Retaining Master and DNP Registered Nurses in Direct Patient Care: Utilizing Nurses to the Fullest Extent of Their Education

The increasing complexities in health care highlight the need for advanced degree–prepared registered nurses (RNs) at the point of care, educationally equipped to deliver high-quality care to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Nursing leadership must ensure the necessary structure, financial incentives, and recognition for RNs who obtain advanced education and remain in direct patient care. Higher RN educational achievement has the potential to enhance the RN's ability to provide improved quality of patient care. Furthermore, the proportion of RNs with a baccalaureate and master's degree has been linked to positive patient-health outcomes and lower patient mortality rates.1 Responding to these evolving demands, the Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, 2 recommends doubling the number of nurses with a doctorate degree by 2020; this is in part related to the needed nursing faculty required to teach future generations of nurses, as well as clinical instructors necessary to ensure quality clinical education at the point of care.