Making explicit the development of PhD-prepared nurses to steward the discipline

Abstract

Leadership is a core curricular element of PhD programs in nursing. Our PhD faculty began a dialogue about being a leader, a steward of the discipline. We asked ourselves: (a) What expertise do PhD prepared nurse needs to begin to steward the discipline? (b) How do faculty engage PhD nursing students to assume responsibility for stewarding the discipline? Lastly, (c) How do we work with PhD nursing students to create their vision for how their work contributes to stewarding the discipline, from doctoral coursework throughout their career? We support the need for PhD graduates to have the skills to generate knowledge, conserve that which is important, and transform by disseminating new knowledge to a broad audience. Examples of nurses stewarding the discipline when pioneering research, critiquing traditional approaches to inquiry or trends in nursing practice, and developing policy, are highlighted along with examples of how PhD nursing students begin to steward the discipline.

An eye toward a more inclusive future

“…We do support the notion that PhD graduates and faculty are stewards of the profession and discipline, which can be defined as dynamic and nonhierarchical activity aimed at preserving (i.e., conserving and/or letting go of traditional ideas), transforming (i.e., representing and communicating ideas across boundaries), and generating knowledge for evolving practice (Morris et al, 2021). While interdisciplinary faculty may not have the depth of nursing's history, tradition, science development, and application to nursing practice, exposure to and critique from a diversity of scholars can serve to strengthen, clarify, and effectively communicate nursing's disciplinary perspectives.…”

The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse

“…Historically, stewardship, the fourth pillar, has been assigned and well-described for executive levels of leadership but not addressed as a responsibility for all nurses. There has been a recent call to make stewardship an explicit component of PhD education programs ( Morris et al, 2021 ). While important, the call must be expanded to include educating all students to be stewards of the profession.…”

The NCSBN 2022 Environmental Scan: Resiliency, Achievement, and Public Protection

“…The mentor must be able to connect the students with a larger network of researchers and scholars. Similarly, Morris et al (2021) noted that facilitating growth in the way students think (e.g., exposing them to diverse opinions and thought processes) is important preparation for stewardship of the discipline in which PhD nurses will lead. Puzantian & Darwish (2021) , from Lebanon, also addressed innovations in PhD nursing programs.…”