Current State of PhD Nursing Education in Four Countries: A Comparative Analysis
Hafsteinsdóttir, Thóra B.; Almazan, Joseph; Heikkilä, Johanna; Fagerström, Lisbeth; Blaževičienė, Aurelija (2025)
SAGE
2025
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251230125562
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20251230125562
Tiivistelmä
Introduction: : The academic preparation of nurses is crucial to meet the needs of the global population. Doctoral
education is imperative for nurses to conduct research and to develop evidence-based practices to ensure that nurses contribute
to the health of populations. There are considerable differences between countries in the PhD nursing programs
offered.
Objective: To describe the state of PhD nursing education in three West-European countries, including Finland, Lithuania,
and the Netherlands, as compared to the Central-Asian Republic of Kazakhstan in terms of organizational structure, entry
requirements, supervision, and the required competencies.
Methods: A descriptive survey design was used, including a comparative analysis of data extracted from PhD nursing programs
of universities in Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Kazakhstan.
Results: Although the study showed similarities between the countries, like all countries offer research-oriented PhD programs
for nurses, the following differences were identified: The organizational structure is different, as PhD nursing education
in European countries is provided by independent nursing science departments chaired by a professor in nursing, while nurses
in Kazakhstan can follow PhD education from other disciplines. PhD students in European countries have supervisors with
strong expertise in nursing science and research, while supervisors in Kazakhstan are from other disciplines, lacking nursing
science expertise.
Conclusion: PhD supervisors’ lack of expertise in nursing science threatens the development of PhD education in
nursing in Kazakhstan. Universities in Kazakhstan should develop independent PhD education for nurses with a
focus on nursing and to strengthen the supervision of PhD students with well-qualified supervisors having
expertise in nursing science. For Kazakhstan to meet the demands of tomorrow’s health care, it is critical to
develop a greater pool of PhD-prepared nurses with strong competencies in nursing, health care, research, and supervision,
to educate a sustainable nursing workforce that contributes to the health and well-being of the Kazakhstani
population.
education is imperative for nurses to conduct research and to develop evidence-based practices to ensure that nurses contribute
to the health of populations. There are considerable differences between countries in the PhD nursing programs
offered.
Objective: To describe the state of PhD nursing education in three West-European countries, including Finland, Lithuania,
and the Netherlands, as compared to the Central-Asian Republic of Kazakhstan in terms of organizational structure, entry
requirements, supervision, and the required competencies.
Methods: A descriptive survey design was used, including a comparative analysis of data extracted from PhD nursing programs
of universities in Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Kazakhstan.
Results: Although the study showed similarities between the countries, like all countries offer research-oriented PhD programs
for nurses, the following differences were identified: The organizational structure is different, as PhD nursing education
in European countries is provided by independent nursing science departments chaired by a professor in nursing, while nurses
in Kazakhstan can follow PhD education from other disciplines. PhD students in European countries have supervisors with
strong expertise in nursing science and research, while supervisors in Kazakhstan are from other disciplines, lacking nursing
science expertise.
Conclusion: PhD supervisors’ lack of expertise in nursing science threatens the development of PhD education in
nursing in Kazakhstan. Universities in Kazakhstan should develop independent PhD education for nurses with a
focus on nursing and to strengthen the supervision of PhD students with well-qualified supervisors having
expertise in nursing science. For Kazakhstan to meet the demands of tomorrow’s health care, it is critical to
develop a greater pool of PhD-prepared nurses with strong competencies in nursing, health care, research, and supervision,
to educate a sustainable nursing workforce that contributes to the health and well-being of the Kazakhstani
population.