PhD with nursing education focus or EdD?

Specialties Educators

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I'm a nurse educator (ADN students) and I love it. I've made peace with not heading toward a role as an advanced clinician (a whole nother story...) and started my journey toward a PhD in nursing. However, my university is NOT at all supportive of the several of us with professed nursing education interests. I love patient care and taking care of patients with my clinical students, but this is in a generalist role and not the specialist role that I thought I would have. Nursing education is now my specialty.

To that end, I'm looking for advice on either PhD in Nursing or EdD programs. Can anyone make a recommendation for or against a doctoral program that is focused on undergraduate nursing education and its evaluation?

I am looking at online only. I'm working full time and tied to my community.

Any advice? I've found UNLV, Columbia, University of Northern Colorado, and University of West Georgia that look promising.

elkpark

14,633 Posts

Nurses with EdD degrees used to be fairly common, but that was back in the day when there were v. few doctoral programs in nursing. I would really encourage you to stay within nursing, and get either a PhD in nursing, or, if you can find one, a DNP with an education focus (I'm sure there must be some "out there"). Either of those will benefit you more than a degree in another discipline.

Best wishes for your journey!

SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS

1 Article; 1,406 Posts

Specializes in nursing education.

Thank you! I had heard that too about the EdD but I see that one of the higher-ups at the NLN has her EdD from Columbia; our Dean has her EdD also. I would only get one that was specifically focused on nursing education.

Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

Columbia has an EdD in Nursing Education. The program is completely online. I am not feeling supported either and have played with the idea of pursuing the EdD. The DNP in nursing education is also an interesting avenue. I will need to research that a little more.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Touro University Nevada has an online DNP program specifically for nurse academic educators.

Bumex, DNP, NP

1 Article; 384 Posts

Specializes in Assistant Professor, Nephrology, Internal Medicine.

What did you decide?

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