Type of PhD

[SoJoFlo]

If a university requires a doctorate degree to be a nursing faculty member, does it matter which type? I understand DNP or PhD in nursing would meet the requirement. What about a PhD in a related field, i.e. PhD in Health Administration. So, say a nurse with an MSN goes on to obtain a PhD in Health Administration or Health Policy (non-nursing). Would he/she meet the faculty requirement in a nursing program?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Sometimes, but not always. It would depend on the particular school and position being filled.

[MSNce1]

I see you are night owls like me. In response to your question SoJoFlo I would have to agree with llg Guide. Though I have found some nursing universities will hire nurse educators with a MSN. It depends on what the job requirements are.

[SoJoFlo]

Thanks for your responses. So, a PhD in a non-nursing healthcare field may not be any more beneficial than an MSN when applying for a faculty position? I have heard that faculty positions sometimes require that you maintain a clinical job. I just don't understand how one would have the time if he/she is teaching full time... or even going to school full time. My passion is more in research, policy and education than clinical nursing. But how could I call myself a PhD in a field that I do not work clinically? I feel like there is a lot of criticism about that out there.. thoughts?

[BCRNA]

You can be a specialist in a field without clinical work, unless you claim your specialty is clinical practice. Your expertise is your research focus, which is often based in theory development and testing--not practice. For example, if you study psychsocial adjustment to new onset cancer, you dont have to be an oncology nurse clinically to interview and study oncology patients. Your interest is more intellectual than physical care.

[plainfieldguy]

I would agree with llg Guide that it depends on the university and the position you are applying for. If you had PhD in healthcare administration and were being hired to teach courses in nursing administration, then that PhD would be in line with my expectation. Even though it is a non-nursing PhD, you'd have much more expertise in that area then a nursing PhD whose focus was pathophysiology or nursing theory. If you were also expected to teach a clinical group, then it should be in line with your previous experience in nursing. Don't sell yourself as an instructor to do mother-baby clinicals if you're background is in psych nursing--that's not fair to the students.