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Volume 24, Issue 3, Pages 145-154 (June 2010)


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Getting That Piece of Paper: Mental Health Nurses' Experience of Undertaking Doctoral Studies in Victoria, Australia

Tony Welchemail address, Brenda HappellCorresponding Author Informationemail address, Karen-leigh Edward

published online 16 October 2009.

The aim of this study was to explore the experience of mental health nurses undertaking doctoral studies. The study was conducted in Victoria, Australia. A descriptive–exploratory approach to inquiry was used for this study. Participants were mental health nurses who had successfully completed a doctoral qualification. Eligibility for inclusion required participants to be residing in Victoria (irrespective of where their doctoral studies were undertaken) and to have conducted their research within the domain of mental health and/or currently employed in the field of mental health nursing. Of the 20 potential participants invited, 16 accepted the invitation. Five emergent themes were explicated from narrative analyses. These themes were “being a trail blazer,” “positioning for professional advancement,” “achieving a balance between competing priorities,” “maintaining a commitment to the development of the profession,” and “a point of affirmation.” An understanding of the experience of undertaking doctoral studies can be used to influence the development of strategies to encourage more mental health nurses to consider undertaking a doctoral degree.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4059, Australia

Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity Australia, Rockhampton, Queensland 4702, Australia

Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria 3065, Australia

Mental Health Interuniversity Research Group (MHIRG), Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia

Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding Author: Brenda Happell, RN, RPN, BA (Hons), Dip Ed, Bed, Med, PhD, Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity Australia, Bruce Hwy, Rockhampton, Queensland 4701, Australia.

PII: S0883-9417(09)00059-4

doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2009.04.005


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