Rival conceptions in doctoral education in nursing and their outcomes: an update

The need for two distinct types of doctoral programs in nursing was historically well conceived and well articulated. The growing literature on the doctoral education in nursing, however, shows that the implementation of the concept has not produced the intended results, that is the coexistence of academic and professional doctoral programs in nursing has not resulted in the differentiated career paths for the graduates. Instead, the competing aims of doctoral education in nursing, paved the way to varying doctoral titles, and weakened the claims of professional doctoral programs as preparing for advanced clinical practice. More significantly, however, this development is threatening the future existence of professional doctoral programs in nursing.