how long does it take to earn your DNP

Hey there I am currently in pre-nursing right now and plan to someday become a pediatric nurse practitioner, and I have been hearing by 2015 you must earn a DNP in order to become a practitioner. I was wondering, how long does it takes to earn your DNP?
I have friend in a program now. It all depends on how many courses you can handle. She got her ADN in 2012, started BSN and MSN basically at the same time (didn't know what she wanted to do and you have to have BSN to DNP) Alot of the MSN courses counted toward DNP so she will be finished May 2015, I think. She only works part time. She is not a clinical DNP though-so a practitioner path may be longer.

Quote from lipglossbaribeHey there I am currently in pre-nursing right now and plan to someday become a pediatric nurse practitioner, and I have been hearing by 2015 you must earn a DNP in order to become a practitioner. I was wondering, how long does it takes to earn your DNP?

I began a BSN to DNP program that was supposed to be 3 years. Out of 40 people that began only 7 are graduating in May. The majority of us are graduating in 2016 now. So for me and many classmates it will be 4 long years to our DNP.

Wow that's a long time from now. I wish you and your classmates the best of luck.