If you’re considering a nursing Ph.D., then it’s a good idea to know what you stand to gain from your qualification. This can include a range of subjects and valuable experience in the healthcare sector.
Research
Depending on the route you take, and whether you decide between Ph.D. vs DNP you could be focusing on research; including how the different methods of research can help impact treatment, preventions and cure. As healthcare is a progressive industry, new discoveries are always being made, while there is still a demand for better and innovative treatments. So, it can be exciting to learn how it all works, and potentially become part of it someday.
Diseases and health conditions
Learning about diseases and how to manage them is also an important subject to study. Particularly after the pandemic, most people are realizing how easily a disease can be spread. Although even with non-infectious diseases, there is a lot to be learned. Preventing infection is just a small part. Ground-breaking discoveries are being made and are constantly sought, to improve the treatment for, or to prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, chronic pain and mental illness. All you need to do is look back to a few decades ago and see how much has changed. Many health conditions which would have required hospitalization or surgery, or that meant a shortened lifespan are more treatable at home, or in a non-invasive way, and patients are living longer.
Understanding the science behind many of these conditions can help to move forward and make further progress, so more people can live fuller lives because of these advancements. So, by studying for a Ph.D. in nursing, you learn more about medical conditions and the science behind treating them, and how this could inspire you in the future to become part of a team which makes further changes for the better.
Applying for grants
Although this may seem like paperwork and not as exciting as making new discoveries, it’s an important subject to learn as part of your qualification. Different aspects of healthcare, including the life-changing parts, are reliant on funding. Grant writing is an important skill to have. Having the ability to write and highlight the importance of the work which requires funding means securing that funding. Otherwise, the work and research may not be able to go ahead or continue, and those discoveries won’t be made.
Placements
There’s only so much you learn from a course before you need to put that knowledge into practice, so work placements are a valuable resource in helping to apply your knowledge and to learn how you feel about working in your chosen role. These also allow you to experience first-hand a range of different scenarios, which can’t always be conveyed through course materials and tutorials.
A nursing Ph.D. can provide you with the knowledge required for your chosen profession and helps prepare you, alongside a work placement, to see how this works in a real-life setting. It’s a highly recommended course of study if you want to make a career in healthcare work.