental health nursing.
  • Flexibility: Most professionals prefer online programs for their flexibility, allowing them to continue working while studying.

In nursing, as in most careers, additional education is always going to open up additional opportunities. If you already hold an MSN, you likely reached that point in your education because of the possibilities that it delivered to your career, and you probably wouldn’t be where you are today without that level of education to your credit.

Now, you are thinking of taking another step forward by pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice. This is another challenging educational path to follow, but yet again, the rewards can be many. If you find that your current career goals require that you hold a DNP, this page will provide some practical advice on how you may be able to reach the next level while continuing on with your career at the same time. If your particular area of focus is psychiatric nursing, there are many accelerated MSN to DNP programs in psychiatry that may work for you.

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Understanding Accelerated MSN to DNP Programs

The name of this type of program pretty much says it all – it’s an accelerated path to move from the master’s level of nursing to the doctoral level. Fast-track MSN to DNP psychiatric nursing pathways are popular because they make it possible for professionals who are already quite accomplished in nursing to move to the next level and obtain higher-ranking positions – and higher salaries – in a short amount of time.

How long will it take to move from an MSN to a DNP? The exact length of the program will vary from one to the next, but this journey can often be completed in around three years and sometimes in as little as two. Of course, if you continue to work as a nurse while pursuing this education, your time commitments on the job will impact how fast you are able to work through the educational process.

Why Use an Accelerated DNP Program?

It’s easy enough to understand the primary motivation for making the psychiatric nursing MSN to DNP transition as fast as possible. If you are able to use accelerated online MSN to DNP psychiatry programs to reach the DNP level quickly, you’ll become eligible to be hired for advanced roles and will be able to take on more responsibilities – and earn the salaries that come with those roles.

So, for that reason alone, it’s worth trying to complete this journey as soon as you can. However, there are other advantages of accelerated DNP in psychiatric nursing. In an accelerated program, you’ll enjoy intensive, focused learning – some of the fluff may be removed to save time for getting down to what really matters. Also, with a shorter program, you should be looking at a smaller price tag, which is always an important point to keep in mind. The MSN to DNP psychiatric specialization does offer the potential for greater earnings, but it would be a mistake to think that the cost of schooling doesn’t matter. Every dollar that you can save on educational costs will be a dollar you don’t have to pay back later on a loan.

Getting Into an MSN to DNP Program

As a starting point, you are going to need to hold both an MSN degree from an accredited institution as well as an active registered nurse license that is in good standing. Additionally, you will typically need some clinical experience in psychiatric-mental health nursing in order to be admitted to a program. There could also be other program-specific requirements that you need to meet, so be sure to review the details of any program that you may apply to enter. Quick MSN to DNP pathways for nurses are readily available in both online and in-person formats, but you’ll need to have everything in order and your qualifications in place before you can hope to be admitted.

Is an Online or On-Campus Option the Better Choice?

Most active professionals who are working as nurses will choose to take these courses online to maintain maximum flexibility in their schedules. For most people, it’s just going to be too difficult to attend on-campus programs while continuing to work – not to mention the task of finding such a program that is geographically convenient for your needs.

Fortunately, the accelerated path to DNP in psychiatry nursing has been well-traveled online, and there are plenty of outstanding options to consider. Often, online courses and programs are more affordable than on-campus alternatives, so that’s another reason to choose this arrangement.

Continuing to Build Your Career

It’s important to stop for a moment and highlight what you have already accomplished in your career. Even before exploring streamlined MSN to DNP nursing programs, you have reached the MSN level and almost certainly made a meaningful impact in the lives of countless patients. That’s nothing to take for granted and should be a source of significant pride.

Moving forward, even more opportunities to make an impact will open up if you decide to go to the doctoral level. At this point, you may find yourself under consideration for positions in healthcare administration and policy development, or you may decide to move into higher education to help train and grow the next generation of nurses. You will be considered an expert in your field with this level of education and that expert status is going to have value to a range of different employers in a range of different applications.

Navigating the MSN to DNP Pathway

There is a lot to gain by going through this educational process, but we aren’t going to pretend like it will be easy throughout the program. This is a high-level educational opportunity, and the coursework and exams are sure to be difficult. If you are taking this on in addition to continuing to perform your duties as an experienced registered nurse, there may be more on your plate than ever before.

Many of the same skills that have allowed you to become a quality professional in the nursing field are going to be needed as you work on moving from an MSN to a DNP. You’ll have to manage your time well, be disciplined with your studies, and reach out to others for help when you encounter points in the program that are giving you trouble. Specifically, creating a professional network within psychiatric nursing will help you have people to turn to when difficulties arise, and that same network could help you find great employment opportunities after your educational process has been completed.  

Learn from Those Who Have Gone Before You

One of the best ways to understand the career benefits of MSN to DNP in psychiatry is to speak to others who have completed this same transition. Learning from their experiences will help you to avoid any mistakes that may be common in this move, and you’ll be able to hear first-hand about how it works for them and what they would do differently next time. You may be able to utilize academic advisors or alumni of relevant programs to get these insights and form connections.

Although the path toward holding a DNP can seem like a long one, this journey is made the same way as any other – one step at a time. Take some time today to continue reading about the options that you have available, and you may find yourself on a clear path toward receiving your DNP – and moving your career forward – before you know it.