The Effect of Program Components and Life Demands

on Dissertation Completion in DNP ABDs

Ellen B. Daroszewski PhD, APRN

School of Nursing

California Baptist University

45th Annual WIN Communicating Nursing Research Conference 2012

April 20th

Portland, OR

The Future of Nursing(IOM, 2010)

Recommendation 5

Double the number of nurses with a doctorate

by 2020

The Registered Nurse PopulationThe 2008 National Sample Survey

of Registered Nurses (USDHHS HRSA, 2010)

All RNs 3,063,162

Nursing 0.4%

Non Nursing 0.5%

Doctorates Total 28,369 (0.9%)

Nursing 0.4%NonNursing 0.5%

The Registered Nurse Populationwith Double the Number of Doctorates

All RNs 3,063,162

RNs with Doctorates 1.8%

56,738

All RNs 3,063,162

DoctoratesTotal 56,738 (1.8%)

Number of Nursing Doctoral Programsand Students 2010

(AACN, 2011)

DNP 182 programs 8,973 students (2011)

PhD (in nursing) 126 programs 4,907 students (2011)

Total RN Doctoral Students 2011

13,880 (nursing)

+ 6,940 (½ estimate non nursing)

20,820

13,880

28,369+current RNs

with a doctorate

Potential Increase in Doctorally Prepared RNs by 2020

(estimated 5 years to graduation)

Nursing 13,880 students X 5 = 69,400

Non nursing 6,940 students X 5 = 34,700

New RNs with Doctorates by 2020

104,100 !!! From 0.9% to 3.8%

Nearly Quadruple

So what’s the problem?

Problem: PhD Completion RatesThe Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) PhD Completion Project

7 year grant-funded project 29 major US and Canadian research universities 15 partner universities

Findings “The vast majority of students who enter doctoral

programs have the academic ability to complete their PhD.”

On average only 57% of all PhD students complete their degree within 7 years

6 institutional and program characteristics which affect PhD completion

Student selection Student mentoring Student financial support The environment of the program The research modes of the discipline Dissertation processes and procedures

http://www.phdcompletion.org/

57% PhD Completion Rate

CGS PhD Completion Project

Main factors that contributed to completion

Mentoring/advising

Family support

Financial support

PhD Completion and Attrition: Findings from Exit Surveys of

PhD Completers (2009)

Problem: Nursing PhD Completion Rates52 Programs PhD Graduation in 6 Years

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PhDs.org, 2011

Mean = 51.8%

Problem: Nursing PhD Completion Rates

Megginson (2011) examining nursing PhD program outcomes noted a deficit between the number of students admitted and the number who graduate Average admission of 6 to 10

students per year Average completion rate of 1 to 5

graduates per year over the past 5 years

40% completion rateMegginson, L. (2011). Exploration of nursing doctoral admission and performance outcomes. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(9), 502-512.

Problem: Nursing Doctoral Completion Rates

20-50% of nursing doctoral students finish their degree (Cohen, 2011) Dissertation completion is the major obstacle

to doctorate completion

Takes a LONG time Women and minorities take the longest Students who works on their dissertation for

more than 2 years likely to never finish

Cohen found completion MOST affected by Program problems

Conflicts Delays

Life demands Parental responsibilities Work

Cohen, S. M. (2011). Doctoral persistence and doctoral program completion among nurses. Nursing Forum, 46(2), 64-70.

Doctoral Nursing Program Components

“Easy” part Courses Research/lab/clinical experiences Qualifying or other exams

“Hard” part Final “project”

Most significant work of the program Dissertation

PhD - original research DNP – practice-based project with many

forms

All-But-Dissertation (ABD) DNP Student Survey

Study aim

To describe the

helpfulness of program supports

and

affect of lifestyle factors

on dissertation completionCompleted:

3/56 (5%) students

53 ABDs:3 cohorts

2 mo – 2.5 yrs

ABD Survey Methods

Two part 25 item self-report

15 internal program support (PS)

10 external life factors (LF)

Written comments for each part

Distributed using Qualtrecs software

53 ABDs received the survey

37 (70%) completed the survey

70% response

rate

Internal Program Supports Course paper for Ch. 1 Course paper for Ch 2 Course paper for Ch. 4 Lit review papers Dissertation seminars Dissertation Blackboard resources Dissertation guidelines Dissertation proposal “tips” sheet General faculty feedback Chair feedback Academic member feedback Community member feedback Student colleague support/feedback Other college/university support Other sources of support

Rankings

+2 Very helpful+1 Somewhat helpful-2 Not helpful 0 Did not use

Coursework

Special dissertation help

Feedback

External Life Factors Motivation to complete Time management Personal computer equipment Personal level of skill in using

technology Employer/Employment Family/family obligations Friends/colleagues Finances Health Other life factors

Rankings

+2 Very helpful+1 Somewhat helpful-2 Negatively affected my dissertation progress 0 Did not affect my dissertation progress

Results: Internal Program SupportTotal scores: mean=42.8, SD=9.2, range =29, 24-53 (74 to -74 possible)

Ranking Score Internal Program Supports

1 53 Dissertation guidelines

1 53 Dissertation proposal tips

1 53 Course paper (Ch. 1)

4 51 Lit review throughout program

5 50 Dissertation seminars

6 48 Chair feedback

6 48 Dissertation Website

8 44 Course paper (Ch. 4)

9 40 Faculty feedback

9 40 Other student feedback

9 40 Course paper (Ch. 2)

12 34 Other support

13 33 Committee feedback (Academic member)

14 31 Committee feedback (Community member)

15 24 Other college & university support

Very Helpful

mean = 50.86SD = 2.27

Somewhat Helpful

mean = 41SD = 2

Not Helpful

mean = 30.5SD = 4.51

Groups

F = 61.96p = .000

“Closer” to process

more helpful

Results: Internal Program Support Comments

“would like to have a better plan up front in the program”

“changed topics and populations at a final hour so most help was through the practice of the process and instructor feedback”

“this was the point where I bailed out on the previous topic, population, etc. and resorted to building on previous learning”

“Hard to get e-mails back (from Chair), have to send several over several months and then hear back – felt like she was more engaged in the beginning, not so much anymore.”

Most comments reported the supports

were helpful

Results: External Life Factors Total scores: mean=28 SD=21.6, range=60, -5-55 (74 to -74 possible)

Ranking Score External Life Factors

1 56 Computer

2 55 Skill in using technology

3 53 Motivation to complete

4 35 Friends/colleagues

5 33 Time management

6 17 Employer/Employment

7 14 Health

8 12 Family/family obligations

9 10 Finances

10 -5 Other life factors

Very Helpful

mean = 54.67SD= 1.53

Somewhat Helpful

mean = 34SD = 1.41

Negative Affect

mean = 9.6SD= 8.56

Groups

F = 45.5p = .000

EmploymentHours/Week

13% < 40__________

86% > 40

36% > 50

18% > 60

Results: External Life Factors Comments

“work demands are huge; work provides my basic needs; financial aid was still required …”

“I am feeling overwhelmed with a new position at work and it seems I don’t have time at home to put into writing a dissertation because I am doing work for my job.”

“Spouse's health caused delay.”

“…life does get in the way, family, obligations and finances all come before the dissertation.”

“I truly believe I would be finished with my dissertation if health issues did not get in the way.”

“I am having difficulty getting started after a 6 month break for personal reasons.”

Most comments reported that various life factors interfered with the dissertation process

Discussion

ABD survey results supported the literature

Doctoral program internal supports help ABDs

Life demands were found to be least helpful and have the most negative affect on dissertation completion Family & financial support important for

completion

Mentoring is important Dissertation Advisor/Chair

Recommendations

“Everyone” has to get better at supporting doctoral completion Programs have to build in steps and

support for students Close to the dissertation process

Students have to learn to manage their life demands

Respect and support for the difficulty of the dissertation process Advisors/Chairs

Questions …?

Dissertation or Die