Rounds with Leadership: Aligning the Practice Doctorate with the Essentials

In keeping with AACN’s strategic priority to serve as a primary source of information to advance academic nursing, AACN maintains a variety of position statements, white papers, and other guidance focused on meeting member needs. These documents convey the association’s views on critical issues such as the research-focused doctorate, academic progression, defining scholarship, clinical education, and the vision for the professoriate. Prepared by task forces and advisory groups composed of deans, faculty and practice partners, AACN’s position statements and white papers are used to guide curriculum development, establish benchmarks, and provide leverage to negotiate for resources and advocate for change.

Earlier this month, the AACN Board of Directors approved an updated white paper titled The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations. Originally issued in October 2015, the paper provides guidance and exemplars related to DNP education with a special emphasis on graduate-level scholarship, the DNP project, and approaches for meeting education and practice requirements. The 2026 paper reaffirms that the DNP is the preferred terminal practice degree in nursing and emphasizes that advanced nursing practice extends beyond direct patient care to leadership, policy, informatics, population health, and systems-level improvement.

AACN was intentional about updating this white paper to align with the 2026 Essentials, reflect contemporary practice, and provide additional clarity where needed. These revisions do not change the intent, principles, or expectations established in the original publication; rather, they preserve the paper’s purpose while providing greater clarity within the context of the Essentials.

The 2026 paper highlights the transition to competency-based education, requiring DNP graduates to demonstrate advanced-level competencies across the 10 Domains of practice while allowing programs flexibility in structuring curricula and degree pathways. Guidance is provided on practice experiences, practice hours, and program implementation. DNP students are expected to complete a minimum of 500 post-baccalaureate practice hours, although additional hours may be needed depending on specialty requirements.

In addition, the paper stresses the importance of immersion experiences, academic-practice partnerships, faculty development, interprofessional collaboration, and innovative curricular models to ensure graduates are prepared to lead healthcare transformation, improve systems of care, and achieve better patient and population health outcomes.

For those interested in learning more about the revised white paper, AACN will present opportunities to discuss the revised document at the upcoming Doctoral Education Conference in the San Diego area, January 12-14, 2027. We also encourage members to use the online AACN Connect discussion forum to share insights and ask peer-to-peer questions related to the white paper and other issues of importance to nurse educators.

Click here to review the more than two dozen position statements, white papers and joint statements endorsed by AACN.  Our highly accessed series of fact sheets on priority issues in academic nursing, including the nursing shortage, faculty shortage, nursing workforce, and the impact of education on nursing practice, have also been updated and are available on the AACN website.