Doctoral education in community health nursing: a national survey

The purpose of this study was to identify content areas specific to community health nursing in doctoral programs throughout the United States. The research foci related to community health nursing were compared with previously identified research priorities in the field. Surveys were sent to 52 doctoral program directors; 23 questionnaires were completed. Telephone interviews were conducted with 16 program directors to clarify responses. Newer programs tended to be more generally focussed and without doctoral specialty courses of any kind. The four programs that identified community health nursing as a specialty within their curriculum were some of the oldest and largest programs in the country.