The Doctor of Nursing Practice: A Sentiment Analysis and Credential Correlation

Abstract

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is gaining interest within the nursing profession but not without debate. A review of the literature regarding the DNP demonstrates that the debate focuses on academic, clinical, and professional practice issues of nursing. The multiple points of debate as well as the positive and negative perspectives leads one to question whether an author's degree credentials correlate with their expression of positive or negative sentiment towards the DNP. The points of debate surrounding the DNP were identified from the literature and adapted into a sentiment analysis tool. The tool was used for the extraction of positive or negative sentiment from 90 pieces of DNP and practice doctorate related literature. The positive or negative sentiment expressed by each author was correlated with their credentials. No particular sentiment was found that correlated with non-DNP credentialed authors. However, a correlation was identified between DNP credentialed authors and the expression of positive sentiment toward the DNP.

The DNP: A Descriptive Study of Student Experiences and Factors Contributing to Pursuing this Degree

“…A recent literature review of over 90 DNP-related articles found the major themes of this ongoing dialogue to be: trends in healthcare education; the nursing faculty shortage; DNP curriculum; aspects of nursing as a profession, and the DNP's impact on patient care. It appears that the focus of the literature remains heavily centered on academic and faculty interests (Lewis, Welliver, & Leach, 2012).…”