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Using Learning Outcome Measures to assess Doctoral Nursing Education
Published on: June 21, 2010
Unveiling the Hidden Challenges: A Qualitative Study of Early Career Experiences Among Nursing PhD
Yuling Lei1, Run Zhou2, Yu Luo1
1School of Nursing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Aim:
To explore the early career experiences and challenges faced by nurses holding a PhD degree.
Design:
A descriptive qualitative research.
Methods:
Between October 2024 and January 2025, a total of 17 participants were recruited online. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings:
We recruited eight participants with purely research backgrounds and nine with clinical work experience. Four main themes and eleven subthemes were identified. 'Challenges in Accessing Clinical Resources' emerged as a unique issue for nursing PhDs working in faculty. Meanwhile, doctoral-prepared nurses in clinical settings faced distinct challenges related to 'Weak Administrative and Managerial Support' and 'Doctoral-Clinical Role Misalignment'.
Conclusion:
Our findings offer a detailed understanding of the structural barriers and lack of support faced by doctoral-prepared nurses, while some challenges are common across disciplines, others are unique to the dual academic and clinical roles inherent in nursing. These obstacles restrict opportunities for professional growth and limit the ability of nursing PhD graduates to contribute fully in both academic and clinical environments. Ultimately, these constraints may hinder the advancement of nursing practice and innovation.
Impact:
These findings can inform future reforms by institutional leaders and policymakers to improve the work environment for doctoral-prepared nurses. At the same time, early-career nursing PhDs may use these insights to better prepare for the challenges ahead and proactively navigate their career development.
Reporting Method:
Our study followed the COREQ checklist.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No patient or public is involved.
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