Columbia University School of Nursing

This grant supports the development of a national credentialing process for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DrNP) degree, a rigorous course of academic and clinical study that equips nurses graduating at the doctoral level with diagnostic and treatment abilities comparable to those of a general physician. A credentialing process would ensure standardization and quality of the doctoral programs, validate the clinical expertise of DrNP graduates, and help employers, insurers, and patients reliably identify these practitioners.