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Global opportunities for clinical practicum and research may be available for MDE and doctoral students at Columbia Nursing.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of philosophy (phd), ignite your future with a columbia nursing phd.

The Columbia University School of Nursing PhD program is a full-time, research-intensive curriculum that prepares nurses for careers as nurse scientists who will conduct research across a broad range of populations and health conditions. Importantly, much of our research is focused on health disparity populations with the long-term goal of informing health policy and clinical practice across the lifespan.

Columbia Nursing provides three years (eight semesters) of funding for tuition, related fees, health insurance, and a stipend for full-time PhD students.

Program Design

Our PhD program provides students with an understanding of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of nursing science and a strong foundation in research methods (design, statistics, measurement, quantitative and qualitative methods) for clinical, translational and health services research. All students are mentored by research advisors with active programs of research as they move toward independent research and assume the roles of doctorally prepared nurse scientists.  

As a Columbia Nursing PhD student, you will learn to:

• Design, conduct, and report multidisciplinary research studies that increase knowledge to improve the health and well-being of patients and families across the lifespan
• Advance the state of the science in a substantive area of research through application of innovative and rigorous methods
• Promote health and well-being for individuals and families in the context of their communities
• Provide leadership in improving the health care delivery system at local, national, and international levels
• Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate and develop policies for delivery of health service
• Translate evidence accumulated through research into practice and policy at multiple levels

As part of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), Columbia Nursing enjoys a unique collaboration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the College of Dental Medicine. CUIMC provides myriad opportunities for interprofessional collaboration in research . 

The PhD curriculum builds on the foundation of nursing science by bringing together practice, policy, translational research, and leadership. The core courses provide the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct relevant and well-designed research studies. Electives strengthen an area of clinical interest or intensify understanding of a specific research or analytic method. 

Both post-master's and post-BSN students admitted to the program will complete a minimum of 57 credits. The curriculum plan is designed to make it possible to complete the program in three years for those students with clearly defined plans for their dissertation research.

PhD courses are offered in three major areas:

• Theoretical foundations of nursing science
• Analytical foundations of nursing science
• Electives and application

Students must be registered as full-time for the duration of the program (typically three to four years). The minimum number of semester credits in required coursework is 37 (four semesters) for eligibility to progress to the qualifying exam. Six of the 37 credits required to be completed prior to the qualifying examination are elective courses tailored to the student’s dissertation topic and/or dissertation methods. The PhD program requires nine credits of elective courses. A minimum of 57 total credits is required for program completion. 

Concurrent with Coursework

• Research Experience (participating in faculty research projects and/or a research practicum)
• Research Faculty Training

Request a Sample Academic Program Plan

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination helped me to combine the content I learned in my courses and my research interests so I could further articulate my research question. Performing a scoping review on my topic of interest immersed me in the current literature and was crucial to the development of my dissertation. This experience prepared me to successfully work independently through the rest of my Ph.D.

 Kylie Dougherty, BSN, RN, M.Phil.

In addition to coursework, students must successfully complete a qualifying examination with written and oral components. The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is awarded after successful completion of the qualifying examination and the student enters doctoral candidacy status.

Dissertation

Students are expected to successfully defend a dissertation reporting original research. Four dissertation credits are required each semester during the dissertation phase of study. 

Scholarship Expectations

My advisor and the Columbia Nursing faculty provided me exceptional guidance throughout the PhD program to extend my learning beyond the classroom with the goal of becoming an independent nurse scientist. I learned valuable skills and knowledge to successfully obtain a NIH-funded predoctoral training award, present research findings at local, regional, and national conferences, and publish manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals with good impact factors.

Joseph Belloir, MSN, RN, PMHNP-BC

• Publication: At least one manuscript published in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal.
• Grantsmanship: At least one grant application submitted to an appropriate funding agency or organization.
• Presentation: At least one abstract submitted for presentation as a poster or oral presentation at an appropriate professional meeting.
• Networking: Student will attend at least one regional or national research meeting.

Preparation for Postdoctoral Fellowship: Research Career Next Step 

The coursework and research mentoring at Columbia Nursing helped prepare me for the next steps in my education and career post-PhD. In addition to structured coursework and educational seminars, the school provided beneficial informal support and resources. Feedback sessions with both peers and faculty were very helpful in preparing me to present posters and presentations at research conferences. The school also provided funds for travel to conferences where I presented my research. The grant writing workshop and mock reviews of grant applications provided me with tools and feedback needed to successfully apply for additional funding for my research. Finally, interdisciplinary research collaborations with faculty provided me with opportunities to work with researchers from several disciplines to complete my dissertation.

Melissa Beauchemin, PhD '19, MS '10, RN

PhD Student Handbook

The Columbia Nursing PhD student handbook provides information to aid doctoral students in planning coursework and proceeding through all phases of the program.

Request a PhD Student Handbook

What is it like to be a PhD student at Columbia Nursing?

Required courses (excluding electives).

Building upon the foundations provided in the quantitative and qualitative research method courses, in this course students examine advanced methods and frameworks frequently used in studying health policy, health services research problems and comparative effectiveness research. In addition to a critical review of the methods, the course examines the relationship among science, policy and healthcare delivery, and identifies critical questions shaping the future policy research agenda.

Interdisciplinary research is an approach to advancing scientific knowledge in which researchers from different disciplines work at the borders of those disciplines in order to address complex questions and problems. Successful interdisciplinary efforts require mastery of specific competencies. This seminar will introduce students to competencies in interdisciplinary research through a combination of readings, case studies, and lectures in each necessary aspect, chosen from fields essential to successful interdisciplinary research. It is intended to assist learners to understand why and how different professional disciplines must work together to generate and disseminate knowledge. We will examine: different conceptualizations of interdisciplinary; barriers to and facilitators of interdisciplinary research; approaches, benefits, and limitations of collaboration and team science; methods for measuring interdisciplinary collaboration; the intersection of translational and interdisciplinary scientific strategies; and individual researchers' experiences with and evaluations of their own interdisciplinary scientific projects. Learners will develop a set of skills to be effective members and leaders of interdisciplinary research teams.

The student works with a faculty member or other scientist who is conducting a research project. The specific nature of the experience depends on the nature and stage of the research, but might include search and review of relevant literature, data collection, data analysis and/or grant preparation.

This course is intended for PhD students who are engaged in relevant scholarly activities that are associated with dissertation research.

This foundational course will examine the philosophy of nursing knowledge including foundations of nursing theory, concept development, and its application to research. Students will explore approaches to the analysis and development of concepts and the application of nursing concepts and frameworks to clinical practice and research. Ideas, assumptions, events, people, and writings are examined for their influence, inter-relationships, and significance to nursing. Types of reasoning will be evaluated within the context of nursing and health. Major theories, frameworks, and concepts of nursing and health and their implication for research will be discussed. The focus of the course will be on development of critical thinking skills in analyzing key elements of philosophies, concepts, and conceptual frameworks.

In this foundational course students will study the links between theory and the psychosocial and biophysical measures used in nursing research.  Students will employ the principles of classical test theory and item response theory to evaluate the reliability and validity of measurement.  Application of computational techniques will be covered in the lab portion of the course.  Course topics include types and uses of measures, item/scale development and validation, survey methods, reporting for publication, and the relationships between measurement and research ethics, cultural competency, and health disparities.

This course provides a foundation for quantitative research methods and design. Research process topics examined include: appraisal of the quality of existing evidence; identification of gaps in the literature; formulation of researchable questions and testable hypotheses; types of research variables; sampling designs and power analyses; and the uses, strengths, and weaknesses of various experimental and quasi-experimental research designs.

This course provides an in-depth examination of qualitative study designs and methods through a combination of theoretical discussion and hands-on practical experience. Topics include paradigm distinctions, theoretical perspectives, designs and methods, critique of research reports, and ethical issues in qualitative research.

The course is intended for PhD students who are engaged in relevant scholarly activities that are not associated with the required course sequence. Such activities must accrue more than 20 hours/week.

This course is intended to provide a hands-on introduction to delivering data visualizations to serve as a critical lens through which individual and population level health can be examined. The proposed course will combine concepts and theory in data visualization and exploration and practice to enable the student to gain the necessary knowledge to use graphics and statistics to explore the data, find and construct a narrative, and share findings in ways colleagues and decision-makes can readily understand and act upon.

This course is designed to provide the tools for the doctorally prepared nurse to evaluate, translate and integrate published research results into clinical practice. During the course, students will learn how to conceptualize clinical practice problems and transform them into answerable clinical research questions, how to search for the best clinical evidence, and how to assess clinical evidence using basic epidemiological, biostatistical and scientific principles. The course will culminate in a systematic review or meta-analysis of a body of research relevant to advanced practice nursing.

Total Credits:

PhD in Nursing Science 

Drive the future of nursing through scientific discovery.

• School School of Nursing | Graduate School
• Duration 4 years, full-time
• Format Hybrid
• Enrollment Fall
• Tuition Fully funded, stipend provided

About the Program

Conduct multidisciplinary, cutting-edge research that will transform nursing with Vanderbilt’s PhD in Nursing Science degree . This four-year, full-time program prepares diverse scholars to lead the nation in nursing research, education and policy.  

The program is delivered predominantly online with limited campus visits once a semester, and its state-of-the-art curriculum emphasizes both clinical and health services research. All students receive a customized plan of study tailored to their specific research interests. Research is organized into the following signature areas: Acute and Chronic Illness, Data Science and Health Technologies, Palliative Care Science, and Pregnancy Outcomes and Mother, Infant, Child and Family Health.     

Student tuition for the program is fully funded, covering up to four years of research and coursework, and students receive annual stipends.    

Facts & Stats

• #8 U.S. News & World Report 2023 rankings of Best Value School
• #13 U.S. News & World Report 2023 rankings of National Universities
• 26% Ethnic racial student enrollment across all VUSN programs in 2020

Key Takeaways   

• Bene f it from a blended learning format that pairs online classes and coursework with periodic campus vi sits  
• Receive competitive financial awards, including fully funded tuition and an annual stipend  
• Conduct cutting-edge , multidisciplinary r e search alongside nationally and internationally recognized faculty w ho have a wide range of research foci  
• Learn with a n advanced curriculum that emphasizes both clinical and health services research   
• Launch your research or academic career with strong faculty mentorship and a personalized plan of study  

Who Should Enroll ?

The PhD in Nursing Science program is designed for diverse nurse scholars who are interested in pursuing research and academic careers in public or private health care. Admitted students seek to advance nursing through scientific discovery, and they hold bachelor’s degrees in nursing (or BSN equivalent) and master’s degrees in nursing (or a related field) or doctoral degrees in nursing (or a related field).   

Admission to the program is competitive and requires research and career goals that are in alignment with the School of Nursing’s research efforts and faculty expertise.   

• Precepting at YSN
• Event Calendar

PhD Program in Nursing

Mentoring nurse scientists of the future is our priority.

PhD Program

Financial support.

Meet the Students

Focus on Clinical Research

Experience Yale

World Renowned Faculty

How to Apply

Today marks the 177th Commencement Ceremonies at Emory University! After the activities at the Quandrangle, the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing will host a Degree Candidate Recognition Ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Emory Student Center. All events will be streamed live.

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Emory’s PhD program in Nursing is committed to improving human health, the experience of health, and the provision of health care through the discovery of new knowledge and its translation into practice. The program is designed to prepare researchers who want to revolutionize health care and improve health outcomes for diverse populations.

The Fall 2025 application deadline is December 1, 2024.

Virtual Open House Events

All virtual open house events will take place Tuesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. EST on Zoom. Use the links below to register.

Upcoming Meetings:

• 08/20/2024 : Tuesday, 6:00-7:00 PM (EST)
• 09/10/2024 : Tuesday, 6:00-7:00 PM (EST)
• 10/08/2024 : Tuesday, 6:00-7:00 PM (EST)
• 11/05/2024 : Tuesday, 6:00-7:00 PM (EST)

Previous Meetings:

• September 26, 2023
• October 24, 2023
• November 14, 2023
• December 12, 2023

Program Contacts

[email protected]

Jean Harrell Graduate Program Administrator

Emory University’s School of Nursing PhD program is a full-time, intense learning experience designed to develop the next generation of researchers who will change the face of health care. The program is interdisciplinary, drawing on the strengths of Emory University and its partners in areas as varied as the humanities, natural and social sciences, public health, engineering, law, and business.

At Emory, we offer a PhD track with a focus on data science in addition to our standard PhD curriculum. 

Signature Areas of Focus

Our program is built on the research strengths of our faculty in six signature areas:

• Aging Studies
• Artificial Intelligence/Data Science
• Natural Disasters, Environmental, and Climate Science
• Translational and Neuroscience
• Women’s Health

Other Areas of Focus

Emory nursing faculty are committed to supporting the learning and discovery for our doctoral nursing students. We have faculty who are renowned scholars within a diverse range of expertise in areas such as:

• Alzheimer's Disease
• Cardiovascular Health
• Caregiver Well-Being
• Data Science
• Environmental Health
• Farmworker Health
• Global Health
• Health Informatics
• Maternal/Child Health
• Mental Health
• Metabolic Disease
• Nurse Workforce and Quality of Patient Care
• Pain, Opioids, and Harm Reduction
• Palliative Care
• Sleep Research
• Symptom Science
• LGBTQIA+/Transgender Health

For additional information, please visit our Office of Nursing research page.

This video gives prospective students pragmatic guidance in selecting a U.S. research-intensive doctoral program in nursing.

Teaching Assistant Training & Teaching Opportunity Program

The PhD in Nursing trains students to teach through the Teaching Assistant Training and Teaching Opportunity Program , or TATTO, program. This program provides a short course offered in late summer before the first year, training and teaching assistantships and teaching associateships.

The Jones Program in Ethics

The Jones Program in Ethics (JPE) at Emory University provides students with a foundational, cross-disciplinary introduction to the question of ethics for their research, training and careers. It is a required, integral part of the curriculum in LGS doctoral programs: Learn more Link here:

T32 Nurse Scientist Training Opportunities

The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing invites applications for full time study in the PhD in Nursing program, and applicants for postdoctoral traineeship funded by the T32 program. T32 pre-and postdoctoral trainees will participate in a tailored research training program , which aims to prepare nurse scientists acquire knowledge and skills to employ data science (DS) and/or emerging health information technologies (HIT) into their research.

Provisional Artificial Intelligence Track

Artificial intelligence (AI) and associated computational sciences (machine learning, natural language processing, cybersecurity, etc.) are fundamentally changing the healthcare landscape. Accompanying these changes are tremendous opportunities as well as profound ethical concerns and social impacts. View a summary of the program . View a provisional version of the courses of study .

Admission Requirements

Fall 2024 Application Deadlines

• Priority deadline: December 1, 2023
• Final deadline: January 2, 2024
• All applicants selected for an interview will be interviewed by video/zoom meeting, scheduled at a convenient time for applicant and faculty.
• Admitted applicants will visit campus February 5, 2024 to meet with faculty, other PhD students, and to experience Atlanta.

Applications are submitted through Emory's Laney Graduate School (LGS). For more about LGS admissions, click here .

For admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program, Emory University seeks highly qualified applicants with the discipline and motivation to excel in interdisciplinary research. To be considered for admission, you must submit the following items:

• Completed application
• Submission of a Statement of Purpose that describes the applicant’s vision for what they want to study, who they want to study with, and why they want to study at Emory.
• Research interests that match faculty expertise
• Three (3) recommendations
• Satisfactory TOEFL scores (if applicable)
• Credential evaluations from any evaluator affiliated with NACES, The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .  The most common ones are World Education Services , Educational Credential Evaluators , and Educational Perspectives .
• Transcripts issued by the registrar’s office from each post-secondary institution attended
• Resume or curriculum vitae

Emory University considers applicants who hold a BSN or MSN from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited program in the US or an international equivalent (Applicants holding a degree in a non-nursing related discipline will be considered on an individual basis).

Students entering with a BSN and intending to pursue advanced practice certification must be eligible for licensure as RN in Georgia by the end of the first year of study.

Application

Meet our students.

Meet our current and past doctoral students and learn a little more about how they impact the world of nursing research.

Student graduate’s dissertations include:

• Evaluating Stochastic Epigenic Mutations as a Potential Mechanism Translating Psychosocial Stressors into Risk for Postpartum Depression (Julianne Todd)
• Relationships among Dietary Patterns, Metabolites and Symptoms in Persons with Heart failure (Erica Nicole Davis)
• The Gut and Vaginal Microbiome in Pregnant Patients with and Without Urogenital Infections (Emily Faith Wissel)
• End-of-Life Care of Uong Adult Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective Cohort Study (Carolina Gustafson)
• LivFit with HIV:  Reducing inflammation and improving endothelial function with exercise adherence among older persons with HIV (Crista Irwin)
• Identifying and Addressing Healthcare Disparities in the Pediatric Acute Care Setting (Amy Rebecca Kolwaite)
• Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Gynecologic Cancer Pre-and Post-Radiotherapy and its Association with Obesity and the Gut Microbiome (Haerim Lee)
• Evaluation of Facility-Based Individual Differentiated Service Delivery Among Stable People Living with HIV in Nairobi, Kenya Using Mixed Methods Research (Rosemary Kinuthia)
• Relationships Among Strong Black Woman Belief, Coping Behaviors, Social Support, and Psychological Distress for Black Mothers after Stillbirth (Carrie Henry)
• The Influence of Postpartum Retention in Care on Mortality in Women Living with HIV (Jade McBroom)
• The role of the circulating registered nurse in communicating and fostering relationships and the impact on time spent in the operating room (Kent Haythorn)
• The Role of Vitamin D in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Gene Expression within an African American Cohort (Sheila Jordan)
• Diabetes Management and Self-Care among Emerging Adults: Emerging Adult and Diabetes Care Provider Perceptions of Self-Management Influences, Visit Interaction, and a Tool to Enhance Diabetes Care at Visits (Rachel Wolf)
• Staying Alive in Little Five: Perceptions of Service Industry Workers Who Encounter an Opioid Overdose in Little Five Points, Atlanta (Sara Febres-Cordero)
• The Occupational and Health Histories of Undocumented Immigrants Receiving Frequent, Emergent-Only Hemodialysis (Daniel Smith)
• Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Adolescents with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder in Psychiatric Residential Treatment (Amy Greenblatt)

A full list of student accomplishments is updated regularly (PDF) .

Here are just a few job titles of our graduates.

• Chief Nursing Officer with the Jamaican Ministry of Health
• Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Disease Control
• Pediatric Center for Wellness
• RTI International – Division of Public Health and Clinical Research
• The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Pediatric Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice

Tuition and Awards

Full-tuition scholarships.

All full-time admitted students are granted full tuition waiver and receive an annual stipend over 12 months in exchange for teaching and research services. The stipend is drawn from a combination of faculty advisor grant support, school support and student research grants received during the program. Stipends are renewed each year, contingent upon satisfactory academic and research performance, for a total of four years. Faculty and students work together to identify and apply for National Institutes for Health's National Research Service Award and other fellowships for stipend and research support funding during the doctoral program. Students also receive Professional Development Support Funds from Laney Graduate School to attend conferences and support research-related expenses.

T32 Predoctoral Fellowships through Spring 2023

The School of Nursing offers a research training program for selected predoctoral students to focus on developing and testing interventions to improve health outcomes of persons with or at risk for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and neurological diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, HIV-AIDS, and asthma/COPD. Individuals selected as fellows in this training program receive a monthly stipend, benefit assistance, assistance for professional travel, and modest funds to support research related expenses. The Laney Graduate School also offers scholarships to PhD students.

Charting Innovative Paths for Nursing Research & Scholarship

Many of our students participated in the 11th Annual Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition Doctoral Symposium, “Charting Innovative Paths for Nursing Research & Scholarship” at Emory Nursing Learning Center on 2/11/23.

Students gave the following presentations at the Event:

• Policing Mental Health: Race and Psychiatry in Atlanta Avi Wofsy – PhD Student, Emory University
• Childhood Trauma Exposure and Length of Labor: A Potential Oxytocin-Linked Contributor to Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in Black Birthing People Abby Britt – PhD Student, Emory University
• Personal Measures of Air Pollution During Pregnancy and Infant Head Circumference and Length at Birth Hina Raheel – PhD Student, Emory University
• Ways of Knowing: The Historical Intersections of Breastfeeding, Capitalism, and Whiteness Octavia Vogel – PhD Student, Emory University
• Bots and Fake Participants: Ensuring Valid and Reliable Data Collection Using Social Media Recruitment MethodsZ Roseline Jean Louis – PhD Student, Emory University

Many students presented posters. Hayden Herring, 1st year student, won 1st place for his poster.

How to Successfully Apply to Our PhD Program

Application process questions.

How Much is the Application Fee

$75 US.  The fee is non-refundable, and can be paid by credit card as part of the online application.

When exactly is the application deadline?

The deadline falls at midnight, U.S. Pacific time, on the deadline date of the each program. Nursing PhD program application deadline is January 1.

May I request a fee waiver?

Yes. Application fee waivers are processed through Laney.  The  application fee waiver page  explains our waiver policy.   https://www.gs.emory.edu/admissions/fee-waivers.html

Should I wait until I have my official test scores before submitting my application?

No.  Complete the online application at your earliest convenience.  When we receive your scores, they will be matched with your application.

Do I need to submit non-degree transcripts?

Yes. Admissions committees consider your complete academic record. 

If my undergraduate Degree is from Emory, Do I need to request a transcript from Emory?

Yes. You will need to upload one as part of your online application.  (If you are offered admission and accept, you will not need to submit an official copy, since we are able to verify the one you uploaded.)

If I participated in an exchange program while an undergraduate, do I have to request that transcript?

If you took some courses at a university as part of an exchange, like a study abroad program, and those course credits (course name, credit hours, and grade) are reflected on the transcript that includes your degree, then you do not need to submit a separate transcript from the university where you studied as part of an exchange. If you list that exchange experience as a separate educational experience on your application, you will need to upload either a separate transcript or a note explaining to us that the credits are included in another transcript. 

How should I submit my transcripts in the application?

Scan and upload them through the online application. Unofficial transcripts issued by the Registrar to you (the student) are acceptable.

You are required to submit one transcript from each post-secondary institution attended, present school included. International transcripts must be translated and notarized.  

Please do not mail paper transcripts.  If you are admitted and decide to attend Emory, then you will need to submit official copies of your transcripts before you can enroll. But for your application, the scanned, unofficial versions are all that's needed.

Does the recommendation letter have to be on the Emory form?

We encourage the use of the online recommendation system. If a recommender is unable to use this system, contact the program you are applying to for instructions.  You can find contact information on  our Degree Programs page .

Must letters of recommendation be submitted by the application deadline?

It is possible to submit letters of recommendation after the application deadline, but it is not advisable.  Most programs begin to review applications very soon after the deadline, and an application is not considered complete unless it has three letters of recommendation. 

Can I make changes to my application after I have submitted it?

No. Contact the graduate program to which you are applying for advice.  You can find contact information on  our Degree Programs page .

Can I reactivate my application from last year?

No. Applicants who wish to reapply must submit a new application, application fee, and supporting credentials.

Technical issues with the application: Email CollegeNet at  [email protected] . 

Additional Questions

Do you have to have your research focus before entering the program?

No, but strongly encouraged.

Can I start the PhD program in the spring semester?

NO.  This program begins with the fall semester matriculation only.

Can this program be completed in 3 years?

It can be done in three years if you are really focused.  But it will be challenging.

What are the fees students pay?

Enrollment, technology, health and wellness, athletic  and activity fees.  

Fall and spring you should be prepared to pay approximately$442, summer fees are about $351

When do I submit the application for the T32 program?

T32 application is due one day after the PhD program application, Jan. 2nd

Can I have my international transcripts reviewed by an agency other than World Education Services (WES)?

Laney Graduate School requires WES services review.

Do I have to have a master’s degree to enter this program?

No.  Students can apply to the program with a BSN

Can I work/ be employed outside the program?

Any work/employment has to be approved by the program

How many hours can I work if approved?

Students are allowed to work 10 hours a week

Accreditation

Emory University undergoes accreditation at the university level and throughout our colleges and schools to ensure our educational programs meet the highest standards. The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is accredited by multiple organizations. For a list of accreditations, you can visit our Accreditations page.

Featured Story

Emory nursing doctoral students receive prestigious NIH predoctoral fellowship awards

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PhD Admissions

Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate or master’s degree in nursing from a U.S. program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or an international program with commensurate standards is required for admission to the PhD Program in Nursing.

Post-baccalaureate Students

Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in nursing must demonstrate exceptional academic qualifications, have clear research-oriented career goals, and choose a dissertation topic congruent with the research program of a Graduate Faculty member in the School of Nursing. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees must complete a nursing research and a graduate-level statistics course.

Applying for Admission

The following admission materials must be submitted online to the  Duke University Graduate School . Prospective applicants should familiarize themselves with the Graduate School requirements.

Official, confidential transcript(s) of all college-level coursework.

Optional GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores - Applicants can submit GRE scores should they feel the scores enhance their application. [Taken within the past 5 years]. For a free online GRE guide, see  http://www.greguide.com / . For free online GRE practice tests, see  http://www.greguide.com/gre-practice-tests.html . Or visit Go Grad for the GRE Guidebook .

Three letters of recommendation. These letters should be solicited from individuals with doctoral degrees who can address the applicant’s academic abilities and potential for doctoral study.

English language proficiency test scores. Foreign graduates must submit either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Language Testing System (IELTS) accepted, but IELTS is preferred.

Personal Statement. Applicants should submit a paper (1 - 2 typed pages, 12-point font, single-spaced) indicating:

Purposes and objectives for undertaking graduate study

Research interests and career goals

Strengths and weaknesses in the chosen field

A description of a prior research project or research participation and how this has influenced career choice and desire to pursue graduate studies

Reasons for choosing Duke for PhD studies

Name(s) of PhD Nursing faculty members in the School whose research program most closely fits with the applicant’s research interests.

The application and the $95 application fee must be received by December 1.

Holistic Admissions

The Duke University School of Nursing PhD Program is committed to holistic admissions. A holistic review is a university admissions strategy that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement such as grades and test scores. It is designed to help universities consider a broad range of factors reflecting the applicant’s academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success both in school and later as a professional.

Holistic review, when used in combination with a variety of other mission-based practices, constitutes a holistic admission process. Many colleges and universities have employed a holistic admission process to assemble a diverse class of students with the background, qualities, and skills needed for success in the profession.

As part of the Duke University School of Nursing PhD Program holistic review process, faculty review principles of holistic admissions prior to reviewing applications. The PhD Program Admissions Committee utilizes an adapted version of the Duke University Center for Exemplary Mentoring holistic admissions review rubric to guide the evaluation of each applicant.

Personal Interview

Applicants may be asked to interview by Zoom or come to campus for an interview. The School covers the costs for campus interview travel except for international travel. International applicants are interviewed via Zoom.

Duke University's Annual Clery Security Report as Mandated by Federal Statute 20 USC § 1092

The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report include institutional policies concerning campus safety and security, as well as statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Duke University property and on public property adjacent to campus and fires that have occurred in residence halls. A copy of this Report can be obtained by contacting the Duke Police Department at 684-4602 or writing to 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708, or by accessing:  duke.edu/police/news_stats/clery

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Learn more on recommended computer specifications and Duke Office of Information Technology-supported software here .

Students with Disabilities: Duke University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please get in touch with the Duke Student Disability Access Office  in advance of your participation or visit.

Nursing License

Students must hold a valid current nursing license in a U.S. state, preferably North Carolina. To obtain information about nurse licensure procedures for the State of North Carolina, consult the  Licensure/Listing Page of the North Carolina Board of Nursing website , or telephone the North Carolina Board of Nursing at (919) 782-3211. Exceptions to holding a U.S state nursing license for international students can be waived by the PhD Program Director.

All PhD in Nursing applicants are required to have a baccalaureate or master’s degree in nursing accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or an international nursing program with commensurate standards.

Applicants are expected to have completed a graduate-level statistics course prior to starting the program. This course must have been completed within the last 5 years.

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The Research Doctorate in Nursing: The PhD

When nurses are considering an advanced degree beyond the master’s level of educational preparation, a number of considerations may direct the decision-making process. The doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in nursing is a research degree that will well serve nurses who have the desire to apply theory and develop formal programs of research, become faculty of nursing, combine clinical practice with formal research, and advance through professional leadership in the ranks of hospitals and health systems organizations.

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PhD Education

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There is no doubt that education is the path for a nurse to achieve greater clinical expertise. At the same time, however, the nursing profession needs more nurses educated at the doctoral level to replenish the supply of faculty and researchers. The national shortage of faculty will soon reach critical proportions, having a significant impact on educational programs and their capacity to educate future generations of nursing students.

Although the number of doctorate programs has continued to increase, the total enrollment of students in these programs has remained fairly constant, resulting in a shortage of newly minted PhDs to renew faculty ranks.  As a result, approximately 50% of nursing faculty possess the doctorate as a terminal degree. Furthermore, with many advances being made in the treatment of chronic illnesses, there is a continuing need for research that assists patients in living with their illness.  This research requires individual investigators who are prepared on the doctoral level.

One reason there is a lack of nurses prepared at the doctoral level is that, compared with other professions, nurses have more interruptions in their careers. Many in the profession are females who work as nurses while fulfilling responsibilities as wives and mothers.  As a result, many pursue their education on a part-time basis. Also, the nursing profession traditionally has viewed clinical experience as being a prerequisite to graduate education. This career path results in fewer individuals completing the doctorate at an earlier stage in their career, thereby truncating their productivity as academics, researchers, and administrators. To reverse this trend, many nursing schools have developed programs that admit students into graduate (doctorate and master's) programs directly from their undergraduate or master's programs.

Nursing Research

When nurses do research for their doctorates, many people tend to think that it focuses primarily on nurses and nursing care. In reality, nurses carry out clinical research in a variety of areas, such as diabetes care, cancer care, and eating disorders. 

In the last thirty years, advances in medicine have involved, for the most part, advancing treatment not cures. In other words, no cure for the illness has been discovered, but treatment for that illness has improved. However, sometimes the treatment itself causes problems for patients, such as the unwelcome side effects of chemotherapy. Nurses have opportunities to devise solutions to problems like these through research, such as studies on how to manage the illness and its treatment, thereby allowing individuals to lead happy and productive lives.

The Curricula

Doctoral programs in nursing are aimed at preparing students for careers in health administration, education, clinical research, and advanced clinical practice. Basically, doctoral programs prepare nurses to be experts within the profession, prepared to assume leadership roles in a variety of academic and clinical settings, course work and research, students are trained as researchers and scholars to tackle complex health-care questions. Program emphasis may vary from a focus on health education to a concentration on policy research. The majority of doctoral programs confer the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, but some award the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS), and the Doctor of Education (EdD).

Doctoral nursing programs traditionally offer courses on the history and philosophy of nursing and the development and testing of nursing and other healthcare techniques, as well as the social, economic, political, and ethical issues important to the field. Data management and research methodology are also areas of instruction. Students are expected to work individually on research projects and complete a dissertation.

Doctoral programs allow study on a full- or part-time basis. For graduate students who are employed and therefore seek flexibility in their schedules, many programs offer courses on weekends and in the evenings.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for doctoral programs vary. Generally, a master's degree is necessary, but in some schools a master's degree is completed in conjunction with fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements. Standard requirements include an RN license, Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores, college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and an essay. Students applying for doctoral-level study should have a solid foundation in nursing and an interest in research. Programs are usually the equivalent of three to five years of full-time study.

Selecting a Doctoral Program

Selecting a doctoral program comes down to personal choice. Students work closely with professors, and, thus, the support and mentoring you receive while pursuing your degree is as vital as the quality of the facilities. The most important question is whether there is a "match" between your research interest and faculty research. Many of the same questions you would ask about baccalaureate and master's degree programs apply to doctoral programs. However, in a doctoral program, the contact with professors, the use of research equipment and facilities, and the program's flexibility in allowing you to choose your course of study are critical.

Some questions to consider asking include: Are there opportunities to present research findings at professional meetings? Is scholarship of faculty, alumni, and students presented at regional and national nursing meetings and subsequently published? Has the body of research done at a university enhanced the knowledge of nursing and health care?

Other questions to consider include: Does the university consider research a priority? Does the university have adequate funding for student research? Many nurses with doctorate degrees make the natural transition into an academic career, but there are many other career options available for nurses prepared at this level. For example, nurses prepared at the doctoral level are often hired by large consulting firms to work with others in designing solutions to health-care delivery problems. Others are hired by large hospital chains to manage various divisions, and some nurses with doctorate degrees are hired to manage complex healthcare systems at the executive level. On another front, they conduct research and formulate national and international healthcare policy. In short, because of the high level of education and a shortage of nurses prepared at this level, there are a number of options.

Salaries are related to the various positions.  Faculty salaries vary by the type of institution and by faculty rank, typically ranging from approximately $80,000 at the assistant professor level to over $115,000 at the professor level.  Salaries of nurse executives also vary, with the lowest salaries being in small rural hospitals and the highest being in complex university medical centers. Consultant salaries are wide ranging but often consist of a base plus some percentage of work contracted. Clinical and research positions vary considerably by the type of institution and the nature of the work.  Needless to say, a doctoral education does provide individuals with a wide range of opportunities, with salaries commensurate with the type and level of responsibilities. 

How to Become a Research Nurse

What is a research nurse.

• Career Outlook

Research Nurses, also referred to as Clinical Nurse Researchers or Nurse Researchers, develop and implement studies to investigate and provide information on new medications, vaccinations, and medical procedures. They assist in providing evidence-based research that is essential to safe and quality nursing care. This guide will explain what a Research Nurse does, how much they make, how to become one, and more!

Research nurses play a pivotal role in developing new and potentially life-saving medical treatments. Typically, clinical research nurses have advanced degrees, assist in the development of studies regarding medications, vaccines, and medical procedures, and also the care of research participants. 

Nurses that know they want to be a clinical research nurse will often work as a research assistant, a clinical data collector, and/or clinical research monitor. It is essential to gain some bedside experience, but not as important as other nursing specialties. 

Clinical research nurses have advanced degrees such as an MSN or Ph.D. This is vital to those that want to conduct independent research. For that reason, most clinical research nurses do not work in this field until they are in their 40s-50s.

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What does a research nurse do.

Research Nurses primarily conduct evidence-based research through these two types of research methods:

• Quantitative: Meaning it’s researched that can be measured via statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques.
• Phenomenology
• Grounded Theory
• Ethnography
• Narrative Inquiry

Clinical research nurses perform a variety of tasks, all centered around research. These specific job responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with industry sponsors and other investigators from multi-institutional studies
• Educating and training of new research staff
• Overseeing the running of clinical trials
• Administering questionnaires to clinical trial participants
• Writing articles and research reports in nursing or medical professional journals or other publications
• Monitoring research participants to ensure adherence to study rules
• Adhering to research regulatory standards
• Writing grant applications to secure funding for studies
• Reporting findings of research, which may include presenting findings at industry conferences, meetings and other speaking engagements
• Adhering to ethical standards
• Maintaining detailed records of studies as per FDA guidelines, including things such as drug dispensation
• Participating in subject recruitment efforts
• Ensuring the necessary supplies and equipment for a study are in stock and in working order
• Engaging with subjects and understanding their concerns
• Providing patients with thorough explanation of trial prior to obtaining Informed Consent, in collaboration with treating physician and provides patient education on an ongoing basis throughout the patient’s course of trial.

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Research Nurse Salary

Glassdoor.com states an annual median salary of $95,396 for Research Nurses and Payscale reports that Clinical Research Nurses earn an average annual salary of $75,217 or $36.86/hr . 

Research Nurse Salary by Years of Experience

Research Nurses can earn a higher annual salary with increased years of experience.

• Less than 1 year  of experience earn an average salary of $68,000
• 1-4 years of experience earn an average salary of $73,000
• 5-9 years of experience earns an average salary of $73,000
• 10-19 years of experience earns an average salary of $80,000
• 20 years or more of experience earns an average salary of $78,000

Via Payscale

To become a Research Nurse, you’ll need to complete the following steps:

Step 1: Attend Nursing School

You’ll need to earn either an ADN or a BSN from an accredited nursing program in order to take the first steps to become a registered nurse. 

Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-RN

Become a Registered Nurse by passing the NCLEX examination.

Step 3: Gain Experience at the Bedside

Though not as important as in some other nursing careers, gaining experience is still a vital step for those wanting to become Nurse Researchers. 

Step 4: Earn an MSN and/or Ph.D

Research Nurses typically need an advanced degree, so ADN-prepared nurses will need to complete an additional step of either completing their BSN degree or entering into an accelerated RN to MSN program which will let them earn their BSN and MSN at the same time. 

Step 5: Earn Your Certification

There are currently two certifications available for Clinical Research Nurses. They are both offered by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. 

• Clinical Research Association (CCRA)
• Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) 

These certifications are not specific to nurses but rather those that work in the research field. 

CCRA Certification

In order to be deemed eligible for the CCRA Certification exam, applicants must attest to having earned 3,000 hours of professional experience performing the knowledge and tasks located in the six content areas of the CRA Detailed Content Outline. Any experience older than ten years will not be considered.

What’s on the Exam?

• Scientific Concepts and Research Design
• Ethical and Participant Safety Considerations
• Product Development and Regulation
• Clinical Trial Operations (GCPs)
• Study and Site Management
• Data Management and Informatics

Exam Information

• Exam Fee: $435 Member; $485 Nonmember
• Exam Fee: $460 Member; $600 Nonmember
• Multiple choice examination with 125 questions (25 pretest non-graded questions)

CCRC Certification

In order to be deemed eligible for the CCRC Certification exam, applicants must attest to having earned 3,000 hours of professional experience performing the knowledge and tasks located in the six content areas of the CCRC Detailed Content Outline. Any experience older than ten years will not be considered.

Where Do Research Nurses Work?

Clinical Research nurses can work in a variety of locations, including:

• Government Agencies
• Teaching Hospitals
• Medical Clinics
• International Review Board
• Medicine manufacturing 
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Medical research organizations
• Research Organizations
• International Health Organizations
• Private practice
• Private and public foundations

What is the Career Outlook for a Research Nurse?

According to the BLS , from 2022 to 2032, there is an expected growth of 6% for registered nurses. With the aging population and nursing shortage, this number is expected to be even higher.

The BLS does identify medical scientists, which includes clinical research nurses, as having a growth potential of 10% between 2022-2032. 

What are the Continuing Education Requirements for a Research Nurse?

Generally, in order for an individual to renew their RN license, they will need to fill out an application, complete a specific number of CEU hours, and pay a nominal fee. Each state has specific requirements and it is important to check with the board of nursing prior to applying for license renewal.

 If the RN license is part of a compact nursing license, the CEU requirement will be for the state of permanent residence. Furthermore, some states require CEUs related to child abuse, narcotics, and/or pain management. 

A detailed look at Continuing Nurse Education hours can be found here .

Where Can I Learn More About Becoming a Research Nurse?

• American Nurses Association (ANA)
• Nurse Researcher Magazine
• National Institute of Nursing Research
• International Association of Clinical Research Nurses
• Association of Clinical Research Professionals
• Society of Clinical Research Associates
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Research Nurse FAQs

What is the role of a research nurse.

• Research nursing is a nursing practice with a specialty focus on the care of research participants. 

What makes a good Research Nurse?

• Research Nurses should be excellent communicators, have strong attention to detail, be self-assured, have strong clinical abilities, be flexible, autonomous, organized, and eager to learn new information.

How much does a Research Nurse make?

• Research nurses earn an average salary of $95,396 according to Glassdoor.com.

What is it like being a Research Nurse?

• Research Nurses provide and coordinate clinical care. Research Nurses have a central role in ensuring participant safety, maintaining informed consent, the integrity of protocol implementation, and the accuracy of data collection and data recording.

Kathleen Gaines (nee Colduvell) is a nationally published writer turned Pediatric ICU nurse from Philadelphia with over 13 years of ICU experience. She has an extensive ICU background having formerly worked in the CICU and NICU at several major hospitals in the Philadelphia region. After earning her MSN in Education from Loyola University of New Orleans, she currently also teaches for several prominent Universities making sure the next generation is ready for the bedside. As a certified breastfeeding counselor and trauma certified nurse, she is always ready for the next nursing challenge.

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Clinical research nurse roles.

Health Care Technician The Health Care Technician is a certified nursing assistant in the state of Maryland or has completed the Fundamentals of Nursing course work in a current accredited nursing program. This role supports the activities of the professional nurse by providing patient care functions to assigned patients while maintaining a safe environment.

Patient Care Technician The Patient Care Technician is a certified nursing assistant in the state of Maryland who supports the activities of the professional nurse by independently providing patient care functions to assigned patients while maintaining a safe environment.

Clinical Research Nurse I The Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) I has a nursing degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated state accrediting agency. The CRN I is a newly graduated registered nurse with 6 months or less of clinical nursing experience. The incumbent functions under the direction of an experienced nurse to provide patient care, while using professional judgment and sound decision making.

Clinical Research Nurse II The CRN II has a nursing degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated state accrediting agency and has practiced nursing at the NIH Clinical Center for at least 6 months. This nurse independently provides nursing care; identifies and communicates the impact of the research process on patient care; adjusts interventions based on findings; and reports issues/variances promptly to the research team. The CRN II administers research interventions; collects patient data according to protocol specifications; evaluates the patient response to therapy; and integrates evidence-based practice into nursing practice. The CRN II contributes to teams, workgroups and the nursing shared governance process. New skills and knowledge are acquired that are based on self-assessment, feedback from peers and supervisors, and changing clinical practice requirements.

Clinical Research Nurse III The CRN III has a nursing degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated state accrediting agency at the time the program was completed by the applicant.

The CRN III has practiced nursing at the NIH Clinical Center for at least 1 year. The role spans the professional nursing development from “fully competent” to “expert” nursing practice. The CRN III provides care to acute and complex patient populations, and utilizes appropriate professional judgment and critical decision making in planning and providing care. S/he masters all nursing skills and associated technology for a particular Program of Care and assists in assessing the competency of less experienced nurses. The CRN III participates in the planning of new protocol implementation on the patient care unit; administers research interventions; collects patient data according to protocol specifications; evaluates the patient’ response to therapy; responds to variances in protocol implementation; reports variances to the research team; integrates evidence-based practice into nursing practice; and evaluates patient outcomes. The CRN III assumes the charge nurse and preceptor roles as assigned. Formal and informal feedback is provided by the CRN III to peers and colleagues in support of individual growth and improvement of the work environment.

Senior Clinical Research Nurse The Senior CRN has a nursing degree or diploma from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated state accrediting agency at the time the program was completed by the applicant.

The Senior CRN serves as a leader in all aspects of nursing practice. S/he demonstrates expertise in the nursing process; professional judgment and decision making; planning and providing nursing care; and knowledge of the biomedical research process. The Senior CRN utilizes basic leadership principles and has an ongoing process of questioning and evaluating nursing practice. 

The Senior CRN may have one of three foci:

Specialty Practice- as a clinical expert for a designated patient population or program of care Management- Clinical Manager The Senior CRN-Clinical Manager (CM) is an experienced staff nurse who collaborates with the Nurse Manager and other departmental leadership to assist with operations and management of a patient care area. The CM supervises the delivery of high quality patient care and assures the appropriate use of resources (i.e. staffing, rooms, etc.). The CM interacts with the research teams and support services to promote positive patient care outcomes and maintain protocol integrity. The CM models effective leadership, outstanding communication skills, while promoting a safe, supportive and professional environment. Education- Clinical Educator The Senior CRN-Clinical Educator (CE) is an experienced staff nurse who collaborates with the Nurse Manager and other departmental leadership to oversee educational needs of unit staff. The CE develops/coordinates/evaluates orientation for new unit staff, trains/mentors unit preceptors, serves as a liaison/resource for departmental/Clinical Center/professional educational opportunities, identifies educational needs, coordinates unit in-services, and plans unit educational days. The CE designs, implements and evaluates learning experiences for all staff levels to acquire, maintain, or increase their knowledge and competence. The Clinical Educator teaches at the unit and departmental level.

Nurse Manager The Nurse Manager has 3 to 5 years of recent management experience; advanced preparation (Masters Degree) is preferred. The Nurse Manager has experience in change management, creative leadership and program development; an demonstrates strong communication and collaboration skills to foster an effective partnership with institute personnel.. The Nurse Manager demonstrates a high level of knowledge in a particular specialty practice area and utilizes advanced leadership skills to meet organization goals.

Nurse Educators Nurse Educators play a critical role in preparing staff for an ever-changing clinical research environment. The roles and responsibilities of Nurse Educators are based on the Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) Scope and Standards, and includes: onboarding/orientation, competency management, education, collaborative practice, role development, and inquiry. Nurse Educators function as educators, facilitators, change agents, consultants, researchers, and leaders in the organization.

Clinical Nurse Specialist The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) has a Masters or Doctorate Degree in Nursing from a state-approved school of nursing accredited by either the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with a major in the clinical nursing specialty to which the nurse is assigned. The CNS has a minimum of 5 years experience, is certified in a specialty area, and is accountable for a specific patient population within a specialized program of care.

Nurse Consultant The Nurse Consultant serves as an expert advisor and program manager for a specific area of clinical administration or clinical practice management. The incumbent serves as liaison to Clinical Center departments and the ICs for issues related area of expertise and assigned responsibility and to provide communication and consultative services to all credentialed nurses at the Clinical Center.

Nurse Scientist The Nurse Scientist is a nurse with advanced preparation (PhD in nursing or related field) in research principles and methodology, who also has expert content knowledge in a specific clinical area. The primary focus of the role is to (1) provide leadership in the development, coordination and management of clinical research studies; (2) provide mentorship for nurses in research; (3) lead evaluation activities that improve outcomes for patients participating in research studies at the Clinical Center; and (4) contribute to the overall health sciences literature. The incumbent is expected to develop a portfolio of independent research that provides the vehicle for achieving these primary objectives.

Program Director The Program Director serves as the supervisor of a group of expert advisors for a specific area of nursing expertise (education, recruitment and outreach, safety and quality, staffing and workforce planning). The incumbent coordinates, implements, and oversees all the operations of the program they oversee. They serve as the liaison to other Clinical Center departments and the ICs for issues related area of expertise and assigned responsibility and to provide communication and consultative services to all credentialed nurses at the Clinical Center.

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This page last updated on 05/15/2024

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PhD in Nursing

PhD: Advancing the profession through research

The PhD program at the MSU College of Nursing is for those nurses who wish to become scientists while advancing their career — and the profession — through research and evidence-based nursing practice.

The college offers full-time, part-time, and hybrid options for the PhD in Nursing program, and is highly customizable to the student's area of research interest.

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The college currently focuses on three areas of research:

Health promotion and illness prevention;, symptom science and management; and, health services research, view some of our research here.

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The Michigan Ph.D.

As part of an institution that is ranked #1 in research volume among public research universities, the U-M School of Nursing offers exceptional opportunities for Ph.D. students. Our robust research infrastructure will afford you access to the resources necessary to pursue your scholarly interests, including funding that enables you to be a full-time student, interdisciplinary connections with scholars throughout U-M and one-on-one mentorship from our world-renowned faculty.

Is a Ph.D. right for me?

Meet the U-M School of Nursing Ph.D. program director and learn more about what sets our program apart. Get the insight you need to determine if our Ph.D. program is right for you and how your identity as a nurse can continue to influence nursing practice within the health care system.  

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Explore the Michigan Ph.D.

In order to meet the diverse needs within the field of nursing and the goals of the student, this course of study provides flexibility. The program prepares nurses who are competent in research design, data analysis and inferential processes, and thus capable of pursuing research related to the delivery of patient care and developing theory, oriented toward the application of nursing practice. Learn more about important program details, including: curriculum, costs, dissertation grants and mentoring.

Program Info

Meet current students and alumni of our Ph.D. program and learn firsthand about their experience as Ph.D. students and their relationship with their U-M School of Nursing mentor.

Research at the U-M School of Nursing & Program Details

As one of the first nursing schools in America to offer a Ph.D. in nursing, we have a rich history of research and innovation. We work to develop researchers who will make discoveries that positively affect patients and the health care system as a whole. U-M School of Nursing aims to lead as an interdisciplinary partner in expansive areas dedicated to improving all aspects of health.

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Home / Getting Your Ph.D. in Nursing

Getting Your Ph.D. in Nursing

Becoming a ph.d. nurse, what does a ph.d. nurse do, ph.d. nurse salary & employment, ph.d. vs. dnp in nursing, helpful organizations, societies, and agencies, what is a ph.d. nurse.

A Ph.D. nurse is one who has completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree. A Ph.D., or doctoral degree, is the highest level of education a nurse can achieve. Different from a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which focuses on advanced clinical practice, a Ph.D. in Nursing program is a research and science-focused degree that prepares nurses for careers conducting important medical research that will advance the entire nursing profession and for teaching nursing at the college level.

In order to become a Ph.D. nurse, of course, nurses must complete a Ph.D. in nursing program, which generally takes 4 to 6 years to finish. An aspiring Ph.D. nurse must have a strong interest in conducting medical research and/or teaching future nurses. Strong leadership skills are also important, as many Ph.D. nurses go on to supervise and mentor other nurses, whether they work in scientific research, management, or teaching capacity.

What Are the Educational Requirements For a Ph.D. Nurse Program?

A Ph.D. in Nursing program is known as a terminal degree, meaning it is the highest level of education for the nursing profession (in addition to the DNP degree, another separate nursing doctorate program track). Prior to entering a Ph.D. program, nurses must complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. In some cases, applicants to a Ph.D. in Nursing program must also complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, which provides advanced education in nursing practice with courses in pharmacology, pathophysiology, and clinical practice.

Educational Prerequisites

Specific requirements to complete a Ph.D. in Nursing program will vary slightly from school to school. Schools offer Ph.D. in Nursing programs in traditional classroom formats, as well as online and hybrid styles that combine in-person study with online coursework. In addition to a variety of formats for Ph.D. in Nursing programs, students can also sometimes opt to take these programs on a full-time or part-time basis to suit their personal schedules.

The curriculum for a Ph.D. in Nursing program is research-focused, with coursework in advanced scientific research principles, data analysis, and statistical measurement. Ph.D. programs generally culminate in a dissertation and original research project. As an example of Ph.D. curriculum, below is a selection of courses offered by the Medical University of South Carolina as part of their online Ph.D. in Nursing Science program:

• Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Advanced Statistical Methods for Nursing Research
• Advanced Study Design and Methods
• Advanced Health Policy & Advocacy
• Research Team Leadership

A Ph.D. nurse conducts scientific research that advances the nursing profession. The knowledge that Ph.D. nurses gather and present as a part of their scientific research powers positive change in the quality of patient care and outcomes in the entire nursing field. In addition to their role as nurse scientists, Ph.D. nurses also teach and mentor nurses at the college/university level, working to shape the next generation of nurses.

What Are the Roles and Duties of a Ph.D. Nurse?

The majority of Ph.D. nurses pursue careers in either the research or teaching fields, so their day-to-day duties will vary depending on which career track they have chosen.

For a nurse researcher , typical duties may include:

• Identify research questions, and design and conduct scientific research in partnership with other scientists from various fields
• Collect and analyze scientific data and publish reports detailing findings
• Write proposals and apply for grants to help fund their research
• Establish and maintain quality assurance programs to ensure the validity of their data findings
• Train and supervise laboratory staff and other nurses or scientists

For a Ph.D.  nurse educator who has chosen to pursue a faculty position, typical duties may include:

• Plan, prepare, and revise curriculum and study materials for nursing courses
• Deliver lectures to undergraduate and graduate level nursing students
• Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work
• Grade students' classwork, laboratory, and clinical performance
• Mentor and advise students regarding their future work in the nursing industry

For faculty members who pursue department chair or administration roles, additional duties may include:

• Hire, supervise and conduct performance reviews of faculty members
• Assist with the scheduling of classes and professors
• Oversee department curriculum and provide quality control as to the content and materials of given nursing courses

Workplace Settings

A Ph.D. nurse can work in a variety of settings, depending on the career path he or she has chosen. A Ph.D. nurse may find employment at a hospital, medical laboratory, research facility, or university as a research scientist, or may work at a nursing school, college, or university as a faculty member or department chair. In some cases, a Ph.D. nurse may also work as a public health nurse in a government setting, helping to develop research-based solutions to public health issues.

Salaries for Ph.D. nurses vary based on the type of employment a nurse seeks after graduation. Nurse researchers, a primary career path for Ph.D. nurses, can expect a median salary of $90,000 according to Payscale.com. For Ph.D. nurses who pursue a teaching position, the median annual wage for post-secondary nursing instructors is $77,440 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2021. Geographical location, career length, and experience level are all factors that can influence a Ph.D. nurse's annual salary.

The nursing profession as a whole has a particularly bright employment outlook, with the employment of registered nurses projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030 according to the BLS. In addition, a large number of healthcare facilities are looking for nursing professionals with higher degrees, which means the demand for Ph.D. and DNP level nurses will continue to grow. In fact, the Institute of Medicine 's 2015 "The Future of Nursing Report" emphasized the need for more Ph.D. level nurses.

As there are two doctorate-level nursing program types to choose from, there may be some confusion as to the differences between a Ph.D. nursing program and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The primary difference between the two programs relates to nurses' career aspirations. A DNP program trains nurses to perform the highest level of nursing practice and to translate research into high-quality patient care, while a Ph.D. program prepares nurses to conduct cutting-edge research that will advance the science of nursing and patient care. In addition to research positions, a Ph.D. program prepares nurses for leadership and teaching positions at hospitals and colleges/universities. To simplify, a DNP is a nursing practice doctorate degree, while a Ph.D. is a research and teaching doctorate.

Other key differences between DNP and Ph.D. programs are curriculum and program length. A typical DNP program includes courses on advanced nursing practice, leadership, and management topics and requires patient care clinical hours as well as a final capstone project. A Ph.D. program includes coursework on research methodologies, data analysis, and healthcare leadership and policy, and requires students to complete original research and a dissertation. In general, a Ph.D. program takes longer to complete than a DNP program, with Ph.D. programs taking an average of 4 to 6 years to complete and a DNP program taking 3 to 4 years, but can be completed in as little as 2 years depending on the school and program chosen.

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• American Nurses Association
• International Association of Clinical Research Nurses
• National Institute of Nursing Research

DNP vs. Ph.D. in Nursing: What’s the Difference?

• DNP vs. PH.D. Nursing Compared

Duties and Responsibilities

• Education and Certification

Salary and Career Outlook

• Which Is Best?

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Nurses who have already earned a masters degree and are looking to pursue the next step in their education have two options: doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in nursing.

Both degrees offer nurses a variety of professional opportunities, allowing them to utilize their expertise to benefit the field of nursing.

This guide outlines the differences in earning a DNP vs. a Ph.D. in nursing, and what opportunities lay ahead for graduates of either program. In understanding the roles and responsibilities of each, nurses can determine which degree is right for them.

DNP and Ph.D. in Nursing Key Similarities and Differences

A DNP and Ph.D. are both terminal degrees, meaning they are the highest degree a nurse can earn. Regardless of their choice of program, interested nurses need a bachelor of science (BSN) degree in nursing, an active and unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license, and clinical experience before gaining admittance to either doctorate program.

While a DNP and Ph.D. are both advanced degrees, they prepare nurses for different roles within the nursing field. DNP programs focus on educating nurses who want to pursue leadership roles in a clinical setting. Ph.D. programs provide nurses with an education to pursue academic or research-based positions.

What is a DNP?

A DNP is an advanced degree for nurses who want to become experts in clinical nursing. The degree is an alternative to research-centric doctoral programs, and provides nurses with skills and training to work at an advanced level in the nursing field.

What is a Ph.D. in Nursing?

Earning a Ph.D. in nursing prepares graduates for work either in academia or research settings. Graduates often pursue faculty positions with academic institutions or in a career that involves performing research in a medical laboratory.

Source: Payscale

Popular DNP Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

The roles of a nurse with a DNP vs. a Ph.D. in nursing are fundamentally different. The former focuses on clinical work, whereas the latter is geared more toward research and education.

Their duties revolve around those two major areas. As such, DNPs are more likely to work with patients, while Ph.D graduates focus on educating nurses and analyzing medical practices.

What Can You Do With a DNP?

Nurses with a DNP are considered expert clinicians who are prepared for the highest level of nursing practice.

Upon earning the degree, nurses can choose to focus on leadership and administrative roles (e.g., nurse administrator, public health, healthcare policy, informatics) nursing education (e.g.,clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator), or clinical care (e.g.,certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner).

After earning a DNP, nurses’ responsibilities may include:

• Diagnose and treat patients
• Prescribe medications
• Order various diagnostic tests
• Handle patient complains
• Consult on complex cases
• Implement policy changes

Keep in mind that some DNP programs are for roles (clinical nurse specialist, nurse educator) that will not have authorization to perform some of the above responsibilities.

What Can You Do With a Ph.D. in Nursing?

Nurses with a Ph.D. often focus on the areas of education and research. They may design studies and conduct research on clinical practices, nursing education, health systems, and public policy.

People with a Ph.D. in nursing often find employment in academic, business, or governmental settings. Overall, nurses with a Ph.D.can:

• Design, conduct, and publish research
• Develop new nursing knowledge and methods
• Utilize research results to improve nursing outcomes
• Write proposals and apply for grants to fund research
• Mentor and advise students
• Compose curriculum for nursing courses

Education Prerequisites

When looking to earn either a DNP or Ph.D., most programs require applicants to have similar prerequisites. Institutions often look for candidates who have attained an undergraduate degree, are actively able to practice nursing, and can meet certain academic requirements.

How to Earn a DNP

To apply for a DNP degree program, candidates need a BSN or master of science in nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution, a GPA of at least 3.0, and an active nursing license.

Once enrolled, students can choose an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) role such as clinical nurse practitioner (CNP), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse-midwife (CNM), or certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).

CNPs and CNSs then choose a population focus (i.e., neonatal, pediatrics, womens health, psychiatric-mental health). DNP candidates often focus on a research or capstone project throughout their entire program.

The program can last 2-4 years, and full-time students are able to earn their degree faster than their part-time counterparts. Students participate in courses on informatics, health policy, healthcare delivery systems, evidence-based practice, and project management.

Learners must also complete a total of 1,000 clinical hours, 500 of which can stem from a previous masters program that resulted in national certification. Learners with previous hours may become more common as some programs, like CRNA, transition from MSN to DNP-only.

How to Earn a Ph.D. in Nursing

To get accepted to a Ph.D. program, candidates need a BSN or MSN from an accredited program, a 3.0 to 3.5 minimum GPA, and an active nursing license. Applicants must also provide a CV or resume, professional references, and a personal statement.

The length of a Ph.D. program ranges from 4-6 years depending on the status of the student (full-time vs. part-time). The curriculum revolves around theory, analysis, and statistics, with students taking classes in grant writing, research design, and research methods. Since their work takes place within education and research, Ph.D. candidates are not required to complete clinical hours.

Upon program completion, DNP and Ph.D. graduates may benefit from a higher earning potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a steady need over the next decade for nurses with advanced training.

Ultimately, degree type, specialization, and population focus dictate the average annual salary and the type of demand nurses should anticipate.

$107,000 Average Annual DNP Salary

$99,000 Average Annual Ph.D. in Nursing Salary

DNP in Nursing Salary and Career Outlook

While the average salary of nurses with DNPs is approximately $107,000, their chosen specialization impacts their earning potential and demand. DNP-holders working a CRNAs average $164,340 per year, according to July 2022 Payscale data, while those who work in pediatrics earn $92,030 .

Not only do CRNAs earn the highest average salary, but they are also one of the most in-demand specializations; the BLS projects a job growth rate of 45%, significantly higher than the 9% average for all other professions.

Another main factor that influences DNP earning potential is years of experience. Entry-level nurses earn an average annual salary of approximately $87,000 , according to July 2022 Payscale data. Whereas those with more than 20 years of experience can earn upwards of $187,000 depending upon the specialization.

Ph.D. in Nursing Salary and Career Outlook

Much like nurses with a DNP, the salary of one with a Ph.D. varies based on focus. According to the BLS , nurse educators with a Ph.D. can receive upwards of $125,930 annually.

While all nurses with advanced degrees continue to be in demand, Ph.D. graduates who choose to become educators can especially benefit from this need. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing , nursing schools had to turn away over 80,000 qualified applicants in 2019 due to the shortage of educators.

Many states are looking to provide incentives to nurses who choose to become educators, thereby increasing the benefit of selecting this role.

DNP vs. Ph.D. in Nursing: Which Degree is Right For Me?

Deciding which degree works best depends upon a nurse’s personal and professional goals. The degrees lead nurses down two fairly distinct paths – one clinical and one research-oriented.

DNP and Ph.D. graduates are both in high demand and have above-average earning potential. The degrees differ in time commitment and responsibilities.

Nurses who prefer to work in a clinical capacity either directly with patients or in a nursing leadership role should pursue a DNP. Graduates often find themselves in a variety of clinical settings, such as hospitals, specialty practices, or public health offices.

Learners more interested in preparing future nurses or conducting research that aids in the development of new and effective nursing methods should pursue a Ph.D. Nurse Ph.D. graduates often use their expertise in settings such as colleges and universities, research facilities, medical laboratories, and government agencies.

Related Pages

Why Get a Doctorate in Nursing (DNP)?

Graduating with a doctoral degree in nursing can advance careers, increase salaries, and lead to rewarding jobs. Learn why and how to become a DNP.

Online DNP Programs of 2024

Explore the top online DNP programs. Learn about on-campus requirements, accreditation, cost, and program length while choosing your next career step.

Types of Nursing Degrees and Levels

Learn about the types of nursing degrees available and how to launch your career in this field. Explore in-demand job opportunities and earning potential.

Page last reviewed: May 6, 2022

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Doctoral education, advanced practice and research: An analysis by nurse leaders from countries within the six WHO regions

a College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States of America

Hugh McKenna

b School of Nursing, Ulster University, UK

Patricia Davidson

c Wollongong University, Australia

Helena Leino-Kilpi

d Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland

Andrea Baumann

e Global Health, WHO Collaborating Centre in Primary Care Nursing & Health Human Resources, McMaster University, Canada

Hester Klopper

f Stellenboscch University, South Africa

Naeema Al-Gasseer

g WHO Representative in Egypt, Egypt

Wipada Kunaviktikul

h Health Science Affairs and School of Nursing, Panyapiwat Institute of Management, Thailand

Suresh K. Sharma

i College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India

Carla Ventura

j WHO Collaborating Center, College of Nursing, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

k College of Nursing, Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea

Associated Data

Doctoral education, advanced practice and research are key elements that have shaped the advancement of nursing. Their impact is augmented when they are integrated and synergistic. To date, no publications have examined these elements holistically or through an international lens. Like a three-legged stool they are inter-reliant and interdependent. Research is integral to doctoral education and influential in informing best practice. This significance and originality of this discussion paper stem from an analysis of these three topics, their history, current status and associated challenges. It is undertaken by renowned leaders in 11 countries within the six World Health Organisation (WHO) regions: South Africa, Egypt, Finland, United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, United States, India, Thailand, Australia, and the Republic of Korea. The first two authors used a purposive approach to identify nine recognized nurse leaders in each of the six WHO regions. These individuals have presented and published papers on one or more of the three topics. They have led, or currently lead, large strategic organisations in their countries or elsewhere. All these accomplished scholars agreed to collect relevant data and contribute to the analysis as co-authors. Doctoral education has played a pivotal role in advancing nurse scholarship. Many Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) prepared nurses become faculty who go on to educate and guide future nurse researchers. They generate the evidence base for nursing practice, which contributes to improved health outcomes. In this paper, the development of nursing doctoral programmes is examined. Furthermore, PhDs and professional doctorates, including the Doctor of Nursing Practice, are discussed, and trends, challenges and recommendations are presented. The increasing number of advanced practice nurses worldwide contributes to better health outcomes. Nonetheless, this paper shows that the role remains absent or underdeveloped in many countries. Moreover, role ambiguity and role confusion are commonplace and heterogeneity in definitions and titles, and regulatory and legislatorial inconsistencies limit the role's acceptance and adoption. Globally, nursing research studies continue to increase in number and quality, and nurse researchers are becoming partners and leaders in interdisciplinary investigations. Nonetheless, this paper highlights poor investment in nursing research and a lack of reliable data on the number and amount of funding obtained by nurse researchers. The recommendations offered in this paper aim to address the challenges identified. They have significant implications for policy makers, government legislators and nurse leaders.

What is already known about the topic

• • As individual topics, nursing doctoral education, advanced practice and nursing research have been the subjects of many papers in national journals or in specialty journals.
• • Nurse doctoral education is the main feeder route for capacity building in nursing research.
• • Significant differences exist internationally regarding the number and type of doctoral education and advanced nursing practice programmes, and the extent and impact of nursing research.

What this paper adds

• • Analysis of advances in the three topics is presented holistically by leaders/scholars of 11 countries representing the six WHO regions. Originality and the authenticity of their lived experience/observations as prominent leaders in strategic positions underpin the authority of this paper.
• • Data based on the up-to-date literature provide a comprehensive, global view of nurses’ demographic profile, current status of two types of nursing doctoral programmes, advanced nursing practice and nursing research.
• • Challenges and recommendations for addressing these are presented to provide direction and a road map for nurses worldwide.

Introduction

The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2020) highlighted that the global nursing workforce is 27.9 million, representing 59% of total healthcare workers. Doctoral education, advanced practice, and research ensure that such a workforce not only contributes to health and wellbeing but is vibrant and sustainable. Their advancement in one country can help drive their progression in others and enhance nursing's impact globally. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) prepared nurses are necessary for the development of nursing research, scholarly leadership and the education of the future workforce.

Informed by such developments, advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) can make transformative changes to the lives of patients, families, and communities. It should be noted that the Advanced Practice Nurse acronym, APN, is employed in some countries but for the sake of consistency, ANP will be used in this paper.

There is a lack of published papers that examine doctoral education, advanced practice and research in an integrated way and take an international perspective. This makes it difficult to obtain a comprehensive understanding of nursing's progress internationally. This paper goes some way in addressing this and, in the process, provide a degree of originality and significance to the extant knowledge base.

Advanced nursing practice “… is characterised by high-level autonomous decision-making, including assessing, diagnosing and treating patients with complex multidimensional problems. ANPs have the authority to refer, admit and discharge within defined clinical areas .” ( Chief Nursing Officer Directorate, 2017 , page 12). Similar definitions are common in many countries where ANPs work independently without medical direction or supervision. The WHO (2020) identified 78 countries as having ANP roles. The effects of such roles were outlined in a recent systematic review by Htay and Whitehead (2021) . They found positive impacts on patient satisfaction, waiting times, control of chronic diseases, and cost-effectiveness, especially when directly compared to medical practitioner-led care.

The exponential growth in nursing research globally has been highlighted ( Im et al., 2020 ). They have reported trends related to demographic alterations, individualised or personal care, population health initiatives, health policies and regulations, and nursing workforce changes. However, such trends rely on a growing cohort of PhD prepared nurses and the availability of sufficient and accessible sources of research funding. This paper provides insights into the challenges relating to how and where nurses access such funding.

This discussion paper aims to

• 1 describe the current state of nursing doctoral education, advanced practice, and research in selected countries within the six WHO regions;
• 2 discuss these three topics from the perspectives of 11 nurse leaders who live and work in the six WHO regions;
• 3 outline and discuss the challenges relating to the three topics; and
• 4 offer recommendations to address the challenges and in the process contribute to advancing understanding within the nursing profession.

The authors

This is not a research paper in the true sense; rather it is a discussion paper that aims to gather views and data from a select group of nurses who are scholars/researchers with extensive experience in leadership positions. A purposive approach was employed in recruiting them. They have all presented and published on one or more of the three topics, meaning that they can identify and understand the related challenges. Therefore, they are accomplished scholars with reputable profiles, who are leaders within and outside their respective WHO regions.

The first two authors have had research collaborations with nurses from many different countries ( Kim et al., 2015 ). They identified the co-authors from collaborative research projects, and from publications and presentations at international conferences. All nine of the research leaders accepted the invitation to co-author this discussion paper. In total, ten Zoom meetings were held to share progress, discuss salient points and incorporate their insights into the development of the manuscript. Virtual meetings, numerous emails and telephone calls via WhatsApp and Kakao clarified any outstanding issues and ensured their full co-operation and contribution.

Demographic profiles

It was important to gauge the percentage of doctorally prepared nurses. In the 11 participating countries, the percentage of those with PhD degrees in nursing ranged from 0.05% in Egypt to 4.7% in Brazil (see Table 1 ). It was acknowledged that some nurses also possessed PhDs in other subjects such as psychology, sociology, and education. While they may also make a valued contribution to nursing, no reliable data exist as to their numbers or career options, and they were not included in Table 1 .

Demographic data.

AFR: African Region; EMR: Eastern Mediterranean Region; EUR: European Region; AMR: Region of the Americas; SEAR: South-East Asian Region; WPR: Western Pacific Region; UK: United Kingdom; US: United States; RN: registered nurse.

It was considered important to examine differences in the nurse to population ratios. In a small number of databases, nursing data were not separated from that of midwifery, and this is a limitation. Table 1 shows wide variations in the density of nursing and midwifery per 1000 of population. In Finland, the figure is 14.3 per 1000 populations, whereas in South Africa it is 1.1 per 1000. Examining the data by WHO regions, the variations are even more stark, with one nurse per 121 people in the Region of the Americas and one per 973 people in the African Region ( WHO, 2021 ).

It might be assumed that the ratio of nurses to medical doctors could provide some insights into the development of advanced nurse practitioners. A higher ratio might signal the possibility of advanced nurse practitioners working independently. Table 1 shows that the ratio varied from 0.8 in Brazil to 4.4 in Finland. The United States (US), Canada, Thailand, Australia, and the Republic of Korea all had ratios higher than 3.0. Nurses outnumber physicians in most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries with slightly less than three nurses to every doctor ( OECD, 2021 ).

The data in Table 2 seem to support the above assumption for Finland, Canada, Australia, and Thailand. The existence of an advanced nursing role is more common in countries with a low density of medical doctors. This suggests that more professional autonomy for nurses might be a policy response to mitigate for the shortages of medical doctors ( WHO, 2020 ).

Data on nursing doctoral programme, advanced nursing practice, and research.

AFR: African Region; EMR: Eastern Mediterranean Region; EUR: European Region; AMR: Region of the Americas; SEAR: South-East Asian Region; WPR: Western Pacific Region; UK: United Kingdom; US: United States; PhD: Doctor of Philosophy; DNS: Doctor of Nursing Science; UNESP: Universidade Estadual Paulista; UFSC: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; ND: Doctor of Nursing; DNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice; ANP: advanced nurse practitioner; FPA: full practice authority; NP: nurse practitioner; CAPES: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel; NCNR: National Center for Nursing Research; NIH: National Institute of Health.

A rigorous content analysis of the challenges identified by authors was carried out by two independent nurse experts (not co-authors), using the methods of Graneheim and Lundman (2004) . Any inconsistencies were discussed and agreed. The challenges identified in each of the 11 countries showed similarities and these will be presented in the following sections.

International perspective on nursing doctoral programmes

This section explores the data presented in Tables 1 and ​ and2 2 and the insights provided by authors. It shows the trends in doctoral education and related challenges (Aims #1,2,3). Professional doctorates (e.g., Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Science) have emerged in nursing as alternatives to the traditional PhD. These are often tailored to nurses in clinical or managerial roles. Hence, where available, the data include the number of PhD and professional doctorate programmes across the 11 countries and when they first commenced.

The region of the Americas

The first PhD in nursing programme in the US was at New York University in 1934 ( Dreher and Glasgow, 2017 ). PhD programmes were the mainstay until the nursing doctorate was launched in 1979 by Case Western Reserve University and the first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programme was introduced in 2001 at the University of Kentucky. Between 2007 and 2019, the number of PhD programmes increased from 113 to 135 (a 19% increase), whereas the DNP programmes grew from 53 to 357 (a 573% increase) ( American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2020 ; Dreher and Glasgow, 2017 ).

The first Canadian doctoral programme in nursing was established on January 1, 1991, at the University of Alberta. Since then, government-funded PhD fellowships have become available to help students with tuition fees and expenses. Graduate-level funding is also available for nurses registered on doctoral programmes, but it is much less than what nurses can earn clinically. Currently, there are no Canadian universities offering professional doctorates.

In Brazil, there is great diversity in nursing doctoral programmes, with the PhD being the preferred doctoral route. Nurses with PhDs are expected to serve as leaders in widely different spheres of practice. These roles focus on the interdependence of the social determinants of health and global health conditions ( Mendes et al., 2020 ). Although the Brazilian National Graduate Plan (2011–2020) was intended to prioritise doctoral education, there are no such programmes in the northern region of the country. However, there are two professional nursing doctoral programmes in the south and southeast regions, with the key goal of enhancing nursing practice.

The European region

The United Kingdom (UK) was the first country in Europe to introduce nursing PhDs with the first nurse graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 1961. Traditionally, nurses enrolled for PhDs in other subjects such as sociology, psychology, and education. Currently, there are 91 universities in the UK (out of 157) offering nursing PhDs ( UK Research and Innovation, 2022 ). The first Doctorate of Nursing Science (DNSc) in Europe was offered at Ulster University in 1995. In the following years, a small number of UK universities provided professional doctorates, with a plethora of different titles (e.g., DNS, DNSc). However, such programmes have become less popular, and the PhD has retained its position as the doctorate of choice for nurses ( McKenna, 2018 ).

In Finland, the doctoral degree is the PhD (since 1979 in nursing science), which is cost free for European Union citizens and those within the European Economic Area. Doctoral students are supported through a national collaborative network in nursing science (Finnish Doctoral Education Network in Nursing Science) . There is also a Baltic/Nordic network, and the European Academy of Nursing Science, established in 1998 to provide doctoral summer schools for PhD students ( European Academy of Nursing Science, 2021 ). Finnish universities also have postdoctoral nursing programmes and while these play a major role in building careers and research capacity in nursing, they are not numerous, a trend seen in all 11 countries represented in this paper.

The Eastern Mediterranean region

In Egypt, the University of Alexandria started a PhD for nurses in 1971, producing its first graduates in 1975. Since then, the number of programmes has increased considerably. Thirteen out of 23 public colleges offer PhDs in nursing. To date, there have been no professional doctorates in nursing, but in March 2021, Egypt's Prime Minister's Resolution # 466 proposed to establish an Egyptian Doctor of Nursing Practice.

The African region

In 1967, the University of Pretoria in South Africa was the first university in the African region to offer a PhD in Nursing Science. By 2021, 18 out of 26 universities were accredited to offer such PhDs. This has raised the profile of nursing scholarship in the country. To date, South Africa has no professional doctorate programmes for nursing.

The South-East Asian region

In India, the first PhD in nursing was provided in 1984 at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh. In 2006, the Indian Nursing Council, in partnership with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bangalore, launched a national consortium for PhDs in nursing ( Hayter et al., 2019 ). The nursing PhD programmes have been heavily oversubscribed. There are currently no professional doctorate programmes for nurses in India.

In Thailand, the first nursing PhD programme was introduced in 1984, with a focus on public health nursing. Because of low numbers of doctorally prepared nursing faculty, a collaborative doctorate in nursing science was launched in 1990 by four Thai universities. Seven years later, as each developed its own resources, they began offering their own PhD programmes. Currently, eight nursing PhD programmes are provided across Thailand. There is only one professional doctorate programme (i.e., DNS), focusing on practice enhancement.

The Western Pacific region

In contrast to the very nursing-based genesis of doctoral degrees seen elsewhere, nursing PhD degrees in Australia have been influenced by institutions, with a strong focus on multidisciplinary research. As in many other countries, debates, and discussions on the professional doctorates versus the PhD have occurred in Australia. There are a small number of professional doctoral programmes, with the preferred pathway being the PhD. The reasons for this are complex and multifaceted and have been influenced by the limited discussion, debate and endorsement of professional doctoral programmes.

The Republic of Korea had the first nursing PhD programme in Asia in 1978 at Yonsei University ( Kim et al., 2012 ). By 2019, the number had increased to 47 ( Korean Nurses Association, 2020 ). Although doctoral programmes have contributed to producing Korean nurse leaders in nursing education, research and policy ( Oh et al., 2014 ), their rapid growth has raised concerns regarding programme quality and inadequate financial support, issues noted in other Asian countries ( Molassiotis et al., 2020 ). While initial discussions have begun around professional doctorate programmes in nursing, none currently exist in Korea.

International challenges for nursing doctoral education

Table 2 shows that the PhD is the doctorate of choice in most of the countries. The US is the exception, with the exponential growth in the Doctor of Nursing Practice. Both doctoral routes have benefits. This greater focus on the PhD is advantageous for nursing science, providing a cohort of future research leaders. Conversely, DNP nurses advance nursing practice in clinical settings and teach students at schools of nursing as clinical faculty.

The lack of funding for full-time PhD study leading to nurses delaying or undertaking part-time study over a more prolonged period is a pervading issue. In addition, the poor support for postdoctoral careers in nursing is a perennial problem ( McKenna, 2021 ). Other challenges are the absence of reliable national databases on the number of PhD prepared nurses and nursing PhD programmes worldwide. It could be argued that if we do not know baseline figures, how will we know if nursing's research capacity is increasing or diminishing. The challenge of limited cross-country collaboration on doctoral education in nursing was also identified.

There was also concern that in the US the number of PhD students was not increasing compared with that of DNP students. The WHO (2020) concurred with this, highlighting that the shortage of PhD prepared faculty internationally is an impediment to establishing higher degree nursing education programmes. It claimed that “ this also impacts on the ability of the profession to conduct research needed to develop evidence to inform practice, and to assume leadership roles in academic and health care sectors .” (Page 27)

Finally, the authors identified the lack of available evidence on the impact of PhD research as a challenge. Do such programmes exist to educate nurses as beginner researchers, or should they also bring benefits for clinical practice and policy? After all, one hallmark of a completed PhD is that it extends the boundaries of knowledge in the field. However, we are not aware of any database that records such information and without one, calls for funding for more PhD programmes in nursing and more full-time PhD students may go unheeded.

International perspective on advanced nursing practice

This section analyses the data presented in Table 2 and the insights provided by the authors regarding advanced nursing practice. They were asked to provide information on the number of ANPs in their countries and whether they worked independently. They were also asked to highlight whether they worked within a regulated scope of practice without medical direction or supervision. This section also outlines their perceptions of the challenges facing advanced nursing practice. Here again, relevant data are not available or applicable for some countries.

In the US, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) include nurse practitioners (NPs), clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anaesthetists ( APRN Consensus Workgroup and National Council of State Boards of Nursing APRN Advisory Committee, 2008 ). Of these, NPs are the most numerous, with more than 325,000 licensed in 2021 ( American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2021 ). However, in 27 out of 50 states, NPs do not have full practice authority and cannot prescribe medication, diagnose patient problems, or provide treatment without the approval of physicians. Recently, nurse leaders in the US supported the following recommendation, “ To eliminate restrictions on the scope of practice of APRNs so that they can practise the full extent of their education and training ” ( National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021 , page 40).

The advanced nursing practice position in Canada has also evolved with two roles currently recognised: clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner. The former are registered nurses who hold a master's or doctoral degree with expertise in a specific sub-speciality. The latter are registered nurses who hold a master's degree and demonstrate competencies to practise autonomously. The Canadian Provinces and Territories ( n  = 13) regulate nurse practitioners with some variation in their scopes of practice. By the 1970s, interest in this role increased and more education programmes commenced ( Kassalainen et al., 2010 ). Currently, nurse practitioners are an important part of the Canadian healthcare system, working as independent autonomous practitioners.

ANPs are not regulated or legislated for in Brazil. A discussion about the role has been initiated at different levels, especially by the Federal Council of Nurses. This has also been supported by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing. In this context, one of the aims of the professional masters and doctoral programmes is to focus on enhancing good practices by the ANP ( Parada et al., 2020 ).

In the UK, the trajectory of advanced nursing practice has been fraught with problems. Leary et al. (2017) identified 595 job titles in use. This situation could no longer continue and there was a determination to clarify the ANP role. This resulted in it being defined and its core competencies and learning outcomes identified ( Royal College of Nursing, 2018 ). To function as an ANP, a nurse must have completed a master's programme in the relevant area of practice ( Royal College of Nursing, 2018 ). The UK regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, is currently considering regulating advanced nurse practitioners.

In Finland, the first ANPs emerged at the beginning of the 21st century in university hospitals ( Fagerström, 2009 ). Currently, ANPs are educated at both universities and universities of applied sciences. However, since there is no legislation governing ANPs, the role is still under development and there are no reliable statistics. This has been addressed by organisations such as the Finnish Nurses Association ( Finnish Nurses Association, 2016 ). ANPs (currently 120) have established a national network for collaboration and for influencing decision-makers (J. Kotila, personal communication, December 8, 2021). There are also about 600 ANPs with prescriptive authority in Finland ( Maier, 2019 ). The high nurse to population ratio in the country (see Table 1 ) means that public health nurses, midwives and nurses undertake practices that correspond to the duties of ANPs ( Flinkman, 2018 ). This has contributed to the confusion regarding the ANP role and its scope.

In Egypt, there are no ANP educational programmes. However, the Official Order by Egypt's Prime Minister, published in March 2021, directed the establishment of an ANP programme with specialisation at graduate level. But nurse graduates from overseas who have worked as ANPs elsewhere cannot be registered for this role in Egypt. However, with the support of WHO, nursing legislation is currently being reviewed and updated to include an ANP role.

Up until 2012, advanced nursing practice in South Africa used mixed terminologies ( Leach, 2017 ). This led to the approval of a position paper published in March 2012 ( South African Nursing Council, 2017 ). Under the provisions of the Nursing Act of 2005, the aim was to ensure consistent use of terminology. The umbrella term ‘ advanced practice nurse ’, as defined by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) (2020) , was used as the basis for differentiation. The South African Nursing Council acknowledges the role based on two advanced practice nursing levels: (i) clinical nurse specialists and (ii) advanced nurse practitioners. The latter is defined as a person who focuses on primary care, health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, and can practise independently within an expanded scope of practice, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management, and prescribing.

In 2017, the Indian Nursing Council implemented a Nurse Practitioner programme with the approval of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The goal of this programme was to engage registered nurses more fully as autonomous professionals. Currently, the ANP role is still maturing in India and there is no full independent practice ( Jose, 2017 ).

In 2003, there was a major change in the curriculum structure in Thailand and advanced practice courses were included in adult health, elderly nursing, community nursing and mental health and psychiatric nursing. In addition to a master's degree programme, some nursing educational institutes offer a four-month training programme in advanced practice nursing in primary medical care. In 2003, the first group of nurses was certified as ANPs ( Sheer and Wong, 2008 ). There are currently around 2000 master and post-master ANPs registered with the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council (TNMC). Compared to other clinical nurses, ANPs have expanded roles based on further education in various specialties ( TNMC, 2010 ).

The introduction of advanced practice roles in Australia has not been without objections and hesitancy and there are differences across jurisdictions ( Appel and Malcolm, 2002 ). Guidelines have been developed outlining key attributes: clinical care; support of systems; education; research and professional leadership ( Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Australia, 2021 ). Emerging data have identified the potential of advanced nursing practice to improve clinical service delivery ( Smith et al., 2019 ). Nonetheless, the true integration of these roles still requires a strategic approach that includes collaboration amongst universities, the health service, and professional organisations to ensure good workforce planning.

In 2000, the Republic of Korea adopted a consistent approach to the development of ANPs, agreeing that an ANP is a registered nurse who has successfully completed at least two years of a master's programme. By 2020, there were 16,054 ANPs trained in 37 government-designated educational institutions ( Korean Nurses Association, 2020 ). Nonetheless, the annual number of ANPs graduating has decreased from 520 in 2011 to 338 in 2020. This is because ANPs have not been active in clinical practice ( Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing Education, 2021 ). Several challenges exist, including the increased number of medical support staff and disagreement between nursing and medicine regarding the ANPs’ qualifications and speciality areas ( Kim et al., 2020 , 2021 ).

International challenges for advanced nursing practice

Table 2 shows that several of the countries represented here support ANP roles, and the number has increased globally. ANPs practise independently in Finland, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Thailand (primary care only), whereas they only have ‘Full Practice Authority’ in 23 out of 50 US states. An important caveat is that in most instances across the WHO regions, the role independence varied with little standardisation.

The identified challenges include a lack of agreed upon definitions or terminologies to describe the role and a variation in the required education standards. This terminological challenge still exists; a WHO report (2020) indicated that there are at least 144 distinct titles of nurses around the world that require a licensure examination, including specialist and advanced practice titles. It highlighted 10 different titles in the WHO South-East Asian Region to over 30 in the Region of the Americas and the European Region. It also indicated that the definition of the advanced practice nurse role and the related competencies differ widely across countries.

Confusion between the clinical nurse specialist and the advanced nurse practitioner was seen as a global challenge. This is accentuated by the apparent reluctance of national regulatory bodies to legislate and licence these roles. Yet another challenge relates to medically dominated health care systems in some countries setting a limit on the development and practice of ANPs. Moreover, it was highlighted by some co-authors that in their countries there were no reliable data available on the number of ANPs or the levels of role independence.

On a more positive note, there is an increased emphasis by international associations on clarifying the ANP role and there is evidence that advanced practice roles increase the attractiveness of nursing as a career ( WHO, 2020 ). In September 2021, the Chief Executive Officer of the ICN's called for governments to invest rapidly in ANP roles to maximise the effectiveness of healthcare systems in a post-pandemic world ( ICN, 2021 ). This may also be related to a global shortage of medical doctors. However, it is important that ANPs advance the practice of nursing as opposed to simply undertaking medical tasks in situations where physicians cannot be recruited or retained.

International perspective on nursing research

This section explores the data presented in Table 2 and the insights provided by authors on trends in nursing research. They were asked to provide available data on the development of nursing research in their countries and on how it is funded. Views were also sought on the nurses’ role in interdisciplinary research, the challenges regarding this and nursing research generally. Unfortunately, there is very little reliable data from most countries regarding the amount of funding that nurse researchers obtain and the sources of funding.

Nursing research in the US has made impressive progress in recent decades, particularly after the establishment of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in 1986. Studies supported by this Institute have helped to develop “strategies for improving health and wellness across populations, health care settings and the lifespan, with an emphasis on achieving health equity” ( NINR, 2021 ). Furthermore, it is encouraging that an increasing number of nurses obtain funding for interdisciplinary studies from other institutes within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other funding agencies. The NINR began with funding of $20 million in 1987 and in 2022 it is projected to be $199,755,000 ( NINR, 2021 ). Although this appears substantial, NINR funding has consistently ranked close to the bottom of the funding available across the NIHs’ 27 Institutes and Centres.

In Canada, research funding for nurses is available through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), a national funding agency. The CIHR includes 13 institutes, each dedicated to a specific area. The institutes range from biomedical and clinical research to research on health systems, health services, the health of populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health and environmental influences on health. Nurses can apply as principal applicants or as part of a team to any one of the institutes. In the early 2000s, there were nurse-specific funds in targeted provinces across the country. For example, the Ontario government maintained a Health Services Research Fund with a stream dedicated to nursing research. This funding has since ceased and absorbed into transdisciplinary initiatives.

In Brazil, the main organisations for research funding are the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, both of which were created in 1951. Funds began to be allocated to nursing research projects in 1969. Like other countries, Brazilian nurse researchers compete for limited funding with other disciplines, often with partial success.

In the UK, there are well recognised trends that are also seen in other countries. For example, nursing research studies have increased in number, there is a greater sophistication in the use of methods, studies have become more clinically focused and there is an increasing emphasis on achieving research impact. Data from the Research Excellence Framework ( UK Research and Innovation, 2022 ) showed that UK nurse researchers publish world leading research and produce outstanding research impact. The National Institute of Health and Caring Research is the UK's largest funder of healthcare research. The funding calls are highly competitive, and nurses can apply to different streams. While many are successful in capturing large grants as principal investigators or co-investigators, exact data are not available on the number of nurse researchers, or the amount of funding nurses obtain.

Nursing research in Finland dates back to the 1960s, and analyses of content, methods and evaluations have been made ( Academy of Finland, 2003 ; Leino-Kilpi and Stolt, 2019 ). Progress has been rapid, from small-scale studies to larger programmes, most including international and multidisciplinary collaboration. Strategically, universities have established their research programmes where master's level and PhD students in nursing science participate. Although health science is still a rather small group of disciplines, data show an increase in outcomes, especially in the number of faculty and publications ( Academy of Finland, 2018 ). International research funding comes partly from the European Union, and there is very limited funding for nursing research from the Academy of Finland.

Historically, Egypt has been the regional leader in undertaking health research. The National Research Centre was established in 1956 and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in 1971. However, these offer very limited support for nursing research. Currently, research funding comes from the Ministry of Finance and universities have called for innovative research ideas to access these grants. There are also research competition grants from bodies such as United States Agency for International Development, the Ford Foundation and United Nations Agencies such as WHO. Like other disciplines, nursing must compete in a crowded market for limited research grants, often with limited success.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) funds a broad spectrum of disciplines in South Africa. Clinical health science research is funded by the Medical Research Council. Nurse researchers can apply to both these organisations, but the competition is intense and has led to limited research funding for nurses. Consequently, in 2013 the NRF identified nursing science as a ‘vulnerable science’ and agreed to support an intervention programme (2013–2017) to develop it in South Africa. The SANTRUST/PLUME structured support programme was designed to support nursing schools and nurse researchers to develop research programmes. In its four-year timeframe, 55 PhD students and 26 lead researchers were supported.

The establishment of the Nursing Research Society of India (NRSI) in 1987 marked an important milestone in the historical development of Indian nursing research. Today, the NRSI has 3050 members and has played a leading role in promoting research, disseminating findings, as well as providing high-quality research evidence for nursing practice and education. Furthermore, the Indian Nursing Council has made research an essential element in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education in the county ( Hayter et al., 2019 ). Nonetheless research funding for nursing in India is small and highly competitive.

In Thailand, nursing research has focused on clinical practice, education, leadership, management, policy, and outcomes, but funding is limited. There is also an emphasis on health and wellness, health innovation, health systems, and health workforce. Recent interdisciplinary research has concentrated on food and nutrition for the elderly. Moreover, research and innovation, research utilisation and evidence-based practice are also promoted. Applied research is emphasised to ensure impact in real settings and to improve health, society, and the environment. Nonetheless, nurses have difficulty accessing research funds from highly competitive sources.

Despite its late entry into the academy, nursing research in Australia is dynamic and vibrant, even in the absence of a dedicated funding scheme for nursing ( Thelwall and Mas‐Bleda, 2020 ; Zhu et al., 2021 ). This is evidenced by the fact that three Australian nursing schools were in the top 20 of the World QS rankings in 2021. Issues of diversity, equity and inclusion are seen as critical ( Jackson et al., 2021 ). Nursing continues to perform exceptionally well in the interdisciplinary Evaluation of Research in Australia, which emphasises the quality of research publications and research impact.

In the Republic of Korea, nurse researchers receive grants mostly from the nursing section of the NRF of Korea. However, the budget is quite limited and only 18 million US dollars was available in 2020 (J. Hwang, personal communication, June 15, 2021). Nurse researchers also seek competitive funding from various government research and development bodies for interdisciplinary research, health services research and centre grants ( Lee and Bae, 2016 ; Lee et al., 2019 ). Nonetheless, there is still a significant gap in the academic impact of Korean research compared to other countries such as the US, UK and Australia ( Yanbing et al., 2021 ).

International challenges for nursing research

Across all six WHO regions, the amount and quality of nursing research is mainly determined by the amount and quality of research funding. In all countries, nurses must compete with more established disciplines for limited research funding. Nonetheless, as their research capability and capacity have increased, their success in securing grants has also increased. It has been mentioned above that it is not possible to precisely identify the amounts of funding obtained by nurse researchers. This is because many of the bids are interdisciplinary or simply because funders do not collect separate data for individual disciplines. Without such data, it is difficult to know exactly how successful nurses are in capturing research funding and the amounts obtained.

There is consensus amongst the authors of this paper that the grants obtained by nurse researchers are small in number and amount. This may have the impact of limiting the reach and significance of their findings and undermine the development of a robust evidence base. Even in the US, it is noted that the NINR's funding level remains close to the bottom of the 27 institutes and Centres in the NIH. Over the years, there have been unsuccessful calls from nurse researchers in other to have dedicated funding for nursing research. However, there is a view that nursing can better raise its research profile and have greater impact globally, through competition and collaboration for funding with more established disciplines. However, this should not be an either-or situation and the benefits of having access to both sources of funding are obvious.

There was a view by some authors that nursing research was more mature and developed in countries such as Australia, the US and in Europe. This may be related to the earlier timeframe for the provision of nursing PhDs and the better funding opportunities available. This echoes a perspective from the WHO in their assertion that research evidence from nursing tended to be generated in high-income country settings ( WHO, 2020 ) . Greater collaboration across countries is one ‘levelling up’ solution. Table 3 synopsises the main challenges across the WHO regions.

Global challenges.

ANP: advanced nurse practitioner; PhD: Doctor of Philosophy.

Concluding remarks and recommendations for addressing the challenges

Across the 11 countries within the six WHO regions, there are great variations in doctoral education, advanced practice and research. Nonetheless, the are also some similarities, especially concerning the challenges. A prevailing one relates to the lack of reliable national data on all three of these topics. This echoes a call from the State of the World's Nursing report ( WHO, 2020 , page 18) to use data to guide policy development and investment decisions. It stressed that “… collation of nursing data will require participation across government bodies as well as engagement of key stakeholders such as the regulatory councils, nursing education institutions, health service providers and professional associations.” Such participation can be enabled by instigating, increasing and improving global collaborations. Thus, the following remarks and recommendations are offered (Aim #4).

Doctoral education

More reliable national data on the number of doctorally prepared nurses, their career pathways and the impact of their research are critical for gauging research capacity and capability, and for enhancing nursing science. National agencies and professional organisations need to be lobbied to ensure that there is sustained funding for full-time doctoral students. It is also suggested that an agreed upon system of doctoral quality assurance be adopted internationally. One option is based on the work of Kim et al. (2020) , who developed a reliable and valid instrument to assess PhD programme quality. The adoption of this tool internationally would help in the pursuit of international quality standards and consistency. This includes how best to evaluate the quality of doctoral programmes, including professional doctorates such as the DNP. Given the explosive growth of the DNP programme in the US in recent decades, its advantages, disadvantages and career pathways merit consideration by nursing leaders in other countries.

Advanced nursing practice

We propose that nurse leaders must lobby national governments and relevant professional organisations on the issues raised pertaining to ANP. The focus of the campaign should be to increase the number of ANP programmes, to legislate and regulate ANPs to have full independence, to develop an approved definition of ANPs, agreed terminologies and established educational standards that can be used worldwide. Finally, we propose that more published evidence should be produced on the positive impact that ANPs have on the healthcare of patients, their families, and communities. Without this, the support of governments for this role may not be forthcoming.

Nursing research

Recommendations related to nursing research focus on urging governments, foundations and other grant awarding bodies to increase dedicated funding. This should be based upon evidence that such investment provides benefits for health and wellbeing. This should include enhancing the support for doctoral education and post-doctoral training. Such training would increase the knowledge, skills and competencies of nurse researchers to compete successfully for and take on the roles of principal, co-principal or co-investigators on large and prestigious nursing and interdisciplinary grants. This in turn, would encourage the targeted dissemination of their work and widen the reach and significance of their research impact.

It is a given that global health problems such as the care of older people, chronic diseases, and mental ill heath will not be addressed by any one discipline working independently. The solutions to these problems do not come in neat unidisciplinary packages ( McKenna, 2020 ). Therefore, nurse researchers must collaborate with other professionals. The importance of developing leadership skills to do so is well described by Casciaro et al. (2019) and Hafsteindottir et al. (2019) . Furthermore, nurse leaders should advocate, encourage and influence the appointment of nurses onto the boards of national funding bodies and committees that set research funding policies and priorities and allocate research grants.

While this paper has analysed doctoral education, advanced practice and research in separate sections, they must and should be viewed as being integrated and interdependent. A helpful analogy is that they resemble the legs of a three-legged stool. If one is absent or weak, the stool collapses. All three must be strong and must be supported strategically, financially and practically by governments, health care bodies, nursing regulatory organisations and professional bodies. When this is achieved, there will be full recognition and acceptance that doctoral programmes produce future nurse researchers, these researchers provide evidence for informing advanced practice and this creates the best possible healthcare for patients and communities worldwide.

Funding sources

No external funding.

CRediT author statement

Mi Ja Kim (1st author): Initiated the conception of the paper, selected and invited co-investigators, developed the organisation of the paper, drafted the paper for co-authors and incorporated their feedback, followed up with co-authors’ work to keep it on track, finalise the paper, and submit to an Editorial company, and do the final check for submission to the IJNS Advances. Hugh McKenna (2nd author): Upon the invitation of the first author, he became a Lead Author and co-led the writing of the paper including selection of co-authors and all the rest of the work mentioned above. Patricia Davidson, Helena Leino-Kilpi, Andrea Baumann, and Hester Klopper (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th author respectively) reviewed the entire manuscript several times and provided insightful comments and edits for the paper. Naeema Al-Gasseer, Wipada Kunaviktikul, Suresh K. Sharma, Carla Ventura (7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th author respectively) provided all data and information about their respective countries that were essential for the paper. They are listed in alphabetical order. Taewha Lee (11th author) is the corresponding author who worked closely with the Lead Authors from the beginning of the writing and she submitted the paper to the IJNS Advances. Her feedback on the manuscript including all tables and references has been invaluable.

Declaration of Competing Interest

Acknowledgements.

The following individuals have assisted in data collection and analysis and editing. Dr. Cherzad Ghazi, Dean of Faculty of Nursing at Badar University, Egypt. Hyeon Kyeong Lee, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea ([email protected]). Seung Eun Lee, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, Republic of Korea ([email protected]). SangA Lee, MSN, RN, PhD candidate, University of Massachusetts at Boston, US. ([email protected]). Dr Donna Brown, Senior Lecturer, Ulster University. Mary Crea-Arsenio, MSc, PhD(c), Senior Research Analyst, Global Health Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University ([email protected]). Anna Suutarla, Head of International Affairs, Finnish Nurses Association ([email protected])

Supplementary material associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2022.100094 .

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Part Four: DNP/Ph.D. Perspective on Seamless Academic Progression for Nurses

The lived experience of a nurse begins with a sound academic foundation that includes science and math, addressing individual biases, understanding a variety of cultures, and, most importantly, experience. Many nurses have taken the non-seamless academic progression into nursing, which involves various educational routes or entry levels. Entry levels into nursing may include a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs/LVNs), and Diploma in Nursing.

Why have so many chosen one or more of these pathways to reach their goal of becoming a registered nurse (RN)? Multiple factors may lead someone to select a particular entry-level, such as family obligations, educational costs, or limited seats within the nursing program. Even with the multiple entry levels into practice, the goal to increase BSNs in healthcare still needs to be met (Overholster, 2023). This post will briefly share a DNP/Ph.D. perspective on seamless academic progression for nurses as reflected in the National Academy of Medicine’s key message two, Nurses Should Achieve Higher Levels of Education and Training Through an Improved Education System That Promotes Seamless Academic Progression.

Seamless Academic Progression 

The growth of the nursing workforce depends upon seamless academic progression. Seamless academic progression allows an RN to obtain a BSN or MSN. Many hospitals/acute care settings require or prefer the baccalaureate degree nurse for various nursing roles to receive MagnetⓇ recognition. Examples of nursing programs that promote academic progression are LPN-to-BSN, RN-to-BSN, and ADN-to-MSN, providing a significant pathway to advanced practice nursing and faculty positions at the college level. Master’s degree-prepared nurses are knowledgeable clinicians, clinical healthcare leaders, members of academic institutions, health policy creators, and researchers.

Nursing leaders, including multi-generational students, must consider multiple factors when encouraging seamless academic progression. For example, nursing schools must innovate programs to meet learner outcomes through various methods and technologies. The learners may need various ways to meet competency, including low and high-fidelity learning experiences. Academic progression occurs as a result of not only meeting individual learning needs but also considering those previous lived experiences that may impact their approach to learning. Therefore, ensuring this is also met in the practice setting as the nurse’s transition is critical to the ongoing retention of nurses in the workforce (Groski et al., 2019).

Experiential Theory/Models

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory defines the process by which knowledge is created as the transformation of experience. Experiential learning can be widely used to transition nurses to practice, especially those entering nursing as a second career. The legendary novice to expert theory aligns closely with experiential learning, recognizing that an individual develops by encountering situations to enable them to adjust to the social environment and adapt skills before they can progress to the next stage of practice (Benner, 2000; Graf et al., 2020).

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) released the updated Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education in 2021, which provides a framework for nursing practice and applied experience (2021). Ten domains with sub-competencies are listed and must represent nursing practice, supporting competency-based education. Competency-based education is outcomes-focused and builds on what the learner already knows and what is expected of the learner (Barnes et al., 2023; Gidden et al., 2022). With the ever-changing technology and innovation, this model is supported to facilitate seamless academic progression as the healthcare landscape evolves.

Patient Outcomes

The IOM report (2011) cited evidence that a higher proportion of BSN-prepared RNs in the workforce improves patient outcomes. Many nursing leaders understand that nursing is often a second career choice for some nurses, indicating that nurses enter the profession with baseline knowledge of human experience, customer service, and/or financial acumen. Research has shown that lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive patient outcomes are all linked to nurses prepared at the baccalaureate and higher degree levels. A more significant proportion of professional nurses at the bedside has been shown to improve patient outcomes for patients and staff (Aiken et al., 2017; Davis, 2012). Reducing barriers, such as the nursing skill mix, by adding assistive personnel without professional nurse qualifications, may contribute to preventable deaths, erode care quality, and nurse shortages (Angel, 2020).

As health care continues to shift to a population-focused, community-based approach to care, the health system needs RNs who can practice across multiple settings and function to the fullest extent of their license. Employers today seek nurses capable of providing high-quality direct care, complex clinical decision-making, care transition management, supervision of support personnel, guidance of patients through the maze of healthcare resources, and educating patients on treatment regimens and adopting healthy lifestyles. Moving nurses further along the educational continuum will help to ensure that RNs are well-prepared to meet these expectations.

Student Nurse Experiences

Providing the accelerated format and program outcomes in advance will better prepare our workforce to enter into expedited programs.“I am concerned about simply being in an accelerated program because this will differ greatly from my first degree” – Isabel, a female student, age 22, who majored in social and applied sciences (Davis, 2012). This is one example of ensuring that the expectations and models are provided to students across all generations. Many students entering nursing now have an undergraduate degree or work experience in another profession. The experience and prior degree supports moving these students through an accelerated process. However, some students accepted to these programs have yet to gain a previous degree or work experience.

Call to Action

Nursing education should serve as a platform for continued lifelong learning and include opportunities for a seamless transition to higher degree programs (AACN, 2016). Increasing the number of RNs in the nursing workforce can be accomplished by seamless academic progression. Facilitators that may promote seamless academic progression include financial incentives from healthcare institutions, flexible work schedules that will allow nursing students to provide for their families, and an understanding of the positive impact RNs have within the healthcare workforce. Healthcare leaders must understand the meaning of seamless academic progression, support nursing programs that provide seamless academic progression, and provide opportunities for seamless academic progression models across universities (Angel, 2020).

Amanda Garey, Ph.D., RN, NPDA-BC, EBP-C

Assistant Professor

University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing

1100 Mechanic St, Galveston, TX 77550

Email: [email protected]

Sharisse A. Hebert, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Prairie View A&M College of Nursing DNP Program Coordinator

6436 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030

Phone: (713) 797-7050

Email: [email protected]

Aiken, L. H., Sloan, D., Griffiths, P. et al. (2017). Nursing skill mix in European hospitals: association with mortality, patient ratings, and quality of care. BMJ Quality & Safety, 26 (7), 559-568. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005567

Angel, L. (2020). Best practices and lessons learned in academic progression in nursing: A scoping review. Journal of Professional Nursing , 36 (6), 628-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.08.017

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2024 May 8). Academic Progression in Nursing: Moving Together Toward a Highly Educated Nursing Workforce. Position Papers and White Papers. https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/position-statements-white-papers/academic-progression-in-nursing

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (2024 April 7). The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education . AACN Essentials. https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials

Barnes, R., Remick, J., Hughes-Gay, M., Opsahl, A., Townsend, C., Lash, R., & Ellis, R. J. B. (2023). The AACN Essentials journey. Journal of Professional Nursing , 46 , 19-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.11.010

Benner, P. (2000). From novice to expert. Pearson.

Davis, D. (2012). A seamless progression: Preparing accelerated second degree nursing students for entry into baccalaureate and masters nursing education. Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice , 5 (1), 6. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/seamless-progression-preparing-accelerated-second/docview/1011059328/se-2

Graf, A. C., Jacob, E., Twigg, D., & Nattabi, B. (2020). Contemporary nursing graduates’ transition to practice: A critical review of transition models. Journal of Clinical Nursing , 29 (15-16), 3097-3107. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15234

Gorski, M. S., & Polansky, P. (2019). Accelerating progress in seamless academic progression. Nursing Outlook, 67 (2), 154–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2018.11.008

Giddens, J., Douglas, J. P., & Conroy, S. (2022). The revised AACN essentials: Implications for nursing regulation. Journal of Nursing Regulation , 12 (4), 16-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(22)00009-6

Overholser C. D. (2023). Seamless academic progression in nursing education: A qualitative descriptive study. Nursing Education Perspectives , 44 (4), 205–209. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001109

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New studies pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future for nurses and healthcare professionals through a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership training program

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The evaluation of a new leadership training program grounded in Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership (SBNH-L) for nurses and healthcare leaders shows promising results. In the recently published evaluation articles Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program aimed at building leadership capacity: A concurrent mixed-methods study and Nursing leaders’ perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training , program participants reported higher workplace satisfaction, increased well-being at work, and lower stress levels three months post-training program. These results speak volumes about the effectiveness of the program given that the program was offered at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nursing retention is a longstanding global challenge that has been further exacerbated by what’s been called “the great resignation” – a massive post-pandemic exit of nurses from the healthcare system. Leadership is a key factor influencing nurses’ retention, health, and the quality of nursing care. These evaluation studies are the first of their kind to use a mixed-method approach to explore nursing leaders’ perceptions of the leadership program and they reinforce the importance of using an SBNH-L lens when tackling leadership in healthcare settings. "We are happy to see such profoundly positive changes resulting from the SBNH-L program,” says Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay RN, PhD, lead author and co-investigator on the SSHRC/CIHR Partnership Grant that funded the SBNH-L Program and its evaluation. “These findings highlight the critical importance of nurturing leadership within the healthcare sector based on identifying, mobilizing and capitalizing on the strengths of nurse leaders and their teams."

Nursing and healthcare leaders are central to mobilizing their clinical teams and helping healthcare organizations reach their patient care objectives. The SBNH-L training program was designed to build the leadership capabilities of nurse and healthcare leaders, helping learners to develop the knowledge and skills required to create an SBNH culture. Program participants were trained to uncover and develop strengths to promote and support leadership, which in turn they can bring to their teams to create healthy and productive environments.

The study’s qualitative analysis highlighted the transformative journey that SBNH-L program participants embarked upon. Three dominant themes emerged from the studies that helped provide deeper insights into the mechanisms driving this change. Participants emphasized a shift towards focusing on people's strengths instead of weaknesses, they incorporated structured approaches and language rooted in SBNH values, and lastly, they established robust support networks through mentorship. The program acted synergically to foster teamwork, create a positive work environment, and show appreciation for staff.

“It’s heartening to have the empirical evidence that a model of leadership and a model of patient care align. Both are grounded in the same foundations and values whereby leaders and clinicians are guided by the same philosophy, anchored in similar values. Both affirm the importance of a human-centered approach where relationships and strengths are its core. This is critical in creating healthy-productive workplaces for staff and creating conditions for health and healing for patients and their families,” says Laurie Gottlieb, RN, PhD, creator of SBNH.

About the SBNH-L Program

The SBNH-L Program was developed and delivered as part of Principal Investigator Laurie Gottlieb’s research partnership Transforming Nurses’ Work Environments Through a Strengths-Based Leadership and Management Training Program (2018-2025) thanks to the support of a CIHR and SSHRC Partnership Grant. This unique, online, six-month program enabled participants to develop their knowledge and skills required to create equitable, culturally safe workplace cultures and environments that honour, develop, mobilize, and capitalize on the strengths of individuals and their team.

The SBNH-L Program was delivered to 121 participating staff from five Canadian healthcare institutions in two cohorts. Participants included nurse managers, nurse leaders, nurse educators, nurses, other healthcare leaders/managers, and those in advanced practice roles. This program included 12 learning modules, a six-month mentorship component, and the support to advance a capstone change project in the workplace.

A holistic approach to leadership

Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership allows leaders to deepen their knowledge of leadership and management principles through a Strengths-Based approach, enabling them to create healthy and productive environments for point-of-care providers and patients. It's a unique, value-driven, embodied approach that guides leaders and managers to create equitable, culturally safe workplace cultures that honour, develop, mobilize, and capitalize on the strengths of individuals and their team. SBNH leaders enable individuals, teams, and organizations to provide knowledgeable, compassionate, safe, high-quality person-centered care.

SBNH-L is derived from Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare, a value-driven philosophy and approach to guide clinicians, leaders, educators, and researchers. SBNH is grounded in concepts of person and family centered care, relationships, empowerment, innate and acquired capacities (strengths); and operationalized through eight core values (Gottlieb, 2013).

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program aimed at building leadership capacity: A concurrent mixed-methods study - ScienceDirect

Nursing leaders’ perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

Patricia D’Antonio, PhD, Transitions from Standing Faculty

Patricia D’Antonio, PhD, RN, FAAN , the Carol E. Ware Professor in Mental Health Nursing, Professor of Nursing, and an internationally recognized historian of nursing and leader in nursing education, will transition from her faculty role on June 30th, 2024.

D’Antonio’s research demonstrates nurses’ strong influence on health, social mobility, diversity, and the development of cultural and health care norms. She has a record of accomplishment of consistent funding, including fellowships from the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the American Academy of Nursing. She is a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and has co-authored seven books. Her most recent work, Nursing with a Message: Public Health Demonstration Projects in New York City, 1920-1940 , was featured by the Rockefeller Archive Center and awarded the Choice Outstanding Academic title. Her work argues that nurses were central in promoting the current norms of primary care within a health care system that reflected and refracted political, gendered, racialized norms, and it highlights how nurses supported economically and racially marginalized families’ equitable access to services available to white, middle-class families. In her earlier book, American Nursing: A History of Knowledge, Power, and the Meaning of Work , D’Antonio drew on firsthand accounts by White and African American men and women nurses to discover how strong gender and racial hierarchies reinforced how these groups historically viewed themselves and each other and underscored the importance of forging a strong nursing identity to bridge some of the historical divides within systems of care and education.

From 2015-2023, D’Antonio served as Director of Penn Nursing’s Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing . From 2010-2020, she served as Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health. She championed and supported the development of faculty in their academic, research, and service roles. D’Antonio has impacted faculty, staff, and students with her deep knowledge of nursing and commitment to excellence. In her teaching, she helps students focus on using history to analyze contemporary issues in health care practice, health policy, and public health.

D’Antonio has received many awards including the President’s Award from the American Association for the History of Nursing; the Nursing Outlook Excellence in Policy Award; the 2015 Dean’s Award for Exemplary Citizenship; the M. Adelaide Nutting Award from the American Association for the History of Nursing; four American Journal of Nursing ‘Book of the Year’ awards; and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2018. She received her BS degree Boston College School of Nursing; her MSN from Catholic University of America; and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Q&A with recent PhD graduate Siriphorn Na Nakorn

In conversation with ben monat, associate director of donor relations..

Siriphorn Na Nakorn , a newly graduated EMCON PhD candidate, celebrated the successful defense of her thesis, "The Efficacy of the Strengths-Based Resilience Intervention among Thai First Year Nursing Students: A Mixed-Methods Study" at the College's PhD Program Recognition & Awards Celebration on April 30, 2024. She joined Associate Director of Donor Relations Benjamin Monat in conversation about her College of Nursing experience and her nursing research journey.

Benjamin Monat: Why did you become a nurse? Siriphorn Na Nakorn: When I was young, I was inspired by the doctors and nurses working tirelessly in hospitals. During high school, my family and I made frequent visits to the hospital, which deepened my resolve to care for my parents and myself. Witnessing the compassionate care given to patients who were alone, I felt a strong desire to help those without family support. This experience motivated me to pursue a career in nursing. Enrolling in a nursing school in Thailand marked the beginning of my journey into the healthcare profession.

BM: Why did you choose to study at UMass? SNN: I pursued a master's degree in psychiatric and mental health nursing in Thailand, where my research led me to the work of Dr. Chandler, a professor at the College of Nursing, UMass Amherst, who specializes in resilience program. Eager to delve deeper into resilience and mental health in adolescents, I chose these subjects for my master's thesis and extensively studied Dr. Chandler's publications. I believe that collaborating with her would be an incredible opportunity. Therefore, when my employer encouraged me to pursue a doctoral degree, I decisively chose UMass Amherst as my top preference.

"The support I received from the faculty at the College of Nursing was exceptional... Their support made me feel welcomed and not alone, despite being far from home. For these reasons, I consider this to be the best nursing college in my experience." -Siriphorn Na Nakorn

BM: What was your experience like studying at UMass? SNN: I am certain that choosing to study here was the right decision. In 2020, I was accepted into the Ph.D. program during the challenging times of the pandemic. Studying abroad was daunting, but once I arrived in the U.S., the support I received from the faculty at the College of Nursing was exceptional. They seamlessly transitioned classes to ensure that everyone could learn effectively together, which greatly alleviated my anxiety. Their support made me feel welcomed and not alone, despite being far from home. For these reasons, I consider this to be the best nursing college in my experience.  

BM: What is your area of research? SNN: I completed my doctoral dissertation on the efficacy of a strength-based resilience intervention among Thai first-year nursing students. This resilience program had been implemented at UMass for some time. During my second year as a Ph.D. student, I had the opportunity to participate in these classes through a research-mentored experience with Dr. Chandler. I found the program to be well-constructed and observed positive changes in the students who attended. Inspired by this experience, I decided to introduce the program to nursing students in Thailand. The feedback from my Thai students was overwhelmingly positive, and they shared numerous positive outcomes. I consider this to be a significant success of my Ph.D. research.

"The extensive knowledge and skills I acquired at UMass have been instrumental in shaping my approach to research and teaching. My experience at UMass not only deepened my understanding of psychiatric and mental health nursing but also equipped me with the methodologies necessary to conduct independent research." -Siriphorn Na Nakorn

BM: What do you plan on doing post graduation? SNN: I received funding from my school in Thailand, which has enabled me to return and begin my career as a nursing instructor. The extensive knowledge and skills I acquired at UMass have been instrumental in shaping my approach to research and teaching. My experience at UMass not only deepened my understanding of psychiatric and mental health nursing but also equipped me with the methodologies necessary to conduct independent research. As a result, I am now an independent researcher who can effectively translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications within the clinical setting. This transition from theory to practice is critical in nursing education, as it prepares students for the real-world challenges they will face in their careers. By integrating research-based evidence into my teaching, I aim to inspire and empower the next generation of nurses in Thailand, much like my mentors at UMass inspired me. This journey from student to educator and researcher has been fulfilling, and I am eager to contribute to the advancement of nursing education in my home country.

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Dr. Darpan Patel Named Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship in the School of Nursing

May 22, 2024 • 9:25 a.m.

We are excited to announce effective May 1, 2024, Darpan Patel, PhD has been appointed as the School of Nursing's Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship.

Dr. Patel joined our school in January 2023 as Assistant Dean for Translational Science and has served in the interim capacity for the Vice Dean for Research and Scholarship over the last seven months. He has begun developing primary areas of research excellence for our SON RISE Center and has helped to expand our research brand across UTMB and beyond.

As a researcher, Dr. Patel specializes in operating exercise clinical trials in healthy individuals and oncology patients. He has obtained funding to support his research through the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Texas Department of State Health Services, and numerous foundations. As an educator and mentor, Dr. Patel is passionate about developing the next generation of scientists that will make breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of disease.

We look forward to Dr. Patel’s leadership and thank him for serving in the interim role over the last several months. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Patel!

Deborah J. Jones , PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN Senior Vice President and Dean, School of Nursing Chief Integration Officer, UTMB Rebecca Sealy Distinguished Centennial Chair

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