Online PhD Nursing Programs
Nurses, who wish to pursue a PhD in Nursing can now enroll in Online PhD Nursing Programs, where either all or part of their courses are online. In most cases, this option is specifically for nurses who have already earned a masters degree in nursing (MSN nursing) from an accredited nursing school. With the shortage of nursing professionals, this shortage directly affects the number of qualified professionals to teach nursing on the undergraduate and graduate (MSN nursing) level, and therefore earning your PhD in Nursing will make you a valuable asset to the nursing community. Online PhD Nursing Programs and traditional nursing programs give students a wider and more in-depth understanding of nursing theory, techniques, and clinical procedures. People who have earned their PhD in Nursing often go into research and management, rather than clinical work.
Almost in disregard to economic conditions, a person who earns a PhD in Nursing will have job security and it doesn’t even have to be at a hospital or clinic. Companies that have an interest in the healthcare industry such as medical records and software companies, drug companies, institutions of higher learning, and governments also need a person with high credentials. While greater education levels appeal to companies with various healthcare interests, managers can certainly count on job security and higher pay. These managers continue to be likely to hire candidates with a proven dedication to team leadership. For instance, job possibilities for nurses are forecasted to improve by 25% within the next 7 to ten years. To compete for higher paying positions, especially those in management, a graduate degree is necessary in almost all industries, and even more so in the healthcare industry. The word is out however, that a masters degree in nursing is not enough anymore. In fact, if you have earned a BSN in Nursing, in some schools you are eligible to get on the PhD track before earning a MSN nursing, as discussed in an earlier article.
Due to the very nature of your work as a nurse, chances are that you welcome the choice of the earning your degree at your own pace and at your own convenience. Online PhD Nursing Programs allow you to do just that. If you are concerned about the reputation or accreditation of these schools, more and more well recognized and established nursing schools also offer Online PhD Nursing Programs, including Ivy League Schools. Duquesne University School of Nursing is one school that I have written about before, which has two excellent Online Nursing Programs – one for the PhD in Nursing and one for online DNP program (Doctor of Nursing Practice). The difference between the two online nursing programs is that the DNP has a clinical focus, rather than a research focus.
Written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS
©2011 Brenne Meirowitz & Online Nursing Programs, PhD in Nursing, & DNP Programs.
