Shannon Munro Cohen1. 1. Department of Veterans Affairs, Salem, VA. shannon.cohen@va.gov
Abstract
PROBLEM: The United States is experiencing a critical shortage of registered nurses, which is due to multiple factors, including a deficit of full-time doctorally prepared nursing faculty. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This review of the literature addresses doctoral persistence and the challenges faced by doctoral nursing students. Themes found in this review included periods of transition, parenthood and outside demands, delays and "marinating" in the data, and positive aspects. These issues need to be addressed in order to increase doctoral student retention and reverse the nursing shortage.
PROBLEM: The United States is experiencing a critical shortage of registered nurses, which is due to multiple factors, including a deficit of full-time doctorally prepared nursing faculty. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This review of the literature addresses doctoral persistence and the challenges faced by doctoral nursing students. Themes found in this review included periods of transition, parenthood and outside demands, delays and "marinating" in the data, and positive aspects. These issues need to be addressed in order to increase doctoral student retention and reverse the nursing shortage.