A Hospital Resource for Nurses Navigating Doctoral Education and Beyond.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Administration
• Professional Development

Background:

• Advancing nursing practice necessitates doctoral-prepared nurses to lead research and translate scientific findings into clinical application.
• Hospitals need strategies to support nurses pursuing doctoral degrees while maintaining their employment and clinical roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and sustainability of a Doctoral Support Group (DSG) within a hospital setting.
• To provide practical strategies for establishing and maintaining a DSG to support nurses in doctoral education.

Main Methods:

• The authors share 18 years of experience in managing a DSG at a single hospital.
• The DSG is designed to assist nurses considering or actively engaged in doctoral studies.

Main Results:

• The DSG provides a structured environment for nurses to navigate doctoral education alongside their professional responsibilities.
• Implementation of the DSG contributes to a supportive environment for retaining nurses with doctoral degrees.

Conclusions:

• Doctoral-prepared nurses are crucial for advancing nursing practice, research, and patient outcomes.
• Establishing a DSG is a viable strategy for hospitals to support and retain doctoral-prepared nurses, thereby enhancing the healthcare system.