title: Doctoral graduates in mental health nursing in Victoria, Australia: the doctoral experience and contribution to scholarship.
abstract: The last decade has seen a substantial increase in the number of psychiatric or mental health nurses in Victoria, Australia who hold doctoral qualifications. The literature refers to the importance of scholarship for the professional development and recognition of nursing as a discipline. However, there is a paucity of literature addressing the contribution of nursing doctoral graduates to scholarship in mental health nursing or indeed the broader nursing profession. This paper presents the findings from a survey of psychiatric nurse doctoral graduates currently residing in the State of Victoria. A questionnaire was developed by the authors and distributed to the known doctoral graduates. The main findings demonstrate considerable variation in the discipline and topic of inquiry and in the extent to which doctoral studies had led to dissemination of research findings and engagement in further scholarly activity. The strengthening of mental health nursing knowledge requires scholarship and doctoral graduates are expected to make a major contribution, through research and the dissemination of findings. This paper presents a descriptive overview of doctoral graduates in one State of Australia with a particular focus on research and scholarship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Innovation and Centre for Social Science Research, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. b.happell@cqu.edu.au
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.forename: Karen-Leigh
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Edward
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welch
mesh_terms: D004212:Academic Dissertations as Topic; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004651:Employment; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D011643:Publishing; D012107:Research Design; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria