Rival conceptions in doctoral education in nursing and their outcomes: an update

The need for two distinct types of doctoral programs in nursing was historically well conceived and well articulated. The growing literature on the doctoral education in nursing, however, shows that the implementation of the concept has not produced the intended results, that is the coexistence of academic and professional doctoral programs in nursing has not resulted in the differentiated career paths for the graduates. Instead, the competing aims of doctoral education in nursing, paved the way to varying doctoral titles, and weakened the claims of professional doctoral programs as preparing for advanced clinical practice. More significantly, however, this development is threatening the future existence of professional doctoral programs in nursing.     

A data-based agenda for doctoral nursing education reform

BACKGROUND: Continuing concerns over the diverse degree names and the quality and quantity of doctoral nursing programs make it essential that nursing leadership take consensus-driven action on the basis of today's educational realities. PURPOSE: To explore the state of US doctoral nursing education to determine what leadership initiatives are needed in program definition, scope, and resources. METHOD: The researchers used a mailed survey (63.4% response rate) and Web site review (all remaining progress) to gather data on all US doctoral nursing education programs (n = 87). The survey included 12 items pertaining to each degree program and 11 institutional environmental questions. DISCUSSION: The doctor of philosophy was the most common degree title (n = 71). Degree title was not consistently associated with requirements (eg, dissertation and practica requirements) or stated degree purposes. Reports of program resources, as defined by faculty rank and research experience, indicated fiscal and educational threats to program integrity in many schools. CONCLUSIONS: Although individual schools should continue efforts to increase educational quality, consensus and action by all doctoral programs is needed. Five recommendations for immediate action are proposed.     

A model to evaluate data science in nursing doctoral curricula

Background

Building on the efforts of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, we developed a model to infuse data science constructs into doctor of philosophy (PhD) curriculum. Using this model, developing nurse scientists can learn data science and be at the forefront of data driven healthcare.

Human dignity: a cornerstone of doctoral education in nursing

Human dignity is foundational to nursing ethics in both the practice and educational arena. It is implicitly and explicitly woven throughout all ethical dialogue. This column offers insight into the ubiquitous nature of human dignity as it surfaced during a doctoral level ethics course. These examples are shared in light of the humanbecoming human dignity ethical tenets: reverence, awe, betrayal, and shame. The prevalence of dignity in ethical discussion serves as a reminder for nurses to carve out time for meaningful discussions regarding its importance to the nursing profession as a whole.     

Twenty-first century doctoral education: online with a focus on nursing education

The acute shortage of doctorally prepared nursing faculty has prompted the nursing profession to look to new and creative ways of delivering doctoral-level preparation to currently employed nurse educators. The development of an online PhD program, based on recommended benchmark guidelines for a "best practice" approach to Internet-based education, led to a program evaluation matrix for formative and summative student advising and program review. In addition, efforts to seek the student voice in formative as well as summative evaluation provided a well-rounded plan to monitor program outcomes based on recommended benchmark guidelines. The results of first-year student feedback and perceptions reflect that online PhD program delivery promotes high quality professional socialization, mentoring, and student-faculty interaction. The online education experience has served as a stimulus for the incorporation of new learning into the student workplace setting, provides opportunity for educational access not previously available, and builds strong personal and professional relationships among nurse educators.     

Philosophy of science in doctoral nursing education revisited

Because every scientific theory and all research methods are tied to some philosophical framework, it is important that scientists within a given discipline be aware of the philosophical orientations that serve as the basis for developing theory and advancing knowledge. Nurse scientists have been challenged recently to examine the discipline's philosophical underpinnings in order to understand the evolutionary process of nursing science. The inclusion of the study of philosophy of science in doctoral nursing curriculum has remained a topic of periodic discourse. Whereas some assert that it promotes the essential process of philosophical reflection necessary for scientific exploration of relevant phenomenon, others contend that nurse scientists' preoccupation with this issue has diverted their attention from the real business of nursing science—that of knowledge development that will lead to legitimization of nursing as a discipline. Philosophy of science provides a useful frame of reference in which to appreciate the unfolding of nursing as a discipline. It should not be viewed as a distraction but rather a critical step in the transformation of the doctoral student into a productive nurse scientist. Doctoral programs remain the most logical place in which to educate future scholars regarding nursing's unique philosophical foundations and their implications for scientific inquiry and continued knowledge development. Creating and maintaining liaisons between nursing and philosophy departments—as well as requiring courses that emphasize the interrelationships among philosophy of science, nursing theory, and nursing research—are just a few of the strategies whereby doctoral programs can actively promote advancement of the discipline.     

A yearlong population health internship: Operationalizing an innovative model for population health nursing education

In recent years, evidence has emphasized the critical role that nurses play as public health leaders and the urgent need to prepare nurses for interprofessional collaboration in fulfilling those roles. Sharing best practices in population health nursing education is especially critical now, in the era of COVID-19, when more nurses will be called to apply public health principles to patient care regardless of their work setting. Although evidence from national nursing education bodies outline several critical implications for nursing curricula, undergraduate nursing programs lack operational guidance for instituting effective curricular changes to population health nursing teaching and learning. The purpose of this paper is to outline the process by which a college of nursing translated this evidence into innovation through program development of a yearlong Population Health Internship (PHI) in its BSN program. The inaugural PHI cohort placed 81 nursing students in 19 population health agencies to work with 64 interprofessional mentors. The author details the six steps taken to operationalize the curricular innovation to enable replication by others. Initial student evaluation data show participation in the PHI enables positive mentor relationships and exposes students to roles of population health nurses and the scope of their activities. Community agency evaluation data indicate satisfaction with the yearlong model, noting that nursing intern contributions extended agency missions.