Relationships Among DNP and PhD Students After Implementing a Doctoral Student Organization

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Health Sciences

Background:

• Early interactions between Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and PhD nursing students can foster intradisciplinary synergies.
• Bridging clinical and research-focused nursing education is crucial for advancing the profession.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a newly initiated doctoral student organization on relationships among DNP and PhD nursing students.
• To evaluate changes in student interaction and collaboration following the organization's implementation.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to measure student interaction before and after the organization's launch.
• Data analysis included paired t-tests, social network analysis (SNA), and content analysis.
• Network metrics such as density, centralization, and clique membership were examined.

Main Results:

• Response rates were 72% pre-organization and 60% post-organization.
• Network density increased by 17%, centralization by 3%, and intradisciplinary ties by 39%.
• Students formed an average of two new relationships, and clique membership rose by 60%, supported by qualitative data.

Conclusions:

• The doctoral student organization successfully enhanced integration and organized communication among nursing students.
• Network analysis is a valuable tool for evaluating strategies aimed at increasing collaboration in nursing education.
• Findings support the use of such organizations to prepare nurses for diverse roles in research and practice.