Nursing doctorate degree

Abstract: The planning and implementing of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program at Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, LA (SUBR), an Historically Black College or University (HBCU), are discussed. The steps for initiating this new program in Southern University School of Nursing (SUSON) are included. Background information on the university and the Graduate Nursing Program. The use of consultants, their recommendations for program development, and the SUSON's responses to these recommendations are presented. Additional information is provided about the need for offering the PhD, program objectives, strengths of the SON, the Office of Nursing Research, funded research, faculty development, the curriculum, and financial assistance for students.

Key Words: Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Consultants in Doctoral Nursing Education, Curriculum for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), like other colleges and universities, have protocols for establishing new programs of study. Program planning and development of a PhD program in Nursing at Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Southern or SUBR), an HBCU, are described herein.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Southern University in New Orleans, Louisiana was chartered by the Louisiana General Assembly in 1880 and relocated to Baton Rouge in 1914. Today, there is a Southern University System with the main campus in Baton Rouge and other campuses in Shreveport and New Orleans.

The 512-acre Baton Rouge campus has a multicultural student and faculty population of more than 10,000 and 950, respectively. Nine colleges and schools grant approximately 66 undergraduate, 25 masters, and three doctoral degrees in various fields of study. The first masters programs were initiated in the 1960s. Graduate degrees were offered in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) was implemented in 1992. It was established as a partnership with the Intercollegiate Consortium for the Master's of Science Degree in Nursing (ICMSN). This is a unique collaboration between SUBR and three state supported historically majority institutions: McNeese State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Southeastern University. The State Board of Regents authorizes each institution to offer the MSN. These institutions offer a common core, functional role options, and non-duplicative specialties in advanced study. Southern University offers the concentration in family nursing. The programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC).

In January 1986, the Graduate School at SUBR offered its first doctoral program, the PhD in Special Education. Programs for the PhD in Science/Mathematics Education and in Public Policy followed. The fourth doctoral program, the PhD in Nursing, admitted its first students in August 2001.

One hundred six years elapsed between the inception of the university and the offering of the first PhD program. Clearly, the university's early priority focused on undergraduate education, the essential educational dimension for the societal and economic needs of African Americans, its well-defined target group. Even now the university's purpose indicates that it "... offers a wide range of learning opportunities designed to allow students of different abilities to obtain an education that will withstand rigorous scrutiny" (Southern University and A & M College 1998-2000 Graduate School Bulletin, p. 10). Though colleges and universities in the United States currently admit students without regard to race, creed, or national origin, many African-American along with some Caucasian and other race students have chosen to study at an HBCU. With the increased interest in cultural diversity and cultural competency in health care, HBCUs have a unique responsibility to address related issues. The HBCU has an obligation to offer programs that respond to the needs of society and its leaders must have the vision to engage in strategic educational planning that is relevant to new and emerging needs for education in a competitive society.

THE PHD IN NURSING AT SUBR

The genesis of the doctoral program links the historical development of the discipline, the growing commitment of the nation to provide health services to all, and the documented national need for nurses capable of, and committed to, quality care through nursing services, research and education. Specifically, SUSON needed to answer three questions:

1. Is it appropriate to develop a doctoral degree in Nursing at SUBR?

2. Is there a need in Louisiana for nurses prepared at the doctoral level?

3. Is the School of Nursing ready to offer a quality doctoral program in Nursing?

In partial response to these questions, the mission of Southern University would be served by offering a doctoral program in nursing. The health needs of the people of Louisiana could be better served by a significant increase in the number of doctorally prepared nurses. At the time of the initial PhD proposal in October 1997, the Division of Nursing, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, projected that Louisiana would need 9,780 masters prepared nurses and 860 doctorally prepared nurses by the year 2000.

On the national level the Department of Health and Human Services estimated that by 2010 the supply of nurses prepared at the master's and doctorate levels would total 250,400, less than half the demand for 531,800 nurses (1988). Year 2005 the shortfall of masters and doctorally prepared nurses would be approximately 200,000. In 1998, 70 doctoral programs produced an average of six graduates per program (AACN, 2001). Though there were 78 nursing doctoral programs in the nation in the 1999-2000 academic year, the small yield continued (AACN, 2001). Given this situation, a doctoral program at Southern University School of Nursing (SUSON) could make an important contribution to meeting the needs of the state and the nation.

In keeping with its vision and strategic plan, SUSON was ready to initiate a PhD in Nursing. Its faculty had a history of securing external funding and had the potential for the essential level of research maturity. Further, its investigation indicated there was a strong pool of applicants that could sustain the rigor of a PhD program.

The Dean of SUSON began planning for the new PhD program in the summer of 1996. In 1997 the Dean and her associates prepared and submitted a proposal. The proposal was approved by the nursing faculty, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Chancellor of SUBR, and the Board of Supervisors. In October 1997 the proposal was submitted to the Board of Regents (BOR). This Board must grant its approval before any state college or university establishes a new academic program or unit. The Board of Regents' external consultants reviewed the proposal and made several recommendations, including resubmission of the proposal following further development and refinement. A summary of the consultants' recommendations and SUSON'S responsive actions in 1998-1999 are in Table I.

Strengths of SUSON

Though the consultants made a number of recommendations, SUSON was confident of its readiness to proceed with the PhD program. Its strengths were:

1. A partnership with Master's programs in an Intercollegiate Consortium

2. Success in obtaining extramural funding for instruction including grants and contracts of over 6.8 million dollars

3. Community partnerships:

a. Institutions in the private sector gave faculty endowment funds of over one million dollars and provided funds for annual health fairs that targeted underserved populations

b. Institutions in the public sector provided funds for nurse managed clinics, including a mobile clinic

4. A national reputation for educating minority nurses. In 1996 SUBR was among 23 HBCUs that offered the bachelor's degree in nursing and one of the six HBCUs that offered the master's degree (The State of African Americans, 1996)

5. Growing research maturity of the nursing faculty

6. Involvement of undergraduate students in research

7. SUBR's arrangement for cross-registration with Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, a Research II institution.

SUSON also acted on the consultants' recommendations. For example, two additional faculty were appointed that met the guidelines for doctoral faculty status, the curriculum was enhances in its focus on health care of vulnerable women and children, and an Office of Nursing Research was established.

SUSON's Consultants

SUSON decided to seek consultation from experts in doctoral education. The experts' positions at the time of their consultation, their specializations and areas of consultation as related to the PhD program at SUSON are in Table 2.