1. Development of the First PhD (Nursing) Program in Atlantic Canada: Lessons Learned Patricia L. Sullivan, PhD, RN Professor and Director Dalhousie University School of Nursing CASN Doctoral Forum Toronto May 27, 2010

2. History By fall, 1995, there were four doctoral programs in nursing in Canada – University of Alberta – University of Toronto – University of British Columbia – McGill University/Universite de Montreal No doctoral programs in nursing east of Montreal The need to establish a doctoral program in the Atlantic Region was identified by ARCAUSN (1998)

3. Milestones Steering Committee established to develop a PhD (Nursing) program at Dalhousie University Doctoral program proposal submitted in 2002 Proposal approved, January, 2004 First doctoral students admitted, September, 2004 (n=2) Current enrollment (n=20) First graduates, May 31, 2010 (n=3)

4. Program Overview Goal: To prepare nurse scholars who will provide leadership in the advancement of nursing knowledge, nursing theory and practice, and health policy through scholarly research and the dissemination of research findings Focus: Nursing Sensitive Health Outcomes and Women’s Health Outcomes

5. Program Overview Program Requirements: Minimum of four core courses – Contemporary Views of Nursing Science: Philosophy, Research and Practice – Two courses in the student’s substantive area of study, one of which will be on health outcomes – Advanced research methods/design course Doctoral Seminar Comprehensive Examination Thesis

6. Lessons Learned Build faculty resources – School of Nursing Increase number of faculty with earned doctorates in nursing or related fields Record of scholarship and extramural funding Experience in teaching and supervision of graduate students Sufficient numbers to withstand illness, sabbaticals, retirements and resignations or the “HBAB” test

7. Develop cross-appointments – Within the Faculty of Health Professions Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Social Work Health and Human Performance Pharmacy – Within the broader University Community Health and Epidemiology Sociology and Anthropology Psychology Philosophy Medicine Law

8. Lessons Learned Develop adjunct appointments – With Schools of Nursing in Universities in the Atlantic Region, Central and Western Canada – With clinical practitioners

9. Proposal Planning Expect resistance –Prepare for multiple issues and barriers –Social, political, financial Be collaborative and inclusive Amass evidence –Evidence of provincial, regional and national need for program Priority for CNA (1976), CAUSN and CNF (1978) Advancing Doctoral Preparation for Nurses: Charting a Course for the Future. Proceedings of the Conference on Doctoral Education, 1990

10. Proposal Planning Evidence of proposed demand by students – Assessing Demand for Doctoral Education for Nurses in the Atlantic Region, ARCAUSN, 1998 – Dalhousie University School of Nursing Steering Committee Survey, 2001

11. Proposal Planning Seek expert advice through consultation and external reviews Seek statements of support from other Deans/Directors/Chairs of Faculties/Schools of Nursing and professional associations Seek funding to support students

12. Implementing the Program Keep program small and focused Solidify program and build quality Accept qualified students whose goals are consistent with faculty expertise and institutional resources

13. Challenges Students are mainly women combining full-time work, family, and doctoral studies – Most students were faculty from Dalhousie and Schools of Nursing in the Atlantic Region – Potential for conflicts of interest managing simultaneous roles as student/faculty – Special procedures developed to minimize potential for conflict – Ceasing to be problematic as PhD is now a requirement for tenure-track positions

14. Challenges Limited time available to spend at the university Find creative ways to stimulate and nurture the development of a “community of scholars” – SCHOLARS Seminar Series (Teleconferenced) – Nursing Knowledge Exchange Series (Videotaped and posted on website)

15. Challenges Faculty are stretched to find balance among the teaching, research, service, and practice components of their academic roles Need a well-developed infrastructure to foster quality research Need a system to facilitate collaboration among students and faculty to support and enhance scholarship and research productivity

16. Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate Concern being expressed globally re: the overproduction of PhDs of low academic quality Important to conduct regular formative and summative evaluations – Conduct frequent “in camera” discussions about progress; what’s working; what’s not – Implement needs-based professional development programs to enhance faculty competence, i.e., best practices in student supervision

17. Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate Conduct periodic formal evaluations by external consultant (i.e., At end of Year 3) Implement: – Yearly exit surveys of graduating students – One- and five-year follow up surveys of graduates

18. Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate To generate data to inform quality improvement, evaluation must be: – Ongoing – Flexible – Systematic – Comprehensive – Process and outcomes oriented

19. Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate And include: – Curricula – Faculty – Students – Research activity of faculty and students – Program administration – Employers Summative Evaluation – Usually conducted by Faculty of Graduate Studies on a 5-7 year cycle

20. Summary of Lessons Learned Build faculty resources Expect resistance Be collaborative and inclusive Amass evidence to support program need and demand Seek expert advice and support from other SONs, Departments, and professional associations Seek funding support for students

21. Summary of Lessons Learned Keep program small and focused Create innovative ways to nurture development of a ‘community of scholars’ Build systems to foster quality research and collaboration among faculty and students Conduct frequent formative and summative evaluations – To ensure continuous improvement of the program needed to develop and expand nursing science and to prepare our future educators, scholars, leaders and policy makers