Where change-making nursing scientists, expert clinicians and leaders are made

It is a universally agreed statement that nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems.

Research has shown a clear link between higher levels of nursing education and better patient outcomes; the nurses see it too. In 2022, 17.4% of the US registered nurses (RN) held a master’s degree, and 2.7% had a doctoral degree as their highest educational preparation.

Programs like the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) that provide content in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, among other key areas, is gaining traction too. Through this, nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice get to improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice, upskilling themselves to take up bigger roles within the industry.
With a global shortage of nurses partly due to the lack of faculty and educators, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing programs are critical in stewarding the nursing profession forward.. Here, graduates are prepared to accept careers in health, education, research, and clinical practice to restore a diminishing workforce supply while generating new knowledge to improve health and healthcare delivery. Both DNP and PhD programs have two entry points: one for applicants with bachelor’s degrees and another for master’s degree holders.

Whether you seek to hone your skills or step up in your role, these universities have nursing programs to help you advance your career.

As one of the two terminal degrees in the nursing profession, DNP-prepared nurses often work closely with PhD-prepared nursing scientists to make a difference in the patient care landscape and improve outcomes for human health and well-being. Source: Purdue University, School of Nursing

Purdue University School of Nursing, West Lafayette Main Campus

Purdue University – West Lafayette, hailed as the cradle of astronauts and a pioneer in exploration and discovery, continues to be at the forefront of shaping the future of healthcare through its renowned School of Nursing. At the heart of advanced nursing education lies Purdue University — West Lafayette’s School of Nursing distinguished Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs, each carving a unique and influential path in healthcare.

Purdue’s DNP program, ranked 31st in the nation, is a beacon for those aspiring to meld clinical practice with leadership and evidence-based practice. DNP graduates are the vanguards in healthcare, assuming pivotal roles as executives, program directors, and quality initiative leaders. Their expertise is especially crucial in navigating the complexities of modern healthcare, marked by an ageing population and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial reward matches their invaluable contribution, with DNP nurses earning an impressive average annual salary of approximately US$117,859, a testament to the high demand for their advanced skills​​​​​​.

Diverging into the realm of research and academia, the PhD program is a gateway for nurses to become trailblazers in nursing science. These scholars are pivotal in shaping healthcare policies, nurturing future nurses in academic settings, and leading research that drives the profession forward. Their roles span from being esteemed university faculty to influential policy advisors and organizational leaders, contributing significantly beyond clinical practice.

Purdue’s commitment to advanced nursing education is evident in its comprehensive curriculum. The DNP program boasts a 100% clinical placement rate, underscoring its strong industry connections and emphasis on practical experience. The curriculum encompasses critical areas such as leadership, scholarly practice, clinical expertise, and healthcare policy, ensuring graduates are multifaceted professionals poised to impact the field significantly.

Similarly, the PhD program offers an enriching research environment, supported by distinguished faculty, nurturing the next generation of nurse scientists. This emphasis on research aligns Purdue with other prestigious institutions, underscoring its dedication to advancing nursing knowledge and practice.

For those drawn to either path, Purdue University represents a cornerstone of opportunity in advanced nursing education, preparing graduates to excel in a wide spectrum of influential roles. For more detailed information on these transformative programs, Purdue University’s School of Nursing invites prospective students to explore further on their official website.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of George Washington University Nursing faculty are active in practice, allowing students to learn from experts who are always up to date with industry standards. Source: George Washington University.

George Washington University, School of Nursing

The George Washington University School of Nursing stands out for numerous reasons.Chief among them are its quality courses, a faculty that’s active in practice and access to state-of-the-art facilities.

To study here is to do so in a school with a wealth of experience too. In the past decade, it has achieved many successes, including recruiting renowned faculty, receiving national recognition for their graduate programmes and launching innovative academic initiatives.

Here, professionals seeking a practice-focused doctorate designed to prepare experts in advanced nursing practice will find the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programme ideal. It emphasises key nursing practice competencies and innovation, with several options for different fields of study in clinical practice, policy and leadership.

Those who want to gravitate to an academic or research role can enrol in the PhD in Nursing. Candidates will work closely with the school’s research faculty who conduct clinical, educational and health services research. They will also take part in an executive-format programme with carefully developed on-campus, learning-intensive weekends with weekly online experiences. GWU’s PhD graduates are set for tenure-track research or teaching faculty position at a university and post-doctoral research fellowships at research-intensive universities or government agencies. They possess the know-how to implement theoretical and methodological approaches required to implement discovery science as well as to influence nursing-related policy, education, and scientific discovery.

“I chose to come back and get my PhD so I could help the vulnerable adults that I work with on a population and policy level by doing research. I chose GWU because of the hybrid programme format and the faculty,” says Noelle Herrier, who was a psychiatric nurse practitioner for 13 years before joining GWU. “The faculty have been phenomenal sharing their knowledge and experience with us and they are absolutely dedicated to our success as students.”

The University of British Colombia’s School of Nursing has a long history of educating and preparing nurses to take on leadership roles and develop novel programmes of research.
Source: UBC School of Nursing

University of British Colombia, School of Nursing

The world needs nursing leaders; and the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) School of Nursing is responding to the call with two graduate programmes: a Master of Science (MSN) and a PhD.

One of Canada’s premier nursing schools – ranked #25 for Nursing by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 – students here go on to make a difference in the healthcare field. From researching how digital health technologies can be leveraged to address inequities in sexual and reproductive health access for marginalised populations to spearheading quality improvement projects in workplaces, UBC prepares them for the future.

MSN students progress into advanced roles in nursing practice, education and research. Their programme equips them to actively contribute to improving healthcare delivery, advancing and applying nursing knowledge, and evolving health policy. Students seeking health leadership and education careers can opt for the course-based stream, while those who wish to pursue academia and research careers can opt for the thesis-based stream.

In the PhD programme, candidates can anticipate a rigorous, high-quality education that allows them to actively participate in developing nursing knowledge, adding to the evidence base to enhance nursing and health. At UBC’s School of Nursing, they are prepared to be nurse leaders who have expanded spheres of influence to enhance the health and well-being of the public through leadership roles in academic institutions, practice settings, and policy arenas.

Assistant Professor Katrina Plamondon attended UBC Okanagan for her PhD and in 2019, won the UBCO’s Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year. “When I set out and I thought yes I’m gonna do my PhD, I really wanted a transformative learning experience. That was my learning goal. And I think I got more than I bargained for in a way, because I didn’t expect the transformation to be so personal,” she says.

Plamondon’s research is about advancing health equity. It’s personal to her as it tries to make sense of how her family’s “mixed ancestry of Indigenous and settler ancestry mirrors and how our stories mirror so closely.” “Most of my research involves bringing groups of people to talk about their values, their ideals, their aspirations, usually around issues related to health equity,” she says. “I really look forward to building my relationships up and out and especially to thinking about how to work with and connect with groups that are outside of the sort of narrow field of health, because so much of health equity work involves the way society is structured and the way society is organised.”

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International