The Doctor of Nursing Practice for Entry Into Advanced Practice: The Controversy Continues as 2015 Looms

In October 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing issued a historic position statement that incited change as well as controversy. Years later, the endorsement of the move to the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree for entry into advanced practice continues to raise controversies, some real and some hypothetical. What follows in this article are a presentation and an examination of some of the most pertinent and important issues that remain unresolved today. The complex context of societal implications for health professions education, economic pressures, and professional controversies that may determine the success of this educational transformation, at home and abroad, is explored. Finally, what will it all mean to neonatal nurses? Implications for the future of neonatal advanced practice and faculty roles are examined.