Doctor of Education In Nursing Education Development of Doctoral Programs in Nursing Education and Curriculum Model
Doctoral education for nurses dates back to the 1920s, with the first doctoral program offered in 1924 at Teachers College, Columbia University, leading to an EdD degree (Peplau, 1966). Originally, these programs focused on administrative and teaching roles within nursing.
In the 1950s and 1960s, many nurses pursuing doctoral degrees did so in disciplines outside of nursing, such as education, sociology, and psychology. By the 1970s, however, there was a growing recognition that nursing needed its own theoretical base to establish itself as an independent discipline. This led to the development of doctoral programs specifically tailored to nursing, aimed at advancing nursing theory, research, and education (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2012a; Keating, 2011c; Stotts, 2011).
The surge in nursing doctoral programs in the latter part of the 20th century resulted in the creation of the PhD in Nursing. Currently, there are 131 research-focused doctoral programs in the U.S., including PhD, DNS, and EdD programs (AACN, 2014a). As the focus shifted towards clinical application, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) emerged. The first clinical doctoral program in nursing, which emphasized clinical practice improvement, opened at Boston University in the 1960s (Carter, 2013). These programs, which initially included titles like Doctorate of Nurse Scientist (DNSc), were eventually aligned with the PhD but focused more on clinical practice rather than theoretical research.
The DNP degree was strengthened by the National Research Council’s (2005) recommendation for clinical doctorates and was endorsed by the AACN to prepare advanced practice nurses. The DNP focuses on areas such as scientific foundations, leadership, evidence-based practice, health care technologies, health care policies, interprofessional collaboration, and advanced practice in specialty areas (Keating, 2011a). In 2004, the AACN recommended the development of BSN-to-DNP programs to transition advanced practice preparation from the master’s level to the doctoral level, aiming to increase the number of doctorally prepared nurses and enhance the translation of research into practice (AACN, 2010a).
The proliferation of DNP programs in the early 21st century has sparked debates about their impact on PhD enrollment, master’s-level NP preparation, and the focus on direct patient care versus health system leadership (Cronenwett et al., 2011). While the DNP is considered a terminal degree in advanced practice nursing, there is concern about balancing the preparation of future nurse leaders with maintaining a focus on direct patient care.
PhD in Nursing Degree Curriculum Model
The PhD in Nursing degree is designed to cultivate nurse scientists who will generate new knowledge and advance the discipline (AACN, 2010a). The curriculum is centered on developing researchers who can conduct studies that advance evidence-based practice and inform health policy (Bednash, Breslin, Kirschling, & Rosseter, 2014).
PhD programs typically involve a combination of coursework, research, and mentoring, providing students with opportunities to develop research agendas, prepare grants and manuscripts, and engage in a program of research. These programs often offer both part-time and full-time enrollment options and may be delivered through traditional on-campus courses, online formats, or a blended approach.
Postdoctoral programs, although currently limited, offer further development for nurse scientists, providing advanced training and mentoring to mature into independent researchers. These programs are often supported by federal grants and are essential for those pursuing a career in research (Bednash et al., 2014).
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree
The DNP is designed for nurses involved in direct clinical practice and those supporting clinical practice, such as in administration (Bednash et al., 2014). The DNP program prepares nurses to assume leadership roles, influence health care policy, implement evidence-based practice, and improve health care delivery systems. It is considered a terminal degree in nursing practice and is often accepted as a qualification for faculty positions, helping to address the nursing faculty shortage.
While not primarily intended to prepare nurse educators, DNP graduates can contribute significantly to educating future nurses and bridging the practice-education gap (Danzey et al., 2011).
Doctor of Education (EdD) Curriculum in Nursing Education
Historically, nurses seeking doctoral education in teaching often pursued degrees from schools of education, such as the EdD. As nursing doctoral programs evolved, nurses had more options and some chose to pursue PhD or DNS programs within schools of nursing, while others continued to select EdD programs from schools of education to focus on improving nursing education.
Today, nurses interested in educational leadership still opt for EdD programs, and some nursing schools now offer EdD degrees in collaboration with schools of education. For example, some colleges of nursing have developed collaborative doctoral programs to prepare nurse scholar-teachers, such as an EdD in instructional leadership. These programs combine expertise from both nursing and education faculties to advance nursing education and prepare doctoral-level educators (Graves et al., 2013).