The learning experiences of international doctoral students with particular reference to nursing students: A literature review

One of the key challenges for the advancement of nursing globally is the development of doctorally prepared educators and leaders in a context where there is a shortage of provision of doctoral nursing programmes. For the short term future, many nurses wishing to undertake a doctorate will need to complete this education in the USA, the UK or Australia. Very little is known however about the nature of their learning experiences in these countries. This paper presents a literature review on the international doctoral student experience, with specific reference to nursing. A thorough review of the literature from 1990 to 2009 was undertaken which yielded only three empirical studies related to nursing. The review was then expanded to include subjects other than nursing which yielded 16 studies in total. This paper presents key themes that appear to be generic to international doctoral students, and draws out specific implications for nursing.The review found that international doctoral students’ learning experiences were strongly influenced by the extent to which they could engage with three key elements of doctoral programmes:

1.

pedagogical paradigms (specifically, self-directed learning and an emphasis upon criticality),

2.

pedagogical practices (specifically, understanding supervision styles and relationships and learning in a second language),

3.

academic environments (including the availability and accessibility of peer support and professional development opportunities).

The first months represented a critical time of transition and most international students seemed to want and expect considerable support and structured in-put during this period. Most studies concluded that there was a need for greater institutional support and supervisor training. The three nursing-specific papers were entirely consistent with these themes.The existing evidence is extremely heterogeneous and of variable methodological quality. In order to ensure that doctoral nursing students are getting a high quality and appropriate PhD experience, there is a need for more research specifically with this group. There is also a need to investigate the different stages of the doctoral process in nursing, including, for example, writing up and examination processes and post-doctoral career outcomes.     

An examination of the rigor and value of final scholarly projects completed by DNP nursing students

Background

Final scholarly projects are the culmination of the DNP educational process and as such reflect the achievement of doctoral level scholarship that prepares graduates to be leaders in providing high quality, accessible health care and creating health care systems that are effective and responsive to the needs of a diverse population.

Challenges to research productivity of doctoral program nursing faculty

The Institute of Medicine, responding to a national health care crisis and related nursing labor force concerns, has called for an increase in the proportion of registered nurses with baccalaureate or higher degrees to 80% and a doubling of the number of nurses with doctorates by 2020. Simultaneously, large numbers of senior faculty are starting to retire, whereas the movement of doctorally prepared nurses into academia is insufficient to replace them. Issues associated with the efforts of nursing programs to increase their capacity to respond to the Institute of Medicine's recommendations, particularly the effect on scholarly productivity among nursing faculty in doctoral programs, are examined in this article. Creative strategies for promoting scholarly productivity among doctoral program faculty are identified.     

Passion and ability: Mentoring in a Doctorate of Nursing Practice programme

This basic qualitative study sought to understand the experiences of Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates with mentorship during their DNP project completion. Fourteen participants were recruited for telephonic, semi-structured interviews. Accessibility and availability of the mentor represents the dominant theme. Additional themes represented aspects of the mentor role related to the work involved in executing the project and the mentor's personal and professional attributes that promoted the professional socialisation of the graduates to the DNP role.     

临床医学博士研究生的学位论文质量与SCI

本文介绍了美国科学引文索引(SCI)及其影响因子(IF)的概念和作用,探讨了医学博士研究生在SCI源期刊发表学位论文的相关问题。     

Issues and challenges in international doctoral education in nursing

Education is a driving force in improving the health and welfare of communities globally. Doctoral education of nurses has been identified as a critical factor for provision of leadership in practice, scholarship, research, policy and education. Since the genesis of doctoral education in nursing in the USA in the 1930s, this movement has burgeoned to over 273 doctoral programs in over 30 countries globally. The present article seeks to identify the issues and challenges in nursing doctoral education globally, and those encountered by doctoral program graduates in meeting the challenges of contemporary health care systems. Information was derived from a comprehensive literature review. Electronic databases and the Internet, using the Google search engine, were searched using the key words "doctoral education"; "nursing"; "International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing"; "global health"; "international research collaboration". Doctoral education has been a critical force in developing nurse leaders in education, management, policy and research domains. An absence of consensus in terminology and of accurate minimum data sets precludes comparison and debate across programs. The complexity and dynamism of contemporary globalized communities render significant challenges in the conduct of doctoral programs. Addressing funding issues and faculty shortages are key issues for doctoral programs, especially those in developing countries, to achieve an identity uniquely their own. These challenges can also afford considerable opportunities for discussion, debate and the formulation of innovative and collaborative solutions to advance nursing knowledge and scholarship. In spite of discrete differences between countries and regions, the similarities in the issues facing the development of doctoral programs internationally are more striking than the differences. The harnessing of a global collective to address these issues will likely serve to not only forge the future viability of doctoral education of nurses but to improve the health and well-being of communities. This paper proposes international collaborative strategies to address a number of the challenges identified.     

护理专业本科生对开展中外合作办学的态度研究

目的调查护理专业本科生对开展中外合作办学的态度。方法采用自设问卷对747名护理专业本科生进行关于开展中外合作办学态度的调查。结果 75.1%的学生认为有必要开展合作办学,51.1%的学生认为中外合作办学对自己最大的影响是提高综合素质;37.8%的学生愿意参加国际护士执业水平考试;不同性别、年级、学习成绩、英语水平和英语喜好的学生态度有所不同(P<0.05)。结论护理专业本科生对开展中外合作办学持积极态度。不同特征的学生对中外合作办学的态度有所不同,护理教育者应了解相关信息,以促进中外合作办学的顺利开展。     

The National Institute of Nursing Research Graduate Partnerships Program (NINR-GPP): An opportunity for PhD students

The Institutional Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) offered by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) provides an exceptional opportunity for students who are enrolled in any PhD program in nursing across the nation to complete dissertation research on the premier research campus of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. The goal of this doctoral fellowship program, which is up to 3 years in length, is to train promising doctoral students in basic and clinical research. This knowledge and skill set is necessary for the next generation of nurse scientists to ultimately conduct translational research. In this article, the authors describe the program, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and selection criteria for NINR-supported GPP nursing students. Also provided are tips for interested students and outcomes of current and former NINR-supported GPP students (NINR-GPP).     

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 preliminary study of current situation and competences of doctoral nursing education in Taiwan: A multi-methods research design.

AimTo explore the status and overall competency of Taiwan’s doctoral nursing programs.BackgroundTaiwan has 11 universities offer doctoral degree programs in nursing from 1997 to 2020. As the demand for educators of higher nursing education increases, whether the nursing talent requirements have been satisfactorily fulfilled.DesignA two-stage data collection based on a multi-methods survey was conducted.MethodsThe first stage from December 2017 to the end of December 2019, involved collecting admission brochures for 12 doctoral nursing programs provided by 11 universities and 14 Internet databases. In the second stage, convenience sampling was performed to recruit 115 graduates of national doctoral nursing programs to collect data through a self-administered questionnaire online survey from July to the end of September 2018.ResultsA systematic review of the vision and core competencies of each university revealed a general emphasis on nursing knowledge, research, leadership, international perspective and competence, innovation, social practice and policy. More specifically, universities aim to cultivate five core competencies in students, for example, nursing knowledge, scientific and innovative research capabilities and participation in the formulation and promotion of nursing policies. Of the 115 graduates of national doctoral nursing programs surveyed, the online questionnaire revealed that more than half of the respondents were aged 41–50 years (n = 62, 53.9%), 81.8% occupied a teaching position and most had 2.4–9.8 years of study in the program (mean = 6.09 ± 1.81 years). Respondents who completed a doctoral nursing program in Taiwan could learn orderly teaching, research and leadership capabilities with scored 4.12, 4.11 and 3.65, respectively.ConclusionsThe overall orientation of the doctoral nursing programs in Taiwan aligns approximately with global trends in nursing. This study suggests that international and national resources should be incorporated into the cultivation of various competencies and curriculum quality control; moreover, industry, academia and the government should hold regular meetings to formulate suitable evaluation mechanisms.     

Global quality criteria, standards, and indicators for doctoral programs in nursing; literature review and guideline development

BACKGROUND: Nursing profession has intensified education and training of nurse researchers who could enhance the health of people through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge. This resulted in rapid increase in the number of doctoral programs in nursing in many countries in recent decades, but the guidelines for quality programs are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To develop guidelines for quality criteria, standards, and indicators for doctoral programs in nursing that may be used worldwide. METHODS: The work of the quality criteria, standards and indicators (QCSI) committee of the International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing formed the basis of this paper and authors supplemented it by a literature review and consultation with international experts. FINDINGS: The major criteria of quality of doctoral program were: the nature of the mission, the quality of faculty, the students, the curriculum, program administration, and resources. Sub-criteria, standards and indicators for each of these criteria were identified in sufficient detail to provide guidance for quality doctoral programs in nursing. Concerns as to whether the QCSI would apply to those countries and doctoral programs that focus on a research thesis only, without formal coursework were addressed. Experts from across the world felt that the QCSI would be applicable for most program types. CONCLUSIONS: Global criteria, standards, and indicators for doctoral programs in nursing presented in this article may serve as guidelines for most doctoral programs in the world as these were developed by experienced nurse scholars representing eight countries from five continents. The degree of detail in these parameters is sufficient to enhance the utility of the QCSI for all doctoral programs worldwide.     

Selecting doctoral programs in nursing: resources for students and faculty.

Sixty-nine doctoral programs in nursing are currently offered at 75 universities in the United States. Resources to assist prospective doctoral students in making decisions concerning successfully pursuing doctoral education are collected and organized by a variety of nursing organizations. Nurses in academic settings access these lists and specialty publications through their deans' offices and professional affiliations. Prospective students, on the other hand, are largely employed in clinical settings and are often unaware of the existence of this information, which could assist them in their decisions. The purpose of this article is to provide prospective doctoral students and the faculty that may advise them with a current information to use in selecting a doctoral program in nursing.     

Quality of faculty, students, curriculum and resources for nursing doctoral education in Korea: A focus group study

Background

The rapidly increasing number of nursing doctoral programs has caused concern about the quality of nursing doctoral education, including in Korea.

Objectives

To describe the perceived quality of Korean nursing doctoral education in faculty, student, curriculum and resources.

Design

Focus group.

Settings

Fourteen Korean nursing doctoral programs that are research focused and include coursework.

Participants

Four groups of deans, faculty, students and graduates; students completed three semesters of doctoral program; and graduates completed doctoral programs within the most recent 3 years.

Methods

Focus groups examined the strengths and weaknesses of faculty, students, curriculum, and resources.

Results

Faculty strengths were universities’ recognition of faculty research/scholarship and the ability of faculty to attract extramural funding. Faculty weaknesses were aging faculty; high faculty workload; insufficient number of faculty; and teaching without expertise in nursing theories. Student strengths were diverse student backgrounds; multidisciplinary dissertation committee members, and opportunities to socialize with peers and graduates/faculty. Students’ weaknesses were overproduction of PhDs with low academic quality; a lower number and quality of doctoral applicants; and lack of full-time students. Curriculum strengths were focusing on specific research areas; emphasis on research ethics; and multidisciplinary courses. Curriculum weaknesses were insufficient time for curriculum development; inadequate courses for core research competencies; and a lack of linkage between theory and practice. Resources strengths were inter-institutional courses with credit transfer. Weaknesses were diminished university financial support for graduate students and limited access to school facilities. Variations in participant groups (providers [deans and faculty] vs. receivers [students and graduates]) and geographical location (capital city vs. regional) were noted on all the four components.

Conclusions

The quality characteristics of faculty, students, curriculum, and resources identified in this first systematic evaluation of the quality of nursing doctoral education can inform nursing schools, universities, and policy-makers about areas for improvement in Korea and possibly in the world. Geographical variations found in these four components of doctoral education warrant attention by policy-makers in Korea.