Getting That Piece of Paper: Mental Health Nurses' Experience of Undertaking Doctoral Studies in Victoria, Australia

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of mental health nurses undertaking doctoral studies. The study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. A descriptive–exploratory approach to inquiry was used for this study. Participants were mental health nurses who had successfully completed a doc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of psychiatric nursing 2010-06, Vol.24 (3), p.145-154
Main Authors: Welch, Tony, Happell, Brenda, Edward, Karen-leigh
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Australia
Career Choice
Career Mobility
Cross-Cultural Comparison
Curriculum
Doctoral postgraduate education
Education, Nursing, Graduate
Eligibility
Faculty, Nursing
Female
Graduate studies
Humans
Male
Narratives
Nurse's Role - psychology
Nurses
Nursing
Nursing Research - education
Psychiatric nurses
Psychiatric nursing
Psychiatric Nursing - education
Psychiatric-mental health nursing
School Admission Criteria
Victoria
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Summary:The aim of this study was to explore the experience of mental health nurses undertaking doctoral studies. The study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. A descriptive–exploratory approach to inquiry was used for this study. Participants were mental health nurses who had successfully completed a doctoral qualification. Eligibility for inclusion required participants to be residing in Victoria (irrespective of where their doctoral studies were undertaken) and to have conducted their research within the domain of mental health and/or currently employed in the field of mental health nursing. Of the 20 potential participants invited, 16 accepted the invitation. Five emergent themes were explicated from narrative analyses. These themes were “being a trail blazer,” “positioning for professional advancement,” “achieving a balance between competing priorities,” “maintaining a commitment to the development of the profession,” and “a point of affirmation.” An understanding of the experience of undertaking doctoral studies can be used to influence the development of strategies to encourage more mental health nurses to consider undertaking a doctoral degree.
ISSN:0883-9417
1532-8228
DOI:10.1016/j.apnu.2009.04.005