11: REPORT ON A NATIONAL STUDY OF DOCTORAL NURSING FACULTY ■ 277In the 2016 survey, 51% of respondents did not think that the DNP degree itself prepared
individuals for the full- time faculty role ( N = 391), while 49% ( N = 371) agreed that it
does— clearly a split opinion. Nevertheless, the migration of large numbers of DNP grad-
uates into academia, both in DNP graduate education and undergraduate programs, is
a trend that must be studied and addressed. We even addressed this question whether
the respondents agreed that the DNP degree was appropriate for undergraduate nursing
education and 45% ( N = 340) said “yes” and 45% ( N = 265) said “no.” While the CCNE has
stated it will not accredit such programs, the prospect of a replacement of the PhD with
the DNP in academia appears to be a future possibility. Ketefian and Redman (2015) urge
that this trend continues as a means to address the national faculty shortage; the DNP pro-
gram content and accreditation must be revised in order to align with these real trends in
the membership of academic nursing administration (Ketefian & Redman, 2015).
■ SUMMARY
The findings from this second survey have raised additional questions and considerations
that warrant further exploration. Clearly, doctoral nursing education is at a crossroads
with the robust increase in enrollment of DNP programs and the generally flat enrollment
of PhD programs, as well as the negative effects of senior PhD- prepared faculty retire-
ments on the current system. With these and other market forces, doctoral faculty are
faced with some critical challenges that require reflection and innovation— namely the
DNP- prepared faculty member in academia, a decrease in tenure- track and tenured posi-
tions, the lack of integration of faculty practice into the faculty role, lack of recognition of
the faculty role, confusion over the scholarship expectations for DNP- prepared faculty,
perceived lack of relevance of the PhD degree to practitioners, and the continued concern
over low nursing faculty salaries (Oermann et al., 2016; Smeltzer et al., 2016). Doctoral fac-
ulty will need to grapple with these serious issues that have the ability to slow nursing’s
progress in the academic and clinical environment. The U.S. doctoral nursing faculty has
the potential to significantly contribute to nursing knowledge, transform nursing edu-
cation and practice, and positively impact health and health policy with a healthy com-
bination of practice- focused and research- focused doctoral nursing faculty (Glasgow &
Dreher, 2010). To achieve this goal, the doctoral nursing faculty need to be appropriately
prepared for their role, valued for the educator/ faculty role, appreciated for the various
forms of scholarship in which they engage, and compensated appropriately. Without such
elements in place, the nursing faculty shortage will only exacerbate, and exceptional prep-
aration of the nursing workforce needed to care for diverse populations, generate practice
knowledge, and drive innovation in this ever- changing, complex, challenging world will
not be realized (Dreher & Rundio, 2013; Valiga, this volume).
■ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
- Do you consider the academic role an attractive career option for you?
- What skills or abilities are you aiming to acquire during your respective doctoral nursing
degree? - What are some of the notable trends in doctoral nursing education between the 2012 and
2016 survey do you find impactful? - Do you think a doctoral degree is valuable to the nursing profession or to the respective in-
dividual or both? Why or why not? - The DNP is still a new doctoral degree. What do you think about its short history?