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Discussion

PhD research topics

Do any of you know what types of research topics one may pursue in PhD programs offered by nursing departments?

I ask this because I have a research interest in aggression and irritability, along with PTSD and law enforcement, that I've picked up while pursuing graduate study as a Psych APRN. I'd kind of like to pursue this further, but it really has very little nexus with nursing. I've really become VERY interested in behavioral science in general (cognition, personality, social psychology), and I'd like to pursue some graduate study in that respect as well while I suppose earning my pay seeing psychopathology and treating it with psychotropics.

Then again, I've known a nurse PhD who wrote a dissertation about the influence of pets on equestrian studies grades. I knew another who did a dissertation on a historical topic, unrelated to nursing, and a third who did a qualitative study involving four people. I guess anything can go...?

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    At a "high quality" school, it's not "anything goes" -- but at a diploma mill that offers degrees that are not highly respected, then you can do about anything you want.

    There are a wide range of topics that fall under the discipline of nursing, though. A good school will insist that your research flow out of a foundation of existing nursing knowledge -- and/or fall within the discipline of nursing knowledge. You'll need to find nursing scholars to serve on your advisory committee and they will need to have some expertise in the field of study.

    Prior to starting your dissertation, your coursework will give you the opportunity to explore the existing literature and begin to design your dissertation. Most people start with a general sense of a topic -- then they refine it as they take their courses -- and then they execute a study with their dissertation.

    I suggest you search the nursing literature to see what is already out there related to your topic of interest -- and contact the authors and/or nursing scholars who have been involved in that realm of human experience. Ask them for advice about nursing research possibilities in that field -- and about nursing schools where there are faculty members who can support your interest.

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    Thanks for the reply. That's something I hadn't thought of. Alas, I don't think I'll find any nurses research a similar area particularly at the local state U. where I'd pursue such a PhD. Even in my present MSN program, I never use nursing literature to support my work. It's always from psychology, psychiatry, or related mental health fields such as MFT or SW.

    For that matter, the local experimental psychology program, which is far more appealing to me and in a myriad of ways, does have faculty with some research in my area.

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    In the past "old" school way thesis supposed to be done before dissertation. Nowadays no need for any nursing theories, no need for research, PHD is other written paper.

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