Strategies to Strengthen Nursing PhD Enrollment: An Ecological Systems Perspective

BACKGROUND

Nurses with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree are essential to developing nursing knowledge, promoting health outcomes, and educating the next generation of nurses. Declining enrollment in nursing PhD programs calls for purposeful action. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Framework, this article outlines barriers and facilitators, and offers strategies to increase PhD enrollment.

METHOD

Extant literature and the authors' cumulative experiences in PhD education and research were reviewed to identify strategies to increase PhD enrollment.

RESULTS

Multilevel influences impede or facilitate enrollment in PhD programs. Strategies addressing individual and interpersonal influences included intentional personalized recruiting and early outreach to students at various levels of education. Institutional and organizational strategies included research partnerships and programs, and financial and infrastructure support. Sociocultural strategies included image branding and a positive social media presence supporting nurse scientists.

CONCLUSION

Strategies to enhance PhD enrollment across all levels can spark interest in nursing science and PhD enrollment. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(12):669-678.].

Diversity, contradictions, and distinction - A scoping review of honours programmes in nursing

BACKGROUND

There is a long-standing tradition of honours education in the field of nursing, dating back to the early 1960s in the United States. However, its adoption in European and particularly Scandinavian egalitarian educational contexts is relatively recent.

PURPOSE

This scoping review aims to provide an analysis of the global utilisation and distribution of honours education within the field of nursing.

METHOD

In this scoping review, we conducted an extensive examination of the existing literature to assess the worldwide implementation of honours education in nursing. We employed a systematic approach to identify key trends, patterns, and commonalities in the use of the honours concept across different regions.

RESULTS

Our review reveals three predominant approaches to honours education, primarily concentrated in the Anglo-Saxon world: distinction programmes, add-on-year programmes, and embedded programmes. Regardless of the approach, our findings highlight a consistent lack of robust theoretical foundations, limited documentation supporting the educational impact, and a noticeable absence of standardisation. Instead, honours education appears to serve a symbolic and distinct purpose rather than a purely pedagogical one.

CONCLUSION

As the prevalence of honours education continues to rise within continental education systems, it becomes imperative to prioritize further research to ensure the optimal allocation of resources. Addressing the lack of evidence, especially in terms of educational value and theoretical foundations, is crucial for refining and maximizing the potential benefits of honours education in nursing. A more strategic and cohesive approach to developing honours programmes is essential to enhance their effectiveness and alignment with global educational goals.

Supporting racial, ethnic minority, and disadvantaged undergraduate nursing students with honors projects

BACKGROUND

Underrepresented racial and ethnic minority (UREM) and disadvantaged background (DB) students often feel a lack of belonging and community in higher education. Participation in Honors Programs has been shown to build a sense of belonging and community associated with short and long-term benefits for both students and their academic institutions.

PURPOSE

To describe the program we implemented (the MM program) to increase UREM and DB student representation in a SON Honors Program.

METHOD

A prospective, descriptive study of SON UREM and DB honors students with a May graduation date of 2017-2020.

RESULTS

A total of 129 students completed honors with 23 MM UREM and DB students completing honors. Seven received highest honors award distinction that exemplifies exceptional work at a level beyond usually high expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

A supportive environment for UREM and DB students with resources are essential for students to consider and also complete an honors project.

Doctoral programmes in the nursing discipline: a scoping review

Background

This study aimed to map and summarise the state of the research regarding doctoral programs in nursing, as well as the issues debated in the context of nursing doctoral education. A Scoping Review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension scoping reviews statement (PRISMA-ScR) was conducted. Three electronic bibliographic data bases were searched: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Complete, Medline (on EBSCO Host) and SCOPUS to identify empirical studies published between January 2009 and December 2019. The review process was based on framework identified by Arksey and O’Malley and further revised by Levac and colleagues. Analysis was performed with the use of the Donabedian framework regarding the structure of the doctorate programmes, the process, and the outcomes.

Results

The review included 41 articles, mostly originating in the United States (n=26) and Europe (n=8), mainly by collecting the perceptions of students and faculty members with descriptive studies. The following issues were investigated at the (a) structure level: Prerequisite for doctoral candidates, Qualifications of faculty members, Mission of doctoral programs; (b) process level: Doctoral programs contents, Doctoral programs resources and quality, Mentoring and supervision, Doing doctorate abroad; and (c) outcome level: Academic performance outcomes in doctoral programs, Doctoral graduates’ competences, Doctoral students/graduates’ satisfaction, Doctoral graduates’ challenges.

Conclusions

Doctoral programs have mainly been investigated to date with descriptive studies, suggesting more robust research investigating the effectiveness of strategies to prepare future scientists in the nursing discipline. Doctorates are different across countries, and there is no visible cooperation of scholars internationally; their structure and processes have been reported to be stable over the years, thus not following the research development in nursing, discipline and practice expectations. Moreover, no clear framework of outcomes in the short- and long-term have been established to date to measure the quality and effectiveness of doctorate education. National and global strategies might establish common structure, process and outcome frameworks, as well as promote robust studies that are capable of assessing the effectiveness of this field of education.

Strategies to promote and sustain baccalaureate students' interest in pursuing a PhD degree in nursing

PhD-prepared nurses are integral to the delivery of cost-effective, safe, and high-quality care to the increasingly diverse population in the U.S. Nurses with a PhD are needed to develop knowledge that informs and directs nursing care, promote positive health outcomes, and train the next generation of nurses and nurse scientists. Unfortunately, less than 1% of nurses have their PhD in nursing and there is an ongoing shortage of nurses in the U.S. that has not been effectively addressed. The PhD in nursing pipeline needs to be bolstered to address the escalating nursing shortage. This is especially important considering the importance of having an adequate number of well-prepared nurses to address the increasing complexities of health conditions and patient populations in the U.S. This paper presents strategies to promote and sustain interest in PhD in nursing among baccalaureate nursing students and discusses the importance of meaningful engagement in research and engaged faculty mentorship. It is important to incorporate research into undergraduate experiences, promote engaged mentorship during undergraduate level and beyond, and provide a conducive environment for undergraduate students to address their fears, misconceptions, and myths about PhD in nursing.

Honors and Nursing: Reasons for Enrollment, Persistence, and Withdrawal

BACKGROUND

The intertwining of honors within collegiate nursing education can be rewarding and challenging for students. This study examined why students enroll in honors, why students persist in honors, why some students withdraw from honors, and what resources are beneficial to honors success.

METHOD

An online survey was sent to 130 nursing students enrolled in an honors program at one midwestern university.

RESULTS

Forty-six nursing students completed the survey. Students indicated they enrolled in honors programs to attend classes with fewer students, to achieve Honors College Distinction, and to gain skills in professionalism and leadership. Reasons for withdrawal from honors included lack of time, increased workload, and added stress.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students face many challenges in successful completion of an honors program. The results from this study led to the development of Honors and Nursing: A Supplemental Honors Nursing Guidebook for Honors Student Success, a resource for nursing honors students at the university. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(6):333-336.].