Doctoral programs in nursing: an examination of curriculum similarities and differences

In this exploratory study, eight doctoral programs in nursing (four PhD and four DNS/DSN/DNSc) were surveyed to examine curricular similarities and differences between research-oriented and professional-oriented programs. Content analysis was utilized to examine manifest content of 101 units of analysis derived from questionnaire items. These items reflected environmental input, curricular design, and outcome variables. Findings suggested that more curricular similarities than differences existed between the two program types. Curricular design variables reflected the most differences in the areas of program purposes and objectives. Several areas were identified for additional research in each variable category.     

Doctoral programs in nursing: philosophy, curricula, and program requirements.

This study examined the philosophy, curricula, and program requirements of doctoral nursing programs in the United States. Forty-four doctoral nursing programs were solicited by mail and information about doctoral nursing programs was obtained. Of the programs, 31 offer the doctor of philosophy degree, 11 the doctor of nursing science degree, and 1 the doctor of education degree. Program philosophies could not be distinguished from one another. Eighteen doctoral programs offered advanced clinical courses and 22 programs focused on role preparation; 16 offered both clinical and role preparation. There was much variation in credit requirements, but the standard program was 60 credits in length, with 48 credits in nursing and 12 credits in cognates and electives. Approximately half the required credits focused on research. The similarity in the curricula of doctoral programs is striking. Discipline-specific values may be strong and account for the congruence in the types of curricula found in this study. Continued focus on research preparation, with varying degrees of emphasis on clinical or role development, is expected. The dominance of the doctoral degree as the terminal degree for nursing is likely to continue.     

Nurses in the clinical area: Relevance of a PhD

This project aimed to explore the application and relevance of a PhD to nurses working in the clinical area. The complexity of nursing practice requires clinical nurses to be competent as investigators and professional leaders who could help structure nursing practice in more efficient ways. Research proposes that a PhD offers limited employment opportunities, is mainly research oriented and tends to direct a nurse away from the clinical field. A mixed method study design utilising surveys and interviews was chosen to collect data for this study. Participants were nurses with a doctoral degree working/having worked in a clinical area after obtaining their PhD Nurses were recruited through student databases from Australian universities that offer doctoral degrees in nursing and also by using a snowball sampling technique. The majority of the 19 nurses who participated in the study had: varied expectation of doing a PhD; maintained their clinical positions after obtaining their doctoral degree, considered that the degree helped them to obtain better jobs/promotions and acknowledged the value of the PhD in patient care, in improving research and informing health policy. This study has exposed the positive aspects of completing a PhD and identifies its constructive application in the clinical area. It is essential to provide support and opportunities for nurses working in the clinical area to pursue doctoral degrees in order to enable them to enhance knowledge and build confidence and leadership skills and contribute to the improvement of nursing practice and the continued development of the profession.     

Difficult professional choices: deciding between the PhD and the DNP in nursing

Although the PhD has been the traditional doctoral degree in nursing, nurses now have a choice between that degree and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. An Internet-based exploratory survey of DNP students (n= 69) investigated the motivation of nurses to pursue doctoral education, factors that influenced the decision between the two degrees, rationale for choosing the DNP program, and career plans after graduation. A majority reported considering the PhD but decided the DNP would be more appropriate for their professional and personal goals. Nursing education was ranked as an important career intention for 55% of respondents, dispelling the concern that the DNP will increase the shortage of nursing faculty. The results indicate that the DNP degree is a desirable option for clinically oriented nurses considering doctoral education and provides nurses with a choice of educational pathways for their professional careers.     

Motivations and challenges of Israeli nurses on their journey to a PhD: A qualitative study

AimThis qualitative study aimed to examine the motivations and challenges encountered by Israeli nurses during their journey to achieve a doctoral degree (PhD).BackgroundThe increasing numbers of nurses studying for a doctoral degree may contribute to improving nursing education, expanding the body of knowledge and promoting the status of nursing as a research profession. However, many countries have reported a shortage in nurses with doctoral degrees.DesignQualitative content analysis study using semi-structured interviews.MethodsSixteen senior nurses (mean age 47.35 years, 75% women) who completed their doctoral studies in the past five years were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and their content was analyzed inductively. COREQ checklist was used to report the study.ResultsThe ability to persevere in doctoral studies was related to the support provided by the learning environment as well as to family support. External barriers were related to administrative bureaucracy, tedious search for a mentor, unsupportive workplace and socio-economic burdens. PhD studies were perceived as a means for self-fulfillment, while major motivators were aspiration for professional advancement, a responsibility for promoting the image of nursing and a lack of recognition by colleagues.ConclusionsNurses study for doctoral degrees in order to advance their career and achieve personal fulfillment, as well as to increase the prestige of the nursing as profession. To allow nurses with PhD to fulfill their abilities and to advance the nursing profession, their research and academic support should be increased, and appropriate professional positions should be developed.Tweetable abstractThis study highlights the facilitators of doctoral studies such as family and academic support, a strong need for personal and professional fulfillment, and a desire for professional change, and obstacles such as academic and bureaucratic barriers, low wage increases, and a lack of recognition of nursing by the medical world.     

Practical and philosophical considerations in choosing the DNP or PhD in nursing

The two terminal degrees in nursing, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), are complementary degrees in moving the discipline of nursing forward. The role of nurses with either doctoral degree is discussed related to the overall stewardship of the nursing profession. Core elements and key differences between the two degrees will be delineated. Factors affecting practical decision-making about either degree will be discussed, including the choice of which degree as well as funding doctoral education. Finally, future directions for the two degrees in the nursing profession will be discussed.     

DNP and PhD scholarship: Making the case for collaboration

BackgroundThe Institute of Medicine calls for meaningful collaboration between doctor of nursing practice (DNP)- and doctor of philosophy (PhD)-prepared nurses to improve health outcomes.PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to answer the questions: 1) how do Colleges of Nursing influence DNP and PhD collaboration for faculty and students? 2) how does DNP and PhD collaboration in an academic setting impact health care practices and patient outcomes?MethodsTwo examples of DNP and PhD collaboration (one faculty and one student) are presented.ResultsShared faculty responsibilities and a supportive organizational culture influenced collaboration between faculty and students. Research and practice roles can complement and strengthen each other while improving health outcomes.ConclusionColleges of Nursing should build processes and culture that encourage faculty and students to collaborate across doctoral programs. Successful intraprofessional collaboration has the potential to positively impact healthcare quality, and outcomes, while advancing the nursing profession.     

Alignment of a PhD program in nursing with the AACN report on the research-focused doctorate in nursing: A descriptive analysis

Those involved in preparing the next generation of nurse scientists face numerous challenges, including but not limited to: relatively older age at completion of doctoral studies, insufficient funding for full-time PhD students in nursing, inadequate funding for nursing research, and the limited number of well-funded mentors in nursing doctoral programs. These issues have limited the number of students enrolled in PhD nursing programs and graduates to supply the research faculty of the future and generate nursing science. This phenomenon persists despite numerous calls to increase the number of PhD doctoral students and graduates and expedite the PhD process without compromising educational integrity. This article describes the BSN-to-PhD Pathway and the Accelerated (3 year) Pathway to the nursing PhD at an established research doctoral program that required a shift in the approach to student recruitment, curriculum development, and timely progression. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

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.     

Matching standards and needs in doctoral education in nursing.

The debate about the number and type of doctoral degrees required in nursing has recurred with regularity throughout the history of nursing. National discussions about the shortcomings and relevance of the PhD within general higher education circles are described. Applicability of these concerns to nursing education is discussed. In the midst of this national debate, new nursing doctoral degrees are being proposed and implemented. Emergence of these new degrees has caused many to worry about replicating at the highest degree level the current confusion about nursing preparation at the entry level. A classification of doctoral degrees in nursing is proposed along with a call for standardization of degrees.     

Assessing postgraduate outcomes of research-intensive nursing science PhD programs: Methods and metrics

BackgroundAcross disciplines and within higher educational systems, assessing postgraduate outcomes is essential for evaluating doctoral programs, including research-intensive nursing science doctoral programs. However, there are limited reports regarding methods and metrics related to postgraduate longitudinal evaluation of research-focused nursing doctoral programs.PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to summarize studies in the area of postgraduate outcome assessment and provide recommendations regarding outcome methods and metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of research-focused nursing doctoral programs.MethodsPubMed/Medline, CINHAL Complete, and Google Scholar databases were searched using key words including PhD program, doctoral program, longitudinal evaluation, evaluation, program evaluation, PhD alumni survey, education outcomes and PhD program outcomes. We excluded non-English and full-text articles that were not available for review.DiscussionBased on a review of the literature, there are few reports on methods and questionnaires for postgraduate outcome assessment. There is a critical need to develop standardized core metrics/questions, longitudinal assessments, and a shared data repository. The latter will allow for comparisons across nursing doctoral programs.ConclusionRobust standardized longitudinal assessment of nursing doctoral programs is a necessary step for comparison across programs and re-envisioning the nursing doctoral education of the future.     

Making explicit the development of PhD-prepared nurses to steward the discipline

Leadership is a core curricular element of PhD programs in nursing. Our PhD faculty began a dialogue about being a leader, a steward of the discipline. We asked ourselves: (a) What expertise do PhD prepared nurse needs to begin to steward the discipline? (b) How do faculty engage PhD nursing students to assume responsibility for stewarding the discipline? Lastly, (c) How do we work with PhD nursing students to create their vision for how their work contributes to stewarding the discipline, from doctoral coursework throughout their career? We support the need for PhD graduates to have the skills to generate knowledge, conserve that which is important, and transform by disseminating new knowledge to a broad audience. Examples of nurses stewarding the discipline when pioneering research, critiquing traditional approaches to inquiry or trends in nursing practice, and developing policy, are highlighted along with examples of how PhD nursing students begin to steward the discipline.     

From vision to action: Next steps in designing PhD programs of the future

Declines in PhD enrollment, funding and support for PhD students, and the quality and quantity of the nursing research pipeline has fueled the concern about providing high-quality education in research-focused nursing doctoral programs. To address the challenges and opportunities facing research focused PhD education, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing convened an invitational summit, Re-Envisioning Research-Focused PhD Programs of the Future, of research-intensive institutions. Both as a dissemination strategy and as an effort to engage perspectives from other Schools with PhD programs, we presented a summary of the Penn Summit discussion at the AACN Doctoral Education Conference (AACN Doctoral Conference). Focused discussions at both events further identified opportunities for research focused PhD programs, including recruiting undergraduate students, establishing research-focused partnerships, creating clear evaluation methods. AACN Doctoral conference participants also discussed the need to discuss and identify competencies, common subject areas, and financial resources for PhD students and graduates. This synthesis of discussions, considerations, and challenges affecting research-focused doctoral programs of nursing serve as a basis and catalyst for further discussion and action to ensure PhD research focused programs are preparing successful nurse scientists of the future.     

Selecting US research-intensive doctoral programs in nursing: Pragmatic questions for potential applicants

Nurses hoping to enter a research intensive doctoral program have a choice of program delivery modes, faculty expertise, and multiple points of entry in addition to the traditional post masters. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) lists doctoral programs in nursing in over 300 universities in the United States (U.S.) and Puerto Rico, with most institutions offering more than one type of doctorate. For prospective students who want to maximize their likelihood of significant, sustained scientific impact, identifying research-intensive Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs with faculty who have a topic match is key. Embarking on a scientific career requires assessing the curricula and faculty at several institutions. The purpose of this paper is to give prospective students pragmatic guidance in selecting a U.S. research-intensive doctoral program in nursing. We provide a list of published quality indicators in PhD programs as well as potential questions to be addressed to key persons in schools.     

After the Doctorate: A qualitative study investigating nursing research career development in Jordan

There is a dearth of research exploring the development of postdoctoral nursing research careers in non‐Western contexts. This paper reports on a qualitative study of Jordanian graduates of UK PhD programs. Interviews were held with 16 graduates who worked in the nursing faculty of seven different universities in Jordan. Participants reported that their doctoral degree had equipped them with confidence and enthusiasm for developing a research career. Mentorship, leadership, and peer support were identified as essential to supporting ongoing research activity. Access to these sources of support was variable and participants also described a range of institutional and organizational structures that directly or indirectly discouraged them from developing research productivity. This research suggests that support for postdoctoral novice researchers is an important area for further attention – for Jordanian universities, for UK PhD supervisors (and their associated academic departments), and for the wider nursing community.     

A survey of current practices in data management education in nursing doctoral programs

BackgroundThe inclusion of data management instruction within nursing doctoral curricula has not been systematically examined.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the extent of data management education within nursing doctoral programs.MethodSeparate surveys were created for DNP (332) and PhD (138) program directors. Survey questions were based on the stages of the UK Data Service Research Data Lifecycle.ResultsOne hundred and four nursing doctoral program directors responded, a 22% response rate. Sixty-seven (64%) were from DNP programs while 37 (35%) were from PhD programs. Although program directors reported that they were teaching stages of the research data lifecycle, data management is mostly being taught through individual mentoring or a single lecture within a required course, and that students' project data were not being preserved.ConclusionsNursing doctoral programs need to develop consistent data management education, build an awareness of data policies, and clarify student project data sharing and ownership.     

Educating Nursing Scientists: Integrating Genetics and Genomics into PhD Curricula

Nursing science is a diverse field of study, the scope of which has broadened to more fully incorporate genetics and genomics. In recent years, these topics have become focus areas for many nursing researchers. However, recent evidence suggests that doctoral level nursing students and nursing faculty may be underprepared to conduct independent research using genomic approaches. Furthermore, genetics and genomics are severely underrepresented in doctoral level nursing curricula across the United States. This article suggests a thorough, yet manageable three-part curriculum designed to educate doctoral level nursing students on genetics, genomics, and their use in nursing science. Recommendations are then given for the integration of the curriculum into existing nursing PhD programs.     

Opening a doctoral program in nursing: factors to consider

As nursing education has evolved from hospital-based training schools to the college campus, the need for doctoral nursing faculty and other leaders has increased. The greatest needs are for nurses capable of conducting research in nursing and for faculty to teach in baccalaureate and master's nursing programs. Therefore, schools of nursing across the country are considering initiation of new doctoral programs. This decision is a complex one that depends on numerous factors related mostly to resources. Ideally, new programs will develop only after the necessary resources have been identified and secured. Another critical decision is the type of doctoral program a school chooses to offer. Nursing should make an attempt to determine whether there actually are substantial differences between the present professional and research degree programs. In addition, the roles that doctorally prepared nurses will be expected to fulfill in the health care system should be defined. Overall, in spite of the documented need for many more doctorally prepared nurses and the inability of existing doctoral nursing programs to meet that need, new programs should be initiated with utmost caution. Thorough, extensive data gathering should provide information about available alternatives. The positive and negative consequences of each alternative should be identified and carefully weighed. Finally, once a school has decided to initiate a program, it should plan carefully for implementation. Thorough preparation will assure that the program selected is well matched to the resources available to support it.     

Opportunities and challenges presented by recent pedagogical innovations in doctoral nursing education

The demand to expand the nurse scientist pipeline over the past decade has generated numerous pedagogical innovations in nursing doctoral education. A PhD nursing education summit was held at the University of Pennsylvania in October 2019 to discuss pedagogical innovations. The main pedagogical innovations discussed by Summit attendees included: 1) the expansion of both 3-year PhD programs and BSN to PhD programs; 2) changes in learning opportunities and curricula content; and 3) the role of postdoctoral fellowships. This overview examines the numerous opportunities and challenges generated by these innovations. Opportunities include producing scholars with research careers that are potentially longer than historically seen in the nursing profession, as well as the emergence of unique educational and mentoring opportunities both during and after doctoral studies. Challenges involve the impact condensed program timelines have had on both the content and delivery of curricula, as well as the research expertise and skillsets of nursing PhD program graduates. There is a need to conduct a national coordinated evaluation of PhD program using shared metrics in order to better evaluate the effect of these pedagogical innovations on the development of nurse scientists, and ultimately, the discipline.