Identifying Barriers and Facilitators to Nurse Faculty Careers for PhD Nursing Students

The shortage of doctorally educated nurses pursuing faculty careers is a major concern regarding the development of the nurse faculty workforce. This cross-sectional study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to academic careers for doctoral (PhD) nursing students. A total of 1,500 PhD students were randomly selected from nursing schools across the country to participate in our survey, and a 62.8% response rate was achieved. The study found that 72% of respondents planned to pursue faculty careers after graduating. Students with postgraduation plans for academic careers, nonacademic careers, and undecided careers showed distinct profiles of demographic and academic characteristics. They also perceived facilitators and barriers to faculty careers differently. The most influential facilitators were interest in teaching and an appreciation of the impact of nursing research on patient care, and the most considered barriers were poor financial compensation and a negative perception of academia. Minority students were more likely than White students to have plans for academic careers. Various experiences during doctoral education appeared to have a positive impact on students' decisions to pursue academic careers.